Busuttil to Muscat: “All Malta saw the bullet-holes that night but you say you didn’t because you went to sleep. Wake up and smell the coffee.”
The Malta Independent reports from parliament tonight:
The Opposition Leader said Dr Muscat admitted that on the night of the incident he spoke to Gavin Gulia, Kurt Farrugia and Manuel Mallia but wants everyone to believe he did not know that the shots fired by Sheehan were not warning shots. “The police commissioner, those in the control room, the RIU, the investigators on site, Manuel Mallia, Kurt Farrugia and the Maltese people knew they were not warning shots but you claim that you did not know because you went to sleep. Wake up and smell the coffee.”
And also:
Shadow Home Affairs minister Jason Azzopardi said that yesterday, for the first time, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat admitted that he made contact with Minister Manuel Mallia, among others, on the night of the shooting.
Dr Azzopardi said that there is a lie in there somewhere. “Dr Muscat said that Mallia called him that night so there are two possibilities. Either Mallia told him the truth and the Prime Minister went to sleep nonetheless or if Mallia lied, then the next morning the PM got to know the truth and then did not take any action. He allowed a minister to lie on something which is of national interest and took three weeks to take a final decision.”
And:
“In 20 months you have undone all the good work and the reputation of the police force. Mallia should have resigned on this reason alone.” Dr Fenech Adami said the Labour party had orchestrated a welcome party for Manuel Mallia under a tent in St George’s square but the government ministers and MPs were now distancing themselves from him.
“In just 20 months you have destroyed the army and the police. You have brought back the politics of vindictive transfers, of lies, deceit and dishonesty. You are now reaping what you sowed, paying the price of what you did to win the election.”
At one point Dr Fenech Adami turned to Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis for a comment he passed on his father, Eddie Fenech Adami. “He was the one who used to leave you speechless inside this chamber and the one who put you on the Opposition benches for 25 years.”
Turning back to the shooting inqury, Beppe Fenech Adami said the PM could not have been unaware that Paul Sheehan had shot at Stephen Smith’s car. “Kurt Farrugia is the Prime Minister’s keychain and tells him everything. He was the one who issued the press release.”
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http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-12-10/local-news/Jason-Azzopardi-says-people-fearing-the-police-same-as-they-did-before-1987-6736127130
He was waiting for the outcome of the inquiry – to establish the facts. Although the scene of the crime had been tampered with, the photos of the car published within minutes, phone conversations leaked.
I think he needs something a bit stronger than coffee to wake him from his slumber and realise the mess he’s in.
But I’m sure he’ll muddle his way through it and get a few pats on the back from the loyal bunch. That’s the essence of politics. Smoke and mirrors.
Of course he will – have we not all noticed that now on television we’re being bombarded about how he is a man of action, a man who takes difficult decisions while in the meantime when the PN was in government bla bla bla.
Xebbawni.
I also enjoyed that part of the speech where Beppe Fenech Adami (I think) told him that it looks like North Korea with all the government MPs paying homage to their prime minister.
‘Dr Muscat said that Mallia called him that night so there are two possibilities. Either Mallia told him the truth and the Prime Minister went to sleep nonetheless or if Mallia lied, then the next morning the PM got to know the truth and then did not take any action.’
Explains why it took him until the next day to come up with the feeblest excuse, something about not wearing a watch.
Then it was appointments to the inquiry simply to fish Busuttil.
Last Monday he very nearly put his government into a crisis, his request challenged by a minister of cabinet, journalists left waiting over an hour.
This, is our prime minister. One who thinks it will all go away.
Brilliant.
Beppe Fenech Adami is more fiery than ever.
I particularly love this line:
“He was the one who used to leave you speechless inside this chamber and the one who put you on the Opposition benches for 25 years.”
And now it’s Beppe who’s doing it .
When there is so much ammunition to fire back at the government benches every salvo hits hard.
“Kurt Farrugia is the Prime Minister’s keychain”
Priceless.
Kurt the Keychain:
http://www.anony.ws/image/Ddsl
Il-Madonna x’noqmos fis-sodda bid-dahq.
Zammit Lewis is so pathetic
PN are getting better and better, strength in adversity
Manwel Mallia’s letter makes interesting reading. Mallia insists that he did not read the press release before it was published and says that: (i) this fact could have been corroborated by at least two (unnamed) persons who, although asked to do so by Mallia, did not give evidence before the board of inquiry and (ii) this was normal practice when someone else was entrusted with ascertaining the facts.
The person entrusted with ascertaining the facts is a reference to Kurt Farrugia. The two persons who Mallia is referring to did not give evidence before the board of inquiry so that rules out Kurt Farrugia, Ramona Attard and Silvio Scerri. My guess is that he is referring to the PM and Keith Schembri.
This explains why Mallia did not resign when he was asked to do so. He probably thought: why should I resign if I gave the the PM all the information and the PM told me to let Kurt Farrugia take care of it.
Mallia’s refusal to resign was an act of political suicide. It can only be explained if he felt that ultimately the PM was responsible for the press release. It also explains why the PM was so reluctant to fire Mallia until he had absolutely no option.
Beppe Fenech Adami was fantastic yesterday. I was in awe as well as in stitches.
Kurt Farrugia the PM’s keychain? Pure genius.
Oh my God – brilliant, Beppe. In adversity the Fenech Adami spirit fires up.
I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist.
http://angelabermudez.deviantart.com/art/Coconut-keychain-262247526
2cm? Ikbar min-nuts ta’ Joseph.
Assistant Commissioner Ray Zammit is quoted in Times of Malta today:
“He took his decisions. I was there to help and that is what I will continue doing,”
Mr Zammit, you were there to do YOUR JOB and not HELP.
If you think your job as Police Commissioner was to help the Labour government, or help a minister or a Prime Minister’s spokesman in a cover-up or any other way, you should resign NOW or be sacked before you do more damage.
They are all claiming to be innocent, blaming the wind, the moon and of course the previous administration.
But people see the fact that the truth was already out there all over the internet an hour or more before the prime minister’s spokesman issued the false press release.
It’s clear to me that Mallia went to bed without ordering a correction because he knew that his Prime Minister was of the same mind, having spoken to him.
Codruta says it all in her Facebook message. She is referring to Muscat and someone on his staff.
Manuel Mallia with his assertion in his letter, that there are two individuals who should have been interrogated by the the three retired judges, is a strong hint to journalists to investigate further.
Kurt Farrugia, Silvio Scerri, Ramona Attard and the acting CoP were all interrogated.
To my mind, Joseph Muscat is one of those two individuals.
The Prime Minister seems to be afraid of what Ray Zammit and Manuel Mallia might say or do.
Ray Zammit was given a slight tap on the wrist, despite the retired judges having reported that he was found to have behaved with gross negligence.
The Prime Minister treats Mallia with kid gloves although he openly defied the Prime Minister by refusing to resign.
Mallia and Zammit have the information on what really went on before that press release was issued.
[Daphne – This not about the press release. Keep your eyes on the ball. It is about Manuel Mallia’s relationship with his driver, the nature of that driver, what he did that night and why he did it. The press release is the detail that indicates that are serious reasons why they wanted the matter hushed up. It is those reasons we should be looking at, and for.]
Just heard yesterday’s parliamentary session and the Prime Minister seems to have his doubts too about whether the shooting was solely due to a broken mirror.
At the start of his speech he said ‘Jekk inhu minnu li pulizija b’arma tan-nar spara lejn xi hadd ghax sempliciment tajjarlu mera ta’ karozza…’.
Shame on Zammit Lewis. X’zibel ta’ nies. They are so lost for words they have to attack those who are not there. Luckily, Beppe Fenech Adami is not.
Qedghin fil-gvern u qishom mahruqin aktar minn meta kienu fl-oppozizjoni. X’razza ta’ nies hela ta’ ossignu, kollha kemm huma.