PM and Opposition leader held hostage by hunters and real estate developers
Sandro Chetcuti leaving court after being convicted of assault and receiving a prison sentence suspended for one year.
First they both say that they’re going to vote in favour of shooting and trapping birds during the mating season.
And today the prime minister and the Opposition leader trotted along like good, obedient boys to provide the cabaret at the annual general meeting of the Malta Developers Association.
Because, you know, it’s so absolutely normal for the prime minister and Opposition leader of a European Union member state to degrade their constitutional roles by speaking at the AGM of anything at all, let alone the developers’ lobby group.
And what’s more, they did so at the invitation of somebody who has just been convicted of assault, Sandro Chetcuti, and who now has a criminal record of a one-month prison sentence, suspended for one year.
I’m sorry, but what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
We expect that kind of thing from Joseph Muscat, given how he lionised and rewarded Cyrus Engerer, but Simon Busuttil accepting an invitation from somebody who’s just been convicted of assault, sitting down with him and being photographed with him?
Honey, I don’t think so.
The fuss the PN made about Cyrus Engerer applies to Sandro Chetcuti too.
But then instead we have a wonderful Kafkaesque scenario, where the prime minister and the Opposition leader listen attentively as a man given a prison sentence for assault says that “Malta is a great country, and the Maltese are overflowing with values”.
An island 17 miles by nine is a great country? Overflowing with values? That was the English-language newspaper report. I wonder what he actually said in the original Maltese: ifuru bil-valuri? I couldn’t invent this stuff if I were to sit down and write a full-length satirical novel about life in the toenail of Europe.
“Our political leaders have always kept our citizens united. Look around us and there are people killing each other. We have a great country, a people overflowing with values. I believe good times are ahead and I urge you to work hard and raise the level of quality. We at the Malta Developers Association are working with passion. We are united. We came together to work and matured to help the industry as well as society in general.” – SANDRO CHETCUTI
Meanwhile, property prices keep falling and our man Chetcuti aims to drill his fabulous values right down the southern shore of this ‘great country’.
You know what? I feel like starting a petition for a referendum to abrogate Joseph Muscat and Simon Busuttil. We can pile them onto a disused liner with their mates the hunters, trappers and developers, throw in Sandro Chetcuti and his ghastly, naff red Ferrari (they’ve cut the registration tax on those by 60%, I read today), dangle that midget Pullicino Orlando from the prow as shark bait to ensure they have enough to eat, then tow them out to sea and leave them to it, hoping that Brigadier Martin Xuereb sails by with his Migrant Offshore Aid Station and gives them the reverse salute.
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http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-01-29/local-news/Balance-between-environment-and-development-must-not-come-at-the-expense-of-decisions-PM-6736129718
All right then. Shall we set up a new party? We’ll get a handful of votes but at least we’ll have done something.
Don’t give up so easily. Syriza became serious contenders in just a few years.
Baxxter’s Party (BP) is very clearly the future of politics.
We might very well still go to hell in a handcart but at least we’ll do it with panache.
All hail Baxxterism.
That might be a good idea fter all.
Malta United.
I’m in.
I’d vote for your party and volunteer to help out.
You mean ‘Alright’. Jew sirt Mintuffjan, Baxx?
[Daphne – He’s right, though: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/all-right-or-alright
One of my schoolteachers used to say: “If it’s not alwrong, then it can’t be alright.” ]
More like ‘orrajt siehbi ?’
U ijja.
Mintuffjan baxx?
‘a petition for a referendum to abrogate Joseph Muscat and Simon Busuttil’
Count me in.
It looks like this is the next natural development for politics in Malta.
Look at the situation in Europe, which I believe is more evolved than ours (but we will get there). It has long been one of many parties. True, most of them remain small ones, but they contribute so that the big parties become smaller.
Joseph Muscat was to some extent right when he said that “Zmien il-partiti spicca” – because society has become so fragmented that single parties are unlikely to ever rally the support of a majority of the population. Hence Muscat’s “Muviment,” which seeks to put together different and diverging interests together – a temporary solution, almost equivalent to a coalition, that will not work for long.
In the individualist society – which is what Europe is turning into, where persons think egoistically because they can only think about and only about money and wealth – everyone would like to have his/her own party looking after his/her own interests.
And the political stage in Europe is getting even more crowded. There are new parties all over the place, with big ones emerging, from the extreme left to the extreme right.
To make things worse, the politics of centrism has created a vacuum on both political ends for the extremist left and right to grow unchecked.
I think that we are about to discover that centrism and political correctness with it, do not work in politics. Not when society is still divided and fragmented with strong social inequalities, which, it seems, are still growing wider.
Some, but only some, of the problems which I believe are leading to this situation:
1. An inability of political leaders to lead, and the inability of parties to strike balances. In a fragmented society, it is very difficult to reach a consensus between different interests, especially when those interests become extremist.
Let me give a topical example from the local situation.
You have the conservationists on one side and hunters on the other. What solution did the parties find? They decided to shut up and let the two sides take central stage. Fine. But this means that instead of the parties leading on politics of consensus, they have shied away and allowed the extremists to take over. The parties, or one of them, should have offered a third way: one where the interests of everyone can come together. Personally, I think that the position of the leaders is the closest to that third way.
In this case, the two parties have rendered themselves irrelevant to society.
The same can be said about the continuous tug of war between the greens and the Sandro Chetcutis. Instead of designing policies which bring the two sides together into a consensus, the parties withdraw while the two sides cross their swords in public.
2. The European values are in decline. As diversity in Europe grows, the need for unifying principles becomes more urgent – but is Europe achieving that unity? The recent economic crisis has not helped in this – more people fell into poverty and desperation, and as we can see from the situation in Greece, no one is willing to help. So much for the European value of solidarity.
Sooner or later, this fragmentation is going to lead to nationalism, because that is the first idea that appeals most to extremist parties. And, inevitably, this will expose the EU project to a very serious threat.
Wonderful idea, Baxxter.
How about naming it UP YOURS.
What a shame we lost Gonzi . True leader who never wavered on principles – and got so severely punished for it.
Busuttil, continue this way and you may win over a handful of hunters’ and developers’ votes, but you’re going to be dumped so badly by PN core voters.
I, for one, don’t want you as my prime minister. Period.
What will Lawrence ‘No divorce on my watch’ Gonzi be most remembered for?
Il politika ta dr lawrance gonzi in nies ma tridiex read l ikbar telfa fl istorja u spicca anke bit times kontrieh.Min jerga jipprova jaqbad it triq tieghu jigi miknus minn nies fl elezzjoni ta wara .
Ghax ghandna maggoranza tal-poplu tan-nejk.
Dr. Gonzi suffered for his principles, something which the people no longer appreciate. Political opportunism and unprincipled persons are the choice of the day..
Sometimes I read an article and just look up and scream “WTF”
Exactly. Simon Busuttil is turning out to be a polished Joseph. Not a good thing!
Agreed, Busuttil cannot be a better Muscat.
Value? Value of what?
WTF has Chetcuti ever done for Malta? Bhal xejn ma jahsibx li hu xi patrijot ghax sar miljunarju minn fuq il-propjeta u l-poplu!
It was all pointing to an outcome like this:
Lost opportunities galore and not enough done on the passport scam;
Sense of timing very off on the one hand and mega-controlled on the other;
Nothing concrete done about Joseph Muscat’s multiple misrepresentations and lies to the electorate. No action. Not even about the fact that Joseph Muscat should be out by March 2015: on his own promise to the electorate.
Degree, direction and timing of response stale, and now wrong.
The completely off stand re spring hunting.
In all this where is the sense of momentum?
________
I’m for a new party – as in NEW not rehashed fuddy-duddies on the one hand and corrupt on the other.
Where values and ethics do count. Read “constitution” at minimum.
I don’t see why the rest of Malta has to compromise and bend to the whims of corrupt individuals, even if the two existent leaders are both bending over forwards.
A new party that even if small at the outset, serves to set the direction straight and represent those who have had enough of misuse of power by the one party and and a mix of effective apathy or collusion by the other.
To keep the others in check. To provide a reason not to bow to pressure. To split the attention. It’s going to be difficult to tu quoque a new party, and to dilute the negativity label where a new party has no qualms in calling a spade a spade (and sticking to it).
________
I’ll pitch in with the effort it takes too, Baxxter. This is not a healthy country. It is a country in the gutter.
I want to be able to be damn proud of Malta.
A Malta that stands clean at home and before the world.
Where communication and real exploration are valued along with common sense.
Where a sense of personal and national dignity permeates.
Where cover ups are bad history and not the rule of the day.
Where any individual can go to the Police as recourse in any situation, and not wonder who or what will protect them from the Prime Minister himself.
Where the perpetrator of crimes against individuals can never again be the Prime Minister directly, in conjunction with his fraudulent agents.
________
I’m for designing that alternative for what’s left of the right of Malta and taking it forward and onward.
We only have one life and I don’t agree to this one being fouled up by mediocrity.
It’s been far too long already.
OccupyPN Tabatha.
Everyone had major faith in Simon Busuttil.
OccupyPN to give him the instruments to win.
Before the language divide’s revived by the great liberal death wish.
Matthew S, now you know why one’s existence cannot be left to Muscat’s manipulation of hate for others. Distinction in values cannot be reduced to mere freedom of offence.
Muscat’s is taqqiya.
Baxxter’s suggestion was my conclusion after reading Daphne’s article. It was an obvious conclusion.
I’d support you on that.
And whilst on the subject of Simon Busuttil can someone ask him to stop the stupidity of making the fuel prices the main item on the PN’s agenda. There are other much more important issues that his audience are concerned with. We are not Labour!
He’s probably seeking to address the concerns of the sort of people who would still vote Labour, no matter what.
For a majority, Dr Busuttil needs to address all sectors, including the buiding industry, hunting, etc. Opposing them will only help the PL to stay in power.
I think you need to read my comment again, jim. Especially the last bit.
Daphne, this is one of your best articles yet. Well written.
I totally agree.
It’s not enough that Simon Busuttil comes out all rational and forceful when delivering speeches criticising the present administration.
After all the Maltese have learnt (during the previous administration, by the Nationalists) how easy it is to criticise when you’re not at the helm.
I’m afraid Dr Busuttil keeps on making some strange and, at times,even bad decisions.
I wonder if he makes these decisions on his own or is he being given bad advice.
The Nationalist Party is used to having as leaders statesmen like Dr Fenech Adami and Dr Gonzi.
I sincerely hope that one day we’re able to think of Dr Busuttil in the same way.
What would one call someone obsessed with using the word ‘decision’, or someone obsessed with giving the impression that he is capable of making a decision?
‘Balance between environment and development must not come at the expense of decisions’ – PM
How else can someone explain this illogical statement otherwise? A BALANCED decision is the HARDEST decision to make. It is either development or the environment which would pay the price of NOT making a balanced decision, not the other way round.
With the developers’ arm firmly up the government’s backside orchestrating new developments such as the Bugibba in the South, we all know that the price of greed will be on the environment’s head.
Being the developers’ puppet is not a decision, it is the price of incompetence and weakness.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-01-29/local-news/Balance-between-environment-and-development-must-not-come-at-the-expense-of-decisions-PM-6736129718
“President of the MDA Sandro Chetcuti emphasised that the MDA works passionately without any agenda”.
Without any agenda? How is that even possible? What a nation of semi-literate fools.
The PN and Simon Busuttil are on a learning curve. After all it is votes that count and we know how the majority use it.
Maybe Baxxter’s idea is not so off the mark.
I need your help. A party exists to serve to the people, so I need your input.
What are your concerns and aspirations? What should our policies be? What would make you choose this party and not any other?
Send in as many emails as you wish.
A new party will only strengthen the PL (look how Alternattiva helped the PL). Unless the new party focuses on the south region. W’r talking majority here.
You cannot have a perfect party, doesn’t exist, will never exist.
Dear Baxxter,
We may have a thousand parties all angling for a vote, but I believe that it won’t help.
You see, in my opinion, it is the Maltese themselves that have to change.
Just by providing a new banner under which the few disenchanted may rally under, won’t get Malta and the Maltese very far as the Maltese are happy with their lot.
They can’t understand that when they throw a piece of paper on the ground, or when they flick a cigarette butt out of the window they are dirtying their own country.
Similarly, when non hunting Maltese support hunting they are supporting people shooting their birds, and when a developer builds a new high rise, he is stealing from their skyline.
And the Maltese expect their own politicians to be corrupt, and as far as they are concerned, nepotism and clientism are definitely the best thing that has happened since the wheel was invented. You see, they know that when their party is in government, they will get some crumbs thrown their way.
So the Maltese will always vote for keeping the status quo. Change is a dangerous idea, and our politicians are very aware of this.
To change the mentality you have to sink the unsinkable, preferably with all hands, and start afresh.
Baxxter, I agree with Jim.
You can set up a new party with excellent values, but that does not guarantee that your party will be in government to implement its values, unless it is in a position to enter a coalition, which although possible, depends on how many different small parties may have such possibility. And even then, a coalition means consensus and compromises.
Do remember that, at least since Mintoff, Labour knows about the power of divide and rule politics. It has used it when it divided the people against the rich, then against the Church, and now they are using it to split the liberals from the “conservatives” with subjects like divorce, gay rights, drug use, age of consent and so forth.
A party can lead the nation when it shows that it can bring different groups together in a politics of consensus. Hence Muscat’s joke of a “Muviment,” which however is now turning out to be a coalition of opposite interests without the much promised roadmap.
This explains why I believe that at present, it would have been suicidal for the PN or its leadership to declare themselves against spring hunting. How did we live with more spring hunting under the early governments of Eddie Fenech Adami?
finally some sense……….thanks ciccio
Is it too much to aspire to a party and leader who have integrity? From that principle, to my mind, everything else follows.
Ciccio and Jim and the others: I’m not seeking to create the perfect party, but a better party than the ones we have.
And I don’t think it’s an impossible task.
I wouldn’t be too sure about siphoning votes off the Nationalist Party and therefore helping Labour.
And even if that happens, and the Nationalist Party sees this and adopts some of our policies, then that’s a positive result.
It is this change I want to bring about. We will never change under the current system.
I am serious about this. I need your help. I won’t bother with party names and logos at this point because I want us to be about politics, not marketing. I want us to design the policies before we design the logo.
Send me anything you wish: suggestions, complaints, dreams, unrealised ambitions, anything.
Tell me about the country you’d like to see. Tell me about the world too.
One thing I can promise you is that I’m not under any obligation to Big Business. So don’t self-censor your contribution.
[email protected] is the address.
We need an honest party, based on syncretic politics and not one of extremes, and where the national good is sacrosanct.
A party with fair strategies and policies mapped for the common good, when all citizens can benefit legally from the national wealth created.
A party that works to bring back integrity and honour in our politicians, in people in authority and business leaders to lead by example.
Maybe and hopefully one day we have a better country to live in as well as for the sake of our children and future generations.
We need an electorate willing to subscribe and politics reflecting the reciprocate process.
The PN needs a shake up not a reshuffle or musical chairs.
Correct Daphne, my teacher of English at Cheltenham Technical High School taught us that the correct spelling is ‘all right.’
Sandro Chetcuti’s Ferrari Modena should still be subject to the full tax, given the Euro 4 rating of the car.
Unless Labour thinks high power is high emissions, which seems to be the implication, albeit false. What they’re proposing is a tax cut on large capacity engines, which has nothing to do with vintage and historic vehicles.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/49020/weekend_ferrari_drivers_can_claim_60_reduction_on_registration_tax#.VMuJ79LF9mM
The one in the picture is a 1982, Magnum PI’s companion.
The real deal here looks like white secondhand Uberwagens cannot remain in showrooms. Especially the ones long past their Lambda test and burnt out emission control.
Or maybe agents refuse to certify ex-rep scrap.
Labour, dejjem jaraw kif ifottu.
So glad future generations will be able to turn to people like this for values. Pity we had parents.