The Labour Party is a magnet for those who are attracted to authoritarianism and dictators
Ian Castaldi Paris has joined the Labour Party.
I hear you ask, who’s Ian Castaldi Paris?
And well might you ask, because the first and last time most of us had ever heard of him was when he had some kind of altercation with Magistrate Consuelo Herrera when she turned up at his Lija council office – he was PN mayor at the time, I believe – in representation of some kind of block of flats that was being built in Transfiguration Avenue.
That must have marked some kind of turning point for him, because ever since then he’s been busy converting to the Labour cause, and though I have nothing to bear this out, instinct and experience tell me that Robert Musumeci might well have been instrumental in this less-than-Damascene conversion.
But that’s irrelevant anyway, because conversions, whether political or religious, only occur in those who were so inclined to begin with. And given what I have read of Castaldi Paris more recently, he is most definitely so inclined.
As a personality, he fits into the profile box of Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando (but without the loose-screw viciousness) and Franco Debono (practically identical). In other words, it’s not about politics, political organisation, politicians or policy. It is about egomania: ‘I will go wherever I feel most loved and where my immense gifts are best appreciated.’
Individuals like these are also attracted by authoritarianism and autocratic leaders. They despise anything other than that as weakness and react by going in for the kill. Even as they insulted Lawrence Gonzi by calling him a dictator (what a joke), they despised him for what they saw as his weakness with them. The more he tried to pacify them, the more they despised him.
This is also the reason they are attracted to Joseph Muscat. They like the ‘strongman’ image, even though this image is generally cultivated by male leaders who fear an innate effeminacy in themselves. Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Franco Debono would have been magnetised by somebody like Benito Mussolini as a character. So would Ian Castaldi Paris. They would also have been fatally attracted to Dom Mintoff before the 1980s; after that, support for him came to be considered a complete embarrassment.
When Castaldi Paris spoke at a Labour Party meeting this morning to say that he has joined Labour, surprise and astonishment were expressed by those present, presumably because – despite being party delegates – they don’t keep abreast of political goings-on and so failed to notice that Castaldi Paris has been speaking against the Nationalist Party for quite a long while now. They also failed to notice that, for quite a while now, Castaldi Paris has shared an office with Labour Party electoral candidate Chris Cilia.
And what did Castaldi Paris, a middle-aged man, say in his speech?
“It is a beautiful thing to have a Prime Minister who can listen, guide you and offer your help. That is what Dr Muscat is like: a father-like figure who really has changed this country.”
That’s called paternalism, Mr Castaldi Paris. It is a quality associated with dictators and not with leaders in the free world. It is also linked to Far Right and Extreme Left politics in general, and certainly not with liberalism, because it is the precise opposite of that.
I’m not a psychiatrist or even a psychologist, but I don’t think you need to be one to see that if a grown man of Castaldi Paris’s age, supposed education and intelligence, and position in life, wants a leader who feels and behaves like a father, something is badly wrong. Middle-aged men still looking for daddy? What a worry.
More worrying still: Castaldi Paris and his ‘father figure’ are the same age.
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http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2015-02-01/local-news/Former-PN-president-of-Nationalist-Party-s-College-of-Councillors-Ian-Castaldi-Paris-joins-Labour-6736129851
Another one from the viva chi regna brigade insomma. And last week he was the guest at John Bundy’s RTK talk show. Kollox kumbinazzjoni of course.
When asked if Joseph promised him a post, he said there is nothing wrong in having talent deployed for the benefit of the country. In simple words, yes he was promised a post. I guess we’ll soon know what.
Robert Musumeci was all over Twitter less than a minute after this guy’s speech – that is very telling
THE MOVEMENT IS HIS BRAIN CHILD.
Exactly. And I have a deep feeling that the movement is the face of the Maltese illuminati.
“It is a beautiful thing to have a Prime Minister who can listen, guide you and offer your help. That is what Dr Muscat is like: a father-like figure who really has changed this country.”
Everyone go and watch “Foxcatcher”. That is a line almost directly lifted from that film, verbatim. And that, too , will give you an idea of what it must be like working for Muscat.
No doubt. This is a Musumeci “hadma” from beginning to end. He is no longer Siggiewi mayor but he STILL controls everything in the village. These are very dangerous people.
What were the personal demands that Ian Castaldi Paris made of the Nationalist Party and why did they not appease him?
Much like Kim Jong Un and his ducklings.
Viva il-missier taghna, dak li jiehu hsiebna u jindokrana. Ahna ma ahna xejn minghajru.
A pathetic situation. Some people are real masochists.
Il-moviment li ma jridx attakki.
Biex hadd ma jattakhom.
U jibqghu ghaddejin romblu.
The Muscat and Musumeci philosophy.
“It is a beautiful thing to have a Prime Minister who can listen, guide you and offer your help. That is what Dr Muscat is like: a father-like figure who really has changed this country.”
Excuse my frankness, but what a very gay thing to say.
[Daphne – Yes, that’s what I meant. Read between the lines – my remark about their innate effeminacy and their fear of it. Ian Castaldi Paris sounds like Kendra Wilkinson talking about Hugh Hefner.]
I totally agree. Quick, create a meme of Muscat with the phrase “Who’s your daddy?”
Kemm xjah malajr Joseph Muscat biex ghandu father-like figure.
Perhaps not outright gay but most definitely a ‘mummy’s boy’.
Put it this way, many gay men when they are teens fall in love with another man who is older than them. It’s a sort of hero worship. This changes as they grow up and become adults themselves.
The tone which many male members and supporters of the PL use to talk about Muscat resembles the one used by young gay teenaged boys.
The issue is not with being gay. The issue is identical to, for example, grown female members and supporters talking about Muscat like a teenaged girl talks about her boy-band crush.
Just to expand on something: young gay teenaged boys’ first relationship may well have a hero-worship dynamic.
This is dangerous since the older partner in the relationship may very well take advantage and what you end up with is a very abusive relationship where one treats the other like dirt and the other, hoping it’s just a passing phase, goes along with it or says little to defend himself because he really wishes to look up to him.
It’s only after they grow up and realise that it’s all nonsense that they break away and find a more healthy relationship built on equity and respect.
Therefore, what sort of dynamic exists between this man and Muscat, exactly?
I meant gay as in pathetically effete, effeminate, ridiculous, cuntknuckle knobhead-like, curly-headed ginger muppet Kevinish. The Americans call it “ghey”.
i.e. The sort of thing that should embarrass the man that says it.
But in Malta, there are no men. At least not in politics.
Incidentally, I am from Lija and know this man relatively well. I never voted for him. I found him ridiculous and unreliable.
He was a joke among many people living in Lija, although many more kept on voting for him. I remember the last time there were local council elections when a zebra crossing suddenly appeared the day before the election, only to be taken away soon after, and everybody I kenw said that it was his stupid idea just to get votes.
Also, isn’t this guy a bit too old to be looking for a father figure? Whenever I hear that phrase I worry, especially from grown men.
The absence of a father figure is the reason why people tend to join gangs, cults and other violent groups. So I guess we can now safely assume that the Labour Party wants to be one of those things. Koolaid anyone?
“Every time I have found myself in his presence I have been subjugated by his strength, his charm, his grandeur. I have experienced a great desire to sing, to cry out, to shout with joy and happiness. And now see me-me!-on the same platform where the Great Stalin stood a year ago.”
– Hymn to Stalin, by A.O. Avidenko (1936)
Il-qoxra vera ta’ Ian Castaldi Paris issa harget fil-berah, anke jekk ma kienx hemm bzonn, ghaliex ghamilha cara meta ftit tal-jiem ilu qal li kien qed jirrizenja mill-PN izda ried jibqa’ nvolut fil-politika. Hafna kienu dawk li bassru l-pass tieghu x’kien se jkun.
‘Il hinn min-nuqqas ta’ maturita’ politika li wera b’dan l-atteggjament ghaliex kellu jkun sincier mill-bidu meta habbar ir-rizenja tieghu mill-kariga li kellu fi hdan il-PN, qed ikompli juri nuqqas akbar ta’ irgulija meta ghadu jzomm postu fil-Kunsill ta’ Hal Lija.
Ma hemm l-ebda dubju li l-voti li kiseb fl-elezzjoni tal-2013 gejja b’appogg assolut ta’ votanti li emmnu dakinhar fil-messagg tal-PN ghal-loaklita’. Ian Castaldi Paris qed jirrapprezenta lil dawk l-eletturi u kellu jibqa’ fidil lejn l-appogg moghti.
Ghandu kull dritt jibdel l-opinjoni tieghu ghal-liema raguni u f’liema cikostanzi jrid. Izda ma ghandu ebda dritt jibqa’ jirrapprezenta lill-istess eletturi li afdawh bil-vot taghhom.
Ian Castaldi Paris m’ghandux sempliciment imur jiddandan bid-decizjoni ta’ tradiment tieghu, izda ghandu jwarrab mill-Kunsill bl-aktar mod immedjat. Jekk ghad ghandu sens ta’ irgulija kellu jirrizenja mill-Kunsill malli cahad it-twemmin politiku li bih gie elett. Dan il-pass ghandu jaghmlu immedjatament izjed u izjed issa.
What a pathetic thing for a grown man to say.
Baxxter, your notion of a gay person is so stereotypical, out-dated rubbish. Perhaps you deserve a good bashing by some gay muscle to change your wrong perception about everything gay.
[Daphne – I wouldn’t rush to judgement on this, Freedom5. Nobody’s suggesting that all gay men are effeminate or that all men who like Muscat are gay. But there are quite obviously major question marks about the way that some men like Ian Castaldi Paris speak about him. They are probably not even aware of it themselves, otherwise they wouldn’t do it. Isn’t Ian Castaldi Paris the same age as Joseph Muscat? So where does the father business come in.]
I didn’t mean gay as in homosexual. See my comment above.
Do I have to explain everything twice around here?
Muscat’s and Castaldi Paris’s daughters are the same age and at the same school.
With this kind of eulogy, Muscat may well open parliament next time with the famous words “Daddy’s home!”
http://www.illum.com.mt/ahbarijiet/politika/37525/velat_kif_castaldi_paris_kien_imexxi_lkunsill#.VM5CjGJwbqC
Muscat is like a father, he said.
Does he even realise what the female half of the electorate thinks of that?
Brr.
What a prima donna. As the saying goes, he wants to be the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral.
http://youtu.be/bg2CREkBPHM
Is this him by any chance ?
Issa post fuq xi board gdid u Mercedes saloon bajda jonqos.
Good riddance to bad rubbish?
Once a slime ball always a slime ball
I call him politicante di mestiere.
The young guns who never had it so good and expected the PN to be handed on a plate.
Ask this one what Fenech Adami stands for and he’ll rave and rant, and rave some more.
Another one-man circus.
The description he gives of his meeting with Joseph Muscat sounds to me like he was patronised but was too up his own rear end to notice.
Could he really tell the difference between paternal affection and condescension?
Actually, come to think of it, condescension I could probably live with, but a paternal Prime Minister is just too creepy.
[Daphne – You missed the creepiest bit. They’re the same age, which gives you some idea of where Castaldi Paris stands emotionally given that he thinks of Muscat, who is his age, as a father figure.]
I wouldn’t talk that way about my own father. The most beautiful thing in life is to be your own man and your own guide, and if you really need someone to listen and offer help, then it should be a wife or girlfriend.
Exactly, and this is an important addition to Baxxter’s other comments.
It highlights Castaldi Paris’s take on things. His telling the Labour audience what he thinks they want to hear about The Great Leader, and prostrating himself at their feet just makes him look silly. A total wuss.
If he’d lauded the wonderful Labour ideology and values instead, maybe he’d have been a TINY bit more credible. His baggage doesn’t help either, it screams ‘Cyrus’ or ‘Franco’.
What steps is Owen Bonnici going to take against Ian Castaldi Paris’ serious irregularities?
In December 18, 2008, Lija mayor Ian Castaldi Paris, objected to a particular building permit being issued during a press conference.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20081218/local/council-objects-to-permit-alterations-in-lija-project.237739
In February 2009, Castaldi Paris was appointed chairman of the management board of the Majjistral Park replacing Stanley Zammit.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090211/local/new-chairman-for-majjistral-park.244459
In April 2009, an arsonist caused slight damage to Castaldi Paris’s house throwing the egocentric Paris into hysterical mode.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2009-04-18/news/houses-cars-damaged-in-arson-attack-on-lija-mayor-223504/
In November 2009, Ian Castaldi Paris was heavily pushed for the post of President of the PN General Council but he lost to Paula Mifsud Bonnici who was elected after garnering almost double Ian Castaldi Paris’ votes.
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2009-11-14/local-news/First-Female-PN-president-elected-266239
In May 2013, Castaldi Paris considered contesting the post of PN secretary general to be held in June.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/25501/ian-castaldi-paris-vying-for-pn-secretary-general-post-20130320#.VM5FMy5G9mM
It may be possible that he was dissuaded to do so as Chris Said was uncontested for the post when elections were held in June 2014.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130605/local/chris-said-elected-pn-general-secretary.472708
In July 2014, the self-centred Castaldi Paris resigned from the Nationalist Party stating “Responsibility and political honesty mean that you have to resign when your party does not respect you.”
http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-07-07/news/ian-castaldi-paris-resigns-from-pn-lija-council-says-party-not-showing-him-respect-5748424704/
Naturally he has been accepted by a MLP so intent in its quest to amass whatever war trophies are thrown its way irrespective of their value.
What is odd is that Minister Owen Bonnici presented a number of irregularities in Parliament (Parliamentary Question Number 6867) committed by Ian Castaldi Paris when he was Mayor.
http://www.illum.com.mt/ahbarijiet/politika/37525/velat_kif_castaldi_paris_kien_imexxi_lkunsill#.VM5H-S5G9mM
One would like to learn whether Owen Bonnici was contemplating any disciplinary actions which may have led Castaldi Paris to leave the PN and join the MLP or if any punitive actions will be taken against Castaldi Paris’ serious irregularities notwithstanding that he’s now sailing on Muscat’s boat.
It is amazing how the MLP contents itself in attracting the dregs from the PN and showcasing them as though it has achieved something exceptional just as it did with that convicted criminal Cyrus Engerer.
Robert Arrigo backed Ian Castaldi paris for the post of president of the PN General Council. Needless to say, he lost.
Arrigo also helped Ian’s mother, Antoinette Castaldi Paris, in her campaign to be elected to the Sliema Local Council. She was successful and is still a councillor.
Perhaps Arrigo should say what leadership qualities he saw in Ian Castaldi Paris, and while he’s at it, could he please inform us whether he will be voting ‘YES’ or ‘NO’ in the coming referendum.
Simon Busuttil and Chris Said need to keep a close watch on Robert Arrigo.
The first has to watch the other two more likely.
Simon Busuttil needs to keep a close watch on Chris Said. He’s an ambitious one, and not in a good way.
You read the situation perfectly, Baxxter.
Sa fl-ahhar is-serp qed jinkixiflu qoxortu.
And wait for his closing line about loyalty.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2CPLX5M4SU
Joining the bandwagon is the only way to success in miserable Malta.
So is ‘switching’ what Muscat meant when he said “ahna nahdmu ma’ kulhadd”. Big bunch of clowns.
I have known the guy since my university days. There is only one way to describe him: a lick-ass always seeking out those who will give him the most attention.
And a cry-baby when that doesn’t happen.
Somehow I have this feeling that Ian Castaldi Paris is going to be the new Cyrus Engerer.
Jien nixtieq nkun naf dan Castaldi Paris ir-raguni preciza ghaliex qaleb Labour, xi raguni ghandu.
Jekk kellu xi jghid mal-Partit Nazzjonalista ghandu jghid ghaliex u l-Partit Nazzjonalista ghandu jghid x’gara ma dan l-bravu.
Hi hafna stramba filli tkun thaddan principju u f’ daqqa wahda tmur fl-oppost u tibda temmen dak kollu li kont tippriedka kontra tieghu.
Min jaghmel affarijiet bhal dawn ikun mija fil-mija opportunist.
Tghid tal-Labour se jdahhluh f’kull kamra u jifthulu il-kxaxen kollha li hemm fic-Centru Laburista? Tghid se jafdawh f’ kull haga li jghid u jaghmel?
Tghid weghduh xi kariga biex geghluh jaqleb Labour. Il-Partit Nazzjonalista ghandu bzonn ikompli jittnaddaf minn tip ta’ nies bhal dawn, kinsa u tindifa generali. Sur Castaldi Paris, minghalik li ghamilt xi vittorja izda ghandi nghidlek li ttradejt lilek innifsek.
Issa gawdi, hu gost u isthi ta kemm mort thabbat bibien ta’ Nazzjonalisti. Fik ragel eh.
What would you call a party who cries foul and then give a home to the offender? It would have to be a party who found its match.
This is how highly Castaldi Paris’s new daddy thinks of him:
http://www.frequency.com/video/ian-castaldi-paris-imanfar-mid-direttur/44684502
‘What would you call a party who cries foul and then give a home to the offender?’
Muscat’s Loyalist Party (MLP for short)
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150201/local/How-the-Gozitans-fought-to-keep-Mintoff-off-island.554209
‘…women armed with broomsticks surrounded the approaches to Lourdes church in Mġarr..’
And sure enough veterani laburisti all over the comments section; mhix fier, mitna ghalxejn, mizbla, bla bla.
Suldati tal-Azzar, yeah right.
Jista’ xi hadd, xi darba, f’xi wiehed minn dawn il-“public fora” li jghidulna bihom, iqum bil-microphone u jiebghat jitnejku darba ghal dejjem il-veterani Laburisti u l-veterani ta’ Tal-Barrani? Ghax qazzu pajjiz.
Attent ghax hemm min ilu jimmilita(!?) ghomru kollu fil-partit.
Hemm bzonn nqajmu awareness sabiex il-gvern jaghmel xi haga.
Nghaddu issa ghan-numri tal-lottu.
zzzzzz…
Does the Stamperija have a wooden door? Because I’d like to nail my 95 Theses when the next Konvenzjoni’s in session.
Bunch of JOKERS.
Ian Castaldi Paris shares an office with Labour Party candidate Chris Cilia in Triq l-Ghenba, Attard. He has done so since last summer.
There was always something not quite right about this man. I was quite surprised to see that he actually formed part of the PN and even more surprised that he has been accepted by PL. I don’t think he should be anywhere near politics or a position of responsibility.
There is definitely more to this. The real story of this candidate is yet to come out.
Ian Castaldi Paris: the American Dream.
A song dedicated to Ian Castaldi Paris’ father-like figure’s skip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2R7mUhI6nM
Paternalism in itself, if applied in a principled way, may be at times justified.
It is when taken into exploitative ways that it degenerates to patronage.
Patronage is a vicious circle. The party in government acts in a populist way to maximise votes, whereas the general public holds the party in government at bay at every election. Through patronage there is no creativity, no expansion, no ethics but sadly mediocrity prevails.
[Daphne – Patronage and paternalism are two completely different things and are not related despite both beginning with ‘pat’. Paternalism is not a good thing. Ever. It does not belong in 21st-century free Europe.]
You’re right about Robert Musumeci. Go to 48:00:
http://rtk.com.mt/mt/posts/46582/ma-bundy—19012015—ian-castaldi-paris
Smajt lil dan il buffu, fuq RTK radio ma John Bundy. Qal li ma jistax jghid dak kollox li jaf fuq il-PN.
Nixtieq jisfidah xi hadd mill-PN biex jaghmel konfront mieghu. Forsi Frank Psaila jistiednu fuq il-programm tieghu.
The Labour Party has become a Refugium Peccatorum.
Father figure as in Cumpaq?
It is quite obvious to those who know his dysfunctional background why Ian Castaldi Paris is still attracted to father figures (even those his own age) when he is married with children himself.
He didn’t grow up with his own father, but with his mother and her partner Carm Lino Spiteri, ic-Cumpaqq, a Nationalist Party politician (now deceased).
You do also do a spot of Freudian analysis there on his complicated relationship with the (stepfather) Nationalist Party and his pleasure in rejecting it publicly for the (father) Labour Party.
If I may add something else, I remember him during his University days working for none other than Sandro Schembri Adami.
I think this is a strong indication of the influence he was subjected to.