The chicken becomes an albatross
God save thee, ancient Mariner
From the fiends, that plague thee thus.
Why look’st thou so? – With my cross-bow
I shot the albatross.
…
Ah. well a-day. What evil looks
Had I from old and young.
Instead of the cross, the Albatross
About my neck was hung.
From The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in which the character who shot an albatross is obliged to carry the bird hung around his neck.
I can’t imagine how people believe that because Alfred Sant said he is resigning ‘irrevocably’ that we have seen the back of him. He hasn’t ridden off into the sun-set. He hasn’t taken a world cruise. He’s still there. And that’s exactly where he’s going to stay – an albatross around Labour’s neck. He is not interested in the best interest of the party. He is not interested in reform. He is interested only in achieving what he set out to achieve 40 years ago.
The particular psychology of the man does not allow him to let go of an idea, an aim or an ambition. He is obsessive. Observing him over the last 16 years, we should have picked up that much. He was prepared to sacrifice the interests of his political party to fulfil his personal desires. He was prepared to sit tight through three losses in two general elections and one referendum. So why is it now being assumed that he has had a snap personality change at the age of 60 and learned how to move on?
He hasn’t. He may have ‘resigned’ – and I’m afraid I have to put that in inverted commas – but his attitude at the press conference was of anything but resignation to circumstances and destiny. Those who incorrectly read his demeanour as serenity and calm resignation have a lot of learning to do in reading the signs of non-verbal communication.
The only reason Sant called that press conference to say he is resigning (or had it called for him) was to pre-empt matters and prepare the way for his survival. Even he knows that the party machine is not going to tolerate him sitting tight through a fourth consecutive hammering. So he mollified them by resigning irrevocably. Soothed and reassured by this, they will not object now to his continued presence among them ‘until things are sorted out’. This despite the wisdom nagging in the sensible half of their brain that a political leader who resigns is like a managing director who resigns: he doesn’t stay on in the office pottering about and keeping an eye on things. He clears his desk, removes the family photographs, hands back the keys, the company car and his other perks, and goes home, his relationship with the company severed completely.
Imma tal-Lejber huma differenti
Ah, but that’s not how the Labour Party does it. Alfred Sant is still driving around in his get-away Mazda, the car that the tax-payer funds for the leader of the Opposition – even though he said categorically at his press conference that he doesn’t consider himself to be the leader of the Opposition and will not be taking the formal oath. I assume he still retains his office at Mile End and all the trappings. I do not assume that he is now spending his days feeding his chickens and talking about literature with Frans Sammut. I assume that he is plotting what comes next.
Part of this strategy will be to anoint a successor and ensure that the konferenza generali votes him in. Creative means of persuasion might have to be used, like the letter making dirty accusations against Lino Spiteri, which reached the Labour Party machine just in time to put a rocket under his rival candidature in the leadership election of 1992, leaving the way open for one A. Sant.
Unable to fulfil his ambition himself, as he will not be allowed to stay on as leader, Sant will fulfil it through a poodle on a lead. This is unlikely to be the poodle with the ginger beard in Brussels, but it might be another sort – perhaps a compliant snake instead, a sly man with the outward demeanour of a tal-Muzew but the kind of personality that makes me fully expect him to start hissing in between words, like an anthropomorphic Disney serpent.
It’s not as though we haven’t been there before. When Mintoff resigned, he ensured that his successor was a puppet prince. Then he stayed on in the backbenches, making his presence felt. Why do I get the feeling that the same thing is going to happen now? Sant might do it with more cunning and finesse than Mintoff did, but he is still going to do it. He has no life or role to go back to, and this type of character is unable to relinquish the aims and ambitions, the certitudes, in which his entire identity is bound up – not at this late stage in the game, anyway. Before this general election, he ignored three strong messages from the electorate and one even stronger message from the Big Director in the Sky. He is not going to ignore this fifth message.
Sant will survive – unless Labour closes ranks against him
After the referendum/general election double fiasco five years ago, I wrote a piece in which I said with certainty that he would not resign, and that in five years time, we would disbelievingly find ourselves facing another general election with Sant at Labour’s helm. I lost count of the arguments I had with people who were convinced that he would go or be made to do so – but any psychiatrist would have explained that this was not going to happen. Please note that I don’t mention psychiatrists here because I think that Sant needs one – not at all. I mention them as the ultimate authority on personality, character traits and the prediction of behaviour based on those traits. Of course, you don’t need to be a psychiatrist or even a psychologist to work this one out. You just need to be a keen observer of people.
So having exhausted his options as leader, Alfred Sant now intends to be a kingmaker and a power behind the throne. I don’t hesitate in telling you this: just mark my words.
For those who wished to read them, he has put some of his cards on the table already. At his resignation press conference, when asked whether he would resign from his parliamentary seat and make a clean break with the party, he said that he may or may not do so when he knows who the new leader of the party is (because the new leader might wish him to stay on in a ‘consulting role’).
Resignation by degree
There is a more prosaic reason why he will not let go of his parliamentary seat for a year at least. He has no source of income other than his parliamentary salary, and though he has collected his Kartanzjan, he still has a year to go before he begins to receive his pension (a good one, as a former prime minister, but still a year away). He can’t live on charity for a year, though he will find financial support, perhaps through the determinedly loyal woman who he rejected two decades ago. But it’s not about the money, is it? It’s about wanting to die (of old age, lest somebody imagine I am insinuating otherwise) knowing he’s done what he was determined to do, even if he has already subjected the country long enough to his political fixations.
A credible resignation is one in which the party leader packs his bags and leaves, and not one in which he stays on, hanging about and meddling in affairs. And that’s why I just don’t find Alfred Sant’s resignation in the slightest bit credible. If he is managing the organisation of the general conference and monitoring the candidates, then he hasn’t really resigned at all. It was yet another mise-en-scene to throw us off the scent.
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Surely there are some people in the MLP ‘leadership’ who see through A.S. (and his aspirations) and nip him in the bud. If he resigned from leader of the party then he should not have much clout, yes? Otherwise there will be a lot of internal dissension, to put it mildly; something the party can ill afford at the moment.
Well, I agree with you but I suspect that labour may indeed close ranks against him.
Surely they realize he is the number one reason for their 4th consecutive defeat
to be sure..imo there is no one fit to be mlp leader..exept someone who is ‘jimpala l liri’ without any trouble in brussels, who i think is too intelligent to quit his job there and become mlp leader..or not? maybe power can play strange things on people.who knows?
Unless someone denounces , the bad measures the MLP proposed and did under Dr Sant’s leadership and ask for a pardon for what happened in the 80’s , the MLP would be doomed to remain in the opposition benches.
Dr Michael Falzon is the only person who can rebuild the MLP, by criticising what Sant did , by asking Mintoff and KMB to address the General Conference , by inviting back to the fold Lino Spiteri , George Abela, Alfred Mifsud , Anna Mallia ,and many others.
Over and above this ,let us stop this personality cult of the party leaders.
It would also help to ask Joe Sammut (ex-CMB) and Toni Abela to write articles in l-orizzont with a less confrontational approach towards Nationalists. Cannot they realise that they are only preaching to the converted ?
These antics only put off any disgruntled Nationalist from ever voting MLP. In the last election disgruntled Nationalists either abstained or invalidated the vote but they did not vote MLP. Had they voted PN, as they normally do, it would have been a disaster for MLP.
Mintoff and KMB!!!??? But they were nicely swept under the carpet years ago! And they should stay there.
That’s sowing the wind to reap a whirlwind!
I agree that AS should leave, Daphne, but let us be honest, would you leave if you were him, with a year to go to become eligible for pension? I’m honest enough to own up and say that if it would be me facing relative poverty, or clinging on, it would be a cold day in hell.
Anyway, I do believe that AS’s successor will be a mirror image of him.
The people with the highest profile within the party, whom we can safely assume have the highest probability of being elected, are his appointees. I would be humbled indeed if AS had consciously anointed any dissenting voices to his own. Unfortunately people in power attract either snakes (people who appear to agree with the boss, while nurturing their own secret agenda) or yes men, with the intelligence of a vegetable (they normally make faithful pets). It is my belief that few of the former are within the select group who stand a chance of making top dog.
Thus whatever happens, the anointed one will be a (more or less) clone of AS, differing in style, charisma, but fundamentally a clone. The MLP have no other options. AS’s last legacy to the MLP may very well be that he deliberately altered the genetic pool (couldn’t resist that) from which the future Labour Leader will have to be born.
Daphne has hit the nail on the head so often, the nail is now deep inside the woodwork. She is absolutely right about Sant hoodwinking people into believing he has resigned. Like a tru-blue extreme leftist masked as a liberal (in once – never out) the MLP are stuck with him for life. The next leader could very well be one of his cronies and Sant will continue to rule by remote.
The MLP needs a new leader who, like Kruschev in the 20th Congress who denounced Stalin and his purges, will have the guts to denounce extremist Sant and all the tragedies suffered by an entire Party under his leadership and by thousands of its good men and women, who found themselves voting Nationalist rather than having Sant and his idiosyncracies ruling their children’s lives. That may bring back some of those Labour thousands and the MLP may, perhaps, once again be able to move on. The next job after that will be for the Party to purge out of its ranks , the virulent hate brigade led by Toni Abela , Manwel Cuschieri and Wenzu Mintoff and with them the entire futile administration of three-time apologist losers.
Dr Alfred Sant should disappear from the political scene for the sake of the mlp.
Alfred Sant may have resigned as the physical leader, but his spirit will overshadow any future leader. He will be the power behind the throne. It is in his DNA not to give up, and to persist in his mistakes. Some look upon this trait as determination, I call it pigheadedness. When a roof or a wall in a building is faulty, you do not plaster it over. You have to pull it down and build afresh. Changing the leader and asking him to sit back bench is asking for trouble. (For both country and party) The leader, the two deputies and top party personnel, Emanwel Cuschieri, Jaysin,must walk the plank. Otherwise the MLP is in for a cosmetic white wash with a time bomb sitting on the back benches!! I did not vote MLP (or AD), I voted PN,but as a citizen it is in my interests that there is a healthy alternative govt!
Mrs Caruana Galizia says in today’s post that AS “has no source of income other than his parliamentary salary”, and that “he can’t live on charity for a year”. So, after 20 years in the political limelight, this much maligned man has nothing else to live on as regards income. Facing poverty, in other words. A bigger certificate for the integrity of this man could not be given. And this in a country where, between elections, the general population has the feeling that all politicians are in it for themselves. Thanks Daphne.
Not to much to say just….
get rid of all AS circle …
Get back George Abela, and Alfred Mifsud.,…
if not….they are going to get the 4th consecutive defeat…..
Don’t you just love Harry Vassallo’s piece in the Times today? Some people like him, just don’t know when to shut up. He brags about “nearly a 100% increase in votes since 2003.” Wow! Harry is so easily impressed with himself. But Harry, that 100% increase you’re bragging about still represents only a miniscule 1.3% of the total votes cast. And from this you expect to be awarded a seat in Parliament? X’wicc ghandek!! Hallina minnek!! One can easily imagine that Harry would have demanded to form the government had AD obtained 2% of the votes cast. After all, by Harry’s same logic that would have been an astounding 400% increase in support for AD since 2003 and surely by Harry’s yardstick should have been rewarded. The reality is that AD did double (100% increase in support) the number of seats that they won in 2003 – it was 0 (zero) then. And it is still zero now because, unless the rules of mathematics have been changed, 2 times 0 is still 0.
You have to love Harry. He tendered his AD leadership resignation, but left the door open just a crack to allow himself to be “prevailed upon” to “unresign”(is that a real word?) What a joke. Resigning means quitting Harry. It’s like being pregnant – you can’t be just a little bit pregnant. You’re either resigning or you’re not.
I should point out here that I am all for “Green” politics, that is I support responsible stewardship of the environment (such as vigorously prosecuting “hunters” – another bunch of bozos – who kill protected birds to satisfy their “namra”.) But I am not in favour of Harry’s kind of “Green” politics.
Mur ahsel rasek Harry. This comes to you from Ontario, Canada.
Dear George, if you were really all for “Green” politics, you’d know that the main threat to the environment is not the hunters. Would you be so kind as to give us more examples of threats to the environment. I’m just curious to know how far your green credentials go. This comes to you from Brussels, Belgium :)
Loved Alfred Mifsud’s piece on today’s TMI where he applied the Santian (shamelessly copied from Harvard)”power of incumbency” to Sant himself in the aftermath of the 2003 election.
As for Albert Farrugia’s comment, pray, in what way does the absence of a career signify integrity?
The same reasoning could be applied the other way round. For want of other options, the full-time politician will go to any lengths and stoop to the lowest levels to obtain and cling to power at all costs.
A politician with a normal living/profession, does not have the same pressure.
I have not read Harry’s article but if he is claiming a 100% increase in votes over 2003, he should also remind readers that in 2003 AD got 0.68% of the vote, almost half the number of votes from the previous election. The truth is that AD are today at the same level they were in twelve years ago,in 1996, when they got 3833 first preference votes. The most votes AD ever got was in 1992: 4185 (still a measly 1.69% of the vote)
At this point the new leader must not come from the current inner circle, but from the likes of Alfred Mifsud, George Abela etc who were unjustly ostrasiced.
Labour are now reaping the harvest they have sown. Other than that, after the coming election the Labour party after a fourth defeat will cease to exist.
Hey all you folks!
Gather ye all round yer tv set tonite for Xarabank!!
Our beloved Jaysin will be on it…popcorn all round for it promises to be great entertainment! :) :)
http://www.jibjab.com/sendables/view/dRqp3sTxpUfpwQloC5ZEMtKQ
I hope it was only a bad dream last night when I heard Dr Gonzi call out AS’s name for the next president of Malta!
I have a feeling that if the MLP do find a ‘sensible’ leader the old brigade will instigate a split as the latter are simply all out for confrontation and revenge.
Dear Alex, perhaps I should point out that I made no claim about having “green credentials”, nor did I claim that “hunters” were “the main threat to the environment.” Those are words that you are trying to put into my mouth. As for other natural threats to the environment, may I suggest smoke-stack emissions from coal-burning power generating plants, unconscionable companies that dump pollutants in waterways, oceans and seas, and into the air? We have plenty of those in North America.
There are also threats to other forms of environment – such as the drivel that some people spew and the unfounded accusations and challenges that they make when they demand to know the extent of other people’s “green credentials.”
I would suggest Dr. Harry Vassallo for the MLP leadership. As we have seen during the election campaign he was totally against Dr Lawrence Gonzi and PN in general. So what are they waiting for, let’s have him.
P.S. Only after he pays his dues to the VAT Department.
I believe, as I had suggested at the end of my book, “Alfred Sant Explained” (PIN: 2000),that Alfred Sant is an idealist. The essential flaw is that reality, or other thinking minds, are irrelevant, as the only “truth” is the concepts of one mind, i.e., Doctor Alfred Sant’s.
What worries me is a reminder triggered in my reading of one sentence (p. 410) from Richard Dawkins’ book, “The God Delusion.” Dawkins is a biological scientist and atheist, who espouses rationality (as I do, but not atheism) and science by his delight in publically explaining science to others: “not as your opinion or belief but as something that they, when they have understood your reasoning, will feel compelled to accept.”
That, precisely, is my concern about Sant: he always has striven to convince others that his beliefs and opinions are “truths,” while everyone else’s (the world’s) realities are just “opinion or belief.” And he will keep trying to convince us, that if only we just would understand his reasoning, we will have to surrender our active critical judgment and accept his reasoning as “truth.”
I agree that such a person, so inclined to persuade us of his ideals as “reality,” will not go away so easily. And he has a whole cadre of cronies and supporters who will not want to relinquish their political power to “persuade” us. They will not want Sant’s power to disappear either, to the extent that their poltical careers may be saved.
A clean slate is needed. But how can the MLP do so without a poltical bloodbath. Its going to take a very skilful leader, with a pragmatic grounding in the reality of their party’s history and composition, and in the reality of the electorate’s wishes, and a recognition of the reality of the evolution of the political savvy and maturity of the Maltese in the EU. Outdated ideologies, like their parallels to religions and opinions, do not die easily. There are different models for reform, from revolution to the ballot box. I hope that the open and democratic reforms of the MLP will open up the practical benefits of rational democracy in Malta.
Let’s all hope that the rumours linking Sant with the presidency are all unfounded. I heard that already and yesterday’s question on Str82dpoint on Super Wan was “Who should be the next president?”, and this when the President’s term ends in a year’s time!
Woohoo, reams of commentary, and some dangerous suggestions. First of all, and at the expense of repeating what I said yestersay: It is not just the persons who have to be replaced, but the Party Guidebook, the Ideology, the Bible.
Secondly, some of you are suggesting bringing back people who were irrevocably opposed to EU membership, or to the EU itself (ie. usual Mintoffian anti-Europeanism). Now that is hardly the way to regenerate the MLP, or to pull it out of the rut it has driven itself into.
Someone suggested Harry Vassallo as MLP leader. And why not? An MLP-AD fusion, with the anti-Europeans kicked out of the hybrid Malta Liberal Democrat Party (you see, I even found a name for them), and more liberal policies (AD’s contribution) would ensure the right counterbalance to the sometimes holier-than-the-Pope PN.
All of this has to occur, of course, after Mintoff stands trial for human rights abuses (I’m dead serious), and after the MLP is formally disbanded.
Other countries have gone through such a situation. One need only think of the French RPR, and of the hugely succesful UMP into which it was subsumed.
The MLP is dead, long live the MLDP.
Sant as president ? that will be the day ! – Sant never showed any unity – how could such a man be a president for all Maltese.
Heard it through the grapevine, that if labour won the election (God forbid – I fear the day), those jobs considered with a high pay were to be filled by labour supports (tal-qalba). That means that transfers and sacking PN supports. ( I don’t know if this is a misnomer, but i do give it some weight)
On the Presidency thing, a viable candidate would be Louis Galea. His very creditable political career spans the critical periods since the early 80′ during which he has also worked in depth in matters of social policy and, consequently, has a well-founded base upon which to discharge presidential duties. He speaks well and also has the ‘presence’ that is called for in discharge of that role.
If this string continues in this vein some might be called for the public lynching of all Labourites! The Maltese are so easily moved to hatred. Now it seems to be the time of the Labourites to be considered children of a lesser God…come spring after the first boatload of immigrants it will the turn of the suwed. Get a life, Malta people!
I nominate Prof. Edward Mallia.
Is that Albert “Bob Dylan” Farrugia?
Joanne – If AS cared about MLP – or for the country, for that matter – he would have resigned after at least the second defeat, if not the first. I get the feeling that the man cares about nothing more than himself and his own ambitions.
George – Harry and Sant obviuosly have more than one thing in common!
I think France still has its strong appeal to Dr Sant this might well be linked to his “hidden regrets”. He might as well follow it up and be at peace, I am not being cynical.
If he chooses to be a “shadow leader” for his party, the Nationalist would stand to gain and score another victory in five years time…
Dr Gonzo has enflamed people’s passion for the coming 5 years adventure. He is restlessly climbing from a politician to a statesman. He has a dream and if the country embraces that dream with him it will become a reality.
I wish Dr Sant wisdom…the difference between senior citizens and the growing generation is simple…the young generation can make mistakes and have the time to make up, senior citizens can’t afford to experiment
Kieli – I agree with you 100%, especially since it would be a shame for the man’s political career to seemingly end so abruptly after his many successes.
Berczeny – I take it that you’re joking.
let’s face it without the mlp and sant’s goofs, the maltese tv and news is boring … i miss bir rispet kollu and no comment attitude.
@ Albert Farrugia .. … i think these MLP supports need a life as well
“By their fruit you shall know them”. What has the MLP produced these 30 years or so? The party that poses to be the champion of the workers has proved to be the opposite. Many of us remember the long years of deprivation, even of things like water, the liberty to express an opinion, or a bar of choc. A great mud-ball of hatred and corruption eventually emerged in the ‘80’s and divided the people as never before. It took years to heal all that, thanks to the PN and to Eddie, who steered us in those dark years. We all heard the story of how AS got to power and what a ‘clean’ beginning this was. Internal strife left many lejber casualties and the people with some brains all left the red chicken coop, one after the other. Are there now just dregs left, of the same ilk as Gaysin, the Dr.Bushy-eyebrow, Dr.DNA, Manwel. Maybe I would spare Michael Falzon, because he acted relatively decently last weekend.
What do the lejberites really believe in, anyway? How many of those that cheered so gleefully at meetings have ever cared to find out what the party believes in, what their book says and why it is different from what the PN has been doing for so many years? What have they done for the worker and who do they consider to be a worker, just the Lejburisti?
This has always been their idea of a worker it seems. They did not consider as workers the 1000 bank employees who were suspended from work between 4 July to 12 Aug 1977 and who Dom wanted to chuck out of work, all because they were MUBE members. More recently, all that AS could tell the workers at his meetings were fairy tales and insults to their intelligence, treating them like they were all gullible morons. He caused immesurable damage not just to workers, but to Malta’s reputation.
Some people talk about purging the MLP, but for heaven’s sake, who will do this if there seems to be a crowded snake-pit in there? Pray, who will change their ingrained mentality that will take years to change? If you ask me, the winner will be someone who will be able to plunge the highest number of daggers under the scales of other contestants. Is not this what happened 16 years ago? The water will run its course and history will repeat itself, aided by the strings which the Emperor is likely to pull.
Well George, you claimed to embrace a Green philosophy, or am I wrong? And the first thing that came to mind was the hunters. Very imaginative are you? Forget Canada, we’re talking Malta here. Are the hunters the only problem you can think of threatening the Maltese environment?
I heard that sliema people are disapointed that Arrigo wasnt given the ministry of tourism Well I must say, like that we would have someone to take care about the tourists that visit the rest of Malta. Maybe a beach at St Thomas bay!!The south needs an uplift!!
Louis Galea should be the next president!!
George Abela, Manuel Micallef and maybe Zrinzo would make a perfect match for MLP.
Please take part in this online competition. Guess who said these words, quoted verbatim from today’s Malta Independent.
“However, I was disappointed at the way we (former cabinet members) were informed that we would not be back on board. In fact, at about 1.30pm on Wednesday I was informed via SMS that I would not be a cabinet member.
I think we were owed a more dignified dismissal, as we were part of the cabinet that contributed to a PN victory.
We were at least owed an explanation as to why we were not reconsidered for a cabinet post, and a thank you.”
Meditate, gente, meditate!
Heard the last one ?
History is already repeating itself. Persons within the MLP are blaming Michael Falzon for the electoral defeat since they say it was his agreement to extend the voting time from 10 to 11 pm that allowed those extra 1200 PN to vote !
The daggers have already been drawn and the first victIm of the leadership race has already ben stabbed. Labour never learns, it appears that they are plotting another coup.
I have seen a hint of anger in Daphne’s logs today.
I really would like to know what exactly she has in her mind when she refers to Freddy in his twenties. We are talking about the late 60’s here.
Today’s topic made me recall past interviews with this leader. From what I have seen, Sant is obsessed about some idea he calls “iz-zaghzugh ta’ dejjem.” This dangerous idea could make you live in the past. Obsess about the best days of your life. Run after the your own past image… Trying to fool people that you have the same hairstyle you had 40year ago!
Hello again Alex. It appears that you have a problem understanding what you read. Where did I write that “hunters” are the only problem threatening the Maltese environment? When hunters illegally kill birds or other creatures, they are just one example of one of many problems facing the environment, not just in Malta, but across the planet.
Protecting the environment includes stewardship of the creatures in it, especially those that are protected (such as raptors – they are inedible and have no food value) that are killed by self-proclaimed Maltese “hunters” for no other reason than to display them seemingly to bolster their fragile little egos.
Have you not heard of the delicate balance of nature and that the extermination of a species has a cascading effect on the rest of the environment?
Clearly, you brand yourself as “green”, but at the same time, you come across as an apologist for “hunters” who have shown no respect for the environment in Malta. Do you claim some special privileges for “hunters” in Malta over hunters elsewhere? What difference does it make whether it is Canada or Malta? Is the planet not one integral biosphere?
In response to your challenge, I provided you with two more sources of pollution but they appear not to have registered in our mind. You appear to be hung up on the “hunter” issue. You wouldn’t happen to be one of them would you? How imaginative of you. Where is your imagination when it is clear that you are incapable of understanding the obvious?
You might recall that I did provide you with a third cause of pollution – drivel. You’ve been one of its sources.
Which part are you referring to, Amanda Mallia? My presidential nominee? I think he’s the wisest, most honest, least self-serving person on the whole Island. We’ve exhausted all the politicians of presidential calibre. Let’s turn to the non-politicians.
Ray.
Ma nistax ma naqbilx mieghek. Il-mentalita laburista li ghagen Dom hija bbazata fuq mudell komunista ta qasma bejn il-proletarjat u s-‘sinjur’. Dizgrazzjatament din l-ideologija ghad ghanda erghuq sodi fi hdan il-partit laburista ghax kienet konvenjenti hafna biex tigbed voti lejn il-partit minhabba nuqqas ta edukazzjoni tal-working class,
Jekk tiftakru tajjeb l-ekonomija fi zmien Dom kienet tfisser ezatt kif nuzawha fil-kuntest domestiku, jigifieri li tiffranka,tiddobba u tillapazza. Tiftakruhom frazijiet bhal ‘ihallsu minn imnieherhom l-Inglizi’.
Il-laburisti dejjem kienu mohhom ghax Dom tahom ic-childrens’ allowance izda qatt ma kellhom interess fuq policies serji bhal investimenti mhux lapazzati, stabbilita politika, kummerc hieles, foreign policy li ggibilna stima, liberta tal-kelma u elf haga ohra li llum niehduha for-granted.
Jien nahseb li biex il-partit laburista jinbidel irid ikun hemm leader genwin li verament jemmen u jaghraf li dawn kienu policies hziena li anki wasslu ghal vjolenza fizika u morali fuq hafna nies anki fosthom laburisti li ma qablux maghhom.
Dan biex jigi emmnut irid jerfa r-reponsabbilta politika ta dawk iz-zmienijiet koroh u jitlob skuza ghan-nom tal-partit laburista. inkella jkun difficli li jigi emmnut.
Please, Daphne quickly comment on what is going on on TV……….I can’t wait to hear your views. This is hilarious and although I am thouroughly enjoying the ‘show’, I keep coming here to check on any new comments. I am sure there’ll be several around 11pm after the programme ends
Jeysin on Xarabank – doing Exactly what he needs to do to keep his party in opposition for another 20 yrs,
listening to mr tron ta l-gherf on xarabank tonight i finally realized how we ended up with a pal tal bajtar as our national emblem. unbelievable the guy keeps putting his foot in it, by spouting the kind of rubbish he’s paid to stop others from saying. incredible
gejsin is making me sick.
would definitely welcome george abela as leader of the mlp..definitely a move forward for our country. obviously, gejsin had something bad to say about that as well.
Michael Falzon hugs Joe Spiteri
a classic moment from the election:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaRCuZACamk
I meant Joe Saliba.. oops..
I’m watching Xarabank too.
Trid tkun verament wiehed b’mohh ta’ tigiega biex tkun laburist u tibqa ikkakkmat ma’ nies bhal Jason Micallef u Charlon Gouder!! Verament tal-misthija u dawn ghadhom gejjin minn telfa!!! Jafu jisthu!!!
Roll up your sleeves. George Abela announced his will and interest to run for MLP leadership. However ‘peacock’ altready kicked him out of race……
How can George be assured of a fair election….
Ce Ce
Dr. George Abela has expressed a willingness to stand for the leadership of the Labour Party on Xarabank.
Open your Eyes MLP delegates… this is great step for MLP and do not throw it away!
Good Luck Dr. George Abela!
Xarabank is over…….at this rate please note that in 4 years 10 months time we’ll be in another Election Campaign…..and on for another PN triumph……
CeCe
Catherine is right. Xarabank has just finished and I have run to my PC to see any comments.
It is just unbelieveable some of the things I have heard from Jason, Charlon, and Anglu Bellu, amongst others.
If you didn’t watch it, do yourself a favour and watch it on dive (if it’s there already)
Wish to hear your comments Daphne after Xarabank. Ajma Jason reminds me of Aladdin when he smiles but this eve he couldn t smile ta ax rassewh wahda u sew nies mill-istess partit.
After watching on TVM… Unbelievable!!!!…. Gaysin will not accept advice from the people who want labour to flourish…. As alot previously said – They will never change!!
On Xarabank Jaysin said that the delegates are still mahruqin on the way that Dr.George Abela left the party. He also says that he won’t take advice from people like Pierre.
This reflects Lejber’s attitude: you either agree with them or they treat you like an enemy. You are supposed to be a lackey, a Yes-man. Only they can be right. Democratic and humble, huh? This reflects the shape of things to come, unless people like that toothy peacock are chucked out of the red chicken coop. They continue to demand people’s respect. You cannot demand true respect; you can only earn true honest respect.
Just finished watching Xarabank.
Jaysin and Charlatan Gouder are a disgrace to the MLP. Their defiance and pigheadedness in the face of such a defeat is incredible.
Also Anglu Farrugia’s inflammatory comments about the alleged ‘xiri ta’ voti’ by the nationalists are extremely dangerous. He is an agitator, and if I were part of the MLP structures that nominate candidates for the Leadership contest, I would strike him off forthwith. He is a nasty piece of work. Insieh zmienu.
Thank God that such people were not elected to government last Saturday.
Just seen Jason try and publicly shoot down what would seem as a moderate possible leader, he is unbelievable.
At the end of Xarabank, I can honestly say we need Jason Micallef. Just like Dottor Sant, the Nats need people like him. My God, these people never change, never learn!
I had high hopes that somehow we would see Dr George Abela back to contest the leadership, but no……..Jason Micallef shoots down the idea, “tal-lejber can never forget what he did to them!”
So again I say, thank God for Jason Micallef!!!
@Albert Farrugia
there’s nothing to meditate… one has to admit that (if what the papers say is correct) Gonzi should have been more empathic, at least by giving a phone call to relegated Cabinet members.
Also, I think the reaction by these guys is quite understandable, and I’m sure Gonzi will have a word with these guys as soon as he comes back to Malta.
All in all, it seems that by choosing this line-up, Gonzi has kept the 2nd of his promises (the 1st one being MEPA) to have a younger, leaner, fresh Cabinet. As far as I can remember, most of the new Cabinet were not targets of Sant’s 5-year mudslinging campaign. The odd two being Dalli (who was cleared of all taints) and Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, the attack on whom was too ridiculous for Gonzi even to consider.
Now, with all team-choosing exercises, be it a footie team, a management team, or a political cabinet, there are the winners and the delusioned left-outs, but hey, that’s life.
One last thing, anyone has any idea when MEPA’s and the Police’s JPO investigation results will come out? Can’t wait to see how this story finishes….
Comments after the show….???
Talk about arrogance!!!!! So much for the persistent drone over the years, from Charlon Gouder and Jason Micallef among others from the MLP camp, about how skaduti and arrogant our Ministers had become. And then this evening – barely a week after the people had spoken – we hear the level of diatribe we got from both of these gentlemen. What arrogance!! I felt myself feeling for Sharon, for the very first time in my life. And for Anna Mallia, too. I think they should both move on.
And a special comment or two for Charlon, since enoguh has already been thrown at jason tonight. Charlon, dear boy, just because you shouted corruption and abbuz ta’ poter one million times before the election, it doesn’t mean you’re right, and you still have to prove it. Until then, we live in a society where one is innocent until proven guilty. And that’s regardless of what you think, Charlon! Secondly, you have to be a project manager – and NOT a journalist – to truly evaluate why a road, or a bridge for that matter, ended up taking longer to complete and costing more. Here are a couple of eye openers: (i) look for the time it takes to push paper to get a tender awarded and a project completed, and you’ll find that in the name of transparency, the paperwork is taking FAR LONGER than the proejct itself, which is one reason why roads and bridges take so long to complete; (ii) look for the scope of works and how this changes over the life of a project, and you’ll find that tender scopes of works will have changed, usually because it is NOT possible in the initial stages of tender compilation to think of every eventuality (nothing at all abnormal); and (iii) could it be that the planned date of completion and the related cost were both under-estimated by the civil servant architect who prepared them, in the first place? Look out for that as well, and I am sure you’ll find true answers that have NOTHING TO DO with corruption. As Charles Buhagiar himself once said re: tenders in which he was directly involved in, cost overruns and time delay are the norm in this kinda business – all over the world. The Euro-tunnel, Wembley Stadium, Terminal 5 at Heathrow – check them out, my friend, and you’ll find that this s the real world.
Hi Ms Caruana Galizia
don’t you think its awful that Mr Mugliette after what he did now decides to let his own prime minister down , the very man who stood by him for so long. So he got the message via sms, so?
The opposition media are having a hey day as a result.
regarding Xarabank, what the Lejber don’t realise is that the Nationalist party recovered about 13000 votes which had ”floated” labour’s way, but thanks to Alfred Sant we still won by 1500.
So the Nats actually did very well, but it does not look like it because we are only seeing the 1500 votes margin.
Lil-Lino u Ray , naqbel hafna maghkhom fuq li irid ikun hemm leader genwin li jitlob skuza ghal hazin li ghamel il-Labour.
Din il-haga mhux la kemm issir mill-lum ghal ghada , ghax jigri kif gara lil Kruschev meta’ idenunzja lil-Stalin .Ghal min ma’ jafx , kien hemm hafna sriep gewwa il-partit Komunista li bdew jibzghu li se tmiss lilhom u jitilfu posthom mil-gerarkija tal-partit, ghalek sabu mezz biex ‘iqacctuh’ wara ftit snin u poggew lil Breshnev minn floku.
Bil-kwalita ta’ delegati li hemm bhalissa huwa difficli biex ma’ jkollokx leader li mhux tal-klikka ta’ Sant.Kulltant nisthajjilhom l-MFA!
Ghalhekk George Abela jrid li l-membri jivvutaw ghal-leader u mhux id-delegati biss.
What a poor show Jason and Charlon made of themselves at Xarabank tonight…. utterly unbelievable!! they pretend nothing’s happenend this weekend…business as usual…
and then they have the cheek to call others arrogant! what would they be doing by now had they actually won Government?!! I shudder to think!!
Let me blow your bubble dears Char and Jays… no Labour’s defeat was not an honourable defeat! had all of you kept your big mouth shut and super one closed, you would have won Government by at least 20,000 votes!
Your contribution only served to make Labour LOSE 22,000 votes!
Note to Gaysin(Oral B Smile like a Dentist) Micallef, and Charlon(Loves his voice too much)Gouder.
Elect Anglu – Spend 30more yrs in oppozizjoni
Elect MAry Louise Colleiro Preca -Spend another 25 yrs
Elect Georg Abela – and spend 5 yrs in oppozijoni.
Who cares if the Delegates are pissed off, see what the Labour supporters want.
Seems like Gaysin is scared because if Dr. Abela is Elected he is out of a job…..
Dear Jason, BIRDS of the same feather flock together !!!!!!!!!
Shame on you for your SHOW on Xarabank.
I am not sure how Daphne knows about Alfred Sant`s private finances and whether or not he has enough savings to survive for a year without working should he so chooses. After all, he doesn`t have to pay for a TV licence. That is one saving right there.
His idiosyncratic lifestyle would seem to suggest there might be a few areas where he might be spared some of the expenses that the rest of us have to contend with. Many a mickle makes a muckle, as they say.
However, if you are afraid that he is going to retain his seat in parliament solely for financial reasons then why not pass around a hat and collect some money for him to leave parliament and pursue whatever interest takes his fancy? It seems like a good enough cause to me.
I`ll start things off by pledging 2 euros.
Bongu,
Dwar Xarabank ftit hemm xi tghid aktar hlief li dawn in-nies tal-MLP hu difficli hafna li jinbidlu. Charlon qisu bniedem li ha xokk elettriku u ghadu jipprova jghawweg halqu u geddumu biex johrog il-kliem minn halqu. Jason, imbaghad, mitluf wahda u sew. Minflok jammetti u jipprova jirranga aktar jaqsam bhal meta semma lil George Abela. Imbagha xi nghidu ghal dak l-gharef inkarnat ta’ Anglu Farrugia meta qal li l-PN xtara l-voti. Hallina Ang: Il-Qahba milli jkollha ttik. Hekk jghid il-Malti u Joe Saliba qallek sew li dawn l-affarijiet kienu jsiru meta int kont fil-pulizija u sahansitra nqatlu n-nies fid-depot. Tal-Misthija Anglu t-tron tal-gherf.
I totally agree with Anthony. Charlon and Jason appear to have learnt nothing from Labour’s electoral defeat. They are as arrogant as ever.
It is quite clear that Jason does not want moderate and sensible people, like George Abela, to become leader of the Labour party, since when a clip was shown on Xarabank of Dr. Abela stating his interest to contest for party leader, the first thing Jason remarked was that the Labour delegates are still hurt because of Dr. Abela’s actions and remember that Dr. Abela packed up and left in the middle of a party campaign! This is the guy who left the counting hall when things started looking bad last Sunday and didn’t have the guts to return to concede defeat! Daphne you are so right to call this guy a “disbonourable chicken”!
Labour will get the “lider” they deserve and I would bet my last euro cent that it won’t be George Abela! As I have written before the leader will reflect the delgates’ beliefs and attitudes (enough said on these already), so it cannot be Dr Abela. Jason already showed us what he is up against, and you’d better believe that the great majority of the delegates are like Jason. I still say that the only hope is for the party to split between the conservatives and the progressives. After all this is how the party came to be successful in the 70s after Mintoff split from Boffa. Unfortuntately for Malta it was the wrong faction that gained the ascendency (i.e. Mintoff’s), hopefully this time it will be the other way round!
John Schembri
John, il-Labour iridu jifhmu li d-differenza hi li fil USSR dak iz-zmien ma kienx hemm elezzjonijiet tal-poplu waqt li hawn Malta hawn voti li l-labour jista jiggwadanja jekk joffri image li jkun demokratikament accettabbli u li wara rebha elettorali ikun irid jissostanzja dan l-image bil-fatti.
Berczeny – Let’s get this one straight. You suggest an MLPAD coalition; EM himself suggests a PNMLP coalition. What next – PNMLPADAN, with rotating leadership? Get a life, and keep your weird suggestions to yourself, darling!
Hope Anglu Bellu is sued for his libellous accusations about the buying of votes
I am not a regular visitor to your site, as thankfully my sanity is still fine. But what I see here is a bunch of chaps drifting and drowning in a self created illusionary world of hate and social frustration. Take it easy, as there are less than half the population who agrees with you. Ah, and don’t bother answering me, as i won’t be visiting for a while.
[Moderator – You heard the man, stop drifting and drowning at once.]
Hello Bloggers,
I think that the peaCOCK wants his own theme there as he is too anti-Abela and anti-patku !!
Tal – Labour mahruqin b’ George Abela ? Why doesn’t Jason put this claim to the test ? Not to the delegati , but all the tesserati as George Abela himself is requesting .
He doesn’t have the guts !!!! Jaf li George jigri bih wahda u tajba !
As I watched Xarabank yesterday 14th March, my particular attention was inevitably drawn on Mr. Jason Micallef, he managed knowingly or unknowingly to have the viewers focus on him.
So I listened and watched carefully…
Jason, allow me this way of informally addressing you; take my advice your greatest enemy are mirrors, smash them before they destroy you….’en passant’…shake off that stupid grin…..
John,
Id-differenza hi li dak iz-zmien ma kienx hemm elezzjonijiet tal-poplu fil-USSR imma hawn Malta il-poplu ghandu vot li l-Labour jista jattirah lejh jekk genwinament jibni image li jkun demokratikament accettabbli u li jkun importantissmu li jissosstanzja dan l-image bil-fatti wara rebha ellettorali. Ghalhekk huwa possibbli u mportanti hafna li l-labour jaghmel dawn it-tibdiliet ‘mill-lum ghal ghada.
To Charles Spiteri, I would like to say that I don’t feel at all for Sharon! She said she would like to have her children under the labour administration.
I had my children under the labour, and for a period of time, I could not send them to school as there were policemen at the schools’ doors to make sure that the school was closed. So we had to volunteer to have a few teachers at home to give a few basic schooling to our kids and to the rest of the class.
As for Anna Mallia, I honestly believe that contrary to her usual rethoric arguments, she said the right words.
As for Anglu Farrugia, could he say what he said without being sued? I mean what he implied is very serious….or perhaps nobody takes notice of what he said!
@Mary Ann
Don’t bother about what Anglu says. He is a happy person and happy persons like to say jokes!
You can always see him with a smile on his face, even when he received the news that Labour lost the general election for 3 consecutive times, he continued to smile, … he taught that it was a joke and kept on smiling with the probability that it will take 5 years until he will realize that it wasn’t a joke!
@ Lino , il-hasra hi li fuq livell ta’ Partit il-membri m’ghandhomx ‘say’ , huma d-delegati li ghandhom is-setgha li jtellghu mexxej,
Barra minn hekk qisna qed ninsew li certu nies li qed jissemma’ isimhom huwa difficli li jkunu ‘papabbli’ ghax l-anqas biss hargu ghal l-elezzjoni.
Ir-realta hi li l-unika tama huma Michael jew Marie Louise , ghax dawk huma eletti.
Tghiduli ghaliex jinteressak li fil-Labour ikun hemm dak u mhux haddiehor, il-Mexxej ta’ l-oppozizzjoni nixtiequ jkun persuna li fih nista’ nara il-prim ministru alternattiv , bhala votant.
Kif rajt lil Dr Falzon ma’ Zrinzo jmexxi l-affarijiet fin-Naxxar , fil-‘maltemp’,- meta haddiehor parpar ghax ma kienx hemm affarijiet sbieh ghal- hames snin li gejjin- hsibt kemm kien bniedem li ghandu self control ,pacenzja , prudenza ,stamina , kemm ma’ jparlax fil- vojt, u kapaci jerfa r-responsabbilta.
Il-Konferenza ghanda tghaddi mozzjoni biex il-membri kollha jkollhom dritt li jivvutaw ghal- mexxejja l-godda.Nahseb hekk tinhal din il-‘Gordian knot”.
Lejber Parti Gdid?
Jien Nazzjonalista imma dejjem sostnejt li meta nigi ghal vot m’ghandiex ghazla veru. Nixtieq li nista’ nivvota lil xi partit iehor – bla twerwir! Ma nahsibx li mill-Lejber tal-lum jista johrog Leader li jappella ghal kwalita ta’nies li jixtiequ oppozzizjoni serja u gvern futur li jipprometti programm kredibbli li jigi mwettaq minghajr ma jaqleb id-dinja ta’ taht fuq.
Kif nara jien is-soluzzjoni hi li l-Laburisti genwini jiffurmaw partit gdid maqtugh ghall-kollox mill-passat orribbli tal-MLP.
Bhala ghalliema qatt ma nista’ ninsa minn x’hiex ghaddejna fit-tmeninijiet. Kif tita’ tinsa? Kif tisia’ tivvota Lejber meta lanqas ghandhom l-umilta li jitolbu mahfra ta’ dak kollu li wettqu kontra min ma’ jaqbilx maghhom? Jafu xi tfisser demokrazzija?
Bonny – you cannot belie the fact you’re leyborist – you all have the same mankament – titfa l’gebla u tigri.
If you want to see hate and social frustration go look up your Jayzin – he’s got a thing or two to teach you there. His eyes write books on hate, and his idiotic toothy grin tells it all on his social frustration.
He’ll soon have another problem as his hair seems to be thinning out some ……..
@John Schembri
while I agree with you that Michael Falzon behaved impeccably in Naxxar, i harbour some reserve at claims of his self-control, prudenza and ‘ma jparlax fil-vojt’. The ‘ljuni tal-bidla’ clips on Youtube are ample evidence. I wonder which one is the real him.
Bonnie – You said “I am not a regular visitor to your site … and don’t bother answering me, as i won’t be visiting for a while.”
Ha, ha! Pull the other one! It’s pretty obvious to all and sundry that you’re just another one of those green-eyed monsters …
I heard that Alfred Sant, contrary to what Daphne said, already has a job and does not need to stay on in the MLP as a kingmaker – the job is best described in Maltese – jitfa t-tajn mac-Caqnu.
Southwisper: No, it’s not just a rumour. Here’s the evidence in the form of a speech by Freddie Micallef, applauded by Charles Buhagiar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6NtO3nIOZA
Wow; 1971: “Malta envied by countries in Europe and the Mediterranean.” In 19bloody71.
Jesus Tapdancing Christ. What planet are these people living on?