Labour launches its campaign underground
Joseph Muscat, beginning his work as Prattikament Prim Ministru ta’ Malta, paid a royal visit this morning to an underground car-park in Hamrun.
There was much excitement. Because this was an official government delegation, he left out his backbencher Luciano Busuttil, who became most upset and, following the Tooth Fairy’s example, went on Facebook to expose his bleeding heart.
The Times, meanwhile, redoubled its efforts at cloning Saviour Balzan’s newspaper, and told us that the Labour leader had gone there to ‘inaugurate’ the car park – you know, because it’s usual practice for Opposition leaders to inaugurate public projects, even if they’re only underground car-parks in Hamrun.
Inaugurating the five-storey 160-car car park, Dr Muscat launched the PL’s campaign for the council elections pointing out that Labour was launching the campaign even though the elections’ writ had not yet been issued, reflecting the uncertainty in the country…
A little while later, the story was rewritten, presumably after sound advice was taken:
During a visit to the five-storey 160-car car park, Dr Muscat launched the PL’s campaign for the council elections pointing out that Labour was launching the campaign even though the elections’ writ had not yet been issued, reflecting the uncertainty in the country.
So there you have it. Labour local council election campaign was launched underground. Amazing. Some time soon, it might come up for air.
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Because of the car park, I had to think of Joseph Heller’s novel “Closing Time” which plays on such premises. The novel is equally absurd as some aspects of Maltese politics.
Who is right, One TV or the others? One TV said that on Agenda Franco Debono said nothing has changed just because the Gonzi has called a leadership election.
The Times reported Franco as saying that what the PM is doing is serious and significant.
Of course I would not trust One news. They have a habit of taking things out of context. They also pick the negative detail and turn it into their headline.
Example if overall unemployment is down but there are let us say an insignificant increase in unemployment in youths the headline will be “increase in young jobless”.
Also in tourism they always picked the little negative aspects this last very successful year.
They either do not mention the numbers and the headline will be ‘less hours spent by tourists’. It is amazing to how much contempt they have for their own viewers, and to work out why they believe that people only watch their news channel.
You should be reminded that PN are better at this game. Just check and see their reporting and come to your own conclusion.
And just for the record, the programme you are referring to is not “Agenda” (which would be “Bla Agenda” in that case), but “Realta'”.
I’d suggest that next time you want to hear from the horse’s mouth, rather than watching One News, or read The Times, go directly to the live programme and hear it out for yourself.
As long as he sticks to inaugurating underground carparks, good luck to him.
It is whenever he starts tampering with above-ground national matters that we should start worrying.
Give him more car parks, please.
Is he the giant mole?
Yes, on Mintoff’s nose.
If only he were.
Then he would certainly not be in the business of dallying with Malta’s future.
Pozi wahdu! Il-vera melha fil-brodu.
Il-Guy and the Elve will have a desk underground as well, trying to make ends meet.
Working their way through day and night. You know, like the elves and the shoemaker.
Kemm hu pruzuntuz! Kemm ihobb jidher. Ghandu xi haga fih, li x’hin tarah isawwtek. Jara kbir hafna, z-zarbun li liebes jigi zmien u jitfixkel.
Kif hadd ma qal jekk Joseph wasalx fejn il-car park bil-karrozza w xufier tieghu mill Mile End sa hdejn il-knisja, jew tela’ trijumfalment pass, pass biex in-nies jehdulu b’idejh, u jaghtuh xi bewsa l’hawn u l’hinn?
Pozi ghandu, sustanza le. U lill-Lucjan ghax tah il-gemb? U iva, la jilhaq PM, tghid ma jaghtihx xi ministeru, biex itaffilu d-dizappunt? Forsi ministru tal-hofor?
Milli jidher Joey se jkollu 35 ministri fil-kabinett u b’hekk ma jkunx jista jhalli lill Lucjan barra.
“Some time soon, it might come up for air.”
Majteżwel stay underground … there’s nothing of substance that’s worth keeping alive.
Tonight on super one Lino Cassar was mentioned.Wasn’t he the man who was editor of ix-xewka, the suppose satirical newspaper. That was real hdura that should be mentioned by Joe Grima on his program not your blog
I think he began his work as prattikament prim ministru a few years back when during Independence Day he laid flowers at the foot of the Independence monument even before the President did so.
They don’t mention their ħdura because they deem it better to hide their violent past. You cannot expect anything decent from these people. The dark episodes of the past have started to resurface.
Even if we now feel protected being within the EU framework, it’s still hard to forget certain episodes that did nothing but harm us as a nation. I say so because in Malta we have remained with this huge political divide. It is Us and Them. Remember the MLP cry “min mhux magħna kontra tagħna”? It was a PN newly elected Prime Minister in 1987, Eddie Fenech Adami, who courageously stated that this was going to be a “gvern tal-Maltin u l-Għawdxin KOLLHA”. That’s where the substantial difference lies.
The way I see it, a major political party launching its campaign underground at the opening of a car park is a sign of instability.
Some one please correct me if I am wrong about this. During last local council elections , HAMRUN (Under the stewardship of Dr Luciano Busuttil LLD MP as major) was one of the two localities that actually saw its share of Labour votes DECREASE ., and by a substantial amount too.
Proset Dott. and keep it up.
Shouldn’t he be discussing the constitutional reforms proposed by the PM? Or is it too much to ask of this boy?
I’m starting to suspect he does it on purpose, until someone manages to put together a statement.
He won’t take responsibility for a program, doesn’t sign the opposition’s motion, makes himself absent when the OPM money bill is discussed and manages to present himself without a speech for his party’s general conference. The list keeps growing.
timesofmalta.com changed the text, but they failed to change the URL: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120201/local/muscat-inaugurates-new-car-park-at-hamrun.404817
“muscat-inaugurates-new-car-park-at-hamrun”
Tsk! Tsk!
The Times had better pull up its socks. It has changed from a serious balanced paper to one that shoots off stories without full verification. Maybe since the arson of 79 did not destroy it there is some digging from underground?
The word ‘inaugurate’ should be banned.
It’s cumbersome and just plain awful.
And while we’re at it can we ban the use of “arraigned in court” and that other favourite of the newspapers in Malta “in danger of dying”?
Grrrrrrrr
Lino Cassar is surly surrounded by the smell of moth-balls.
Those at The Times are really becoming absurd
Anglu Farrugia’s at it again. He thinks voting against the amendment to spite the country would embarrass the PM.
Ara vera tuba.
The underdog goes underground.
You all got it wrong. From now one the ‘pratikkament prim ministru’ has his job cut out. He will be helping Dr. Gonzi by inaugurating all the projects coming on line. That way he will be kept busy while Dr. Gonzi has time on his hands to do what he has been elected to do – running this country.
Inaugurated a car park? Well, maybe he was the first one to park his car – I mean his Alfa – there?
Well, let’s assume he Parked Well.
http://www.maltastar.com/pages/r1/ms10dart.asp?a=8445
No wonder Luciano was miffed, being told where he should have got his traffic control equipment.
Kemm hu cuc il-Malti.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111105/letters/Erosion-of-airline-s-negotiating-power-1-,392274
Planes, trains and automobiles.
The links in the above comments do not work.
Whatever, Joseph seems to have taken benefit of the “early bird” option.
Lawrence Gonzi watch out: Joseph Muscat might launch his general elections campaign by inaugurating the new Piano project.
4.500 new private cars registered at the end of 2011. Veru pajjiz mimli nies li ma jistghux ilahhqu mal l-oghli tal hajja. Issa nkompli neqirdu ghax maghnix parking spaces.
Il-gvern serqilna l-parking spaces, etil! Kull darba qed ikolli nhalli l-Audi triple-parked biex niehu ‘l Ritienne ghand il-Porky’s. Fejn ovvjament nixtru zewg pizez ta’ San Gejtanu… kull wiehed… ghax ma naffordjawx steak.
Dan Joseph Muscat mar jiftahar bil-Car Park tal-Hamrun? L-ideja u l-pjanti ta’ dan il-progett kienu saru min Kunsill b’maggoranza Nazzjonalista, meta Sindku kien hemm Joe Zammit Cordina. Dr. Luciano Busuitill kien kompla fuq din l-ideja u l-gvern Nazzjonalista kien qabel li jaghddi din l-istess art lill- Kunsill, kif ukoll somma konsiderevelo ta’ flus.
Is-Sindku prezenti Vince Bonello dan kollu jafu imma ghogbu li jiehu opportunita’ biex jidher il-partit Laburista u specjalmet Joseph Muscat. Nahseb Dr. Luciano Busutiil ghandu jkun genwin u jispjega ezatt il-fatti kif graw ghax anke ix-xoghol li kompla Dr. Luciano Busuttil stess iprova jahbi is-Sindku prezenti Vince Bonello. Hemm ukoll progett iehor ta’ pavimentar li qed isir fil-Hamrun mill-gvern centrali U Vince Bonello, is-Sindku prezenti, jghid lin-nies li dan il-progett ukoll qed jaghmlu l-Kunsill, u kellu anke argument jaharqu man nies fuq il-gideb li qed jghid. Imma kif jibqghu iqarqu u jiehdu mertu minn fuq dar hadd iehor? U Joseph Muscat imissu jisthi li jrid ikun Prim Ministru meta jmur fuq progetti li saru mill-gvern u jiprova jghid li saru minn Kunsill Laburista. Dawn vera ma’ jinbidlux.
Ir-Rabat, iz-Zurrieq, Marsaxlokk, Marsascala, Bormla qed jigri l-istess haga.
Il-mina ta’ Tigne’ ghamlet tlett snin lesta u maghluqa minhabba li Grace Borg u l-kunsilliera Laburisti ghamlu minn kollox biex jopponu il-pedonalizazzjoni ta’ Triq Bisazza.
Ftakar li wahda mill-affarijiet li jsemmi huwa il-parking u s-sistema tal-wardens.
Joseph irid jghidlna jekk hux ser iwaqqaf il progett ta’ Bieb il-Belt jekk jitla’ fil-gvern.
Can someone enlighten me why the comment that the Local Council Elections were not yet launched because of uncertainty was added?
http://maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Vulgar-remark-lands-woman-with-25-fine-20120202
Besides inaugurating this underground car park in Hamrun, Joseph Muscat today inaugurated some work carried out in Dingli. Both projects were paid by funds allocated to local councils, and central government which means that they were paid for by funds paid from the Maltese public in general.
On both occasions local councillors representing the Nationalist Party were not invited.
This is nothing new or anything surprising. This is just a sample of things to come if the PL win the next general election.
To them this is protocol, this is the way things go, its a natural way of doing things by the PL. It’s the same situation how things have been here in Mosta in our Local council where Nationalist councillors were never given any responsibilities. As I said above this is normal for the LP. Enjoy the future Malta.
The same is happening in Zurrieq, with Labour councillors inventing roles for themselves and attacking Nationalist councillors for criticising the excessive money spent on rubbish collection.
Ignatius is the only one pleased, given that he’s running for mayor again. He had been the single mayor to fail in the implementation of bring in sites and door to door recycling. His ‘project’ for the village square has just had to be redone as it proved indaquate for traffic.
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/photo.php?fbid=172203316216133&set=a.172203309549467.23479.167695556666909&type=1
Look who’s talking.
Joseph Muscat is very busy launching new projects.
Kemm hawn instabilita hux.
Ahjar ghamel zjara lill-Kunsill tal Mosta milli mar jippoza quddiem parkegg fil-Hamrun li hu ma kellu l-ebda sehem fih.
U ara kif jahdmu kunsilli Laburisti. Hadu tminn snin biex iwettqu car park wara li l-art giet moghtija lilhom mill gvern centrali kif ukoll fondi mitt taxxi tal-poplu.
Mur arahom jippjanaw u jiffinanzjaw xi progett li jiswa l-miljuni. Ara kemm bwiet jimtlew u kemm vilel jinbnew bis-sahha tal-hbieb tal-hbieb.
Jekk il-Kunsilli Laburisti huma ezempju ta’ kif se jmexxi l-Labour party fil-gvern, allura Alla maghna. It-tmexxija taghhom mhi xejn ghajr politika partiggjana u personali, b’decizjonijiet amatorjali u inkompetenti. Tbazwir.
Luciano Busuttil:
Ma nistghax nemmen dak li qed nisma. Il-PN qed jghid li l-progett tal-parking tal-Hamrun sar bis-sahha tal-Gvern. Forsi qed jirreferu ghas-7 snin li dam biex hareg il-permess tal-MEPA? Forsi qed jirreferu ghall-fatt li l-kunsill tal-Hamrun ha biss 88000 ewro grant meta dan l-ammont kellu jkun it-tripplu? Il-Partit Laburista ghamel sew li organizza zjara tal-Mexxej biex jara progett li wettqet maggioranza laburista fil-Hamrun. Dwar dak li lmentajt jien fuqu kien biss misunderstanding.
So I was going through Luciano’s Facebook profile (it’s totally public) and halfway through the tonne of comments about his disappointment, there was this marvel:
“Dorothy Falzon
i am sorry luciano when they told me that dr.joseph muscat was here i tell my sister if she saw you i was very anger when she tell me no i was at work i now that you work on the project no it want forgotten we now that you start it good lucky
1 February at 16:10”
It’s wrong, but I’d like to make it illegal for people like her to vote.
The ‘elve’ is apparently the only economist in Malta!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Maltese_economists
Xebghu bl-ahmar wrajhom.
On a similar note, did you see the article in today’s copy of ‘The Times’ – http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120217/local/project-for-mosta-housing-estate-announced-by-opposition-leader.407241
Why on earth should a government-funded project be announced by the Leader of the Opposition?