The two contenders
I have just watched timesofmalta.com’s video interviews with the two contenders for the Nationalist Party’s deputy leadership, Tonio Fenech and Simon Busuttil.
Both speak extremely well and are consummate politicians. Never having heard Tonio Fenech give an interview in English before, I was completely taken aback to discover that he has the very speaking style (in English, but not in Maltese) that appeals directly to a chunk of those who are currently disillusioned with the Nationalist Party.
He should be brought out more to speak to them, like that, in that voice, because – and this is something lots of people refuse to acknowledge – we build an instantaneous rapport with those who share our way of speaking, and are guarded, at first or permanently, with those who don’t.
My view after hearing both these interviews is that the Nationalist Party’s councillors have a tough decision ahead of them, a really tough decision.
Fenech and Busuttil are both the same age, 43, good speakers and communicators, personable and good politicians. Both have strong appeal to different groups of people, but after watching those two videos, I have a slightly different view of who those people might be.
On the basis of what I heard in that interview, I think Fenech will have a strong impact on people in my age bracket and socio-economic group, who present a bit of a problem for the Nationalist Party, but he has to get out more and speak to them the way he spoke there.
And he doesn’t necessarily have to be deputy leader to do that. He should do it regardless. I actually think they will relate to him more than to Simon Busuttil.
But Busuttil is hugely popular with significant chunks of the electorate and more importantly, he represents the New Guard, the face of change and renewal. This is an important consideration.
Yes, those councillors have a truly difficult decision ahead of them. I suspect it’s going to be one of those situations in which, for months after the decision is taken, and whichever that decision is, people will wonder whether it was the better one.
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Indeed, they are two true mirrors of what PN is all about and one is encouraged that the Nationalist Party can still put forward two formidable politicians even after 25 years running this tiny rock.
Ideally, both should be made ‘use’ of by PN because win or lose, the party will have a new man at the helm in the next 18 months or so.
So difficult is the decision of whom to choose that it will be sad to see one of the two losing out to the other but such is life.
The bottom line is that PN continues to produce level-headed, intelligent and proven politicians whereas Labour could only come up with a Joseph and had to prop him up with the likes of AST, il-Guy and Joe Grima.
“two formidable politicians ” ! Wow ! Taks Fors, jaqaw ktibt dak il-kumment wara xarba inbid nobis ?
Taf x’hin sar Eddy? Mhux ahjar tmur torqod u tohlom b’Malta hierga mill-EU?
Allow me,
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121118/interview/-We-can-win-next-election-.445759
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121118/interview/-I-want-to-bring-back-lost-votes-.445758
At least in the P.N. the dilemma is to choose between two good men. The Labour Party should be so lucky!
Qtajtlu l-ghatx bil-perzut lil Eddy Privitera.
Daphne ma ddikjaratx lil min qed tappoggja, giebithom “draw” halli hi tibqa tgawdi s-simpatija taghhom ! Se jinqatghalkhom l-ghatx bil-perzut ftit tax-xhur ohra !
Kieku minnek (u mill-Laburisti kollha) immur ninheba fejn m’hemmx cans li jsibuni. Ghadkom ma xbajtux titilfu elezzjoni wara l-ohra.
Ippruvajt xi darba tahseb ghalfejn l-MLP mill-elezzjoni tal-1981 sal-llum, darba biss irnexxielkom ikollkom il-maggoranza u lanqas domtu sentejn fil-gvern.
Ma nahsibx li l-poplu ghazel lil PN b’kapricc imma ghax jaf li bil-PN fil-gvern il-progress u l-well-being huma garantiti. Fl-istess hin, il-poplu jaf li l-MLP m’ghandux ideja ta kif imexxi pajjiz, ghax meta ppruvakom, ghamiltu herba u lanqas irnexxielkom taghmlu legislatura shiha.
Eddy, Daphne mhix qed tistenna simpatija, la minn Simon w lanqas minn Tonio.
Inthom il-Lejburisti kull ma taghmlu ikun bl-intenzjoni li tiehdu lura xi favur. Daphne m’ghandha bzonn favuri minn hadd.
Min ser jinqatalu “l-ghatx bil-perzut” sur Eddy Privitera?
Min ilu jirbah l-elezzjonijiet minn l-1981 bl-eccezzjoni ta’ wahda dik tal-1996 jew min ilu jitlifhom matul dan iz-zmien kollu.
Ahna in-Nazzjonalisti ‘mejtin fis-sakra’ u intom il-laburisti ‘mejtin ghall-qatra’. Ma nafx kif ta’ go fikom ghadu ma nixifx kollu daqstant snin bil-ghatx ghall-qatra.
Why not have two deputy leaders?
I agree totally with joe. First and foremost, I do not see any reason why Gonzi has to be replaced, not even if the PN loses the coming election. Adopting both contenders will strenghthen the leadership without any inevitable bad blood in the process. As everyone is saying, both are valid and probably can contribute exponentially to the party and country.
I agree with you Joe s. If the P.L. can afford two deputy leaders, why not the P.N.?
Ooohh you’re afraid to publish my comment? Seriously? You’re all about freedom of speech!
[Daphne – I do not publish slander and libel which my readers choose to send in (anonymously). If you wish to slander somebody, have the guts to use your own name and do it on your own medium – and your own money.]
Daphne: You should have added, unless slander and libel are written by you, of course.
Mr. Privitera – the experts at slander and libel are your own party’s newspapers.
I could not agree with you more, a tough decision but what a good position to be in. I hope they both play an important role in our country’s future for years to come.
If one has to go by the sheer number of votes cast for Dr Busuttil in the last MEP elections, one has got to admit that he appeals to all sorts of people , most important of all , the floating voters who ultimately decide on who gets to run the country for five years.
Busuttil rubs me the wrong way (we are the same age, incidentally). I hope that Tonio Fenech is elected as deputy leader, because with Simon Busuttil at the helm, I will only vote PN to vote Labour out.
Simon and Tonio…..a difficult choice. Tonio is good at picking the right people to do jobs he cannot do.
Simon is a populist, but he needs to get rid of a few friends who will ultimately hurt him badly.
I think that although Tonio Fenech is possibly more capable and competent than Busuttil, it is the latter who will give the PN a better chance of winning the next election. He appeals to a wider spectrum of people.
I don’t agree.
Both Tonio and Simon made a lot of mistakes in English.
Their English is quasi-optimal, but not native-speaker quality.
Why should they be compared with native speakers? One can never speak English like a native speaker unless he was brought up from childhood to speak English at home, no matter how long they spent in an English speaking country after the age of about 17.
English is a very difficult language to pronounce, especially when it comes to vowels, such as the ‘a’ and the ‘u’. Phrasal verbs are a minefield as well.
Tonio’s and Simon’s command of spoken English is excellent for a non-native speaker.
Simon is my favoured choice. He really understands people my age.
It was thanks to him and his hard work that got students who had to study abroad (since their choice of degree isn’t offered at UoM) a stipend. It wasn’t much but it made all the difference to me. I will be forever grateful.
They are a great asset to the country and to the PN.
Tonio and Simon have different and unique attributes as we have seen during the last five years.
Fenech is doing a superb job with the country’s finances- the EU has conformed this over and over again and Simon is by far more popular with the people. To win an election a party must present forward the most popular candidate.
From a distance, Simon appears to have a better appeal with the disgruntled nationalists and the floating voters.
The country should be happy with either one.
Every time Tonio Fenech speaks, I am reminded why the PN has lost so much of its previous appeal.
For crying out loud, probably this guy thinks the Madonna is following this contest and rooting for him because he says his prayers before going to bed.
[Daphne – It’s not religion that bothers me, but the desire to speak about it in inappropriate forums, or even at all. I like my religion private. Simon Busuttil is an equally religious church-goer. Did you know that? The difference is in the way he speaks about it (he doesn’t). The main reason I dislike it when people speak about their religion, and bring it into the equation, is because it is a barrier-builder as well as a bridge-builder. When a religious person talks about religion in an environment where there are even just a few non-religious people, he is highlighting differences when what he should do, to communicate well, is highlight commonalities.]
Precisely. If, as you state Simon Busuttil is equally religious, I haven’t noticed it because to date he has not tried to ram his religiosity down everyone’s throat.
Each executive committee member should base his choice according to what the PN electorate’s preference.
Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done.
I would prefer to have both contenders on board because both of them would contribute to strengthen the party’s leadership structure and its image as well.
There are other valid politicians in the party’s fold whom the party can make use of in the leadership level.
How and when to do it is another question one has to address later on.
I stand to be corrected, but I am under the impression that Tonio Fench has two libel cases pending, which he filed.
One connected with the Jerma Palace and the other with what his ex-secretary said about money collected on his behalf, from contractors.
While I have no doubt that these insinuations will be proved to be unfounded, wouldn’t it have been more prudent for Tonio to wait for the outcome of these cases, before presenting himself for the post?
It would be very embarrassing for the P.N. if the verdict does not go his way.
[Daphne – I can’t see how. The other lot have an ex Super One hack as the actual leader, remember.]
Daphne, I tend to disagree with you about Tonio Fenech and I think that he would be a short term disadvantage to the party.
He might be suitable as a deputy prime minister but one must look beyond.
This election will probably be the last for Dr. Gonzi as PM. Appointing a deputy now is in my opinion appointing the next PN leader or PM should the Nationalist win the forthcoming election.
I, and probably many others, cannot see Tonio Fenech as PM. I might be wrong but I think the PN should not have appointed any deputy until the next election as there is more to lose than to gain.
Simon has the statesmanlike gravitas of a prime minister.
If I was a councillor, which I’m not, I would go for Simon as deputy leader.
He is capable of bringing the disgruntled voters back to the PN. In the interim period until the election, Tonio Fenech should then be appointed deputy prime minister.
Daphne, I cannot understand why you failed to mention Simon Busuttil’s colossal gaffe regarding reconciliation with the dissenting party members in this post.
Of course, he’s been desperately trying to fix it by claiming that he did vote in favour of Franco Debono’s ban in the coming general election. But somehow, it doesn’t cut it for me. What other reconciliation could he have been talking about?
I had decided not to vote for him as soon as he uttered those words, even though at the time, he was the only prospective candidate.
[Daphne – I mentioned the shortcomings of neither of them. My view of Busuttil’s decision to seek feedback from Jeffrey Pullicino is known already.]
Keep enemies closer!
Simon is the man for me. Although I am now nearing 52 years of age (and out of the equation), I admire the way Simon has garnered his energy and prowess, targeting our younger generation for the well being of our country’s future.
Tonio Fenech… such a pompous ass (in my rather rude opinion). I am hopefully waiting for the time he knocks on my door, come election time. He seems to have forgotten his roots, our dear Tonio.
Tonio has managed to collect some political bones n his cupboard. What about the Arsenal match? And that business with JP Montebello?
The trip to watch the Arsenal game was a mastake Tonio Fenech has admitted and apologised for. It was simply a minor error of judgement.
There was no monkey business with the Montebellos – simply an allegation which nobody in their right senses believes.
Simon or Tonio ?
More Jesuit coadjutors to choose from.
Same St. Aloysius gang as always for the PN.
They have to have that Jesuit stamp of approval.
What a deal.
And they’re both Templars and Rosicrucians. Didn’t you know?
Both are good politicians. But, both require help to deepen their knowledge in finding further ways forward in Malta’s governance.
There is a tremendous need for more truthful information collated and provided to ministers or ministers to be.
All said, Labour is nowhere close to these guys. And who thinks that Labour does not embrace wrong-doing any more, is way out in the hills, not with the fairies and neither with the leprechauns.