Watching Dissett on TVM
OK, so I’ve got the idea about how Labour thinks a political party should be run like a business with branding and a CEO and what passes for corporate business-speak in Malta…but something really must be done about the way our prime minister now speaks.
IT’S TERRIBLE.
Why doesn’t he just stick to Maltese?
“Dan il-gvern it means business.”
And he’s more or less confirmed that Inspector Gadget will be back to haunt us as the most inarticulate and subliterate Speaker of the House since Mintoff appointed Kalcidon Agius.
Also, he said once more that he’s comfortable with the idea of having a businessman as his chief of staff (obviously he is, because he’s the one who chose Keith Schembri) and that Schembri will be “divesting himself of his directorships”.
What do directorships have to do with it? Keith Schembri OWNS the companies – he’s not a director appointed to represent other shareholders.
And he’ll still be selling tonnes of paper to The Times, after having sold them the machinery for their new printing press. Clearly, they have an excellent business relationship going there.
While we’re on the subject, perhaps either The Times or the head of government communications would like to explain why the prime minister paid an unannounced visit to The Times last Monday evening and met the editor.
The proper way to do it, to avoid accusations of collusion and wrong-doing, is for a prime ministerial aide to ring the editor, explain that the prime minister wishes to meet him, and ask what time and day might be convenient. Then a diarised appointment is made and it is the editor who goes to the prime minister’s office, not the other way round.
These procedures are not there for ‘airs and graces’ but to ensure correctness and that there is no impropriety that might cast doubt on either the government or the newspaper.
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Who owns The Times?
The Strickland Foundation owns the majority of the shares in Allied Newspapers Limited, the publisher of The Times.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20030727/local/new-managing-directors-at-allied-newspapers-progress-press.144747
But the real point is not who owns it, but who controls it.
Anyone on the list of creditors with a major balance and possibly some privileges over the assets of Allied would effectively control The Times. Seems that one of those creditors now has an office in Castille.
Do we have a more recent link?
Right now it looks like it is Keith Schembri.
That means Joseph Muscat.
Minn dawk il-Ministri U l-SPs kollha, ma’ Frankie L-Ghaxqi se jiddiskuti il-Whistleblower Act.
“Dan il-gvern it means business.”
Mela l-ewwel haga “l-business” tal-out of stock medicines diga mehud.
X’jibqa, jekk joghgbok, ghal dawk li ma jmorrux shopping ilibbsu l-mara tal-prim ministru u ghal dawk li m’humiex “in” maghhom?
Isaa naraw “x’business” gej. Tghid il-Maltin ser ihallu flushom Malta wara dak li qieghed jigri Cipru? Mank f’Cipru setghu jiehdu flushom nhar it-tnejn. Imma nhar it-tnejn u nhar it-tlieta bank holidays.
Does Joseph Muscat mean this type of business?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21814325
Does he still plan to follow on the footsteps of Cyprus?
Why did no one ask Joseph Muscat how he intends to get the PL energy plan, i.e. the construction of the new gas-fueled power station under way in a few weeks’ time, when the Gonzi-drafted budget that this government is adopting next month carries no funding allocation at all for the PL inspired energy project?
Keith has the answers. Negotiations are through him. Expect him to replicate The Times deal on this and other projects with some known foreign provider.
Funding is not required except on supply of gas – but oops… will we have a similar problem to the one The Times has?
Seems everyone is ignoring this major issue. Sometimes it seems it’s not an issue any more. Maybe the new energy minister is so far ahead with the plans that it is already being built. Maybe we are just too dim-witted.
A very disturbing pattern is already emerging.
Whenever Reno Bugeja cornered Joseph Muscat with a difficult question which he could not answer logicallly and satisfactorily, we got Muscat’s assurance that the person in question will deliver. Because, you know, Joseph trusts him. and he gives us his assurance that it will be so.
I’m sorry but Joseph’s assurance is not enough. One particular instance was when he was asked about Mario Cutajar. We were ASSURED by Dear Joseph that he is up to the job and will not be politically biased.
What is certain is that Joseph and his Labour Party are not holding themselves up to the standards they had asked of others for the past five years. And they shouldn’t get away with it.
Expose them for what they really are.
Did you watch the part when he said that he instructed the health minister to install himself at Mater Dei?
He also informed us that the office is just at the entrance next to the porters. Now we all know where to go in order to get ourselves a bed in the hospital. All we need is a price list for bribes on the door.
What great decision-making strategists these people are.
Pitiful.
Muscat’s been taken in by his own campaign. The health ministry is not only responsible for Mater Dei Hospital.
I’m not sure if I understood her correctly but did Marlene Farrugia say on Xarabank that when the PM was dishing out cabinet posts, there was only the health portfolio left so her partner/spouse and her decided that he should get it, not her? Excuse me?
Yes. And when a cabinet post involving investment comes up, she says she’s taking it.
Now with the Health minister responsible for Mater Dei Hospital only Marlene Farrugia can take up the health portfolio.
A former minister who now expects to become PN leader effectively controls The Times.
He appoints the managing director and the editor.
His family has been controlling The Times including its finances since Mabel Strickland’s demise.
Yes and his school buddies hold key positions at The Times
Dear Daphne,
Dr Muscat’s English beats yours any day!
Get over it….wannabe journalist!
[Daphne – How sadly deluded. You people are like the disciples of some mind-bending cult.]
You must think your Joseph Muscat is good at languages because he named his kids in French.
Hell no, Daphne speaks perfect English and delivers well apart from the fact that you can’t find one mistake in her articles unlike most newspapers in general.
Muscat struggles to speak both English and Maltese, and he can’t keep them separate.
Joseph Muscat cannot speak English properly. He cannot even speak Maltese properly.
Are you out of your mind, Mark Mallia? No one beats Daphne in writing proper English. SinceI started to read her writing on this Running Commentary I can definintely say that I’m writing a lot better in English than I’ve ever done, though I’m still green.
Well, I stopped buying The Times ages ago.
So did I and I do not intend to start buying it again ever. Once I lose trust in anything or anyone I never regain it.
Ara vera saru ZIBEL dawn in-nies! araw naqra x`rittrat tefaw!
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130317/local/malta-s-roads-worse-than-those-in-malawi.461735
“What do directorships have to do with it? Keith Schembri OWNS the companies – he’s not a director appointed to represent other shareholders.”
So I’m not the only one to have realised this. He still gets the profits at the end of the day, so who cares if he’s not the ‘manager’, because the money doesn’t come through wages, but through profits.
And now the Times and Strickland Foundation will be backing (roll of drums) Mario Demarco for PN leader.
To any medicos reading this blog, is hypertension so difficult to control (I can “prescribe” one or two medications) as to preclude a short flight from Brussels to Malta ?
Anglu Farrugia, speaker? Now that’s meritocracy for you.
Times change.
Last time Labour visited The Times they took matches with them.
Tistghu tajduli x’inhu jigri hawnhekk?
Time will tell!
you mean years !
Definitely not 25 years @37,000
So correct about directorship and ownership. The shareholder will get the profits finally. What a conflict of interest! I always thought that business and politics should never mix.
Close watch:
http://www.scribd.com/collections/4179064/Konrad-Mizzi-Minister-for-Energy-and-Water-Conservation-Malta
http://www.scribd.com/collections/4175992/Keith-Schembri-Chief-of-Staff-Office-of-the-Prime-Minister-Malta
http://www.scribd.com/collections/4176223/Karmenu-Vella-Minister-of-Tourism-Malta-March-2013
Has anyone noticed that the word “roadmap” and the phrase “Malta Taghna Lkoll” were never mentioned during the entire Dissett program?
Moskatello said in the Mass Rally in Floriana. ” I have a dream” He will bring the Nationalist Members in Opposition to work together with him in the efforts to the growth in wealth of the nation. On condition that he and his members will remain on the wheel and the opposition do the work.
He is looking now at a corporate society to lead him into a haven of easy and untouchable governance. Ignorance is the greatest cause of all mistakes.