Joseph Muscat goes to Paris and meets some civil servants
Joseph u Michelle ghal Eurovixin
France has for many years run a visitors’ programme for journalists and politicians.
You’re whisked off to Paris for five days or so at the expense of the French taxpayer, assigned a minder and moved through a programme of meetings with people based on the fields of interest which you have specified.
The idea is that useful bridges are built for France, however small, and that visitors on the programme leave with a positive view of the country.
I was one of those visitors sometime in the mid-1990s, which is how I recognise the nature of Joseph Muscat’s trip to Paris despite his Communications Coconut’s hardworking attempts to puff it up to the equivalent of a state visit, with Muscat dropping by at the Elysee Palace and Carla Bruni exchanging how-to-keep-your-husband-happy tips with Michelle.
Read between these lines.
timesofmalta.com, this afternoon
Opposition leader in meetings on tourism, heritage and Unesco in France
Opposition leader Joseph Muscat today continued his visit to France with meetings on tourism, heritage and Unesco.
The Labour Party said Dr Muscat’s first meeting today discussed the French government’s policy for the tourism sector and the way enterprises in the sector could be assisted by the state.
Dr Muscat had another meeting with officials from the General Heritage Directorate within the Culture Ministry, where he was told about the French government’s strategy for the best utilisation of the country’s heritage, even at an economic level.
Dr Muscat also met officials from Unesco.
The Labour leader is in France on the invitation of the French government.
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It’s a reflection of his own misplaced sense of importance, not an attempt to puff up the story, which would require insight and intelligence.
U lil din, hemm x’libset?
L-aqwa z-zarbun ahmar bil-peek toe: l-ultimate in chav footwear.
What did the dress code say – casual, or business standard?
It is quite clear that the Partit Laburista has a new rule in its dress code: Red, especially red ties, are abolished henceforth – it is highly recommended that blue or pale-colored ties should be worn.
Another wrong Labour idea, because some are now insisting on wearing red where it is most inappropriate.
Dak il-flokk donnu nxtorbilha wara li haslitu. Zgur ma ltaqetx ma xi ras liebsa hekk, erm nahseb?
Michelle’s top has shrunk but her husband’s trousers have grown longer in the wash. It’s true that his legs are disproportionately short, but that doesn’t mean he’s got to have his trousers pooling round his ankles. He should consult Jason Micallef on how to get the hems trimmed.
Am I the only one to think that it is NOT a suit, but a jacket and trousers in two different shades of grey?
No, you are not the only one, Shades of Grey. Was this photo taken in Albert Town? Seems like they are checking their wallet.
PR disaster a la grande.
Issa naghmlu fund-raiser fuq is-sooper one, ha nhalsu ghal Parisienne holiday ta Joe u l’entourage tieghu.
We sort of expected that, but The Times deduced it has news value.
“Joseph u Michelle ghal Eurovixin” – I’ll give them 1 point, for the effort.
It looks like the first press release by the PL/MPM regarding this visit was missed. TOM 03-Mar-2010
“Muscat starts visit to France.
Opposition leader Joseph Muscat is on a visit to France as guest of the French government.
The Labour Party said this is the first of a series of overseas visits planned by Dr Muscat for the coming months.
Dr Muscat will have talks with French government officials on economic policy, tourism and how France handled the presidency of the EU.
The Labour leader is due back on Saturday.”
The talks about the EU presidency are not mentioned in the second press release. The PL/MPM should clarify this point as this is a matter of national interest. We must ensure that when it is our turn to take over the presidency of the EU in 2017 we will perform better than we did during the presidency of the Commonwealth a few years ago.
[Daphne – The talks he mentioned are exactly the same kind of meetings I had – a lowly columnist – on my own visit there at the invitation of the French government. A French government official can be anything from a clerk to a head of department. It does not mean a minister of state. His talks were not about the EU presidency, but about ‘how France handled the presidency of the EU’. In other words, the French took him there to PR themselves, which is precisely the whole point of these visitor programmes.]
“Dr Muscat will have talks with French government officials on economic policy, tourism and how France handled the presidency of the EU.”
Even the most die hard labour supporter must admit – Ara dawn x’jitn***u as to what Joseph Muscat thinks of the way France handled the EU Presidency.
[Daphne – You’ve got it the wrong way round: THEY’RE telling HIM how they handled the presidency. He listens.]
That’s my point, that the article made it sound like a discussion when I repeat — ara dawn x’jitn***u x’jahseb Muscat
Nahseb ir-ritratt hadu siehbi Byon Jo ghax mehud minn taht bhal dejjem!
The clever Dick…..looks like Byon took a leaf out of Leni Riefenstahl’s book. She almost always photographed Adolf from a lower level, to elevate his stature.
I thought it was strange that One news did not show any pictures or videos of the visit in their evening news yesterday.
[Daphne – They can’t. At that low level, meetings don’t take place in boardrooms or salons with fires flickering in the hearth and little gold chairs to sit on. They take place in the bureaucrat’s messy office, with phones ringing, people coming and going and the bureaucrat visibly annoyed at this disturbance to the pattern of his day.]
Joseph Muscat and his lovely wife Michelle have to get away as often as possible – we all need a breather.
In a nutshell ‘An Exchange (educational) Visit Program’.
I wonder what went through her mind: “What do I do with my hands here?”
Kemm hu minfuh bih innifsu, u miskin vera m’ghandux biex.
u ejja come on…..vera jixirqilha kull tip ta’ ilbies u vera mara helwa u simpatika. Apparti l-ideat politici, vera tidher mara tal-familja, helwa u edukata!!!!! Issa jien laburist minix, imma lil Joe Muscat narah persuna per bene……….hekk nahsibha jien……….ma naqbilx mieghu, dak fatt, imma ma nistghux nghidu kontrih…….jizbalja jekk jidher ma certi nies minn tieghu ghax ma min rajtek xebbahtek!
He might be taking a slight detour on his way back and going to Iceland for a second visit.
This No2EU country is soon having a referendum on the Icesave fiasco and he will be giving them more sound advice.
Waiting to see photos, on One of course, showing Monsiour Muscat with Sarkozy e Madam Carla, the Culture and Tourism Ministers, and perhaps, why not, with the Leader of the Socialist Opposition.
There’s even a facebook page promoting this visit and the people’s comments are along these lines:
“Jalla jkollok is sucess li qed tistenna ghal gid tal poplu Malti”
“Jidher car li dan hu mexxej li ghandu alternattiivi reali ghal dan il-pajjiz. Il-hidma diplomatika jaghmilha anke mill-opozizzjoni”
[Daphne – Madonna, how embarrassing. What are these people? It’s like we’ve got our own tiny Hugo Chavez situation here.]
Was any one of those comments made by Joseph (Joe) Grima (the one on the 5,000 votes farcebook … I mean facebook, site), by any chance? – Just a question. He seems to me to be a good political commentator.
What Mrs C.G. says is quite true as I too was invited to co-chair a meeting as part of this type of programme. The aim is purely to promote French culture and ideas to nationals of neighbouring countries.
It was most amusing to learn when I got there that, although it was an international meeting, it was totally in French and that my co-chairman was an Israeli who did nor speak a word of French so, after introducing himself, his mouth shut tighter than a clam. At the time I believed that I had managed to bluff my way through the morning – now far from sure.
I must say the French government did treat us well with magnificent lunches and dinners each lasting hours – a real treat at the time for a young professional still wet behind the ears.
Joseph Muscat said he would be travelling around Europe to gain experience in the art of politics. I thought he knew it all as to be progressive, there has to be a starting point.
However, over the past few years he was against Malta’s entry into Europe, against the result of the referendum, now in favour of Malta in the European Union – what’s this? Progressive, regressive and, later, opportunist.
And this is the man who is going to be Malta’s prime minister, come 2013.
When I saw the picture I thought, “Wow, our prime minister-in-waiting and his wife have joined the Moonies”.
Pepe, dicks are not necessarily clever. In this case it was just a dick.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100305/local/pl-leader-discusses-eu-related-issues-in-france
Why all the prominence in timesofmalta.com?