Isn't it about time somebody actually asked about that leg?
If a young girl can get around with her leg in plaster, then so can the Labour leader. But then she's probably more of a man than he is.
Joseph Muscat’s leg has taken on a life and personality of its own. It has kept him away from his public duties since the August Moon Ball and the newsrooms have just taken his word for it.
Nobody has bothered to discover the nature of the injury.
Where, exactly, is the fracture? How long will it take to heal? For how long will he be in plaster? Is he actually in plaster, because we don’t know – it’s only an assumption?
Why can’t he do what everyone else does and use crutches, given that – as he keeps reminding us – he’s young and strong? Or is he the worst kind of Maltese mama’s boy? And is he really confined to barracks given all this talk of cruises and days out and restaurants?
The answers to these questions are important, because I have the sneaking suspicion that the man is using his leg as an excuse to shirk his duty – something in which he has shown us he excels – while at the same time not allowing it to get between him and a cruise on the MSC Splendida.
Here’s The Times, this morning:
At Tuesday’s wreath-laying ceremony, Dr Gonzi was replaced by his deputy, Tonio Borg, the Prime Minister having buried his father that day. Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat could not attend because of his leg injury and was replaced by Anġlu Farrugia and Speaker Michael Frendo, who is abroad, was represented by his deputy, Ċensu Galea.
There’s another question which nobody seems inclined to ask. Michelle Muscat has since last month elbowed the Labour Party’s deputy leader, Anglu Farrugia (“Boooo! He’s right behind you!”) aside and stood in for her husband on official party business.
Was Anglu Farrugia (“Boooooo! Zap him with your magic wand!” “No, Jason, not that magic wand.“) permitted to represent the Labour Party at the 8th September celebrations because:
1. he fought her and won;
2. she and her silly husband have had it explained to them at last that he represents the party and not himself, and so his wife cannot represent him; or
3. Anglu Farrugia was there to deputise for Mrs Muscat, who is away still on a cruise with her husband – the real reason he couldn’t be there himself?
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The MSC Splendida was back in Malta yesterday – I know because I had lunch aboard. This means, if he was on the Splendida last week, that he was back in Malta in the early hours yesterday and had plenty of time to get to the Victory Day events – but the TV reporting was limited to “ghax qieghed fuq btala barra minn Malta”.
Majtezwel take the day off – m’ghandix bzonn dan il-hafna nejk.
I reckon Joseph Hopalong Cassidy Muscat is up to something quite sinister and unspeakable. He has taken an extended summer vacation on the pretext of a broken leg, only to return to the scenesporting a new John Wayne strut.
I don’t know about you but this is what a proper Labour leader should look like. I’m fed up with PhDs, imaginary or not, and more inclined to take Muscat seriously if he walks like a REAL man.
3.
Mhux ahjar milli ghamel bhas sena l-ohra. Tiftakar mar siegha qabel kien?
Ma setghux ghazlu wiehed ahjar bhala leader taghhom, ghax ghadu qatt m’ ghamel wahda tajba.
Kont ser immur Borg in-Nadur naghmel weghda mal-Madonna forsi jibqa’ siequ fil-gibs sal-elezzjoni ohra….
Non-information from the MLP/PL is very much the norm, and not just on trifling matters such as the Leader’s alleged (no information given, therefore alleged) leg injury, so I suppose that’s no surprise.
But really, yes – I agree 100% – why would it keep him out of action for so long? Unless of course it is just a pretence in order to shirk responsibilities as you have asked here.
As far as I remember Muscat didn’t even notice it was a serious injury until the next day – correct? If it was a bad break then I’m sure he would have been very PAINFULLY aware immediately. However I do wish him a speedy recovery.
Re Michelle Muscat, the third MLP/PL deputy leader who has been in the forefront of late, I REALLY hope that Anglu Farrugia was back on the scene this week because of your second suggested scenario here. I mean, somebody surely has to have a little word some time!
Daphne, you are right. This story has been a bit of a mystery.
It’s also funny, in the sense that the man who would like us to believe that he is the prophet who will put Malta back on its feet is unable to stand up with a fractured leg at state occasions.
Was it the doctors who suggested a cruise on the Splendida? They usually recommend rest.
Dear daphne .Why do you really care and why do you want to know what is wrong with Joseph,s ankle? Please mind your own busnes.
[Daphne – It is my business, Michael. He’s the leader of the opposition and asking for my vote to make him prime minister. It’s your business, too. “The fault, dear Brutus….” That’s why politicians get away with so much bad behaviour – because there are so many people who, like you, are still new to the idea of democracy and who regard their political leaders as they did colonial despots.]
Jien smajt li fis-siegha u nofs kien qieghed jaqra dan il-‘post’, mar jigri jinhasel, libes u fit-tlieta u nofs kien Hal-Qormi ghall-funeral tas-Sur Abela.
U smajtu jghid ukoll “ara Guz, ilbes gbin u tlaqna, ghax dik il blokker l-ewwel qalghatli it-tamal minhabba il-murtali, u issa poggietli murtal taht sormi. Miiicheellle, waddab libsa u tlaqna ha naslu fil-hin ghax dik taghmel xi show bina.”
At 1:05 Joseph Muscat is seen with his wife at Dr George Abela’s father’s funeral.
Dnub ma gibidx fuq saqajh halli konna naraw jekk hux veru miksura/hiex fil-gibs.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100909/local/malta-bids-farewell-to-presidents-father
Has Joseph Muscat lost the goatee?
It looks like it in the clip.
Hmmmm – very good observation.
Maybe he thought that he was looking too much like Mr. Ghaddafi.
http://www.hewdge.com/wp-content/uploads/gadaffi-in-italy3.jpg
Confirmed. Now he’ll have to work that much harder to keep up the svelte illusion.
Kieku Joseph kien il-prim ministru (barra mis-siegha ta’ dal-hin) kieku it-triq ta’ Burmarrad ghal-San Pawl il-Bahar maghluqa ghas-sigurta tal-kbir u zaghzugh b’riglu fil-gibs jew fibreglass prim ta’ Malta.
Issa wara sitt gimghat fil-gibs ikun jonqsu il-fisjoterapija ghal xi erbgha gimghat ohra, ghax kif jghidu “l-ghawg jigi bil-qantar u biex jitlaq jitlaq bl-irtal …… jekk jitlaq.”
Il-president Gorg ta’ sittin sena zelaq, hassu hazin u ma nafx xi gralu iktar, imma Alla jbierku f’kemm ili nghidlek daharu sewwa u l-pressjoni tajba wkoll u jigri minn hemm ghal hawn qisu mhux hu. Ahjar kellna lilu bhala mexxej.
Fredu b’li ghandu b’kollox kieku kont f’loku kont immut bil-biza’, imma Alla jbierku jidher tajjeb ukoll!
Mintoff ta’ tnejn u disghin hadida.
Nghidlek jien li bil-bastun m’intix se tarah ghax jispiccalu l-image taz-zaghzugh.
Stabar u stenna Daphne, ghax baqalu x’jitfissed, ma kienx ballu t’Awwissu!
…”ma kienx ballu t’Awwissu…”
George Abela lost the battle of the Labour leadership, but at that August Moon Ball, he seems to have found Joseph Muscat’s Achille’s heel – literally.
I heard it was a hairline fracture… meaning that the bone was not actually broken in two, but there is a fine line fracture… like a cut which does not extend the whole depth.
It needs a few weeks in plaster, but the person should be able to walk and hop around without difficulty, especially if they are still young.
This is how Maltastar described those present at the funeral of Dr. George Abela’s father:
Labour Leader Dr Joseph Muscat, his wife Michelle, Deputy Leaders Dr Toni Abela and Anglu Farrugia, The Labour Party administration, MP’s from both sides of Parliament, Bishops Mario Grech, Anetto Depasquale, Archbishop emeritus Guzeoppi Mercieca and Presidents emeritus Eddie Fenech Adami and Ugo Mifsud Bonnici were present for the funeral
L-aqwa li l-leader l-ewwel.
“Labour Leader Dr Joseph Muscat and his wife Michelle” – qisha xi pet dachshund.
Crass ignorance.
Shouldn’t that be “emerituses”? And don’t you just love it the way the “wife Michelle” is always listed? We can safely assume that every blessed VIP brought his or her wife or husband in tow, as per Maltese Siculo-protocol. Why, even the archbishops would have brought theirs if they had one.
Emeriti
[Daphne – Actually, it should be ‘former presidents’. Presidents emeritus, emeriti and emerituses are all wrong. The word to use in idiomatic English is ‘former’. There is no such title as ‘president emeritus’. This is a fiction devised by the late former president, swallowed whole and unquestioningly by the silly press.]
Ghal funeral ta’ missier il-president mar.
I fractured my foot while at work – kept on working for a couple of hours before going to hospital. Got a plaster cast and the next day I was back at work – with crutches, but still on my feet.
Where there’s the will there’s a way.
Norman ta’ Doris was there to greet ‘puss in plaster’. Oh! What a circus. Oh! What a show.
Kemm jidru tan-n**k b’dik id-dahqa falza fuq wicchom, it-tlett stooges li huma.
Donnhom ftehmu qabel ma’ hargu minn gol-kabina – “Ara issa it-tlieta li ahna nidhqu dahqa kbira halli nuru lil-poplu Malti u Ghawdxi kemm hadna btala sabiha”.
Broken leg!?!…..Wot broken leg!?!??
Norman ta Doris min hu?
Tghid mhux dak li ma’ ghandux agenda?