Tuesday, 21st October 2008
Boxing but not too clever
I watched a recording of Xarabank last Sunday, because I’d been told that the Joseph Muscat/Lawrence Gonzi faux presidential-run-up debate was worth a look. For my sins, which really and truly must be many, I had to endure seemingly interminable advertising and generally mediocre television in order to get an idea of how the Leader of the Opposition measures up to the PM.
To be honest, whether or not the Lil’elves who will fill the comments section below believe it (like I care) I approached the show with something approximating an open mind. Various public utterances by Muscat had given me the idea that maybe – just maybe – here was a really new Labour leader, one who wouldn’t set my teeth on edge.
I’m going to do Muscat a real favour and give him a dose of the truth. I’m not at all sure whether the people with whom he has chosen to surround himself will do it (perhaps more precisely, I should be referring to the people with whom his party has chosen to surround him).
Since I’m supposed to be a died-in-the-wool Nationalist lackey, perhaps I shouldn’t be doing this, I should be letting him labour (hehe) under the impression that he was as good as all the breathless comments under the story about the debate would make it appear.
But no, let’s get this all out into the open, shall we? We need a decent Leader of the Opposition, to keep this lot honest, after all.
Proceedings started off pretty ok, which is not exactly high praise. Muscat made a grab for the middle ground, no doubt doing precisely what his handlers had advised.
He went for the chattering classes and for what passes for their philosophy – he went after, in other words, the people who say they are bored with politics and the way it is done here. You know the ones I mean, the ones who think that the fact that they say they don’t read the newspapers is evidence of their independence of thought, rather than being proof of their failure to understand that it is the dynamic of politics that shapes their lives.
After this unashamed lunge for the floating vote (is there really any such beast in Malta?) with Gonzi seeming on the defensive for the first couple of minutes, I thought we were in for a bit of fun at the expense of the PM.
If you’re a Muscat fan, however, this is where things took a turn for the worse and kept going that way all through the evening. I know the Lil’elves will bridle at this point and fire off a series of comments calling me all manner of names, but in their heart of hearts they know: from his insistence in calling the PM “Laawrence” (and that is not a misprint) through his failure to answer any of the questions put to him, onwards and downwards through his evident unpreparedness (and this when he was up against an acknowledged master of detail and presentation) all the way to ignoring a question put to him by Daphne’s favourite quasi-elf, Gerald Fenech, Muscat was the brash acolyte to Gonzi’s smooth master.
The first evasion – by using a tactic anyone who has done “Public Affairs 101” knows by heart – was when the programme’s presenter, Joe Azzopardi, asked him what Labour would do about the utility rates.
It was a fair question, in the context, and the response was something on the lines of “we have a strong banking system and we shouldn’t cause shocks to the system”, which is a pretty nice sound-bite but not exactly a concrete answer to a specific question.
Xarabank being what it is, that is a programme made up of sound-bites, Muscat got away with that one. In truth, I’m not surprised that the Lil’elves get themselves worked up into such a tizzy about his performance, because many of them are incapable of producing anything other than written sound-bites (yes, I know it sounds strange, but you know what I mean – slogans without substance, if you like) themselves. They see a tactic they recognise and get all warm and fuzzy, thinking it’s a brilliant move.
Sorry, chaps, it just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny now, does it? Come on, you know I’m right.
The price of utilities exercised the two leaders quite a bit, as can be imagined. Gonzi made the perfectly valid point that, basically, something has to give – we either pay for oil and other necessaries we don’t produce ourselves or we cut back on other areas.
Muscat’s response was that the government shouldn’t have spent seventy million on pre-election gimmickry. His source for this, of all things, was Illum, as if this is the Bible (he repeated his reference to this august newspaper, apparently believing that if you say it twice, it’s twice as credible) If that’s the best the MLP Research Department can come up with, they need to up their game PDQ.
This idea of repeating things seems to have captured Muscat’s imagination. When engaging Gonzi on the price of utilities, Muscat hit on the idea of chanting the mantra, for all the world as if he was in the playground, “trid tirtiraha, trid tirtiraha” (you’ll have to withdraw it, you’ll have to withdraw it) referring to the proposal the Government made to the social partners.
To this, Gonzi, by now flying pretty high, responded with a pretty tough, by Maltese standards, “we’re here to govern, not be popular” (which is all very well one year into a five-year stretch, I suppose)
From water and electricity rates, the game moved on to the rent laws, where Muscat was given a great chance to redeem Old Labour’s legacy.
Back in the day, a significant number of houses were “requisitioned” (in other words, stolen) by the then-Labour Government and handed over to the Labour Party as clubs. Asked whether these would be handed back, Muscat played the youth card and said that he had no idea what this was all about.
True enough, he was a mere lad when this bit of larceny was perpetrated but, here again, his “research department” let him down big time. Didn’t they see this one coming?
He didn’t help himself when Gonzi chucked him a lifeline, suggesting that he commits to giving the houses back to their rightful owners. Muscat just laughed at this, thus reminding us that he was too young to know what this means to the owners .
While on the subject of youth, if you watched the programme you will have noticed that the PM treated Muscat perfectly correctly, as befits the Leader of the Opposition.
This notwithstanding, and presumably because he had been given a check-list by his handlers before he went on, Muscat just had to make some sort of wise-crack about Gonzi being a teacher and he (Muscat) not being a school-boy.
Talk about a back-fire: up to then, it hadn’t really occurred to me that this was the case, but Muscat made me realise precisely what it was about his performance that was bugging me: he was acting like a smart-ass student making wise-ass remarks from the front row and then squirming around in his seat to beam at his giggling compatriots.
Space precludes more than a fleeting reference to the shallow use of slogans and sound-bites. On the subject of immigration, Muscat is starting to risk sounding like the other Muscat, because although the Labour leader is certainly no racist, the temptation to make a pitch for the xenophobe vote is proving to be unbeatable.
There was plenty more with which to rap Muscat sharply on the knuckles but I’ll close with one episode which illustrated the tenor of the man.
Appropriately since they’re politicians, the lads got into a debate about gas. Gonzi, responding to Muscat’s point about the possibility of a price-rise, pointed out that the price of oil and gas was hardly something within his gift to control. Muscat’s response, to grunts and similar emissions (and I choose my words with more care than usual) of approbation from the audience, was to extrapolate from this and start crowing about how the price of gas was going to go up.
Perhaps the terminally bewildered portion of the audience in the studio believed him, but the people on the other side of the screen didn’t seem to: he was voted as very, very second rate, and this by a viewing audience that can hardly be said to be a natural haven for PN sympathisers.
After all, as one such (according to the Lil’elves, anyway) I wasn’t watching, much less televoting – I had to suffer the inconvenience of watching on a netbook screen. The things I do for my art.
Comments
I cannot make head or tail of your pretence that I am hurting the Nationalist Party (yours and mine if we are to believe you) because you create grave suspicion about your true credentials by your own comments.
No genuine Nationalist would be guilty of such a faux pas as to write " .... we owe our tranquility today to Dr Sant and Dr Gonzi." Everyone knows that the onset of this tranquility antedates both Sant and Gonzi and reaches as far back as Edward Fenech Adami - or perhaps you do not even know that he was the NP leader who ousted KMB. Tranquility was established as soon as EFA wrested control of a corrupted police force and vested it temporarily in the hands of an AFM Colonel pending the reinstatement of pensioned police officers who had been hounded out of the force by the appointees of Mintoff.
When I vote, I vote based on whose policies are better for me and for my country. I vote for the party which, in the past, has shown greater consistency and had governed in an orderly manner and which presented its goals before the election and delivered most of them afterwards.
What makes you think that had we a Labour government, you would not have had to pay higher W&E rates and if not, that your taxes would not have increased? You still believe that the surcharge would have been cut in half? Yep! Santa Claus is real, too.
And you think that Joseph will help you start yelling 'Viva l-Lejber'? How pitifully funny!
I am certain that nothing that I have ever written could be interpreted as a challenge to your right to adjust your loyalty to any poltical party according to the changing political situation and your perseption of it. I claim that privilege for myself and will, no doubt, exercise it if ever a better alternative appears on the scene. I agree with you that, up to the last election, that has not happened. I go one step further and declare that , up to now, I do not perceive any grounds for following in your footsteps.
By the way, have you noticed the recent emergence of a group of more savvy MLP apologists who claim to be lapsed NP supporters and who attribute their change of heart to me and "others of my ilk"?
Makes you think, doesn't it.
The twenty year stint of the MLP on the opposition benches wiped out completely any sense of personal grievance I may have had many, many years ago. You have absolutely no right and certainly no proof to attribute to me base motives of personal "revenge" in explanation of my comments on this or any other blog. I am really worried by the palpable risk of an MLP reversion to the methods in vogue during its dizzy heyday of power under Mintoff and KMB. I am perfectly entitled to express my anxiety because, to my knowledge, no subsequent MLP leader has ever deigned to categorically condemn that institutionalised violence. I do not believe that this grave omission is accidental and it could be a highly significant portent as to what may lie in store for the nation after a change of government.
I had always voted PN and never needed any convincing that Mintoff was anything but a saint , KMB a bad joke and Alfred Sant a prophet of doom but now they have a young man with the strenghts that intelligent voters want to see in a party leader . The political struggle today is between Gonzi and Muscat not between our shining Gonzi and Labour's ancient leaders .
In spite of our problems with JPO and John Dalli we won the election not because yesterday's Mintoff was a tyrant but because at that time they had Sant .
I will find it extremely difficult to vote for the MLP because of family traditions but with the attitude of our government on the matter of water and electricity I am finding it a little less difficult to start yelling Viva il-Lejber and J.Muscat helps a little too .
You give me the impression that you lead a good Catholic life in spite of the churches past horrendous history . That also is the approach of people with regards to politics . Your fragile arguments that Labour hasn't changed are not at all convincing so stop wasting your time and hurting our party I beg you .
1) will labour give way to any of its violent supporters if it comes into power (as in the 80s)?
2) will the pn get leverage out of the church for its political gains (as in the 60s)?
3) will corruption and political favours still be rampant on this island?
The fact is that i doubt labour will ever want to step back in the 80s. On the other hand PN will definitely use religious sentiments to uphold its conservative views on issues such as divorce.
Your irritable attitude and your impertinence to dig into the past is a one way street that leads to perceiving you as an antagonistic , right Party supporter which unfortunately would be construed as the general attitude within the PN . Deep down you know that your motive is revenge for what you had suffered and at the same time ignoring the feelings of Labour supporters who had also suffered gross injustices . As to the quantum I asked you- Who do yout think you are to insist that our party was and is more equitable than the MLP?
Dr.Saliba you have a good command of English , although somewhat flamboyant , use it positively because that's the name of the game . I can tell you that I am extremely worried seeing young Nationalist supporters admiring Joseph Muscat's modern approach to the extent that they resigned from our Party to take up membership in the MLP . If you want proof you know where to get it from .
I search in vain for facts and solid arguments to confute in your comments but can only spot outrageous opinions not worthy of being challenged. I decline to engage you in your type of debate.
5) You assume that only physical violence will be discussed.
(political, mass control, psychological & emotional & othersuch violence will NOT come into the formula)
6) Your 20 year period assumed no discussion on today's violence and mistreatment...
All these assumptions, make your objective much credile:to denigrate MLP because of a certain time period & conditions imposed by your good self, .
More honest even.
But to say that "A twenty year non-violent rule by the Nationalist Party is a sufficient one-sided guarantee of that." based on your very marginalised and blinkered point of view can only be interpreted by many as...
regretably downright dishonest.
Please stop acting in this way. It only casts a bad shadow over someone who I am sure is actually a decent man inside...
Please understand: there are people on the otherside of the political spectrum who are EQUALLY hurt with the PAST and PRESENT political games.
Understand that your one sided interpretation only opens up wounds that are best left to heal ....
Personally ,I prefer Franco's approach of matters.
It's a very honest interpretation of (especially today's) events, respects others, is clean and a great way forward.
Your agrument would be a much more valid one were it to come with some clearly defined assumptions. For exanple:
1) You should assume that we will only deal with a history of 20 years. Anything else is not to be considered.
(A lot of us have a wider context of history and can therefore make our own judgments on ALL violence).
2) You should assume that everyone has gone through just your experience in life.
(You omit the fact the many were on the other side of the violence)
3) You should asume that we have to agree with your version of events
(You know of course that this is not so! Regretably, you have been caught out too many times trying to rewrite events to suit your argument and even other nationalists disgree with your interpretation of events.)
4) You should assume that only shows of physical violence of one side is to be pronounced over the other.
(I assure you that we see the PN sympathisors/allies as having been far far far more violent than anything dished out by Labour supporters).
The polarised state of politics in Malta could not possibly be attributed to my antipathy to the brazen attempts by a few to deny or distort the violence of the past by falsely or to attribute it in a false equal measure to both main parties. There exists a flagrant omission by all MLP leaders since KMB to denounce it categorically, to dissociate itself from the culprits. On the contrary, there is an ominous emergence of people tainted with that violence among the new MLP leadership. The name of the game is not a "demonising" attitude but genuine anxiety that a return to the methods of the vicious past has not been allayed by anything that has happened so far.
Far from "demonising" anybody, there is a ridiculous attempt to demonise me because of my desire that whichever party is in power my country should be assured that there will never be a return to the vicissitude of the Mintoff-KMB era. A twenty year non-violent rule by the Nationalist Party is a sufficient one-sided guarantee of that.
As the external married quarters of Fort Ricasoli it was perched on the Ricasoli-Zonkor ridge (just behind Fort Rinella) and enjoyed a wonderful view to the open sea on the east and a panorama of Malta from Zabbar to Valletta on the west.
To the west the land slopes down to the head of Rinella Bay and I visualise a very large but simple theatre on that natural slope so that it would not protrude on the skyline. Large enough to house the European Song Contest after Malta wins and would form a sound stage so badly needed for the Film Facilities down on the eastern coast to which it could be connected.
Since this site was in the hands of the Navy and Army I presume it is government land and there are no buildings of any significance. The area adjoins the site of SmartCity.
This then is my proposed replacement Opera House and the old Valletta site become a Garden of Remembrance.
'What a violent family ! Both political parties should revoke your membership" Please explain to me why you think that my family is a violent one and justify your disgusting accusation that I am a member of both political parties.
Yes I have some reserved admiration for Joseph Muscat and I think that he is doing a good job and these notions are also shared by a good number of my real friends within the PN . That doesn't mean that I'm not a fervent Nationalist or that I would stoop so low to opt for dual memebrship . It's with Gonzi's good efforts and the support of people like me that our Party grows; your negative approach and obvious demonising attitudes are counterproductive and also serve to increase our polarised state to the detriment of our party in government . Mr.Martinelli when I say 'you' I am also including the Salibas in out party which antiquated and spiteful elements we can do without
Go on now calls me a two timer if you will, I don't care, I was born blue blooded ( not nobility blue ) and would probably die blue irrespective of your judgement.
No, the misunderstanding was on my part. My apologies to you and Mr. Tedesco.
i do not mind admitting that reading in haste makes for blundering.
See my comments to our friend Peter. I am in full agreement with you. More than that, I believe that Paceville needs to expand its market mix and of course be designated a leisure zone to encourage such development.
Re Joseph, I have no idea what his thoughts on the subject are, nor am I too excited to know them, but seeing where his inclination lies and his pro European creditentials, I will be surprised if he does not support your ideas.
I suppose that your/our next step is to convince enough people on this line of action. Even Gonzi will then jump on the bandwagon. Just look at the Divorce issue, his main party anti-divorce line says 'policy in favour of family' (sic) while Nationalist proppers argue themselves crimson in favour of Divorce :) Now there you have a party that wants to stand for everything and everyone.
Paceville closing times is not mainstream (especially in these worrying times of major recession) so no leader will grab this issue.
I still think that you should not antagonise your natural allies in so far as this issue is concerned.
'I am still puzzled by talk of "zoning" as the "new" Paceville was surely not planned but just grew... Soho is essentially a commercial area and very few people live there'.
Exactly.
Soho too was not planned but grew into a commercial area (zone). Gregory King developed it as an urban area to alleviate over-crowding in central London. Inhabited by refugees from many parts of Europe, evolved from eclectic residential into an eclectic leisure/commercial zone with very few residences.
That Paceville shuts down at 4.00am is archaic. Zoning would confirm its dedicated Leisure status and can open24/7.
Re Hilton etc...stylish RegentStreet (and top-shop Liberty) forms part of Soho :). As Soho is in Westminster yet caters for all tastes, so can Paceville.
Zoning would encourage further development of commercial and artistic ventures (it needs a couple of theaters and museums).
London has made a great success of zoning. Victoria and Albert developed Kensington into Museums that lie majestically next to colleges and residential zones. Churchill's Bayswater remains ethnically diverse residential with restaurant and commercial zones, etc etc.
Zoning is a fundamental step for Malta where shops, garages and residencesetc remain obnoxious neighbours to each other.
I don't think Mr Tedesco needs people to stick up for him, but I would like to clarify something regarding 'what a violent family' - are you saying that the polical parties should revoke Mr Tedesco's membership because his family members were abused by them?
Faulty logic, or misunderstanding on my part? I assure you I won't mind if you show me it is the latter.
Moreover the state should see to it that even at these hours Police are stationed outside these Clubs so if any "hero" causes nuisances he/she would be arrested/warned or whatever!!!! it's pathetic that we advertise our island as a place with a"'vibrant nightlife" only to turn PV into a mini-police state every Sunday morning!!
We need to reach a balance that everybody thinks is siutable and not one that some parents or a Hotelier told the PM is suitable!!
Now my cards are on the table.......so for the umpteenth time what is JM's position??? And when are we bound to get to know it????????????
you write
'I am indeed lobbying and it is exactly what I am doing here'
I read your contribution and:
Nowhere do you state what you stand for: are you for shorter or longer opening hours?
You intro
lets give a tangible example of how the MLP has no solutions
Is far removed from Club opening times.
From what you say, Gonzi was close-ended and Joseph open-ended.
This is what one expects in a democracy. Government does, opposition listens especially 5 years from elections.
So what is your problem?
If Joseph did mention zoning, I must say that his is indeed an excellent vision.
We need dedicated leisure areas that can offer 24/7 entertainment that will benefit both our tourism industry and our quality of life, making areas safer and easier to monitor.
This vision must be implemented by respecting the rights of existing residents in any zoned area.
But what do you stand for?
You do your cause no good if you fly at a tangent hitting at public persons. You need their support. It is your role to convince not antagonise.
It may an idea that as a first step you tell us your vision.
the "new" Paceville was surely not planned but just grew - apart from those giant hotels of St George and La Vallette. Similarly the London Chinatown of my youth was in the East End of London such as Limehouse but was blitzed and after World War Two Chinese restaurants were establishe all over London but from about 1970 they tended to proliferate in Soho that is the new Chinatown but it is essentially a commercial area and very few people live there. I have my own views about Paceville just as in my youth I had views on Strada Stretta and similar in Floriana's Balzonetta and even down on the Barbary Coast of of Senglea-I go back a long way.
Despite the Hilton and Continental I fear that the Paceville in between will never attract the high class tourist or visitors that Malta's infrastructure could support. in smaller numbers
Paceville can never compete with such as Benidorm where we once lived.
@ Joe Vella.
I’m not proficient in economics like you and your precious protégée, our know it Prime Minister, but I do know that tax revenues increase by tax increase and \or by economic growth activity that is elementary, the point you failed to grasp is that there is another element that increases tax revenues but I do not want to insult your economic credentials by spelling it out to you.
What I am asking is as simple as ABC; I and many others disagree with the PM's stand on the PV curfew so.........WHAT IS THE MLP'S STAND ON THE ISSUE?? Simple questions require simple answers........we know Gonzi's, now we need to know Muscat's!!!!!!!!
Either you have an answer or you don't!!
Anzi.......call my bluff and Join the Facebook group against Paceville curfews now!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You wrote, "Political Parties in the past and we owe our tranquility today to Dr.Sant and Dr.Gonzi ". Where does Eddie Fenech Adami fit in your mind? Was he not the one who endured his home invasion, saw his supporters tear gassed, shot at and beaten up? Was he not the one that once in government calmed the nation down and it was he who restored democracy after 16 years of socialist rule. Sant is credited for not going back to violence.
Some Nationalist, you are!
@ IM Dingli,
The benefits you receive from full hotels, profits by ST Microelectronics and other corporations are: as you stated, more employment which means less government expenditure for unemployment assistance, more collection of income tax from the gainfully employed individuals and more taxes collected from the corporations directly. And that's for starters. This revenue helps the government finance your free health system. Then there is the ripple effect arising from hotels and STM requiring and purchasing supplies from other Maltese businesses including possibly yours, although I do not know what line of business you are in.
How can you accuse me of being "in a state of denial"?
I have always admitted frankly that there was violence by both sides but I insist on the obvious i.e. that it was comparatively infinitesmal on the NP side, it was always immediately suppressed and the guilty persons promptly prosecuted and sentenced by the courts. By way of contrast the large scale violence during the MLP years in power was actually institutionalised, praised officially and condoned, offenders never taken to court but afforded the proven protection and assistance of the state police!
If the MLP has learned its lesson and turned over a new leaf can only be ascertained after that party will again be in a position to forge an alliance between mobsters and the police. By that time it will be too late to rectify the situation!
As usual you are mixed up and mixing up. I never called you an "ignoramous" - your spelling not mine. I asked you to stop your silly habit of alternately pretending yourself that you were an ignoramus or thatyou were the opposite, a know-all, as it suited your purpose. I'll bet you anything that you do not appreciate the difference - not my fault.
Of course you have a right to your own political opinion and right to express yourself how you want to. However I find it difficult that you are being dumb and blind to the various 'mental violence' that many are still suffering under these regime.
Yes discussing the present situation we are living is much more interesting then the outragious past of both political parties. History is not repeating itself but rather the present Adminstration is repeating the past which we both condemn.
I differ from yourself for the simple fact that my roots does not judge my opinion nor my behaviour. My friend I assure you will fell much more comfortable if you free yourself of the chains of your past . Have courage. It is never late to embrace enlightenment.
Sur Martinelli,
here are the simple questions put to you (agian!) by two idiots.
Please excuse our simplicity but as you point out we don't understand about eco-comics or resusitaXIN or big futol stars like:
Keynes, Smith, Say and lest we forget to mention him.... Martinelli no less!
Don't be shy!!!
You have a right to be mentioned too you know.
After all, you spend so much time & effort trying to teach us, which is all we ask.
(we have a right to understand what our manager/golkijper is doing with my investment and my future right??)
so...
"Ara let me explain again:
1) Gonzi put our minds at rest that we are safe ok?( Qallek Indri tal-Bajda-"idejn sodi ghax golkijper tajjeb...?")
2) The minister told us that we are safe,ok?
3) everyone else (id dinja kollha, nsomma) screams "TROUBLE! TROUBLE!"
fejn ahna ezatt,f'Malta?
"Trubble" jew immur nistad m'Indri, wara nof in-nhar?
U ifhem wahda.. kliem semplici:
a) Trible
jew
b) mur istadt
bizzejjed biex nifmuk .
Indir qallek, aktar min hekk u thawwadna tkun qieghed biss..mhux l-iskop tieghex,hux?"
Fejn ahna ezatt,f'Malta Matinelli???Tista tirrispondi?
Grazzi min quddiem,
Indri (tal-Bajda) u Ivan
(PS xi bicca pagel tal-fixfarmss toghgbok?)
Bongu Martinelli,
"Keynes, Smith and Say were initially mentioned by Mr.Keith SC Grech who wrote a much more eloquent piece than you will ever be capable of writing yourself."
But did you not write: "you quoted Keynes, Adam Smith and JB Say - three fine economists"and how you impressed you were...? So.. I can't refer to your writing (and others writings too?). (How stupid ofme!!)
KSCG writes more eloquently. I already told you, I am as Dr. Saliba puts it an ignoramous.....
THATS why ... I I turn to your great wisdom.... so put my mind at rest li qedin f "par idejn sodi" and this talk about recession u financial crisis ... kollu mbarraz tal "lilelfs"...
Will you??
> When lacking defense, you skirt around an issue and try to change subjects.
ME???
I asked you some simple questions and you replied to none: do you know Indri tal Bajda and I never went fishing yesterday as we were so worried that you had not replied to his simple questions.
Ahna, f'GonziPN, golkijper tajjeb ghandna jew le??
Let me ask you again. Simple answers please - you're dealing with idiots remember?
here we go (again!):
I don’t really agree with that. What benefits do I get from the fact the hotels have their rooms fully occupied or that ST Microelectronics have made a record profit for 2007 (for example)?
The only benefit I see is that unemployment doesn’t rise that much and thus create an unbalance in the social security budgets. But having said that, it is not effecting me directly (I know I might sound selfish but being a self-employed, I never receive help from anyone be it the Government or Mr. Joe Citizen).
The only things I receive from the Government are VAT forms, CNI forms, Bills, etc etc…. I need to undergo an operation in my knee and since parts of my contributions go to social security I opted for Mater Dei as my first choice (apart from the fact that I don’t afford a private clinic), do you know how much I have to wait? Let me answer that one for you…. A minimum of 3 years, by that time I’ll have to do the other knee too!!
(Didn't the late Prof. Guzé Aquilina once say that "il-pulitika hija l-karriera tal-brikkun" ??)
U meta tasal l-elezzjoni? Xejn: aghlaq ghajnejk u fuq il-karta tal-vot, aghmel salib jolqot fejn jolqot!!
Because as old Ken Livingstone, the ex-mayor of London once said "If voting changed anything they (the politicians) would have abolished it!"
Yes I have a good idea about people who suffered mental and physical violence by both PN and MLP Administrations . I was born in a Nationalist family which political roots date back to the Nerik Mizzi era . Late members of my family suffered hardship because they sympathised with Mussolini . My father was denied promotions during Mintoff's era because he was a PN supporter ; distant relatives were beaten by PN supporters because they support Labour , Tarcisio Mifsud distant relative was beaten by PN supporters when we were celebrating a Nationalist Victory . Although I'm a Nationalist Supporter , unlike Dr.Francis Saliba , I'm not in a state of denial .
Yes I feel comfortable in the PN not very happy reading stuff by people like Dr.Francis Saliba and Mr.Martinelli though . They are doing our party a lot of harm as people are intelligent enough to realise that violence was committed by both Political Parties in the past and we owe our tranquility today to Dr.Sant and Dr.Gonzi .
ABC, I think that he is a good asset to us even though sometimes he puts his foot in it but he means well
I am not privy to the information as it relates to the individual(s) so I could not comment on that.
What I know is that Governments and business write of bad debts every day. It is normal business practice that if debt cannot be collected is to write it off.
AGC wrote : I really disagree with the PN about is the fact that clubs are closing at 4 am…I turn to JM to see what he has to say...and guess how Dr.Muscat replied??---he mumbled something about 'zoning' (whatever that might mean).
In my (sarcasticish) reply I was trying to explain to correspondent how the British made a relative success in zoning leisure areas (example the west end of London) where you can go through China Town down Firth Street, up Greek Street 24/7 through the squares even down to Covent Garden as this area has been zoned and dedicated to leisure raging from theater to club to Cinema to restaurant.
Keep well.
'Coming from a citizen who lives on an island where poltics is of a petty and silly nature I would have expected him not to be so taken aback when someone stupid like me comes with a stupid problem like this!!'
The problem is certainly not stupid.
What I find fascinating is your attitude of standing in front of Joseph demanding a solution.
Individuals in civilised society organise themselves in lobby groups and each group pushes forward its own vision and proposals.
I was hoping you are an old man enthrenched in the old mentality of going to Big Boss for solutions.
That you are still young and with a cap-in-hand mentality, unable to organise and promote your views, is sad to an extreem.
The problem is not that Gonzi is happy with the status-quo or that Joseph thinks that zoning is a solutiin, but that you who have strong views on the issue have no idea whatsoever what you want to be done, and look to big boss for answers.
I suggest you shed your possible inferiority-complex and become a Maltese with a purpose. Stop being a problem; become a solution.
As this topic has morphed into a discussion of Economics, Budgets and Taxation; and we all know that money doesn't grow on trees and it is neither fowl nor beast; it begs the question, "Where does money come from?" (Answers that don't fit into one sentence are probably wrong. So I have been told.)
Joe the following is part of Joseph Muscat bio:
Dr Joseph Muscat was born in 1974 in Pieta’ and now lives in Burmarrad.
His education includes a baccalaureate (Hons) in Public Policy, a Masters degree in European Studies and a doctorate in Economics, all from the University of Malta.
Following Alfred Sant’s appointment as leader of the labour party, Muscat became involved in the party’s media and has been active in the party ever since. In 1995 he was elected to the Labour Party’ National Executive. He was also education secretary before the 2003 general election.
In 2004, he successfully contested the elections for European Parliament. Among his most important roles as an MEP he is Vice-chairman for the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs. Muscat is also a substitute for the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, vice-chair of the delegation for relations with Belarus, and a substitute for the delegation for relations with the countries of south-east Europe.
Indeed this affects the bottom line but in many cases, trying to get blood out of a stone proves to be more expensive and time consuming than writing off the uncollectible debt.
If, later on, any recovery is affected, then it too will go directly to the bottom line. An amnesty, however precludes this possibility.
2.7 million, whether lira or euro, are by far less significant than the subsidies to inefficient government backed entities such as the shipyards.
You, like all of us, might have never received a share of thier profits, but I am sure you benefited like everyone else from the economic activity that they generated.
If that is the case then the government must have done exceptionally well with economic activity, even managing to go as far as to give an amnesty to certain tax defaulters to the tune off 2.7 million (I cant remember if it was Euro or Liri).
Money that this country can ill afford to write off
I am sure that even you Mr Vella, will admit that was a bad decision by the government..
Muscat graduated Bachelor of Commerce in Management and Public Policy from the (University of Malta, 1995), Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Public Policy (University of Malta, 1996), Master of Arts in European Studies (University of Malta, 1997) and Ph.D in Management Research (University of Bristol, 2007).
Nowhere do I find anything ending with (Econ), although I must admit that some degrees he obtained do land within the periphery of economics.
Of course, I may be totally wrong, in which case I will surely hear from authoritative sources. In that case, I will promptly apologize.
For those who are interested, they should Google Alfred Sant and there too, one finds his qualifications which while in my estimation are superior to Joseph's, they too lack a degree in Economics but he was constantly referred to as an economist.
What is even more striking is that Dr.Sant served as Second, and then First Secretary at the Malta Mission to the European Communities in Brussels between 1970 and 1975.
Must have not liked it one bit!
You wrote the folllowing and at the end ask me a question:
"What about a refund from our beloved Government for that part of my electricity & water bill which used to subsidise those companies / hotels which we have heard about lately? I never got a share in the same proportion from their profits. Do you agree?
You, like all of us, might have never received a share of thier profits, but I am sure you benefited like everyone else from the economic activity that they generated. Don't you agree, Mr. Dingli
I am not that surprise the little elves like Ivan Grech Mintoff have problems with basic Economics 101. Joseph Muscat, who holds a Doctorate in Economics, doesn't either. It was the Prime Minister that had to point out to Joseph Muscat, in responding to his question on Xarabank, that Tax revenues can only increase by tax increase and/or increase in economic activity.
As the Prime Minister pointed out that since there were no tax increases in the last two budgets the only obvious reason for the government taking in more in tax revenue year- to- date is because of increase in economic activity
I am not sure that Malta given the restraints it has on its' revenue can set up a rainy day fund at the moment. I agree with you that most oil producing countries do have rainy day funds set up. I am not sure if Canada has, but the provinces of Alberta and Saskachewan do have a rainy day fund. Must add that Canada for the last 15 years or so have had budgetary surpluses.
Keynes, Smith and Say were initially mentioned by Mr.Keith SC Grech who wrote a much more eloquent piece than you will ever be capable of writing yourself. When lacking defense, you skirt around an issue and try to change subjects. Finding solace in that Franco Tedesco does not treat you like an idiot is not saying much.
You will notice that Mr. Grech and myself did not agree on all points discussed but we did not find it necessary to drag politics to any great extent, into an issue which dealt with economics and we did not have to lean on any 'friends' to prop up our arguments.
So, unless you take one subject at a time, a subject you feel confident and competent in, please do not bother us.
Now who has heard of zoning other than the Barbarian Brits, perhaps, who have zoned their China town et all to bring mighty fun to the west end?"
I have been following the discussion, even the contributions of gentle readers who run several sequences to get round the 200 words limit but for the life of me I cannot comprehend what M Vella is saying in the paragraph I quote. I suppose that I assume the role of British correspondent to this blog and would love to answer if I could only understand what he is on about..
Peter the Barbarian
You totally lost me on this remark - this is what I meant by proper taxation realted to investment. Your counter comments were of great interest but I still favour supply side economics to demand side economics.
Budget 2008 builds on these actions by:
Helping Canadians save with a new Tax-Free Savings Account, a flexible savings vehicle that allows Canadians to contribute up to $5,000 a year to the account. Investment income, including capital gains, earned within the account will not be taxed and withdrawals will be tax-free.
Providing further assistance for Canada’s manufacturing and processing sector by extending accelerated capital cost allowance (CCA) treatment for investment in machinery and equipment for three years. Specifically, the 50-per-cent straight-line accelerated CCA treatment will apply for one additional year, and the accelerated treatment will then be provided on a declining basis over a two-year period.
Supporting small and medium-sized businesses by improving the scientific research and experimental development tax incentive program and easing the tax compliance burden by reducing the record-keeping requirements for automobile expense deductions and taxable benefits.
Enhancing the cross-border business and investment environment by streamlining cross-border tax-withholding and return-filing rules.
Amongst other tax incentives.
I have already told you (and no need for you to point out), I am as Dr. Saliba puts it an ignoramous.....
That's why I turn to your great wisdom.... so put my mind at rest li qedin f "par idejn sodi" and this talk about recession u financial crisis ... kollu mbarraz tal "lilelfs"...
With regards to "Keynes, Adam Smith and JB Say - three fine economists"..
my friend Indri tal-Bajda says he never heard of them and ask you
"What team they play in,but & what division..?"
Isma... jien taf x'naf...
titlellem hafna fuq "l'Amerka... u dried cows"...
tkellimt hafna fuq "supply creates its own demand"...(???)
and you never answeed my questions that are troubling me...
Ara let me explain again:
1) Gonzi put our minds at rest that we are safe ok?( Qallek Indri tal-Bajda-"idejn sodi ghax golkijper tajjeb...?")
2) The minister told us that we are safe,ok?
3) everyone else (id dinja kollha, nsomma) screams "TROUBLE! TROUBLE!"
fejn ahna ezatt,f'Malta?
"Trubble" jew immur nistad m'Indri, wara nof in-nhar?
U ifhem wahda.. kliem semplici:
a) Trible
jew
b) mur istadt
bizzejjed biex nifmuk .
Indir qallek, aktar min hekk u thawwadna tkun qieghed biss..mhux l-iskop tieghex,hux?
I agree that one should not waste and therefore we must be charged reasonable prices for water and electricity. What I do not understand is why in 2008 Malta does not have an emergency fund. We save up in the good times so when the bad times roll we can soften the impact of a crises. All modern societies do so and often its not enough!
Though I agree with you about the Kid’s tremendous momentum that is threatening your Party I completely disagree with you on leaving out ABC of your list of ‘unwanted PN oracles of gloom and doom”! The members of the PN Oracles Club are much aware they are now facing ‘mission impossible’. They know very well that their methods and ‘weapons’ are now obsolete
I find your comment to be very intelligent and... such a fresh breath of air!!
Thank you for not treating us all like idiots.
..........we're still waiting with bated breath to see what solutions (apart from empty cliches) JM has to offer!!!!!!! Being an insider I would think you'd be able to give us a clue on when these solutions will see the light of day Mr.Vella!!!
Coming from a citizen who lives on an island where poltics is of a petty and silly nature I would have expected him not to be so taken aback when someone stupid like me comes with a stupid problem like this!! Well M Vella I am not the only one who is unhappy with this situation it seems........many young people phoned Xarabank to see what the 2 Leaders of both Political parties had to say and as I have already stated while Gonzi repeated what he thinks is a balance JM gave absolutely no answer..................from a person who militates in a Party which lost so many young voters and which miserably failed to get the younger generation behind it I would have expected Vella to come up with solutions to our anger and frustration. But guess what?? In this country our Opposition never offers solutions and when we ask for some we are labelled as lackeys.
When you have an answer come back and blog it here!! Young people are not impressed with anyone's sarcasm!!
I must admit that I enjoyed reading your three bits and unfortunately I have to be brief. You seem to know a bit more about economics than our friend !GM. I also want to admit that I am not an economist but a retired banker who has done the rounds in the financial and investment fields.
But briefly, you quoted Keynes, Adam Smith and JB Say - three fine economists, but I find it astounding when you, without hesitation, said that Keynes was wrong based on massive government intervention this time around. You did not care to explain the root of the collapse of Lehman Brothers and other banks. In fact you claim that the successes of Smith and Say are based on, 'Say's Law that supply creates its own demand. Smith and Say were right', Ironically this was the reason for America's problem.
The American economy flush with money and lending without restrictions created thousands of defaults which dried up the cow. You may argue that had the economy performed better, there would have been fewer defaults. True but had the banks been more prudent, the defaults would have largely been avoided to begin with.
Continued...
It turned out to the classical case of the dog chasing its tail. However having said that, the three economists you quote had different opinions on the how and when and more importantly the why. They are economists after all, each in his own way trying to outsmart the other. That was then, this is now and the similarities are striking.
You made a comment about the Northern Bear, 'Canadian governments risk tax cuts that are related to productive investments'. You totally lost me on this remark.
What is interesting is that the present Canadian Government in the last two years reduced the GST (VAT) by 2% which has been credited for Canada not going into as deep a recession as the United States are in. In fact, today, the Governor of the Bank of Canada refused to confirm that Canada is in a recession at all. On the other hand, Alan Greenspan stated today that the collapse of the financial sector and resultant recession is like a tsunami which only comes about every hundred years. He was reassuring in his analysis that things will turn around and the American economy will get back on track.
continued
Another economist's opinion whose words alone could very well kick start the equity market.
I don't think you will argue that deficits do not do the overall economic performance of a country any good. In fact deficits, which usually are remedied by tax increases and/or reduced services further pressure the economy since less money in the consumers' pockets translate into less demand and less demand leads to layoffs and stagnation.
In Malta's case, you may argue that even if the government does not increase taxes but hikes the W&E rates, it amounts to the same thing. I will grant you that, with one exception. While taxes are across the board with set rates, W&E rates are based on consumer pays. The more consumed the more paid, in other words, the consumer has some control whereas the same consumer has no control on taxes.
There would have been much less arguments had the W&E rates not been subsidized to begin with. The unions are worried about the higher bills putting undue pressure on small and not so small businesses when really, they should have been worried more about efficiency and conservancy.
It is awfully suspicious that you decided to zero in on Dr. Saliba and myself while there are many other regular contributors to this blog having the same opinion of Joseph and the MLP.
Your piece about having been an NP supporter from birth but that the two of us are doing the NP much harm is very convincing.
ABC has no means of keeping us in check as he has often explained in the past, but you seem to forget. There is no reason why the truth cannot be said .If you disagree with something we write, that's fine but please do not try to take us for a ride. We are both smarter than that.
You cannot even identify the difference between a monetary crisis and a recession. But since I have just a bit of patience left, let me explain.
When the Prime Minister and the Minister of finance assured the public that the world monetary crisis will not affect Malta, they meant that banks in Malta have no liquidity problems and that the government does not have to prop up their assets. Any first year Economics 101 student would have understood that. Both Ministers never stated that a global recession will not hit Malta. I challenge you on this point too. As I explained before, if a foreign company imports widgets from Malta but they cannot sell them, they will not keep importing them to do Malta a favour. Example: Toly
Investors come in all sizes. Some are larger than others and some already present here have decided to expand since Malta joined the EU. SmartCity, Lufthansa, Pharmaceutical firms, etc plus a number of smaller entities, including banks, which open up shop without much fanfare but are employing hundreds if not thousands.
Continued
e) - you're telling us that in "Malta this will go on for years" - If you read and understand what I wrote you will find the explanation for the above.
'You are still having it good' Indeed you are. 84 being laid off from Toly is no disaster. It is when thousands at a time are permanently laid off like what is happening here that things are regarded as serious. I am not trying to minimize the impact to the 84 but your economy is still resilient enough to absorb the majority.
Regarding other aspects of the Maltese economy, I suggest that you confer with your friend the car salesman who does not know the difference between ordering ten cars at a time versus ordering one thousand at a time. He does not remember the time we used to take pictures of rusted relics - Morrises, Anglias etc. when on a visit. Even with the high Malta prices, the island owns more cars per capita than any place else in Europe, if not the world.
Couldn't see many rust buckets last August. Poor Malta!
I agree with you that you have to pay for what you consume, period. What about a refund from our beloved Government for that part of my electricity & water bill which used to subsidise those companies / hotels which we have heard about lately? I never got a share in the same proportion from their profits. Do you agree?
As the world marches inexorably towards deep recession, as our places of work start shedding off labour, as nurses are on the verge of striking because they can not cope with the stress, as our national debt climbs to new peaks, as the numbers of our poor grow, as utility bills are about to hit the ceiling … what is AGC’s worry?
It is that clubs close at 4.00pm of course.
Now 'Safe Hands' himself sees no problem in this but still ACG thinks that Joseph must have assembled his court to discuss his almighty problem through many sleepless nights.
So our AGC apparently stands up to demand from Joseph a ‘solution’ to AGCs mammoth problem.
But poor Joseph does not have a ready-made answer that satisfies AGC and so AGC declares Joseph a loser no better than his predecessor of course. Yawn Yawn ... One two three all gnash our teeth.
Now who has heard of zoning other than the Barbarian Brits, perhaps, who have zoned their China town et all to bring mighty fun to the west end?
I had never voted Labour and I was born a PN supporter , my father had his unfair share of mental violence during different Labour administrations however i think that was the style of the past . Thank God now we have Dr.Gonzi to lead our Party and the MLP have Joey .
Our fear now isn't the past violence but the serious danger that Joseph Muscat is posing to the PN . We must agree that this Kid is gaining a tremendous momentum and we must be on guard .
I find no place for Dr.Saliba , Joe Martinelli and their type in our efforts to look a forward looking political party as they have their own agenda and they must be kept in check to control their damage to our glorious party .
You have your weakness too but generally speaking you're ok so keep up the good work .
The reality that one has to come to grip with is that everyone should pay for what one uses. Period. One will fast learn how to conserve and not waste what we do not have in the first place. It is time to reward the ones who conserve and punish those who waste.
As the government stated those who are already protected, will continue to be.
So what difference can I highlight between Malta and the Northern Bear. SUPPLY SIDE ECONOMICS instead a demand stimulation package. Canadian governments risk tax cuts that are related to productive investments. Specific tax cuts and not continuous increases in prices and taxes!!!
Blanket tax cuts are not healthy as they are not linked to investment. The new money might simply sit in the bank, or be spent on expensive foreign imports. It might be wasted in misdirected speculation, or invested in fast growing markets like Southeast Asia. Without the ability to ensure that tax cuts are, in fact linked to investment, the whole exercise is a waste of time. This is why I partially disagree with a stimulation package as proposed by Dr. Muscat. However the Nationalists are only increasing the burden on the average citizen with increasing charges and tax hikes.
A central thesis shared by many supply-side economists is that the current crisis in the economy demonstrates the ultimate failure of Keynesian economic policies based on large scale government intervention into the economy. Thus we find among the proposed new policy directions a wide ranging attack on the size and scope of government activity. In its place supply-side economists call for the resurrection of the market.
At the level of theory this preoccupation with the market is understood by both supply-siders and their critics as a renaissance of the classical economics of Adam Smith, and Jean Baptiste Say. At this simplist, this means a return to Say's Law that supply creates its own demand. Smith and Say were right. Keynes was wrong. Governmental interference with market allocation sooner or later was bound to bring the sky down. The profession forgot this, listened to Keynes, not to Smith and Say, and now we are paying the price. This theme accelerated during the bicentennial odes to Smith in 1976 and has now risen to a crescendo
I totally disagree with the concept that governments should spend more in times of slowdown and recession. That practise was tested but its results were not always pretty. Today governments are shifting towards balanced budgets; balanced budgets imply that surpluses and deficits can occur but within strict bands e.g. say 3%. The concept of a balanced budget is stability. Stability can keep economies growing. That’s why economists speak about stability pacts and price stabilisation. The objective is to keep the unknown economic risks as low as possible.
.
So I hope you realise the difference between your comments build on 'hearsay' ( mostly PN Fables and PN Propoganda) and my comments build on realities and facts I can always prove.
So my response to your question is "NO YOU ARE NOT REACTING TO HEARSAY when you respond to my comments"!
This is today not the Mintoff’s Chinese and Korean import era. I can already see that smirk on your faces which we love so much followed by one of your usual snipes - “Yes but now we have the choice of quality motorcars”. The end justifies the means hay? Or perhaps The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Some pudding, some eating!
Joe martinelli may send us the Canadian equivalent.
Honda Civic
Italy - 20,700 Euros
Spain - 20,500 Euros
Luxembourg - 19,700 Euros
Malta - 28,000 Euros
Mercedes Benz S350
Germany/France/Italy - 74,000 Euros
Malta - 116,000 Euros
Volkswagen Golf
Italy - 15,000 Euros
Cyprus - 14,500 Euros
Malta - 21,140 Euros
Alfa Romeo 147
Italy - 19,900 Euros
France - 20,300 Euros
Malta - 28,900 Euros
Fiat Panda
Slovenia - 9,000 Euros
Italy - 10,000 Euros
Malta - 12,000 Euros
Volvo XC90
Germany 43,000 Euros
France - 45,000 Euros
Spain/Italy - 48,000 Euros
Malta - 70,800 Euros
Volkswagen Polo
Slovenia - 9,600 Euros
Italy - 11,800 Euros
Malta - 14,700 Euros
BMW 1 Series
Italy - 28,000 Euros
Slovenia - 27,100 Euros
France - 27,900 Euros
Malta - 37,700 Euros
for all this mess, 'for years to come', your say
"government should forge ahead at maximum speed (downwards?) and take advantage of EU funds which will PARTLY cover the costs."
... so who will over the REST of the costs. We were told that the EU is paying ALL those MILLIONS for us to 'muddern-eyes' (sic!).
( How we laughed @KMB when that idiot told us that we'd be dishing out, remember?!)
and
" If not, many, including yourself will be voicing your disdain for 'losing EU funds' by not acting in time."
The only complaint I have about the funds is that :
a) we were told they and hundreds of investors would arrive in a flash of light & in a second flash all our cures will be miraculously fixed.
b) Now you tell me that they're "only partial".
Isma....
I asked you for ASSURANCES ta'....
not for you to worry me more!
Indri tal-Bajda, (the Chel-see futol Gazin barman) says that politics in Malta is like futbol...
"zewg timijiet biss"
but then
-if it is MLP, if anything is wrong its the Coach's fault. ALWAYS
-Andif its the Bloooooos , never!
Tghid veru,Ma..??!!!!
See if I'm understading this right:
a) -Before joining the EU we were repeatedly assured that investors where clamouring over each other and begging us to hurry up and sign up so that they can invest.
-Now .... we're in the middle of a world crisis : its not the fault of the people who assured us in the first place.
b) - You tell us its because of the world crisis...
- but we are assured by our leaders that we have not been effected by the world crisis and we are safe.
c) -Statistics are telling us that its a sharp one way trip. Downward.
- you are telling us we've never had it so good under a fantastic govt. "you are still having it good"
d) - that Canada has so much resources to fall back on..
- and Malta does not have any
e) - you're telling us that in Malta this will go on for years
- but we were assured that we'd be living in heaven the minute we join the EU (I can assure you that NOBODY said we'd have to go to HELL & sell our sould first..)
This is not a lie or spin, this is recorded on the programme!! So all those who are angry at this decision have no choice (up to now) because J,Muscat does not have the stamina or the courage to say what he feels about closing times in Paceville..just in case he loses a vote!!!!!!!!
The more things change the more they stay the same!!!!! (borrowed from Varist)
Are you not aware that Dr. Laurence Gonzi very recently told us that pre election time he didn’t foresee what is happening now and therefore he must face the reality. Joe it worries me seeing you so complacent even after our PM has shown preoccupation about the risk for his picture to come true by the time his tenure of office is through.
In my time of life I can afford to enjoy riding my horse, satisfy myself with my pet hobbies, relax and be content and the astronomical rise in the cost of utilities is not going to break my back. But can those people living on a minimum wage, the one parent families, the young couples that aspire to buy a little flat and those who are on the poverty line, afford to hold their horses,relax,buy themselves some time and wait for five years hoping to see Gonzi’s picture develop? Dr.Gonzi himself is now telling us that when he was painting the picture his eyes were closed.
In essence this is the difference between perception and touching the reality. Yours is the perception of a diehard Nationalist and our Prime Minister is touching a reality.
" i'm going to do Muscat a real favour " - if you think that Joseph is waiting for you to do a positive comment , i bet my money that you are wasting your time .
"Since I'm supposed to be a died - in - the - wool Nationalist lackey " - I would take off - "supposed to be " - cause - cause you are like that .
" We need a decent leader of opposition " - I do not know what " We " is referring to . If " We " means nationalists I can be sure that not even if there is god as a leader , you would say that he is right .
Believe it or not i am not a labour fanatic , but this blue eye thinking I hate it .
Of course I rely on 'hearsay', after all when I respond to your comments, I am reacting to hearsay, am I not?
@ IvanGrechMintoff
You live on a small island and your vision is restricted to the shores of Malta. I have the luxury of making comparisons of your economy as compared to a much larger country such as Canada.
Let's look at some facts:
Canada is rich in resources - Malta has none.
Canada had large deficits up until five years ago and has been registering surpluses since.
Canada, this year will scrape through possibly with a balanced budget.
Canada projects a deficit for 2009 - how much we don't know.
Canada's projected growth (GNP) for next year is 0.8%
Canada is going through a mild recession right now.
I can go on with statistics till kingdom come, but the point I want to make is simple. You see your troubles and I can understand, but by comparison, you are still having it good.
In a recession, governments spend more, possibly going into deficits. Ontario has lost 240,000 jobs so far this year. It is frightening, but, you say, that's your problem!
Continued
The problem is not just mine, or just yours. The problem is global and certainly Malta will not be an exception. Here auto plants are shutting down like Autumn falling leaves throwing thousands out at a time. I know that these plants import parts (electronic) from Malta. Do you think for a moment that they will keep importing just to keep the Malta plant going?
If a country which has huge resources finds the going tough, I can imagine the preoccupation of another which has zero resources. In Malta the problem is more than that. Malta is in a stage of transition which will go on for several more years because Malta started from little but has to catch up fast. The infrastructure improvement costs money and the government should forge ahead at maximum speed and take advantage of EU funds which will partly cover the costs. If not, many, including yourself will be voicing your disdain for 'losing EU funds' by not acting in time.
There are always two sides of a coin and we are sometimes both guilty of minimizing the 'other' side, but I try to be fair although I refuse to rewrite history.
CJ Buttigieg never stated that people's perception and what is real are the same think . I think that the meassage he passed on to you was crystal clear but you , conveniently or otherwise , misread his lips . I've known Mr.Buttigieg for a very long time and other people agree with me that he calls a spade a spade and never found it difficult to criticise publicly the Party he loves so much and praised the PN when he thought that credit was due .
An accusation that a person criticises ad hoc (sic) , as you put it , needs to be substantiated before it can gain any credibility .
i had followed other debates between you and CJB and to put it mildly I was rarely impressed with your input while his was at best of times forthright and amazingly convincing .
The Masterpiece picture that Gonzi painted for us before the election has a five year lifetime. So,Charles hold your horses, buy some popcorn, rent a few dvds, watch them, relax and buy yourself some time.
Patience in itself is a virtue my friend
Dare I say that you persist in ignoring our today by fleeing to some distant yesterday shrouded in irrelevant cloud.
Labour will no doubt point to having given Malta her true freedome that led to record home-ownership, a strong social system, a broad-based health-care structure, eradication of poverty, stemming the emigration tide, strong foreign investment and job creation, strong growth in tourism yearly budgets with positive inflows etc etc.
But we live today. Do you drive on our roads today, do you drink tap water today, do you know of so many people living from hand to mouth today, do you experience a high cost of living today, do you know so many people afraid about their future prospects today, do you know of people who earn undeserved promotions etc today, do you hear of so many corruption anecdotes today, do you see our Nation's enormous deficit and debt burden today, do you experience our heavy taxation regime today, do you experience our inadequate and woefull transport system today, do you have to live in a grasp of ongoing building development that does not give a hoot about residents today, is Dr Gonzi our Prime Minister today?
"Government deficit rises to €66.8m in second quarter"
- The government had a deficit of €66.8 million in the second quarter of this year, compared to a deficit of €38.7 million for the second quarter of 2007, the NSO said today.
Now, normally I'd be panicking like mad but I know that you'll soon be telling us that:
- the National Statistics Office are 'lil Elves
- its the Lil 'Elves who are making things up
- you know that its all made up cos you have internet and you know EXACTLY what's happening in Malta
- that we are better off than the dark ages when we could only eat Dezerta etc etc
So please... deal a swift and conclusive blow to this BULL about us being in a sticky situation and that we actually never had it so good!
(Please don't say 'We didn't know that such & such would happen" etc.
After all that excuse could apply equally to the 'dark ages' no? And since we' NEVER offer "them" no quarter on that respect, none should be offered here."
The stage is all yours Martinelli. Over to you...
Since Mr. Martinelli is very good at side tracking the relevant issues at hand (what on earth has Labour's in the 70 got to do with Friday's debate???) and since he is, we're told, an expert on the subject matter might he kindly put my mind at rest as I'm seriously worried.
It's about my debt that is on the increase even though I keep being promised that we're in "safe hands", we're more stable within the EU, having EURO as our national coin etc etc.
You see people like you give me a warm fuzzy feeling of security and peace of mind that our leaders are doing a GREAT job when compared to our black (boo! hiss!) past.
And then I read headlines like:
"Deficit up 72.8% " (over the same time last year. )
- The deficit as a percentage of GDP stood at 4.7 per cent in 2004, when Malta joined the EU.... mind helping me figure out what it is today please JM?
and (to e continued)
How about writing about something else than Joseph and the MLP! With all that is happening .. could you possibly not find anything more relevant to current events? Is your area of competence so small?
Yep, I have been where you live ( London, Ontario) and stayed at a famous "den' on Wellington Street or Road! In fact I visited Canada many times and had fabulous offers but I always politely refused because I never change my WONDERFUL GOZO for any other place in the world. I wonder if you ever went for a Rodeo show at Calgary! If not it is a must! I loved it! Visiting BC is a must ! And keep away from Dundas!
Back to the local scene: Mr. Martinelli my previous comments addressed to ABC fits you very well too. Maybe you should ask ABC to write about the 'back scratching' that the PN Administrations have so dear to their dying hearts! That will be fantastic.
Be brave and be persuasive! Lol SKELTONS Lol
I will be very happy if ABC points out the ‘number of MLP’ clubs that he referred to as ‘stolen’. I am sure that Joseph does not have the least idea about this particular MLP Club, that the PN and its oracles made such a mountain of propaganda for so many years.
I hope that the new proposed rent laws will tackle the number of PN Clubs around Malta and Gozo and give the owners of the premises some justice. CAPISH ABC???!!!
ABC purposely didn’t mention that his patron didn’t answer when the hundreds of individuals, who suffered ‘political abuses and injustices’ under various PN Administrations, are to have justice. Why didn’t you ABC?!!!
Perception and realitiy are to different things altogether.
And no, I do not consider myself brighter then anyone else either. Bright enough to know what reality is and what is actually going around me. To disagree is healthy, but to deny ad hoc anything Government does is .......... You are smart enough, figure it out
Quoting you “What is so funny with the MLP and people like you is that you try to paint a different picture then that of what reality is. People, cannot only see the good that there is, but can see it and touch it as well at the same time.
Wonder why the MLP have no credibility with the electorate.” (Sic)
Joe why do you wonder why Labour is not credible after you gave us the answer. Aren’t you sure about the veracity of your opening statement? Do you consider yourself a brighter person than “the MLP and people like you( D.Attard)” Did it ever occur to you that people have different perceptions and are free to demonstrate their different conclutions ( paint a different picture) ?
My last question- Are you not seeing a different picture to day than the masterpiece which Gonzipn painted for us pre election?
Joe do not worry an awful lot to respond to my disturbing questions because your handlers will soon come out to your defence.
Joseph Muscat was so bad that he even managed to set up himself up on a question of taxation/economics.
What is so funny with the MLP and people like you is that you try to paint a different picture then that of what reality is. People, cannot only see the good that there is, but can see it and touch it as well at the same time.
Wonder why the MLP have no credibility with the electorate.
Borg Olivier gained Independence for Malta, Eddie Fenech Adami put us in the EU and Dr. Gonzi got us into the Eurozone. What has the MLP got us? Oh Yes, I will be soon reminded that they started the Social Services - and Air Malta too, such as it was in 1971.
d attard (I use lower case because you do) if we had to rely on a Labour government to do as much as NP governments have accomplished in the last twenty years, we would have to come back from the grave because all the MLP does over and over again is to appoint commission after commission, report after report, miscalculation after miscalculation while accomplishing nothing.
The MLP just cannot get out of that rut.
Yet in reading this piece I need to keep reminding myself that Gonzi is actually Malta's Prime Minister; the guy calling the shots.
I do not recall any one instance when Gonzi showed himself to be a leader with vision purpose and strength to implement.
Of course he was full of rhetoric...and wind...but that will take us nowhere.
Our educational, energy, poverty, road infrastructure, quality of water, low female participation in the economy, high taxation regime, health care problems (possibly getting out of hand I understand), public transport, weak democracy etc etc problems will get no easier with a slick Labour research team (that is indeed terribly lacking).
The words that stuck in my mind post debate were:
a change is as good as a rest.
The constant pointing at Labour (finding its feet? too much of the Sant formula for my taste - decent man that he was) as we go from bad to worse is now becoming farcical.
The buck stops with Gonzi. Fullstop. And Gonzi keeps coming over as sound of the empty drum type.
You wrote, "Pretty sure Muscat will improve a lot over the next five years though". I am not so sure myself. Min jitwieled tond ma jmutx kwadru, jghid il-Malti.
Joseph comes across as a smart Aleck, arrogant and doesn't even know when to stop digging his own grave. The debate was a classical example. As ABC said, avoiding answers to questions posed to him, pasting a smirky smile on his face and shaking his head were no match to Dr. Gonzi's smooth flow of statistics, numbers and decisiveness.
But even worse, look at who h has successfully brought to his table as a result of his terremot and 'new beginning' - a bunch of old timers including the arch-enemy of EU - Sciberras Trigona. But hold on - there is more to come especially if through a bye-election, Joe Brincat gets in !
One would have hoped that a young, intelligent, new leader who promised new this and new that, would have surrounded himself with youth if, for nothing else, to appear as their boss or, at least, their equals. Instead he surrounds himself with grand fathers and grand mothers!
Continued
Addressing the Prime Minister, 'Lawrence' was motivated by either of two thoughts. Maybe he tried to bring down the Prime Minister to his level or, he tried to climb up a few rungs to Dr. Gonzi's level. This back-fired magnificently when Dr. Gonzi addressed him, correctly, as Dr. Muscat. And one would have thought that a modern, progressive, open minded fellow, who Joseph portrays himself as, would take a hint! If he did, but continued to call the PM, Lawrence, then he is a two bit smart Aleck ..
Some MLP diehards keep accusing Nationalist supporters as having it for Joseph as well as his predecessor, Dr.Sant. I will not go back to KMB or Dom. Those two are in another category by themselves. But in assessing Joseph, one cannot escape the feeling that although not a clone of Dr.Sant, the latter being more astute, there are resemblances in that they both employ the same tactics. When faced with a tough question, they both change the subject, not answer or answer the question with an unrelated question!
Joseph may be there for some time and time may buy him experience but time will never improve his IQ.
I missed the show on Friday and my Nationalist friends told me that Dr. Gonzi was at his best and packed down our man hands down. At the Labour club they told me that Dr.Muscat was radiantly brilliant but they would say that il kazin tal Lejber won’t day?
But now after reading Dr. Borg-Cardona’s synopses I am inclined to accept ‘tal-Lejber’s’ conclusions although they are just a tiny bit biased in favour of Joseph.
One friend from Mellieha, who like me speaks with a tick village accent, got very hot under the collar about Dr. Borg-Cardona’s reference to our leader’s accent and insisted that that was proof that ABC couldn’t find a lot to criticise Joseph with. Knowing Andrew’s good sense of humour I couldn’t agree with my friend from Mellieha. Hallina Andrew.
On a different note - is the term 'little elf' reserved for those who vote MLP unthinkingly? What of those people who vote/have voted PN but are sometimes critical of your writings, are they still little elves? Just curious :)