Calling it a day is tough, outgoing MPs say

Calling it a day after decades serving in Parliament is ‘tough’, the only two serving MPs not to contest the forthcoming general election have said.

The Speaker of the House, Anton Tabone (picture) and Antoine Mifsud Bonnici, both Nationalist MPs, will sit on the sidelines and watch over their son and daughter respectively in this campaign.

Mr Tabone is the ‘father of the House’ since he is currently the longest serving MP, having first been elected from the 1966 general election.

He was the Nationalist Party’s spokesman for agriculture and for Gozo in the 1970s and the first part of the 1980s and in 1987 became the first Minister for Gozo, a post he held until 1996.

He was not elected at the 1998 general election but remained in the House after being appointed Speaker. He was re-appointed Speaker in 2003 even though he made a successful comeback at the general election of that year.

Mr Tabone, 70, entered the political fray with the PN at the eleventh hour in 1966 when his father, a long-serving politician, was taken ill as the nominations of candidates were being received. His father urged him to take his place on the ballot paper, which he did, also taking his place in the House.

He admitted in comments to timesofmalta.com that he was "ready for battle". But, he added, he had to consider other factors, notably his age. His son Robert will now stand for election in Gozo.

Antoine Mifsud Bonnici, 73, unsuccessfully contested the 1962 and 1966 general elections with the Democratic Nationalist Party (PDN). He was first elected in 1976 on the PN ticket and continued to be elected since, with Hamrun forming the bulwark of his support. Between 1992-1996 and from 1998 to 2003 he was parliamentary secretary for care of the elderly. His daughter Paola, currently very active in local councils, will be carrying the family name on the Hamrun district at this election, for the second time.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici said calling it a day after 32 years in Parliament was not easy but looking back, he was satisfied with the progress which the country had achieved, and he hoped it would continue.

“I served through the worst times, when democracy was under threat, to the better times we are now enjoying” Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.

He said he was especially pleased with the progress he had been able to achieve as parliamentary secretary, especially the reforms at St Vincent de Paul Home, and said it had been a sad day when the then prime minister told him he was not being reappointed because of his age.