Gonzi defends university students

Byron Camilleri

Mar 5th 2008, 16:57

James De Giorgio why should I respect other students when they did not respect me?

Byron Camilleri

Mar 5th 2008, 16:55

Dear Amanda Mallia before saying anything next time you should ask me. Stupid! I had to watch the debate from the back door, being outside but we had some view of the party leaders. There were other students with me, including NET TV employees.

J. Scerri

Mar 2nd 2008, 03:55

I would like to know if all this fuss about the University debate is normal ? In a democratic country (either you like it or not) everyone can say his opinion. So it's a shame how the MLP media treated these students. And it's more shameful to hear MP calling them Hamalli ect.... Maybe these same MPs forgot what happened in Valletta on the 1st May when they brought here Toto Cutugno to sing and they bood him when he tried to sing INSIEME, and in that case the audience was much more than 900. It went even on some international websites ! So how do they should call those people then ?

Amanda Mallia

Mar 2nd 2008, 01:05

Byron Camilleri - You're really kicking yourself in the foot here.

Your original complaint was:

"I am a student and was not allowed to come in" (to the debate.)

Your latest post reads as follows:

"I would not be so dumb next time to waste two hours trying to listen what the party leaders are saying, while a bunch of intollerable students are not allowing me to." (I am quoting you verbatim here, since I would have used different grammar/spelling, to put it mildly.)

It looks like you can't decide whether or not you were present at the debate, and are simply typing off a script you have been given.

Matthew Caruana Galizia

Mar 1st 2008, 15:29

Irene, clearly I haven't gone on about it enough, because it wasn't me who was being filmed.

Look up tolerance in the dictionary, and you'll probably find that the definition reads something like, 'To put up with'. You see, people tend to look to look at 'tolerance' as though it's some grand ideal - well, it isn't. No one should have to put up with anything, especially a Leader of the Opposition who ignores your questions.

You find it difficult to understand why the students booed either because you agree with Alfred Sant's demeanour, or because you are indifferent to it. And if you persist in saying that students should have 'tolerated' Alfred Sant, then you persist in implying that, to the great majority of students, Alfred Sant is a bane that they must put up with.

Great tragedies are only trivialised when they cease to remain part of the learning process of all humanity. In 1970, students at Kent State University protested against the war in Cambodia. The Governor of Ohio issued the following statement: 'They're worse than the brownshirts and the communist element.... They're the worst type of people that we harbour in America.' The next day, the National Guard were ordered to open fire on the campus.

Replace the words 'communist' with 'fascist', 'America' with 'Malta', and you've got George Vella's statement. Whatever students do, and regardless of whether you think their cause is noble or not, it is never a good idea to incite hatred towards them.

James De Giorgio

Mar 1st 2008, 14:58

Byron Camilleri, your disrespect towards students is parallel to MLP's disrespect towards the same students.

Which is not a very good sign.

Byron Camilleri

Mar 1st 2008, 02:49

Dear Jennifer I would not be so dumb next time, to waste two hours trying to listen what the party leaders are saying, while a bunch of intollerable students are not allowing me to.

Irene Mangion

Feb 29th 2008, 19:28

Mr Caruana Galizia, how dare you trivialise one of the biggest tragedies in human history by bringing it up simply to try and justify your bad behaviour? Someone filmed you at a public event? Big deal! Who cares?! Why go on rambling about it ad nauseum?! You lost your rag? Fine, then apologise and that's it. Feeling strongly about something does not justify resorting to insults or violence. If you want to express yourself, well there's something called debate, constructive criticism. Ms Caruana Galizia, your ‘cause’ has become a witch hunt. Why don't you find more honourable ways of channelling your anger? Do something for the common good and stop the mud-slinging. Give this paper's readers' a break!

Jennifer Cosaitis

Feb 29th 2008, 13:10

Dear Byron, I was waiting in the queue to get in Sir Temi Zammit Hall for one whole hour before the debate. I presume that you were not allowed to come in because the place was already packed. There was nothing out of the ordinary in this regard so I don't know why you are actually complaining. Just one piece of advice; be there before next time and you will get in like all others before you did.

Amanda Mallia

Feb 27th 2008, 23:12

Byron Camilleri -The debate was advertised as being open to one and all. As you know, seats were on a first come, first served basis, so maybe you should have queued there for at least an hour before the debate, as many did to get their seat.

Byron Camilleri

Feb 27th 2008, 14:39

To Jennifer Cosaitis : Although they were on a first come first served basis - the 'rent a mob' were urged to come earlier to take the seats. The thing is that I'm a student and was not allowed to come in, while other non-students such as Daphne Caruana Galizia who is writing here, and I do not think that she is a student, took a seat!

James De Giorgio

Feb 27th 2008, 12:40

Shame on Pamela Hansen who has (in this forum) publicly accused students to be "ħamalli" and "marmalja"...

...... without even attending the debate or watching a repeat to see if what one news, george vella, DNA charles mangion and fredu sant said was even true.

I really can't believe THE Pamela Hansen whose articles I enjoyed reading has descended to George Vella's level. George Vella who called the students fascist, obscene, of the very lowest level, psataz, hamalli, stupid and ignorant; twelve thousand students insulted without distinction.

WAKE UP PAMELA!!! THIS RETHORIC IS REMINISCENT OF MINTOFF, LORRY SANT (incidentally another sant) AND KMB!!!

Get back to petitioning against petards. You were doing a good job... there.

Daphne Caruana Galizia

Feb 26th 2008, 17:16

Keira Gregory and Victor Laiviera: as Labour supporters, you clearly do not understand the word 'boundaries'. No, Keira, I did not "want the attention". I have had more than my fair share of attention for 20 years, and the only time I have any privacy is when I'm at home or away from Malta (and sometimes not even then). I would never dream of poking a camera into the face of even my worst enemy if he or she is sitting with relatives at an event. It's beyond ridiculous. Being blinded by Labour's light, you fail to ask yourselves the simple question: what were the cameras doing near me when The Great Leader was on the stage? Oh, sorry, he wasn't worth filming, except by NET news - for obvious reasons. Maybe next time Alfred Sant is having a quiet meal with his daughter, NET news should send three cameras along to film them eating and talking? I don't think so. I don't know you Keira, but I do know that Victor here was a Mintoff/KMB man, so I'm not surprised he thinks like this. And he is a personal friend of one A. Sant, too.

E. Tabone

Feb 26th 2008, 17:11

J spiteri... are you implying that if these students knew that Josie Muscat was an ex-PN candidate they wouldn't have booed? That indicates that the students reacted the way they felt and not because they were "rented".

And condemning the students isn't a type of disapproval? Isn't a boo a type of disapproval as well?

E. Tabone

Feb 26th 2008, 16:15

Making it INTO university and Making it TO university are both accepted prepositions to imply reading for a degree. However, one also uses the preposition TO to refer to routes to get to somewhere.
One can say that he made it to university by following road A. But one does not say that he made it into university by following road A.

Since to get INTO university is the correct term of expressing the act of following a course at uni, the term making INTO university is taken as meaning that as well.

However when using the verb "get" one cannot use the prep. "to" because it will mean that he got to university - the physical building and not the institution.

Corinne Vella

Feb 26th 2008, 14:48

Victor Laiviera, "three mid row seats"? I didn't know Super One's editors were so good. Either that, or you need a new pair of glasses. While you're at the opticians, you might want to pick up a pair for the MaltaStar "journalist" who mistook a middle aged woman for a young student.

Corinne Vella

Feb 26th 2008, 14:42

Jennifer Cosaitis, you may have noticed by now that Victor Laiviera is impervious to evidence being totally to the contrary of whatever he has to say. If you are still waiting for a reply, then you will probably wait in vain. Mr Laiviera is too busy mixing metaphors and hatching conspiracy theories to pay any attention to facts. In the latter case, at least, he must be taking lessons from a very close friend.

j spiteri

Feb 26th 2008, 13:39

for me was a disgrace by what happened at uni in the last days, this is the high level of education this country, i will ask something...the studends booed even to josie muscat, and if one looks back in history one will find that mr josie muscat used to be a candidate for the pn party.. i wonder if these students knows the history of politics

Victor Laiviera

Feb 26th 2008, 12:57

No, Corinne Vella, I have no interest in "defending posters' use of bad English". I merely pointed out the irony of you highlighting others' mistakes while making one of your own - writing 'into' when you should have used 'to'. I bet I can keep this up longer than you. :)

Victor Laiviera

Feb 26th 2008, 09:21

*Sigh*. A totally false analogy Ms Caruana Galizia. It wasn't a case of "three people having a private conversation" but a case of a well-known columnist with a notorious antagonism to a particular political leader who had announced, in a national paper, that she intended to be there. Hardly the same thing.

And the cameras were not shoved in anybody's face. It is clear from the videoclips that you, your sister and your son were occupying three mid-row seats while the photographer was standing yards away in the aisle.

Jennifer Cosaitis

Feb 26th 2008, 00:24

Mr Laiviera, as I have stated in my previous post (which you have conveniently ignored), I am still waiting for you to back up your allegations that the university debate included a "rent a mob" from the PN side.

How where we "carted" to the university if every individual had equal opportunity to participate in the debate?

I am waiting to be enlightened.

Keira Gregory

Feb 25th 2008, 20:00

Daphne, you clearly mentioned in one of your articles that you and your son would be present at the debate. Clearly, you wanted the attention. Furthermore, you are a public figure; one who is actively attacking MLP at the moment, and while I fully support your (and anybody else's freedom to do so), any individual with a functioning brain would agree that you are thus open to criticism and equal attacks from MLP supporters. The Labour media had every right to film you as you sat in a public place where, as I mentioned earlier, you had publically stated you would be.

Corinne Vella

Feb 25th 2008, 18:47

Victor Laiviera, that should be "old people in glass houses", seeing as you're concerned with defending posters' use of bad English.

Daphne Caruana Galizia

Feb 25th 2008, 18:06

Keith Zammit: if I were to shove three cameras into the faces of three people having a private conversation, then I would fully expect to be told to fuck off or worse. And after being told to fuck off, I wouldn't make a song and dance about it.

Victor Laiviera

Feb 25th 2008, 16:16

Corinne Vella it was you who started to qubble about posters' use of English, instead of replying to their arguments. I simply introduced the old "people in glasshouses" theme.

Corinne Vella

Feb 25th 2008, 08:59

Victor, In for a quibble about prepositions, are you? Don't rely on what I have to say about them. Actually, don't rely on what YOU have to say about them. Google "get into Oxford". You won't find many instructions for burglars there.

Victor Laiviera

Feb 24th 2008, 23:46

Yes, Corinne Vella, it might be quite an achievement for a burglar, for example, to break INTO the university. But I'm sure you'll agree that it's much better for a student to make it TO university.

Alexander Abela

Feb 24th 2008, 21:52

All these quotes, remind me of another famous quote -

"I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it" - Voltaire.

Whether we agree or not with the booing, the student had every right to express their opinion, and Gonzi is right in defending them.

Corinne Vella

Feb 24th 2008, 20:44

The most important thing to learn from the Holocaust is what can happen when society’s abnormalities are allowed to become its norms. That’s a lesson many still have to learn; hence the fuss and bother about booing and the wild suggestion that Prime Ministers in a democracy have the power to tell people not to speak. If that outlook becomes even more widespread, ugly things can happen. We’ve been there before, so why would anyone want to go back?

And before anyone rushes to rubbish this as scaremongering, listen to what a Labour Prime Minister once said:
“We remember above all that the Holocaust did not start with a concentration camp. It started with a brick through the shop window of a Jewish business, the desecration of a synagogue, the shout of racist abuse on the street.” – Tony Blair.

M. Bugeja

Feb 24th 2008, 18:57

I agree with you Matthew, however I think that using the Holocaust quote in this case is somewhat overkill. The elimination of more than 6 million Jews in concentration camps was a tragedy beyond anything ever experienced by mankind - but choosing a local political leader does not exactly stand on the same plateau as the Holocaust.

Objecting to someone's ideas is a right we all have, and there's nothing wrong with it. But if you were speaking during a lecture, you wouldn't want anyone shouting you down either.

Partisan politics never benefit anyone. Most people vote for the party, not the person. A slim minority know about the issues at stake, and those that actually believe everything their party leader tells them is naive.

Matthew Caruana Galizia

Feb 24th 2008, 13:38

M. Bugeja, there's another quote that I remember from one of our lecturers: The road to the Holocaust was paved with indifference.

Not objecting to ideas which you disagree with strongly is not tolerance - it's indifference.

Corinne Vella

Feb 24th 2008, 10:12

Victor, what utter rubbish. Getting TO university might be an achievement but it's getting INTO university that counts. Enjoy the jazz.

M. Bugeja

Feb 23rd 2008, 21:09

As a university student, I promote free speech just as much as anyone else. But there's a saying that one of our lecturers had drummed into our heads several years back "Your right to swing your arm is your right, as long as it doesn't hit me in the face".

In other words - anything can be taken overboard. Free speech is nice and all, but come on.. In the Western world, we promote free speech, but also tolerance of ideas. That was not really tolerating one's ideas.

Mind you, I'm not enthusiastic about either party, but I'm truly disgusted at the attitude of several of my peers. I'm a university student as well, but now, every uni student will be marked with the same black marker because of the actions of a few.

Jeremy J Camilleri

Feb 23rd 2008, 19:57

Dear Daphne, but isn't muttering expletives technically against the law? Boo Hiss

Victor Laiviera

Feb 23rd 2008, 14:56

Before Amanda Mallia criticises others' use of English, perhaps she should learn that one "makes it TO university", not "INTO university". Specks and beams in eyes and all that jazz..

Daphne Caruana Galizia

Feb 23rd 2008, 14:29

And now Pamela Hansen has weighed in from Malta Today with the usual MLPAD rhetoric. Unbelievable: a 'journalist' - the inverted commas are deliberate - demanding that the prime minister silence an audience of adults, so that Alfred Sant can carry on spouting dangerous nonsense at them. Come on, Pamela - whose side are you on? The autocrats, or the democrats? Or do you need a dictionary to help you formulate your reply? You who belong to the flower-power generation should know better.

J Zammit

Feb 23rd 2008, 12:19

Why doesn't Super1 show the debate as Net TV did? Then people can decide for themselves who did best and would be able to understand why the students were cheering Dr Gonzi.

Joseph Briffa

Feb 23rd 2008, 11:59

I did not expect this comment from Pamela Hansen...The PM does not come into this at all..the students have every right to clap, boo and hiss as much as you and I have...what's all this fuss about? The students did not resort to violence..they were boisterous and just reacted to the performance of the party leaders. If a speaker deserves to be booed for his poor performance and another deserves applause for his speech, so be it. Nothing wrong with that....University students the world over are known for their wild behaviour; we all remember when Mintoff's daughter was reported to have thrown dung or whatever at an MP when the latter met students at an English university. And we have heard of politicians being pelted with rotten eggs by students; politicians the world over are used to these things. They know that some University students are wild and do not think twice about resorting to this behaviour when they feel that politicians are trying to make a fool of them. Eggs and dung never killed anybody though it is not a pleasant experience to be pelted with such stuff. I remember way back in 1954 we university freshmen were pelted with rotten eggs and tomatoes by fourth year students when we were entertaining the governor's daughter Tilly Laycock at a lunch at the Solemar hotel. It wasn't a nice experience I admit but we survived. I don't think Dr Sant expected to be welcomed with a standing ovation by the students, they remember the stipends issue and their treatment in the 1970s and 1980s. As long as there is no physical violence I see nothing wrong in the rowdy behaviour of students. We all know that the rowdiness did not go down well with labour sympathisers simply because of the exposure of the dismal performance of their leader.

Keith Zammit

Feb 23rd 2008, 11:44

Dear Ms Caruana Galizia, would you tolerate someone else telling you to *uckkkk off ?

Samuel Debono

Feb 23rd 2008, 10:42

Attn: Ms Charlene Ciantar

"but what with respect that JC students lose a year just because re-sits have been moved during the scholastic year? I think that that is much worse as that is really a year wasted."

If you're talking about A-Level re-sits please note that it is not only JC students who have re-sits but other sixth forms too. Note also that the timetable for September 2008 re-sits is already out - http://www.home.um.edu.mt/matsec/TIMETABLE2008-2.pdf with the last exam to be held on 6th September 2008. Students do not lose a year.

Corinne Vella

Feb 23rd 2008, 01:37

"strongly supporting bullying and bad behaviour": Pamela, surely you're more reasonable than that? All four speakers were allocated equal time. All four used it. Yes there were boos and cheers, but that is hardly dangerous, except to the ego. Why would or should anyone, particularly students, applaud the representative of a party that has done so much to damage education? Or one that promises – or should that be threatens? – to further marginalise groups that are already marginalised and to bestow rights as though they are favours? Faced with such nonsense, why shouldn’t anyone express their disapproval loudly and clearly?

Amanda Mallia

Feb 23rd 2008, 00:00

To the people who persist in calling the students "hamalli" and "marmalja":It's simply a case of the pot calling the kettle black. 
The students were not name-calling - they were simply giving the four leaders the reception they  deemed fit, which at times included clapping too.  Then again, those of you who only follow the biased Labour  and pro-Labour media's manipulation of footage and facts will never be the wiser. 

Edward Mifsud

Feb 22nd 2008, 20:16

Prof Peter Mayo, Dr Ronald Sultana, Mr Carmel Tanone (ex-EO primary), Lord Andrew Adonis and a huge volume of academic literature have shown the positive side of the reception class. But apparently, others, who are not education academics think they know better.

There is a load of policy documents gathering dust at the ministry of eduaction. Can we have some ACTION please? Years are passing by and we are not addressing the REAL problems in our education system. There are far too many students that are falling out of the system.

If you have never been around in some of our area secondries, you cannot say what's going on. Problems start at primary level and are carried forward through the years. Every illiterate person is a burden on us all and an unemployable citizen.

Andrew Sciberras

Feb 22nd 2008, 19:52

I wonder why I comment I posted several hours ago has not yet appeared.

What I wrote was just a simple question, namely - If everything was perfect at last Monday's debate, why did Insite, the organizers, send a letter of apology to the Malta Labour Party?

john scerri

Feb 22nd 2008, 18:39

'BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH'
An MLP Leader once said ' Who is not with us is against us!' another MLP leader said 'An eye for an eye ,a tooth for a tooth !'
An MLP secretary who thought he was behind closed doors with his followers said ' this will be an MLP Govt for labourites only! A young female MLP candidate angrily pointed to her audience who in the conference hall was not part of the labour family.
An MLP deputy said PN supporters had something BAD 'HAZINA' in their DNA.... Now its the university students - 'Thou shalt not BOO !!!'........
Ghax MLP will call you marmalja and hamalli.
All these comments are doing nothing but damage the MLP image.
If MLP want to be credible - MLP should cut the cheap talk.
I am sure many MLP candidates can do much better than resort to junk talk. it does not fit their integrity and this is what surprises me and makes me worry what they would do if in power.
I wish the worst thing a 'marmalja' and 'hamalli' could do is shout "BOO" and not destroy a party leader's house , destroy the curia,burn the Times,burn the court rooms,enter university grounds to intimidate students ,destroy party clubs.
Students have parents and parents have votes. Between students and parents their is a strong bond which no one will ever break .

Daphne Caruana Galizia

Feb 22nd 2008, 18:30

All these Labour apologists are missing a very important point: in a democracy, no one has any right to silence another adult. No, not even the prime minister. The students at the university debate were all adults, and to say they should have been silenced is to consider them as children. A true cause for uproar and all these faked and hypocritical declarations of 'shame' would have been if the prime minister made any attempt at all to silence the audience.

The Labour Party doesn't understand this basic tenet: that the prime minister has no personal or political authority over others. He can't tell people what to do, whether to shout, boo, hiss, clap or keep quiet. That's up to them. With its absolutely crazed and hysterical reactions to a bit of booing and hissing by teenagers, the Labour Party has shown us, fortunately before and not after the general election, that it still doesn't understand that democracies don't function like autocracies.

Labour has a long history of sending in thugs and police to silence people. There have been more dramatic methods used too, but we won't go into them here. The simple matter is this: if the Labour Party is essential undemocratic in its internal structure, then how can we expect it to understand democracy in the world outside? BOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! HISSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!

Reuben Balzan

Feb 22nd 2008, 18:12

How long will this debate go on?

I've not heard one single person complain about the students clapping. So is it okay to show your approval of a politician by clapping... but it is not okay to show your disapproval by booing???

Did any of the politicians there seriously believe that the students would have just sat there and nodded silently while they listened to the country's leaders deliver their rhetoric??

All the people here complaining about how 'badly' Alfred Sant was treated should be asking why it happened. Rather than thinking that these people are hamalli and uneducated for reacting to the speeches, I felt that these students were 'free' enough to express their approval or disapproval without fear of consequences. Let's all remember that it was not always possible to do so!

Yes that is what freedom and education is also about.

Matthew Borg

Feb 22nd 2008, 17:51

Victor Laiviera: "It is not the students who are being attacked. It is the rent-a-mob carted to the University by the PN to prevent its opponents from having their say."

Maybe it should be up to the staunch Labourite supporters to voice their own opinion, Mr. Laiviera, and not up to the Nationalists to 'suppress' them. People such as you continue to maintain that this was all pre-organised, but everyone knows that this is a lie, like all of the Labour party's proposals.

Framing the University students for being a "mob", just because they are pro-Nationalist, is totally wrong, out of order, and below the belt. So kindly get your facts right in the future.

pamela hansen

Feb 22nd 2008, 17:12

I sent this in 4 hours ago and it still has not appeared. I hope this is not censorship.
Well done Dr Gonzi. You have certainly put your foot in it this time. Not only condoning, but also strongly supporting bullying and bad behaviour. The very same bullying that is being used to scare would be Labour voters.
Face up to it, the PN has its fair share of hamalli and marmalja as witnessed last Monday.

A Mangion

Feb 22nd 2008, 16:15

More than enough has been said on the university debate. He who foolishly hides his head in the sand, does it at his own risk.

By the way, anyone for a 5-year reception class on the oppostion benches ?

Amanda Mallia

Feb 22nd 2008, 16:12

Content apart, with their poor command of the English language, some of the (generally pro-Labour) bloggers on this site and related ones should be glad that they made it into university at all.

R Agius

Feb 22nd 2008, 15:29

Rent a mob huh? It was Pulse that booked two buses to transport their members.....guess they didn't anticipate their leader would be that pathetic....

Corinne Vella

Feb 22nd 2008, 14:52

So the chorus of condemnation continues in the defence of politicians while ignoring the cavalier dismissal of the use of referenda in political decision making, the refusal to answer legitimate journalistic questions, the statements implying that single mothers are merely spongers, and the threats made to people who are not politicians but who dare to speak their mind.

Who can say these islands are not green, when most can't see the wood for trees?

Then again, not much more can be expected of people who hold the dangerous belief that it is a prime minister's right to tell people what to do and everyone else's duty to obey.

Joseph Aquilina

Feb 22nd 2008, 14:39

Mr Laiviera, I know that the MLP propaganda told you that PN, in one of its most mischievous plans, in its endless endeavour to corrupt the incorruptible, made use of foul instruments to subjugate innocent University students (which otherwise would use their free time preach the socialist manifesto by heart!) forcing them out of their own free will to express incomprehension for every of Dr.Sant’s well formulated (perfect if I may say) answers – unfortunately that is not true, the true is that most of the people (in this case students) use their brains to decide who they will vote for next election. Since these students do not wish to finish empty handed, and since most probably with Dr.Sant everyone will finish empty handed, these students out of their own will decided to go in favour Dr.Gonzi on that debate. Obviously MLP (and you), rather than saying there might be something wrong to the party decided that their obviously something wrong with the world! It is true - “the only way is up, Labour”, going further down then this is impossible!

N Muscat

Feb 22nd 2008, 14:16

To all of you who accused the PN of renting a mob....I was one of the students present and I went out of my own volition. Nobody asked me to go. I just went there to offer my support to our Prime Minister who is a man who truly has Malta and its people at heart. So please stop the mud slinging once and for all...you are only shaming the MLP more than its people have already shamed it

Wally Vella-Zarb

Feb 22nd 2008, 14:02

Dr Gonzi is right! Moreover, Dr Gonzi should re-read what he is being quoted as saying: "Serious politics need serious politicians" I suggest that he reads it in front of a mirror!

Andrew Vella

Feb 22nd 2008, 14:00

I wonder how many of the comments were made by primary sources. I was there. My account is likely to be more accurate.

Labour supporters from juniour college..."kannoli bla krema"...were also there. They boowed and shouted "Irrispondi" to Dr Gonzi time and time again.
However this was futile as they were largely outnumbered.

The Labour party and media are soar at having lost the debate.

Why sure?..You cannot ask Dr Sant a question about his past with MLP because it's not a pleasant one.

At a point in time, to defend his reception class proposal....he said that students are failing. I was there because I wanted to be there...I did not recieve any orders from Mr Joe Saliba or anyone. And I booed heavily at this. And I will do it again. Beacause I am not a failure.

There's no doubt that anyone who saw what the leaders actually said...Dr Sant did not reply directly to what the journalists asked. Thus inviting on our disapproval.

And once again, his know it all attitude led to say that if there was one person who knew the most about cancer....it was him....despite the fact that the AN leader is a doctor! That is what earned him the 'boo'...not the mention of his cancer experience for which I'm glad his operation was a succes.

From my memory of a debate between Dr Sant and Dr Fenech Adami.....Dr Sant's know it all attitude lead him to say that he knew more that Dr Fenech Adami about the EU.

Thus, I wonder how at the time he couldn't understand that the benefits outweighed the disadvantages if He knew more than Eddie.

Now people can say all they like. but I was. And I'm so not ashamed.

Besides...sources who used to attend pre referendum university debates used to remark that about 15% were labour supporters. This time round it was about 30%. The Labour should be celebrating that gain in popularity!

Andre Grech

Feb 22nd 2008, 13:40

How funny hux. What does one pretend? To stop listeners from supporting you. I have seen the full debate and at times Dr. Sant was also applauded. Obvioussly Dr. Gonzi turned out to be a better speaker and got the approval from the students. I can understand labour. They are trying to lose an already won election. So calling students hamalli will help. Don't worry guys, now I believe they will manage to lose. They are trying hard and they will be rewarded for this. How? By another GonziPN government.

Marie claudine amato

Feb 22nd 2008, 13:21

someone wants to talk about corruption we can only talk abour the lorry sant era !! Dr gonzi did not lose his credibility. It's alfred sant with his usual method of never answering questions or by throwing mud at other people that made him lose credibility .. And be ashamed of yourself of making a fuss about nothing, this happened by FZL in xarabank does anybody remember this ? university students as usual are subject to attacks !! who knows what would have happened if things went the other way round !!

Steve Vella

Feb 22nd 2008, 13:17

Sorry but put yourself on the podium in front of thousand of students and teachers, what you do? I can’t blame Dr. Gonzi for not reacting and stop those who were supporting him. He did the right thing, he continued to explain and ANSWER all the questions.
That’s why he had the support. Dr Sant was all the time twisting the answers. The persons involved with the organisation had the right to silence the cheering crowd. But now what was done is done. I say only this…. what if the story was “vice versa”, Dr Gonzi was buuuu and Dr Sant was the hero that night???? You think that Sant would have stopped them from encouraging and supporting him???…. Dr Sant should not be so upset by what happened at the university, as he watches for sure “Jerry Springer Show” (as he described Xarabank). On that show who is wrong and loose credibility is always buuuuuuu….

Jennifer Cosaitis

Feb 22nd 2008, 13:07

Mr Laiviera, I'd like you to explain to me how th PN rented a " mob" sudents to univesity. The seats were on first come, first in basis, so I'd love to know where your theory came from. Every student had the equal opportunity to attend the debate.

Joseph Arpa

Feb 22nd 2008, 12:53

Dear Mr Demanuele, can you deny the recordings of minister Censu Galea, or do your ears pick up a different wavelenght than mine? Can you deny Mr Portelli and Mr Coccopardo and all the others who have spoken?

Charlene Ciantar

Feb 22nd 2008, 12:50

There is no excuse to defend university students. I am a university student myself and this situation has brought a bad name on all of us. When one speaks that he attends university the reaction you get is " You should be ashamed of yourselves, you are supposed to be educated". Regarding the reception class, children will get a better foundation on their basics, but what with respect that JC students lose a year just because re-sits have been moved during the scholastic year? I think that that is much worse as that is really a year wasted.

Alex Abela

Feb 22nd 2008, 12:33

It was about time that Dr. Gonzi defended the university students. The right of freedom of expession is sacred.

Keith Chircop

Feb 22nd 2008, 12:24

Mr Laiviera said "the rent-a-mob carted to the University by the PN to prevent its opponents from having their say."

You obviously haven't been to University in a real long while. The vast majority of students is pro-PN.

Andrew Demanuele

Feb 22nd 2008, 10:43

Dear Mr.Arpa,
Who wants to speak of corruption?Have you not read the front page article of Yesterday's 'The Times'. The courts ruled that all the allegations of corruption made by the Malta Labour Party were all false. How about that? Do tourself a favour & stop the mud slinging politics.

Anthony Mizzi

Feb 22nd 2008, 10:36

I would have expected disapproval from Dr. Gonzi on the deplorable behavior and language by the students gathering at Sir Temi Zammit Hall and certainly
Solidarity, and strong at that.

Dr. Gonzi, as a parent like me, would deplore such language and attitudes at home and in public. He should have acted promptly and calmed down his fans so all messages from all party leaders would be heard, understood and evaluated in a healthy democratic discussion , that such the venue like the Sir Temi Zammit hall is renowned for.

E. Sultana

Feb 22nd 2008, 10:23

All these politics about education is rubbish. Come on people the future of our children is in our hands and all we think about is who makes the best political debate? I agree with Dr.Sant that there needs to be change but I agree with Dr.Gonzi that we should not experiment. So who will get my vote? No one because no one has a concrete methodology on how to better the system. Children at kindergarten level are like sponges, they absorb what they are given. A reception class will not help them but neither will lack of action. Dr.Gonzi proposes to take eduaction to new heights. Reform in Mcast and University is not enough. Granted the infrastructure helps with the opening on new schools but I believe that formal education has to start at a very tender age and if measures will not be taken at the kindergarten stage then the children will not grow up to appreciate the meaning of education and for them it will only be exams exams and more exams

Antoine Grima

Feb 22nd 2008, 09:12

You have lost this one Mr. Gonzi.How low can polticians go.Shame on all of them for creating such a large devide amongst the maltese people.We should be living in heaven on this little island , but for the next couple of weeks it certainly feels like hell

Victor Laiviera

Feb 22nd 2008, 07:26

As usual, Gonzi is being economical with the truth.

It is not the students who are being attacked. It is the rent-a-mob carted to the University by the PN to prevent its opponents from having their say.

ALBERT FENECH

Feb 22nd 2008, 05:59

Try as he might, Dr. Gonzi will not restore his lost credibility after the disgusting scenes at the University where he abjectly failed to halt the disgraceful ape-like antics of scores of his own supporters including one disgraceful youth who stood up and mouthed obscenities at a television camera crew. Are these antics the types of "education" that successive Nationalist Governments have engendered? Dr. Gonzi unjustly knocks MLP Government efforts in the past to propagate education, including raising the school age, building more schools and - by the way - who pioneered technical education? I'm sorry Dr. Gonzi, but certainly on this score you have rated very badly and no amount of papering over the facts will elevate you from this debacle. What's done is done and cannot be undone.

Joseph Arpa

Feb 21st 2008, 23:09

What did u expect ! GonziPN was not ashamed to defend ministers who were recorded saying they knew of corruption, why would he be ashamed to defend the students.