Gonzi must detail what he knew about Mistra - MLP

Pauline Barbara

Mar 27th 2008, 23:39

Let me ask all PN supporters on this site:

Hand on heart do you honestly believe that if MLP hadn't brought the Mistra scenario to light, would we be seeing the same investigations taking place?

Now another question: If the situation was reversed and MLP had won the election by a whisker and JPO was a Labour candidate, what would the PN media be doing right this very moment?

That's right PN would be rallying their troops, spinning their spin and doing their utmost to overthrow the government. What MLP are doing can be compared to a little thorn in PN's side; whereas what PN would have done is comparable to the Hiroshima bomb.

I have read through all the posts re: this article, and I'm believing more and more that this country is turning into a dictatorial country under the veil of democracy.

John Simpson

Mar 27th 2008, 18:08

Why Mr Martenelli Dr Gonzi cannot force the resignation of J.P.O? Why?? Maybe for Dr Gonzi it is not honesty and country that come first? What happened to those strong hands?

Paul Micallef

Mar 27th 2008, 16:08

I am beginning to believe that Mr J Martinelli is one of JPO's defenders and who voted to elect him to Parliament. Please stop for one minute and listen to what others are saying about the Mistragate, and this include other Nationalist supporters.

On the other hand I assure Mr Martinelli that with the weak position the Nationalist Government is in, JPO being the only Parliamentarian "extra", he will be treated most certainly with a fine pair of velvet gloves.

I say to those people who have at heart honesty and truth to keep up the pressure so that all of the story will come out.

Joe Martinelli

Mar 27th 2008, 14:05

David, if you have the minimun knowledge of who has the right to do what in forcing the resignation of an MP, you would realize that Dr. Gonzi cannot force the resignation of JPO.

Edward Camilleri

Mar 27th 2008, 13:15

It is not my intention to defend Dr Gonzi or the PN Government. The only thing i cant stop asking myself is , if our country has really gone out of the election atmosphere. From the comments i have been reading so far, it clearly appears to me that we are still ferociously attacking each other like beasts. Cant we stop it once and for all for Heaven sake!! I'm utterly disgusted!

Yes, I'm sure that the truth will come out and if someone is found guilty, procedures will be taken accordingly. But please let us all stop being judges. In this election no one has been a full winner or a full loser. I think that everyone has to stop this nonsense and analyze the situation of our country nowadays. Yes i agree! If there is and where there is corruption, should be dealt with as soon as possible and with all the legal instruments provided by our constitution and laws. But for the time being we as a nation will not gain anything by insulting and offending each other.

Although yes, we are a free and democratic country, i feel i have to make a sincere plea to everyone. Please stop attacking each other like cats and dogs and be mature at least for once! Dear all , let us remember that if we gain, we gain together as a country and if things go wrong, all the country will feel the consequences. I want to remain out of any discussion or debate but i couldn't remain still seeing that we are still arguing and fighting. Let us wait and yes I'm sure that the truth will come out. But please let us wait. Arguing and fighting will definitely not help finding the truth. Any citizen who really wants to find the truth and wants to hear the truth, has to wait for the investigation to end. Then I'm sure that we will have the time to analyze the results. But first the investigation has to end. Leave Politics out for once. Although i think that we as a nation are too politically-minded to do such a thing. Now we see. Thanks

David Magro

Mar 27th 2008, 08:33

Dr.Gonzi should have the guts and FORCE JPO to resign from the parliament. This matter should serve as an example. Let`s see if DR.Gonzi does means business...prove it !

frida farrugia

Mar 27th 2008, 08:25

i seriously think that the p.n. owe an explanation to the maltese people. we out here have to be treated as intelligent enough to understand what is going. please dr gonzi!

Joe Martinelli

Mar 26th 2008, 21:23

Antoine, if I get the gist of what you wrote, I can tell you that nobody knows whether JPO is innocent or guilty of anything. That is what the Police inquiry is all about. JPO believes that he is innocent, and he should know because he was the subject of attention, and therefore he did not play on anybody's mind before, during or after the election. If however he is found to have broken any law, then he will pay the price you and I would have to pay under similar circumstances. The Prime Minister has already declared in no uncertain terms that he will not shelter any wrongdoers.
In any case, the only way his resignation issue will come up is if he is found guilty of a crime and is imprisoned for more than a year.
In my heart of hearts, I doubt whether this will be the case.

antoine micallef

Mar 26th 2008, 16:52

Sorry i dont know who is the one that belives that no one from gonzipn knew before the election that JPO was inocent.Therefore i think that it was only a strategical built up before the election so that no votes will be lost because of this acuse the mlp made.so we saw JPO crying tears of fear and my friends it really worked because he was elected from the two districts he contested. So was it fair to act like that and play with people minds and toughts.For me this was really discusting and i think that JPO should resine from the parlament .

j micallef

Mar 26th 2008, 16:44

Rather than having Dr Gonzi wasting any more of his time in flogging to death the Mistragate affair, I would now prefer the PM to show tangibly what measures he is taking to rein in and reform MEPA as he was perceived to have promised in the run-up to the elections. Mistragate is now coming out of our ears and noses, as the opposition media seem to have nothing else to talk about and fill its newspapers and other media. This is now boring us to death. Mistragate has already churned out its victims and it is almost inhumane now to carry on kicking culprits even when it is so apparent that they are already lying lifelessly on the ground writhing in agony. Do we have to crucify scapegoats before we satisfy our lust for blood? My plea to Dr Gonzi is to start reforming MEPA right now in a way that we can clearly see the results. Topmost amongst the reforms which I would like to see is to transform MEPA from the monster that was so strong with the weak for so many years , to a veritable shield and protector of the vulnerable against speculators and developers who have been riding roughshod on suffering citizens for countless years. One way that Dr Gonzi can show us he means business in all this, is to stop issueing permits to grubby money-makers who shatter the peace of so many settled apartment block dwellers on having other storeys added on top of their block. Let us see Dr Gonzi really using his strong pair of hands on these issues.

Anthony Mizzi

Mar 26th 2008, 15:42

Dr. Gonzi should have taken MEPA over already not only for the Mistra case for for other cases especially those passed forward in the week before Election by the quickly appointed new Mepa Board.

Iam getting the feeling that Dr. Gonzi's hands seem to be more TIED , than the firm hands promised to grab the MEPA bull by the horns.

No apologies , excuses or cover ups please

Joe Martinelli

Mar 26th 2008, 14:57

Vincent Camilleri, your questions will be answered in due time. I am not making any excuses for anyone, whether it is JPO or anyone else. If you are following my comments on various blogs that is fine but be fair about it. On more than one occasion I said that if there is any wrongdoing on anyone's part, he/she should pay the price.
If you are questioning the integrity of Dr. Gonzi you are barking at the wrong tree.
The Prime Minister will react to the complete investigation when it's over and not until then. Spinning every bit at every opportunity will not coax Dr. Gonzi to respond a minute earlier than when it is proper.
Yes, the MLP are simply stirring the pot to make you all forget that the 'Rebha zgur' (a certain win) turned into a 'telfa ohra' (another defeat).
With regards to your remark about the stink from this 'scandal' being worse than a cesspit, are you saying this from experience, your party having practiced cesspit politics for so long that their expertise has rubbed off on you?

Joe Vella

Mar 26th 2008, 08:48

Steven Attard, I totally disagree with your assertion that "The labour party's issues are their own business if you like," As long as the MLP is a political party that hopes to be in Government and govern the country, then I strongly suggest that it is in everybody's' interest as to what is going inside the MLP.

Joe Vella

Mar 26th 2008, 08:39

Joseph Aquilina, I do not believe that anyone is objecting to the MLP asking all the questions.

I think the sentiment now is to let the Police finish their investigation and not try the case in the public domain before the said investigation is finished and all there is to be is out in the public. .

Joe Galea

Mar 26th 2008, 08:26

To Amanda, the case you have been mentioning over and over again (are you a NET employee?) has been clarified before the elections. Your problem is that you would like to start a fire where there is no flammable material, because the latter is piled up under your dirty carpet.
A Borg Cardona's arrogance has no limits as he is ordering us to shut up. What have we become? Cuba or Zimbabwe? Hail the Government or succumb!!
One can see that we live in a sick society in which corruption and evil is hailed while honesty and truth are suppressed.
Besides JPO, Gozni has another proven incompetent preson in cabinet..the other Pullicino. Yes "flimkien kollox possibli"...to mess up a whole country.

Joe Galea

Mar 26th 2008, 08:12

Whatever the diehard blindfolded GonziPN apologists in here say, Gonzi should give us all an explanation. Yes it's in labour's duty to put pressure on this government which is (as usual) covered in sinister shadows and tinged in corruption cases. But some people are happy with a corrupt government as long as it is their party in it. they don't care about the well-being of the country, but care only about their party.
We have a serious risk of environmental threat in this country when apart from the Mistra scandal, 2500 ODZ projects were granted permission by MEPA (like the one of Safi Supermarket). Gonzi owes us a lot of explanations. The environment is of us all, not his and of his party.
Yes MLP should remain the pain in the neck of the GonziPN, one likes it or not. We don't want a dictatorial country like the GonziPN and its apologists want, where those who talk against the government should be succumbed.
MEPA is one of Gonzi's responsibilities now, he owes the country a lot. Apart from this he owes the country explanations like out-of-the-blues decisions like the PfP. What's next? ..perhaps some new taxes?

Christina Borg

Mar 26th 2008, 01:08

Here we go again … Labour Party trying to influence the outcome of an independent police investigation. Why not let the Police do their work without the Labour Party and its media interfering? Whose interests is the Labour Party trying to defend?

Less someone forgets, it was Prime Minister Gonzi who referred case to the Commissioner of Police for his investigation.

Andrew Borg-Cardona

Mar 26th 2008, 00:22

Just in case anyone misunderstood my facetious comment about having the elections all over again, I was just trying to point out that the MLP whiners should shut up about the so-called Mistragate as an excuse to hammer the Government. This does not mean, however, that if there was abuse, it should go unremarked. It just means that the MLP apologists should shut up about the way they lost the election.

Vincent Camilleri

Mar 26th 2008, 00:21

At the risk of being accused of arrogance may I pass a word of advice to Mr Joe Martinelli and Mr Gauci Cunningham who are working overtime trying to clean the new Nationalist government from the mess JPO's Mistragate has plunged it in. No matter how many arguments you bring about in favour of the fact that we have to wait for the conclusion of police enquiries into this fine and glorious mess, the facts emerged so far are the following.
1) JPO knew about the Mistra Spin Valley project since 2006
2) JPO claims to have told his Party the truth about this sordid affair
3) The Nationalist Party stood by JPO's position during the last few days of the election campaign to the extent of issuing him with the fastest press accreditation in Maltese history.

4) The questions here are very pertinent:
what truth did JPO reveal to the Nationalist Party, and
what are Mr Martinelli and Gauci Cunningham are proposing to Dr Lawrence Gonzi, who is ultimately responsible to the whole Maltese nation for a clear and definite solution to one of the worst scandals in Maltese political history? Please no more hiding behind police investigations. The facts emerged so far stink more than a cesspit

Amanda Mallia

Mar 25th 2008, 23:59

"Gonzi must detail what he knew about Mistra - MLP" - Maybe the MLP had better detail what was known about the two Labour ministers who initially failed to declare several thousands of Liri income.


Before the Labour diehards pounce on me once again, the general public has a right to know the (Labour ministers) details, especially since one of the men in question was - I believe - the Minister of Justice at the time.

Joe Martinelli

Mar 25th 2008, 23:13

Yes Paul, you are right. Let's start with tax evaders, late VAT payers, bribe takers, ex- ministers who gave away government land for peanuts, etc.etc. Dr. Gonzi, better apply for more EU funds. We will need to build a much bigger jail. Forget building a new MCAST, we will need the land behind the present prisons.

Frank Schembri

Mar 25th 2008, 23:00

In other countries with a strong democratic establishment, a similar incident would have resulted in resignations of the officials involved. Not so in Malta, why?
GonziPN, shame on you!

Paul Micallef

Mar 25th 2008, 21:49

Watergate was the cause of the downfall of the President of the United States. The people who started investigating the case had all the president's men interfering and obstructing justice. These two journalists won the Pulitzer prize for their courage to make the deceit of President Nixon's klikka known to the world.

It is time that people are held responsible here in Malta too.

Mistragate should give a lesson once and for all to all those who have been abusing their official positions with the Government for their own benefit.

Joe Martinelli

Mar 25th 2008, 21:04

The MLP said...the MLP said. The MLP said a lot of nonsense and ended up sitting in the Opposition - again.'
Dr. Gonzi owes no explanation, not to the MLP and not to anyone else until he receives or rather the Attorney General receives a comprehensive report from the Commissioner of Police. And if someone expects the PM to read the report in five minutes so as to keep the MLP happy, they have something else coming to them.
Those who are hysterically calling for heads to roll, better take a pill and start acting like adults. I am convinced that what has to be done, will be done - properly.
At least we do not have a government who makes under the table deals like former Labour governments. It is going to take another thirty years before we will all be pushing daisies and the Labour supporters then will try to re-write history in a desperate effore to erase its own past.. Out of respect for the dead, I shall not mention names.

E Bajada

Mar 25th 2008, 20:48

I think that Dr Gonzi is under the impression that we are all uneducated fools .Well i apologise we are not and we are still waiting for your answer to this farce as was promised by yourself prior to the election .

Albert gauci Cunningham

Mar 25th 2008, 20:25

So Mr.Joseph Camilleri is implying that zero tolerance is not being practised------
The PM called on joe falzon for a total MEPA investigation
The PM goes to the Commisioner so that he can conduct another investigation
---------and after the election-------
the PM rules out JPO from his cabinet
the PM gives a damning report from Joe falzon to the media as soon as he receives it
the PM will not speak before the Police investigation finishes in a few days
Dear Mr.Camilleri this IS Zero tolerance in action, this is transparency at the cost of losing support.........But Mr.Camilleri can't give two hoots about all this........ he wants to make hay while the sun shines......maybe when he wakes up tomorrow he would have forgotten that the MLP lost the last election because of a miserable campaign which turned a 15,000 majority in a 1,580 minority.............What can I say..........keep dreaming about fresh elections thats exactly what you've been doing for twenty whole years.....hoping for the Best!!!!!

Keith Grech

Mar 25th 2008, 18:37

Here goes another vote from the PN portfolio

Mario Sammut

Mar 25th 2008, 18:25

Dr. Mario Zammit,
We need to respect the people's intelligence, i.e. democracy. It is the people which elcts the governement and they can never be mistaken. However lets put a hypotesis: JPO lied to people and to Gonzi and apeared a heroe when confronting Sant.; people didn't know enough about the 2500 permits outside the ODZ; people are not conscious enough that the money squandered on big projects are being funded by their taxes; people were and are lied to. Perhaps not all people gulped everything but those 1500 were quite enought to elect the 'incumbent' government.

Joseph Borg

Mar 25th 2008, 18:10

Even Minister George Pullicino will give a clear explaination,about JPO's Mistra Scandal or reseign

marti saliba

Mar 25th 2008, 17:58

Hey mario.
The PN didn't win the elections, the MLP lost. There is a big difference between the two.Had there not been Alfred Sant as leader of the MLP we would have won by thousands of votes. I for one did not vote in protest over the MLP administration.So in actual fact you should not be praising Gonzi but thanking Sant.

M ZAMMIT

Mar 25th 2008, 17:55

what worries me most is not the JPO saga because something is being done about it but the nothing the MLP had in store to administer this country if they managed to win the elections

R Agius

Mar 25th 2008, 17:42

My oh my.....patience my friends...

A little like Bondi+ last night - what's the hurry? Lots of talk; little substance, much circumstance and more speculation.

It will all be revealed soon enough - one way or the other....be patient!

charlie Spiteri

Mar 25th 2008, 17:33

It is better for the MLP to concentrate of the 20 years in opposition and what were the real causes of such a shame. It is not worthwhile to attack people personally. This was proven in the last election. Mud slinging campaign which had no effect. I think MLP want to divert the attention on other issues instead of his internal leadership campaign. For sure, Dr. Gonzi is heading for a proper running of the MEPA. What he promised before the lection, he is doing it right at the beginning of his legislure.I trust more DR. Gonzi than a general secretary who says tha the won the election and then he point his finfer to his deputy leader. Hope to hear more from MLP>

R Spiteri

Mar 25th 2008, 17:21

Did really DrGonzi lead a party to an against all odds victory?????? Funnily enough (if it is funny after all), all the odds have been coming out right after the election.

I would like to share the same suggestion forwarded by A Borg Cardona ... and see the new election results!!!!!!!

Duncan Sant

Mar 25th 2008, 17:09

To A Borg Cardona et al: don't you think that the truth about this mishap is of public interest and in the public's interest? Don't you want your beloved PN to come out clean of this? Or do YOU want to divert the attention from the JPO - Mistra case to MLP problems so that this case is forgotten?

RENATO J. COSTIGAN

Mar 25th 2008, 17:08

Which part of the Labour Party is speaking? Those who are writing about their internal affairs in the newspapers? Are they trying to divert the attention of the maltese about their THIRD consecutive DEFEAT?

I think not. These are those same persons before the election. To point your finger see that you haven't got those three fingers pointed at you.

MLP the same party, the same old story nothing have changed and it seems that nothing is going to be changed.

My suggestion to the Prime Minister is to make another election before the opening of Parliament...HA HA HA HA HA

GonziMALTA continue to work for all the MALTESE and leave them trying to sort their own things and try to find the reason for their 3rd consecutive defeat.

One valid reason is already in this article.

Mark Stivala

Mar 25th 2008, 16:54

Yes Gonzi does owe us all an explanation. As things stand today, he should sack JPO from the party. If Gonzi himself knew, then i agree with IM Beck (see Andrew Borg Cardona below), lets go back to the ballot paper. And i dont say this with a sarcastic smirk on my face. I leave that to the experts of IMB's ilk.

V Farrugia

Mar 25th 2008, 16:54

When will the labour party restore order in its own house and let the Government do its job. Stop trying to put down this legitimate government. This is only sour grapes because the PN has a majority even if waferthin of 1500. And they have the sacrosant right to continue to govern and no cries for resignations or watergates will stop this government from taking the appropriate action at the right time. So all these labour wigs shall we stop it once and for all. Do your duty. Choose your leader and administration and lets get on the job.

Joseph Aquilina

Mar 25th 2008, 16:52

I am pro-PN and I do not believe that MLP is doing anything wrong for asking such questions. At the end of the day it is in the best interest for everyone, including PN, that all the true comes out which is why I am sure that both Dr.Gonzi and PN will answer such question when the right time comes – that is after the commissioner report is ready. This is what PN and Dr.Gonzi have always done - keep silent while investigation are being made – and what I am sure will also happen this time.

F Spiteri

Mar 25th 2008, 16:33

With regards to Mr Charles Camilleri's comment, I think that if he evaluates matters more constructilvely, he would not take long to realize that the party playing old games of diverting pubic attention from messes in currently PN.

PN's media is working hard at this and so, I do not blame him or other PN supporters who are trying to feel comforted with the "wait-for-police-investigation-to-end" procrastination strategy.

GonziPN asked us to judge his government by what it does rather than by what it says. What is Dr Gonzi doing to help us judge him for his actions, may I ask? Or maybe ... now that the election is over, is next election too far ahead to lose time worrying about PfP & Mistra's arrogance?

Mario Zammit

Mar 25th 2008, 16:25

Hey what is this? Is the MLP restoring back to its old tatics? Are they trying to divert the public's attention from the sorry state their party is in at the moment? Hands off Dr. Gonzi! Just remember that it has only been a forthnight that he has proved his worth by leading his party to an against all odds victory. Dr, Gonzi needs to explain nothing. On the contrary it is the MLP that should explaation to its supporters how after twenty years in opposition the party has once again been condemmed for another five years to the same fate!!!

G. Sammut

Mar 25th 2008, 16:21

Mr, Camilleri,

The MLP through official statements, newspaper columns, interviews and internet blogs have already declared that things need changing within the party structure, political campaigning and that a new political vision that encompasses a wider array of society needs to be implemented.

However, this does not exclude it from the duty to question the PN's stance on the Mistra case. Apart from not giving JPO a Ministry the PN has been quite moot about the whole saga. It is in the national interest and for the sake of accountability that all the facts should be publicly declared by all parties concerned.

If there is absolutely nothing to hide than they should go ahead and state all the facts. I hope they do this when the official reports/investigations by the Police Commissioner are concluded if they wish to be a responsible and clean Government which is duty-bound to inform its people.

joseph cassar

Mar 25th 2008, 16:19

Cannot understand why all this fuss about a permit that is still on paper and in a computer memory. Who is asking for resignations and throwing mud should first put his house in order especially regarding corruption accusations that are real with abundant proof.

Victoria Grech

Mar 25th 2008, 16:18

Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

Steven Attard

Mar 25th 2008, 16:10

Shame on you Charlie. Its even in your interest to know! The labour party's issues are their own business if you like, but the JPO mess concerns us all coz its got to do with alleged corruption at government level.

Andrew Borg-Cardona

Mar 25th 2008, 16:10

I know! Let's have the election all over again, shall we?

Joseph Camilleri

Mar 25th 2008, 16:04

The more the story unfolds, the more one gets the feeling that the perceived corruption surrounding MEPA , was in fact widespread. Suffice to read about conflicts of interest of consultants, high ranking government officials' involvement in permit granting, persistent telephone calls and text messages to ensure the sanctioning goes ahead, the shameless and blatant lies of interested parties....the list is really endless.

If any further proof was needed that such practices were deep rooted, this came directly from none other than the Prime Minister himself who, pre election, promised to assume responsibility for the MEPA reform. Can the reading be clearer that "the apple was rotten at the core" and that the PM knew full well about it?

The "zero tolerance on corruption" was a promise many of us yearned for. But it was not to be. Expect to get more of the same! The people had a choice, and "we" made it. Thus thats what we deserve!

Charles Camilleri

Mar 25th 2008, 15:53

i think that the labour party has enough trouble to sort out at their glass house than to bother about what Gonzi knows about the JPO case. they are again at their old game trying to divert pubic attention from their mess.