Mintoff endorses George Abela

A Abela

May 18th 2008, 23:33

George Abela is the right man, for the right job, at this moment in history.
Long live Dom Mintoff.

A Muscat

May 14th 2008, 16:04

@sue brincat
What has GA got to do with this? Who said we hate AS?

I criticise AS becasue he has not really resigned - still Leader of Oppositon- and he is interfering with :

1. report of analysis of why labour lost
2. leadership elections.

Ex leader should be ex-leaders. They should stop defending their legacy and let history judge. And that applies to Mintoff and george vella too.

martin portelli

May 14th 2008, 15:57

@ Sue Brincat

if you are refering to my last comment I think you have missed the wood for the trees. I am taking to task the people who actually saw to it that Alfred Sant did not become prime minister by failing to give him the right advice and by being politically naive. The ones that did not deliver on the tasks they were set.The ones whose arrogance cost us another election. The ones that willfully wasted the talents of Alfred Sant. A.Sant did resign however I would like to see a show of hands from those who honestly think they had nothing to do what so ever with the third electoral defeat. If there is ,as I suspect , a great reluctance for shouldering the blame than let us have the results of the commission's findings on why MLP lost last election today!

Sue Brincat

May 14th 2008, 13:29

why do you hate so much alfred sant? he resigned from his post and therefore, he´s no topic for discussion in this leadership race! is it so evident that the ones supporting george abela are the same people who hate so much sant!

let´s make it clear: hatred attracts neither floaters nor new voters. and if george abela is pleased with such people who vomit hatred against others, I have doubts he will ever be a good leader who can unite the party.

I am not writing to defend alfred sant or anyone else. I support none of the horses in this race but I´m disgusted by the comments posted by people who support george abela.

It´s disgusting!

martin portelli

May 13th 2008, 17:12

I assume by the phrase 'our people' you mean the Maltese translation equivalent ' in-nies taghna' ? Which nies taghna appointed you as their spoksperson? The ones that feel let down by those that insisted on driving a brilliant Alfred Sant into a cul de sac? The ones that were promised a sure victory in 2008? Or do you speak in the name of those who let Alfred Sant down miserably by not delivering ?The ones who are so conceited as to think there's no 'damned spot' that needs washing from their fair hands ? The ones that will insist on not publishing the report for the 3rd consecutive defeat prior to important decision making? In reality the ones that are happy in perpetual opposition? Don't patronise us please! Get it into your head that the times are a changing, you can't shout everyone down .

Keith Chircop

May 13th 2008, 14:18

No, Louis Fenech, in 1998 the delegates did not decide unanimously to go for an early election. They decided to DISCUSS whether to go for an early election or not. This, is the truth that the MLP is twisting.

Why GA wants to return after 10 years? Because Alfred Sant has resigned. I'm sure GA thought, like everyone else, that Sant wouldn't last long. But unfortunately for MLP he lasted an entire decade.

Louis Fenech

May 13th 2008, 08:30

@J.Buhagiar

If i remember well in 1998,it was not simply the leader who voted in favour of going for an early election! The leader (at that time) simply presented a motion and then the delegates voted in favour of it i.e. going for an early election!!!! That is the truth!!!

If george abela decided to resign at that time, it was his option. His decision left us at stake, dividing the party in the yes of the general public. It did no go at all (and I´m sure many agree).

If he decided to resign, why does he want to come back after a long 10 year holiday?

Just leave us alone George! Our people sesent you for what you did!!!

A Muscat

May 12th 2008, 16:20

@ J Buhagiar
Dont waste your time on Mr Louis Fenech. He does not need any advice. He knows it all. Unfortunately he is a sample of many in labour camp that have got so used to being in oppositon that the fear of change in becoming a true challenge to PN's overlong tenure in power scares them off. On the 5th of June he may be so happy that Labour will make sure of losing the next election! Viva the status quo!!

J.Buhagiar

May 12th 2008, 13:35

@Louis Fenech

Dear Louis, nothing in my writing ever tried to test/understand if you would go or when.
All I can say is that I agree with the information you gave without me asking.
The delegates do and choose. Quite correct.
You most definitely need no advice from me. I never tried either.
And like you said, you can go or stay whenever you decide.

I feel that this has nothing to do with what I said or asked.
What I said was; it’s easy to make statements about those that resigned.

What I asked was:
If you were to be Deputy Leader and your Leader simply starts doing what he wants and not what the Party/Company needs and does not even consult with you and leave you no option but to resign, or do what he says; What would you have done?

Would you have resigned?
And if you stayed, rather than resign, since as you understand it you would have abandoned the party/company: - what would you have done in the circumstances?

Louis fenech

May 12th 2008, 11:04

@J.Buhagiar

what counts is what the delegates do and choose!

You are repeating the same story over and over again yourself!

Whether I`ll go or stay, it`s my choice and I need no advice from you. Thanks anyway for being so kind!

I have already made it clear, I will go only if ever george abela is elected as labour leader. But things seem to convince me to stay a little longer..or forever! I`ll let you know about my definitive decision on June 5.

J.Buhagiar

May 11th 2008, 23:08

@Louis Fenech.

I was not going to ask but I will ask it anyway as long as you do not think that I wish to argue with you since you have every right to do what you want.

Its easy to repeat statements but not easy to justify them professionally.

We, that to some small or large degree vote according to circumstances, understand the resignation of all those that resigned with the MLP. As we understand it, and especially after Muscat kindly clarified, they had no option. We consider them to be professionals because they did what was right to prove what was wrong.

If what our friend Muscat clarified earlier on re; how it transpired that the MLP went for early snap elections is anything to go by; Dr. Sants practices and ways of making decisions, was not very professional was it? He did what he wanted apparently. He did not leave anyone any options.

To put it bluntly, if you do not like what I want to do, you know what to do. Go!

Look at Marlene Pullicino. It’s a virtue what she said - I was shocked in 81 and voted NP in 87, - not a weakness. Doing what is right is what earns people respect and credibility. And not withstanding the odds, she still continues to do what is right (what the Party needs) not what she wants today.

So if you were to be Deputy Leader and your Leader simply starts doing what he wants and not what the Party/Company needs and does not even consult with you and leave you no option but to resign, or do what he says;

What would you have done?
Would you have resigned?
And if you stayed, rather than go, since as you understand it, you would have abandoned the party/company, what would you have done in the circumstances?

Louis Fenech

May 10th 2008, 10:10

well....yesterday`s vote (EGC of the MLP) gave a clear indication that the delegates do not want george abela. and no wonder why!

I hope he is able to realise this and won`t continue to do anymore harm to the party!!!

Alfred Mifsud

May 9th 2008, 21:31

@Brian Grech
I do not attack anyone. As a regular columnist with left political leanings mostly in the english language press (not many of them around!) I criticse actions and ideas not individuals and never personally.

As I was forced to leave Labour on 1st Sept 2003 I cannot criticise internally. I am not even a member yet. The fact that I made public my endorsement of George Abela does not mean I am his abbatin. I support him whether he likes it or not,because I think, based on research, that he is the one who gives Labour the best prospect for winning the next election. It is as simple as that. No strings attached.

As with any other person GA has his pros and cons but he is our best hope to lead us where we have been finding it so difficult to get to.

So your question should have been: Why did you criticise externally in the past when you could do it internally?

My answer is that when I criticse externally it is only because I would have exhausted all efforts to change things internally. And I do not criticse ideas or policies. Even if I do not personally agree with a policy once the majority adopted it I either support or leave. I criticse when people use their power of incumbency to protect their personal interest at the expense of the party's interest. When this happens the incumbency makes sure that all doors of internal criticism are shut locked and bolted.

In 2003 I was disciplined for pointing out that electing an incumbent leader before the independent analysis report about the lost election for 2003 had even started defied all rules of logic. I warned that electing the same leader to promote new EU policies to which he had been diametrically opposed negated the party the necessary credibility to win the election. Do you think I did not do all I could to deliver this message internally before the froga was made? Do you think that those who were using their incumbency to protect their tenure would accept this logic? No my friend rather than see the logic they tried to muzzle to me on the pretext that my criticsm was damaging the party. So I left and I stopped ciriticising for 4 years. Do you think it makes me proud that Labour lost an election so that I can tell you I told so? Not at all but after all I told you so.

I love Labour and want to see it in government. I dont want anything and dont seek positions. I just want that those who seek positions do it because they really put labour first and foremost. Only then we can win elections. We can never match the resources of the PN so we have to make up for our shortfall of material resources with a big heart for the party.

Dont you think that it would have been easier for me in 2003 to accept what everybody else accepted and just let the party crash to a third electoral defeat? In my conscience I could not do it and I sacrified my political carreer in an attempt to save the party from disaster. It hurts but I don't regret it as I can sleep with a clean conscience.

Brian Grech

May 8th 2008, 13:27

I must admit, that although I don´t agree with Louis 100 per cent, I do believe that many people in the street are concerned about some of Louis´ questions as well.

As for myself, for instance, I really wish to know also if george abela voted PN in 2008, because if he did so, I don´t think that it would be appropriate to have a leader who contributed to the MLP's defeat.

However, I would have preferred if such a debate would not be so open because if we seem to be so much divided, no leader, and whoever it might be, would ever lead the party to a victory. A divided party never wins.

As to Alfred Mifsud, by attacking or criticising individuals in public, nothing would be achieved. On the contrary, it creates more enemies. I believe, that if people here mean any good to our party, such criticism should be done inside the party instead.

One should not forget that this is the beginning of the race! The actual race is, and should be, the one which should lead us to a victory. But I stress again, if any leader would tolerate people around him who criticises so open any individual, is not a real leader. A leader is a person who is able to bring everyone on board. So dear, alfred mifsud, if you are supporting george abela, there´s no harm in that, but your attitude is doing, or will do no good for him if ever he´s elected as labour leader. Be more constructive in your articles. There´s no need to attack anyone.

J.Buhagiar

May 8th 2008, 11:35

@ A Muscat.

I wish to thank you for clarifying what I had asked. I believe that Dr. Sant is a Harvard Graduate. So what you say about his method of managing an operation and management struck me the most since I never would have never dreamed that Dr. Sant used to proceed like so, have done some studies with Harvard myself.

This changes everything. If this is like you say it is, than this is the core of the problem of why so many good people that were most definitely an important asset to MLP, resigned.

I feel that MLP key people should try to seek to put a process in place that brings out the best leader for the party. Its not easy since there are so many elements and so many that stand to gain. On the other hand all will loose of this is not done right.

The MLP came out with a campaign that was excellent and probably better than that of the NP. The core of the problem was credibility. And this is what you need to address.

I thank you once more for your time.

martin portelli

May 8th 2008, 10:31

Essentially Louis Fenech is enamoured of the culture of patronage like the great majority of the electorate (as evident in the last election. Hats off to PN for preserving that most Maltese of traditions) . Nothing out of the ordinary you could say, after all it is a Mediterranean culture where fragmentation is the order of the day and the lawyer, the doctor and the accountant/marketing strategist/dentist rule ok (the chemist has fallen by the wayside in village politics). Surely, you can see the merit in having the members of the administration and ex leaders attempt a semblance of neutrality? Is there such a lack of faith in those that have or will have the power to vote? It seems the patriarchal model is still strong. Do we really need patrons & patriarchs to guide us in our choices? Have we not yet come of age ?
Re the rights of patrons and patriarchs: no one contests their right to vote for their favourite choice, its imposing that choice that is debatable.

Alfred Mifsud

May 7th 2008, 23:23

@Adrian Borg
I think I replied in plain and simple English. Of course members of the administration have a right to have their preferences. In fact they are delgates with a vote at the General Conference.

However the administartion has to be and to appear neutral in this contest so members of the administration should not openly support or lobby for any particular candidate, Same applies in my opinion, probably with more force, to ex-leaders and ex-deputy leaders.

It would be unfair on the party and on the elected leader that he/she be perceived as having been elected by the power of incumbency of any ex-leader or of the adminsitration. The leader has to be elected by the free choice of the candidates/members and has to be loyal to the party members and social democratic principles.

N.Sciberras

May 7th 2008, 22:41

@ Alfred Mifsud
Dear Mr Mifsud.......You know well enough......Common sense is not so common after all !!!

@Louis Fenech
Dear Mr Fenech......Are you intending to keep on repeating the same things for another 4 weeks?........Please, give us a break !!!

Adrian Borg

May 7th 2008, 21:54

@Alfred Mifsud

I don`t want to get involved in this row between you and Louis fenech but I am also curious about whether you have approached any members of the administration not to support anyone. Is it true or not? I see nothing wrong if members of the party administration can support their own favourite also like everyone else.

Alfred Mifsud

May 7th 2008, 20:18

@Louis fenech I am afraid you lose me. I have the right to endorse the candidate I prefer to lead Labour and you have the same right. I have a right to lobby and try to influence others as much as you do. Your question was whether I believe that members of the party administration have the same right. And I said no because they have the power of incumbency and they should at least appear to be neutral in this contest. Common sense I think. Why so simple things should be made to appear so complicated I don't understand.

Louis fenech

May 7th 2008, 11:23

@David Muscat

yes it is true. so he did against JM. and so he did again people who did show him their support during his meetings with local committes. If he really means to unite our party, then I hope that we all agree that this behaviour should stop immediately.

@Alfred Mifsud
I ask you to think again about whom you have approached directly not to influence any delegate who is entited to vote for our next leader. It is not appropriate to mention third persons here in this blog, but we will definately meet soon and I will remind you personally. Everyone is entitled to have his own choice and democracy (as long as I understand well) does not restrain anyone to express his opinion.

No matter who will be elected, there will be a change. There has to be a change! But if we have to look forward, we need a new change! We need a ´new barrel´ as george abela himself said. But he´s definately not a ´new barrel´. He´s also associated with the past. And please don´t mention again that he was party of the victory team in 1996! Things have changed so much since then and besides, no leader alone, or any trio alone can lead to a succcess. It takes a whole team to win. It takes a leader who can bring everyone together. But unfortunately George Abela caused deep wounds already and no miracle can heal that. It´s a pity, but it´s the truth. And if we want to be realistic, we have to admit this. Go to the party clubs or in local cafes and listen to the people out there! I´m really astonished how goerge abela is pushing so hard to open the vote for all members! I really doubt if that would benefit him more rather than if he uses his energy to win back the trust of the delegates (only 900 persons)

David Gatt

May 7th 2008, 01:51

A Muscat

Unfortunately you seem to be misinformed completely. If you only check GA's own website you'll hear him and see him talk against MF. Indirectly of course, as he always does. But its very easy to understand, so I'm gonna stick to my opinion cause its good.

Alfred Mifsud

May 6th 2008, 20:14

@Louis Fenech
Apology accepted.

Regarding your question whether I contacted (personally) members of the party administration and asked them not to support any of the candidates in the race believe me I don't know exactly who the members of the administartion are but I remember having discussions on the lines you indicate with Dr George Vella who I believe is not a member of the administartion.

Be as it may I have no problem in expressing my views that members of the administartion, who have considerable power of incumbency, should appear as neutral as possible in this race and keep their preferences to themselves. Same applies for ex-Leaders and ex-Deputy leaders as they also carry substabtial power of incumbency ( see my articel in TMIS of last Sunday) . For example I would have much preferred that Michael Falzon resigned his post once he is contesting for leadership.

Foir the party it is important that whoever is elected owes it to delegates/members who voted him not to the administration that supported him, as the administration may have vested interest to resist change. An elected leader with moral obligations towards a 'godfather' who may restrict the leader's freedom to instil change is not what Labour needs. And that applies to Mintoff as much as to Vella or Sant.

Hope that I satisfied your curiousity.

Louis Fenech

May 6th 2008, 17:07

@A Mifsud

I get you point. And believe me I appreciated and I did not exclude that option. I also send an email to all other candidates by mail, asking them questions, and none of the others hesitated to reply to me by writing? So why does george abela only? I also asked to meet them personally and when I´ll have the opportunity to do so, I will ask to meet george abela too. I just want to hear all of them, no exception!

@Keith Chircop

that was very kind of you, but your answers (which you chose to formulate them in questions) mean nothing to me and many others, given that, with all respect, you are not a candidate in this race. And I hope that I´not considered by you as being offensive, as others chose to describe me!

Also, during his meeting with the local committee of Zabbar yesterday, Dr George Abela said that he would continue to work in the party (if he would not be elected) depending on who will be elected. It means that he´s contradicting himself when he´s saying in public that he will continue to work within the party no matter what.

I mean no harm to george abela personally, but the george abela ´the politician´ has a lot to explain and clarify if he needs people (even the staunch labour supporters) to give him their support

A Muscat

May 6th 2008, 13:22

@Louis Fenech
If GA invited to meet you directly to discuss your questions face to face what are you complaining about? I don't blame anyone who refuses to correspond via emails or blogs with someone who does not even necessarily exist and could be just using a pseudo. Good intentions my friend are so important and you can judge a person's good intentions when meeting him face to face.

And I have been following this exchange and I assure you that your writings are replete with unproven assertions. You probably don't even realise it as it comes natural to you but in the end nothing changes the fact that assertion is no proof.

@J Buhagiar
You seem an objective and experienced person and you ask out of Louis fenech some questions which he just cannot have the answer for. From the minutes of the 1998 executive meeting now leaked to the press it is clear that there was no material discussion on the crux of going for early election but that the matter was referred for discussion at general conference level.

It is very strange that Sant seemed to have a very formal type of adminsitration where informal discussions were not giving their proper weight in the process of removing conflict and searching for compromise. How on earth could one explain keeping on with endless burning parliamentary sessions where Mintoff was allowed some 12 hours of soliloques rather than adjourn parliament and seek a quiet internal compromise behind the scenes? How is it possible to imagaine that on such issue of going to the General conference with a resolution for seeking early elections there seem to have been no informal discussion within the leadership trio to ensure they had consensus before even bringing the matter to the executive? Clearly Sant was incredibly intelligent but had no idea of how to lead to band club let alone a political party where informal discussions and consensus building are the order of the day and formality is just the stamp on a long process of informal consultations.

Small wonder that Sant lost three consecutive elections!

Keith Chircop

May 6th 2008, 13:12

@ Louis Fenech. You asked GA these questions:

2) You appeal for unity but at the same time, you're firing your guns at other candidates in this race.? Is this a new definition of ´unity´ found in an unnoticed dictionary?

==> What you mean by "firing your guns at other candidates" ? Has GA attacked them?

3) You pledged to remove any existing faction within the party. But how come you're creating one of your own including people who, like you, left our party such as Dom Mintoff, Alfred Mifsud and Domenic Fenech?

==> How would such a "faction" OUTSIDE effect the party if GA were elected leader?

4) You declared that you suffered on seeing the party being defeated but at the same time, it remains a question of how you voted in 2003? If you were pro-EU, did you vote PN so Malta could join the EU ´in the interest of our country´ as you said?

==> Should we put a man down if he puts "the interest of our country" first? Does that make him a traitor?

6) How can you attract floaters and new voters when your own hard-core seems to resent you already?

==> Staunch MLP supporters will vote for MLP no matter what. To win the 2013 elections, MLP needs someone to attract floaters and new voters. So what then, if floaters and new voters like GA more than staunch Labourites do?

7) How do you want people to believe that you can transform the party into a winning team when you had 10 years chance to do so but decided, instead, to leave your fellow supporters at stake?

==> How could ANYONE within MLP have transformed the party into a winning team with Alfred Sant at the helm?

Louis Fenech

May 6th 2008, 09:27

@Alfred Mifsud

first of all I apologise if I was mistakenly misinterpreted of being insulting. Believe me, that is not my intention. On the contrary, everyone should know the whole truth! And my writings are not, as you indicated, full of assertions.

That´s why I ask you again: Is it true that you even contacted (personally) members of the party administration and asked them not to support any of the candidates in the race?

@ the rest

I wonder why george abela keeps choosing to ignore to reply to my questions in writing! I´m not seeking an answer to my questions from any of his supporters, but from him personally. When I wrote to him personally, he invited me to meet and talk rather that replying to my email with answers. Why? So many others are concerned about the same truth!

Alfred Mifsud

May 5th 2008, 19:57

@Louis Fenech
Prosit you are getting better. You see, you can make your point without insulting!

I merely answer the points where you mentioned me personally and only in so far as I am concerned.

5. You state " How come you're associating yourself with the past, and above all, with people such as ....Alfred Mifsud....."

Without fail the five contestants agree on one thing i.e. that they have to attract back to the party those who were alienated. So why do you blame GA only? You can just as well blame all five.

8. You state: "However, both you and Mifsud seem to have one thing in common. Both appeared to make obstacles to Sant´s leadership through criticism on newspapers at the cost of the party itself. "

Your facts are wrong. GA never wrote any criticism of the party for the whole of 10 years he was alienated. As for myself I only criticised Sant after his re-election in 2003 when it was clear for whoever wanted to see that Sant's leadership in post EU era would deprive the party of credibility for its newly adapted policy and was compromising Labour's chances to win the next election. Unfortunately I was proved right. This was so clear to all that Labour is probably the only party in the world that did not put up pictures of its leader on billboards in an election campaign. That Sant was a liability was a well-known fact.

My loyalty to the party forced me to speak up to avoid disaster whilst many others like yourself just sat pretty awaiting the disaster to happen.

The Board of Discipline who tried to muzzle me could not quote a line or phrase where I was not saying the sacred truth. Events showed that it was not me who caused damage to the party but those who to protect their seat compromised the party's interest.

To the party I always gave and never took or asked for anything. Not many among those seeking election to leadership can make such claim.

J. Buhagiar

May 5th 2008, 16:00

@ Louis Fenech

You have raised a very important issue.

You said that Dr. Abela continued to deny having been one amongst those who approved the motion calling on the party to go for early elections in 1998 despite that people present during the same meeting have proved otherwise, and the minutes of that meeting have been published on a local printed newspaper!
Next, within 24 hours of this meeting Dr. Abela resigned.

I am just a floating voter and I wish to ask you a very important question. Before I do, I wish to prepare the environment by explaining myself better.

I, myself, have been in many meetings, and all is not as easy sometimes.
It was not the first time that although I was not in favor of the strategy being proposed to get there (I was in fact against,) and I clarified why I was against too; I was overruled by the majority. But it was not important and so I stayed.

But one day it was about a major serious issue. I was against what the CEO proposed. I was against how most members tended to go along with this too. Although I was against the strategy and the road proposed to resolve this, I was overruled and the motion was approved and documented to be implemented.

Immediately after - if I stay on the board, I would have effectively been part of that act.
Staying but Flip-flopping - making all aware that I was not part of that is not an option any professional would consider. I also did not want to create any unrest to the CEO either – I had already disagreed with his many, other past decisions and stayed.

So I resigned within the next day. This way, although it can be said that I was part of that motion – I most definitely disassociated myself from that decesion and its future consequences be this fame or blame.

My question is:

Was Dr. Abela’s input during that meeting, in favor of going for early elections?
Or
Was Dr. Abela against going for early elections since chances are that the Party would loose?

I would appreciate if you could clarify this for all of us readers.

martin portelli

May 5th 2008, 15:12

@ MR. Louis Fenech
RE
"How can you attract floaters and new voters when your own hard-core seems to resent you already?"

On which scientific poll did you base this assertion ? Did you use the same method that cost us the election again? Pray do tell as to who makes up this mythical hardcore? Is it a very small knot of well insured demigods who find it very hard to look at their own reflection in the mirror of truth?
I suppose your version of unity is assuming that you can't voice dissent? If anything can be said to be a defining difference between MLP and PN is the issue of voicing intra party dissent. So you really want to emulate Gonzi PN. Not within the spirit of egalitarianism we purport to believe in no?
RE Vision and association with the past
.You really believe that verse 1, chapter 1 of the worker's movement history was written in in 1992, and goes something like this
"in the beginning it was George Vella's word , and George Vella saw that it was good, so please shut up and accept the annointed lamb which may be led to the slaughter if WE so desire ( When will he rest I wonder?)
How did you honestly expect George Abela to transform the party into a winning team ( needless to say from outside the glass fortress)when he was competing against the talented vision of those who kept insisting on wasting the talents of Alfred Sant .
Gosh man , you are still labouring under the misapprehension that it was G.Abela ,Alfred Mifsud , Domnic Fenech and Lino Spiteri etc etc that harmed the party's chances of re-election ( could'nt have been Mintoff we really squashed him in ’98 yes!!)
. Some faith you had in the party's administration and leadership! Were we so short on vision and talent? Was there no one to replace them ?
Can't you see that it was the uncompromising stand against EU membership that really harmed the party. Is it just a question of the truth being too painful to digest? It is positive that we now have the opportunity to discuss the issue . Why are you so afraid of a little criticism?
Somebody should have the courage to acknowledge publicly what we all know. This will definitely help the healing process. This is what the Labour party always stood for, it is the party that was never afraid of the hard questions and decisions. Lets get it out of our system and move on.

Louis Fenech

May 5th 2008, 13:02

An open letter to George Abela

Many questions still need to be answered by George Abela himself. He's the candidate in the Labour leadership's race who has been most in the limelight! So, I thought it´s best to ask George Abela directly to answer to these questions!

1) You continue to deny having been one amongst those who approved the motion calling on the party to go for early elections in 1998 despite that people present during the same meeting have proved otherwise, and the minutes of that meeting have been published on a local printed newspaper! Why did you surprise all the party within 24 hours of this meeting and declared your intentions to leave and wreck the party during the following extraordinary general meeting?
2) You appeal for unity but at the same time, you're firing your guns at other candidates in this race.? Is this a new definition of ´unity´ found in an unnoticed dictionary?
3) You pledged to remove any existing faction within the party. But how come you're creating one of your own including people who, like you, left our party such as Dom Mintoff, Alfred Mifsud and Domenic Fenech?
4) You declared that you suffered on seeing the party being defeated but at the same time, it remains a question of how you voted in 2003? If you were pro-EU, did you vote PN so Malta could join the EU ´in the interest of our country´ as you said?
5) You want to give the Labour party a new vision. How come you're associating yourself with the past, and above all, with people such as Dom Mintoff, Alfred Mifsud and Domenic Fenech ? `New wine cannot be made in old barrels` you said. Are you a ´new barrel´?
6) How can you attract floaters and new voters when your own hard-core seems to resent you already?
7) How do you want people to believe that you can transform the party into a winning team when you had 10 years chance to do so but decided, instead, to leave your fellow supporters at stake?
8) The memo sent to Alfred Sant in 1998 revealed that you were not Alfred Mifsud´s favourite. However, both you and Mifsud seem to have one thing in common. Both appeared to make obstacles to Sant´s leadership through criticism on newspapers at the cost of the party itself.

Maybe its best to give George Abela enough time to think and reply, keeping in mind (and for sure) that he reads these blogs! Many ears are wide open and eager to hear his version! I already wrote to him personally but he always refused to answer me in writing. He prefers to meet and talk! Why not reply in writing to be able to reach a wider audience and clear doubts from many other people's minds! Let's wait and see.

A Muscat

May 5th 2008, 08:49

@david Gatt
Let me illuminate you that your facts are wrong.
1.AS had NOT denied GA's claim that informal disucssion were held in 1997 between them including Lino Spiteri and John Attard Montaldo with a view to change of strategy regarding freezing of application for EU membership
2. GV denied that he was involved in any such meetings. GA never said George Vella was involved so George Vella is denying what GA has not said!!
3.Mangion denied that any member of the administration offered presdiency to GA if he withdraws his candidature. Again this is denyong what GA has not said. GA said that an influential person within MLP made such offer not that it was offered by a member of the administration. There are many influential persons who are not part of the MLP administration
4. GA never accused MF of anything. All he said was that MF was also against early elections in 1998.

So your judgement is based on wrong facts. get your facts right and then form whatever opinion you want,

..

Alfred \Mifsud

May 4th 2008, 21:48

@Louis Fenech
Unlike you I can argue without insulting. As to my credibility who are you to judge? Your assertions are no proof and your writings are full of assertions.

And no I do not 'instruct' anybody what to do. This is a free country. I express opinions and back them with arguments and research not with assertions and platitudes. And when circumstances change I show consistency and change my opinion. And when time proves me wrong I admit being wrong, learn change opinion and move on.

I tolerate being called funny because that's an opinion but being called opportunist is a matter of fact assertion which unless proven is libellous.

Louis Fenech

May 4th 2008, 20:46

@Alfred Mifsud

you are funny! you want to sue others for libes but you can say whatever you like! when the party` disciple board gave you an order to stop doing more harm to the party, you chose to ignore everyone and sought other ways how to continue to say what you want!

you are funny! you can support anyone you like but you are so critical of anyone who does not support your horse! Is it true that you even contacted (personally) members of the party administration and instructed them not to support any of the candidates in the race? I`m just asking (I`m carefull cause you might even want to sue me now )

Many people and `black on white` published documents are proving your credibility wrong!

Alfred Mifsud

May 4th 2008, 19:54

@David Gatt
You called me an opportunist. The dictionary defines opportunist as 'somebody who takes advantage of something, especially somebody who does so in a devious, unscrupulous, or unprincipled way'.

I challenge you to sustain your claim or have the courage to send me your details so that I sue you for libel. I have suffered for standing up to my principles and I am not asking or seeking any position.

Unlike many who being wise after the event I was carageous enough to stand up to my opinion that Alfred Sant re-election as leader following the adoption of pro- EU policies in 2003 prejudiced labour chances for winning the 2008 election. Does that make me an opportunist?
.

A. Muscat

May 3rd 2008, 21:09

@J.Buhagiar

well, it might be true that you re not a die hard but you are definately a `die hard` of george Abela.

Well, let me set things straight....I am still hurt for what dr abela did to us in 1998 and you will not heal my wounds by your partisan words. I really wish that we members can vote cause I will definitely not vote for george Abela..and will also encourage others to remember the events of 1998 like I do.

And by the way, which experience do we have of goerge abela within our party? HE LEFT US SUPPORTERS IN A STORM? ABANDONED US WHEN WE MOST NEEDED HIS GUIDE, when he was our deputy leader. No way I can trust him one more time...and as a leader, no way!!!

NO! I `m totally against george abela as labour leader..and many others are also!! whether you like it or not, you will not deleate our memories.

David Gatt

May 3rd 2008, 17:38

A Muscat

Let me illuminate you with GA's allegations:

1. Against Alfred Sant when he said AS was in favour of joining the EU in 1997. AS denied and GA didn't prove his point.
2. Same story, against George Vella when he said GV was in favour of joining the EU in 1997. GV denied and GA didn't prove his point.
3. Against a 'top party official' who he said had asked him not to contest the leadership race. Charles Mangion as acting leader denied this story, and once again GA failed to reply with proof.

He also accused Michael Falzon of not doing anything to stop the 1998 election in 1998 during his first public debate. I don't know if I need to say more, but these facts all happened during the last 50 days!

Even more strangely is the fact that GA is finding allies in people like Dom Mintoff and Alfred Mifsud. What could this mean? Surely it doesn't show that GA is the man to unite Labour today! He's just making friends with people who left the party like him. These are not people who wish Labour well. They are just opportunists!

J.Buhagiar:

You say JM is inexperienced. Surely your comment is solely based on the fact that JM is 34 years old. Cause not even GA is experienced in parliament. And sorry, I'd rather have an unexperienced but dynamic and loyal individual as leader, then an experienced person who will create further dis-unity. If PN were to follw your experience advice than they might as well have elected Ninu Zammit or Louis Galea as their leader. Clearly both were far more experienced than Gonzi.

And don't make such a fuss about Gonzi being such a great leader. After all we all know that Gonzi is not of the calibre of his former PN leader. He won the election not because of his ability, but cause of MLP's failure to be properly organised. JM will more than be a match to GonziPN.

J.Buhagiar

May 3rd 2008, 15:32

@ A. Muscat @ Sammy Azzopardi @David Gatt @Mario Grech etc.

Mr. A. Muscat, let me tell you at the outset. I can assure you that I am not a die hardof either party. Never was never will be. All I stand to gain is a MLP leader that one-can-depend-on.

Dependability arises out of a Consistent, Professional, Respected approach of the majority. Fortunately I see that Dr. Abela has via his proven consistent professional approach to all matters that arose in the past, EARNED my respect and that of many MLP and NP supporters too. Strength: These are the people you need to attract. Die hearts have no say in elections. Why: When Dr. Abela could no longer support Dr. Sant’s strategy (not MLP strategy) (Dr. Abela was never disloyal to the party itself) as if this were his own, he resigned. So before you reply to my writing, all I ask is that your read the following;

1 – Read my input that I wrote earlier down below about Dr. Abela’s resignation. All of you ignored it! Your interpretation – he abandoned us - is absolutely unprofessional and incorrect. You are doing the MLP a dis-service + failing to understand Dr. Abela’s professional approach is worrying!

2 – And unprofessional approach and knowledge is also leading you to think that being young, energy, new ideas, etc are the attributes required for a good leader. By contrast you dismiss a mature lawyer with a proven track professional record and the EXPERIENCE required that will stand to his/your advantage not to fall into the pitfalls of the opposition as has happened before.

So read this for starters! I would rather you read all this document – it helps to understand that like attitude, strategy and experience changes everything.

Financed from the AGIS Programme - European Commission - Directorate-General, Justice, Freedom And Security.
Title - Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl (Daritama) by
REV. DR. MARK F. MONTEBELLO O.P., S.TH.B. & L., PH.LIC. & D., MSC. (CRIM. JUST.) UNIVERSITY OF MALTA.

"While Mintoff was in power frantically transforming backward Malta into a significant, modern and industrialised country, he was ferociously opposed on all fronts by the defenders of the status quo.
This gave the new PN leadership, headed by Edward Fenech Adami, a convenient excuse to whip up an odium that brought about terrifying consequences.
The two opposing sides had, by now, settled into their trenches, but the war tactics of Fenech Adami were tinged with a malevolence that made their opponents play in their hands. These tactics included the ploy of playing the victim while callously provoking bloodshed; and the socialists were inconsiderate enough to fall headlong for the trick.”

A Muscat

May 3rd 2008, 10:34

@D Micallef

why is just george abela coming out with all such allegations and fairy tales? why the other candidates are just promoting themselves, rather than coming up with such funny stories? he`s the odd one out!! and do you expect us to believe him?

I followed what george abela has been saying since he declared that he s running for the post of labour leader, and most of the time, he`s just defending himself from the past, which seems not to have been forgotten by the majority. He`s attacking other candidates in the race. And he`s also coming up with such fairy tales to attract sympathy!! come on!! should we expect this from a man usually described by some as `intelligent` ?

george abela is doing nothing than dividing us! and I wonder why the PN are supporting george abela!

D. Micallef

May 3rd 2008, 08:05

@ A Muscat
what do you expect? he alleged that he was offered to be nominated as president. all G. Abela has been doing these last weeks was accuse the Labour Party of this and that, and you expect that nobody answers such allegations?

Sammy Azzopardi

May 2nd 2008, 19:34

@A Muscat

`Compare the leadership record of GA` He left the party at stake in 1998 despite being the deputy leader for party affairs, i.e. he did not fulfill his full responisbility!! and would you expect us to believe that he would be a good leader? That`s pasrt of his ecord too....and we cannot simple forget history as if nothing ever happened.

so why doesn`t george abela, being 60 yrs old, think about retiring rather than continuing to cause such a divide between us labour supporters....

A Muscat

May 2nd 2008, 17:46

@David Gatt
What insinuations has GA made about anyone? We have a very funny situation. Twice now it has happenend. Labour seniors come out to deny something that GA has not said. Is it not obvious that the party machinery is all out to create obstacles for GA and in the process help JM?

Question is : Does Labour want to win he next election. JM would one day be a fine leader but so far he is totally inexperienced to overcome Gonzi. What leadership record has JM got? He got elected to MEP as he had the whole party machine working for him among the Labourites. Winning the election needs votes beyond the basic Labour pool.

Being an MEP does not require much leadership skills. Really MEP's don't decide much especially on an individual basis. How many MEP's have become prime ministers? Normally Prime Ministers when they do their share of local politics then proceed to finish off in Europe.

And given the power of incumbency that leaders immediately gain does it not worry anyone to elect someone so young with a prospect of remaining leader for some 40 years!!

Compare the leadership record of GA. He turned the MFA from an amateur to a professional organsiation. And since he left labour has not won a single general election. On the contrary when he was in the leadership Labour turned a 13000 deficit into an 8000 surplus!!

Common sense please not just emotions and platitudes!!

David Gatt

May 2nd 2008, 12:40

Marco Brincat - can't you realize? We dont want a GonziPN leading Labour. GA is a valid individual, but not at the helm of Labour, surely! During the last weeks he's been quarreling and making allegations about everyone. How do you expect such a person to unite Labour in this hard moment?

JM, he's the future of Labour and maltese success.

Marco Brincat

Apr 30th 2008, 17:11

@ D. Micallef
I agree with your statement. Alfred Sant as opposition leader in parliament is unacceptable.

The problem is not Alfred Sant (I mean the person). The problem is the MENTALITY - something that seems to be so difficult for you to understand.

I just cannot understand why many Labourites do not realize they can have a very good leader like George Abela and will instead shout with joy when Joseph Muscat (at 34 years of age) is elected as 99% will happen.

Being 60 years old (I'm refering to George Abela) doesn't mean you are stupid. His ideas are very intelligent and he will re-unite the party with all the (nowadays called old-fashioned, traitors, stupids) like Mintoff etc.

People didn't vote MLP not because Sant doesn't have the needed charisma. They didn't vote MLP because the party is still miles away from the PN.
The more MLP is like PN, the more the chances of winning the trust of floaters. But it's a pity you don't want to be like PN and therefore reject all the positive things implimented in the last years.

MLP still blame their defeat to the independent media (and blame Bondi and Peppi); still blame government's power to approve MEPA permits; still blame the fact that many pro-Nationalists were allowed to vote even though they now live abroad, still blame the government of lying and promising heaven on earth...
STOP all this and START reasoning.

Only George Abela can lead the MLP to regain credibility.
At the end of the day: TODAY (after more than 20 years in power) Nationalists are still more trusted than MLP. For MLP this should be worrying!

martin portelli

Apr 30th 2008, 15:04

I see that the way forward for labour is lumbered with myopic strategy and puerile sophistry. I find it interesting that this commentary has degenerated into a Muscat vs ABELA contest. Has it all been decided by omnipotent patriarchs who know better than us poor red/pink sheep with regards choice? So the rationale would be to cut the campaign to size and simply pit the anointed against the false messiah (to the strain of Handel's 'all we like sheep ‘). Is it a question of eschewing egalitarianism for the sake of a predetermined choice? What is the strategy exactly? I have nothing against the arrogance of youth provided it contributes towards a positive creative process. God knows that this country's greatest limitation is the near absence of an audible creative pulse. However, I much resent having autocrats reeking of Hubris impose a choice on me. So why don't we truly have a fair contest. Do bear in mind that how a party's leader is chosen provides a comment on that party's philosophical disposition and on, the distribution of power within it, while the operation of the process helps to shape public perceptions of the party.

How will you reconcile a fourth electoral defeat? Whom will you blame next time around? The cogs that survived the earthquake?

NB any surprises in store for 1st May celebrations?

D. Micallef

Apr 30th 2008, 14:22

Yesterday on Dissett, George Abela was asked again about his position in parliament. He is still undecided whether he wants to go into parliament immediately or lead the party from outside for a while. After 3 consecutive defeats, we want stability. What will happen? Alfred Sant will remain as the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament? unacceptable!

Marisa Ellul

Apr 30th 2008, 13:38

@ N.Sciberras

how was he convincing on Dissett? by defending himself all the time and throwing stones on others? George Abela is not credible in what he says anymore ( especially on the issue of 1998) so why does he persist?

Mario Grech

Apr 30th 2008, 11:35

well, it is not fair and not right to say Joseph =sant. If we have to compare we can also say George = Mintoff or = Alfred Mifsud, or = Domenic Fenech or = Lino Spiteri....all have abandoned the party when the party needed them most.

But let's be more realistic and constructive....it´s disgusting here.. if this is, or will be the labour party of today and tomorrow, then this is not the right party for me!!

and by the way, to all those who are supporting George Abela on this blog...you are doing no good at all to him by engaging yourself in this hatred and disgusting way of defending him. so please..at least be or pretend to be more convincing if you want people like me - who have no strings to any candidate - to support your horse!!!!

D. Micallef

Apr 30th 2008, 03:53

I'd like to see a Labour Party which differs from the Nationalist Party. i'd like to see a progressive political force which ensures that our society moves forward at the pace of our European counterparts. To do this we need a fresh dynamic leader at the helm of the Labour Party.

Joseph Muscat = Alfred Sant? with all respect to Dr. Sant, but if these 2 were identical, Muscat would not have committed himself to a radical change (terremot) within the Labour Party if elected as leader.

N.Sciberras

Apr 29th 2008, 23:02

Just watched George Abela on Dissett......YES, I am convinced.....he is surely my preferred candidate for the leadership bid.......Ruling him out coz of his age is pure nonsense.

M. Bugeja

Apr 29th 2008, 22:22

I'm not quite sure how one could argue so fervently that Dr. Muscat is a replica of Alfred Sant. I don't quite see it that way. For one, there is the difference of charisma and appeal. I know those who are sceptical of Muscat will argue that he speaks in an 'arrogant' manner. I don't see it that way. Just because someone has confidence in his vision, and has a clear agenda in his mind, shouldn't translate to arrogance. That's a word usually reserved for those who act in their own interest, or act in a way which displays a sentiment that the person feels they are better than others. Have we seen this from JM? In my opinion, no.

But to say that George Abela is far better than JM is a matter of opinion. Personally, I don't see how a person who left a party can re-enter at this stage, saying that they only left because they disagreed with certain policies. Any sly political strategist would use this in a future election, saying that if George Abela jumped ship on Labour in the past, his own party, can he be trusted with the reins of government, since this entails far more responsibility?

George Abela is not a mediocre candidate, far from it. But unfortunately, if Labour is to change its outlook, it has to cut ties with certain parts of its past, and Abela is part of that past. If Labour really wants to start over, a young candidate who has enthusiasm and energy might be just what they need to push them forward.

a.Gauci Cunningham

Apr 29th 2008, 19:58

iT'S NOT FAIR TO SAY THAT JOSEPH MUSCAT = ALFRED SANT
but unfortunately Muscat is being pushed by sant's friends: whatever the delegates do on the 5th of June they should not give in to Dr.Sant's antics and make sure that if elected Muscat will not take advice from these ppl.................I'm not saying that they should banish Sant from the MLP ( as Sant did to Mintoff) but Sant. Jason et al should be given a warm thankyou ( ??!!??) and shown the back seat ...their time is up!!

David Gatt

Apr 29th 2008, 19:04

Marco Brincat

You make me laugh. Elect GA to change mentality? He's stuck with Mintoff, and you call that a change in mentality?

JM is the man to lead the party FORWARD. GA will just take the party back to 1987.

And the truth is that PN want GA as leader. They fear JM's bid. I am not inventing this.

Joseph Buhagiar

Apr 29th 2008, 17:45

Professionally, you cannot continue to support board members, the CEO and the strategy (road to get there) that you do not believe is right for the Company or MLP. If you stay, you have to manage the decisions taken as if these “were” your own. It is very unprofessional to flip flop in and out and/or say that the strategy implemented was not your own. You would be rightly dismissed anyway and that would be the professional and right way to throw you out.

So all that stayed effectively AGREED with what was done by MLP. And they rightly managed it as if this were their own. Those that resigned, and many did, did not agree! Punto e basta.

Many, and that includes Dr. Abela did not agree with the strategy implemented to address water & electricity, the EU, Early Elections, and a host of other issues.

Resignation effectively disassociates you from the CEO. If you remain silent, it is proof that you are a gentleman and that you are prepared to leave all behind you, without trying to gain any credit by hurting who? To hurt the CEO you would need to hurt the Company! That was not an option Dr. Abela would consider.

Needless to say, those that remain take all the fame or blame. Hence the reason why it is not easy to answer Bondi questions.

Dr. Gonzi is a professional. He has already penalized JPO for his political bad practices (the Police are responsible for the rest.) This way he would know what to say to all that ask in five years time.

And I am afraid, a professional approach is required by the MLP; unless MLP board members want to remain out of Castille office for at least the next 10 years.

When it comes to Dr. Abela, forget his strengths. They are not the important.
Dr. Abela is an opportunity for the MLP. He is a treath to GonziNP.

Resignation (especially with Silence thereafter) is a Virtue guys, not a weakness.
It gives you the chance of a new start if the former CEO and Board fail!
Resignation and leaving all your political career behind is what distinguishes the man from the boys.

Ivan Cutajar

Apr 29th 2008, 17:28

George Abela is a man of principles and this show that he did not reject the father of MLP. Respect and honour those who really worked for the workers, and gave then the standard which we all now.

martin portelli

Apr 29th 2008, 17:22

Its not that J.Muscat is copy and paste of A.Sant , that would be implying he hasn't got one idea to call his own which would be unfair. What is probably not helpful is that he is seeking the backing and endorsement of those that forged labour's defeat. I’ve yet to see how he will manage to withstand bad advice. Will his proposed earthquake reform at mile-end dislodge the faulty cogs or are they smugly fully insured against damage? On another note I would also take David Zammit's advice and look no further than Guze Ellul Mercer's inclusive poetry of ' lejn din l-għaqda fis nittajru Xjuħ u zgħazagħ Ħaddemin' or is the current thinking that workers from whichever strata of society they come ( in-nies tax-xoghol kollha ) are simply all under 35 ? Or do you think we should debunk this anthem because its narrative is no longer relevant today? That's the break from the past that you want and is that how one looks forward? You mean to wipe the slate clean and start from which glorious electoral victory tell me? Are you even dimly aware of your own socio- historicity?

K. Chircop

Apr 29th 2008, 17:11

Marco Brincat you are simply stating that we need to change mentality and that "Alfred Sant and Muscat have many points in common and reason very much alike" as if you are picking random apples out of a basket. Where is the proof? How is he the same as Alfred Sant??

Albert gauci Cunningham

Apr 29th 2008, 16:27

The nationalists have been offering Conservative policies for over 20 yrs now ( their economic/fiscal policies might be good and their last 2 leaders were 1,000 times better than KMB and Sant! but what about social issues???)
WHO IS THE CONTENDER WHO SEEMS TO BE OFFERING A MORE LIBERAL MLP?
.............sorry its not Joseph Muscat ( not that much up to now!)
.......not even G.Abela............................Micheal Falzon??.........he's worse than Eddie when it comes to being conservative
it's only EVARIST BARTOLO.....................I am a PN activist but if there are any delegates out there who consider themselves to be liberal they should go for Evarist!!!

Keith Chircop

Apr 29th 2008, 16:02

@Claire Bonello: nothing wrong with Mintoff turning up, but Abela presenting him as "an honoured guest" and giving him the microphone implies that Abela greatly respects the guy.

@K. Chircop: Joseph Muscat is not a mirror image of Sant, but he's been in Sant's faction for years. The power of that faction is the reason why we're hearing Muscat's name so often as opposed to Evarist Bartolo or Michael Falzon. Hence, if Muscat is made leader, the same clique that has been leading MLP for the last 15 years will be in power.

Marisa Ellul

Apr 29th 2008, 15:51

@Marco Brincat

I don´t really care about who´selected as party leader. I will support anyone, as long as he or she are elected by the delegates of our party!

However, I don´t really share the same opinion. It is so evident that the PN (when watching NEt TV or reading their paper), they are using their usual character-assassination campaign on Joseph Muscat. With regards to George Abela, the PN media are more sympathetic and sometimes he´s being featured in a more positive way than the other candidates.

To be honest that scares me. I believe that they are more scared of Joseph than George in doing so. Why? I don´t want to engage myself in this debate. But I don´t like to be a ´puppet´ of anyone (as it is so evident in the case of many here in this blog) We should set the facts right, no matter about who the person is!

Marco Brincat

Apr 29th 2008, 15:22

@ All you pro-Muscat Labourites

If you don't change the MENTALITY and therefore choose Muscat (who reasons like Dr. Sant and is not open-minded like George Abela)... you will NEVER get the floaters' trust back.

Is it so difficult to realize the difference from Abela's way of reasoning and the old-fashioned way the others reason????

Alfred Sant and Muscat have many points in common and reason very much alike. You are not realizing that THESE COMMON POINTS will never get MLP in power!

Listen to George Abela and start a fresh new page with him! Otherwise Muscat will do nothing better than KMB, Fredu etc

K. Chircop

Apr 29th 2008, 15:10

Can someone please answer these 2 questions so that we get them off our chests once and for all -

(1) How and in what way did Alfred Sant endorse or partially endorse Joseph Muscat?;
(2) How is Joseph Muscat a pure copy+paste of Alfred Sant?

martin portelli

Apr 29th 2008, 14:56

Re all this talk about youth vs. old age .Can I ask some simple questions, what is the average age of an MLP delegate? Which age group is best represented? Does it reflect the power structure in the rest of society? More so what is the average age of Labour tesserati ? I’d love a statistical breakdown and I doubt its on the MLP website (do they have a research unit?) We do miss the wood for the trees sometimes; perhaps it’s a direct reflection of a sad deforested state.

Marco Brincat

Apr 29th 2008, 14:41

What you are not realizing is THIS:

Behind all masks:
PN would be very pleased to see Muscat as MLP leader!

David Gatt

Apr 29th 2008, 14:25

The choice is simple if only George Abela & Joseph Muscat were contesting.

GA is a very good organiser and a man who makes people stop and listen when he speaks. Unfortunately his image is blurred by his own past and present actions. Leaving the party in 1998 is one of them, and forging alliances with likes of Dom Mintoff (who himself left the party) is another. GA is evidently confined to the old Labour system.

On the other hand JM is young and that, in my opinion, is a big advantage. Also to his advantage is the fact that despite being so young he has already proved his worth as an MEP. He is dynamic and full of ideas for the country. Also, with his moderate stance, he could be the man to heal the rifts within the party and put back order in the shortest time possible.

Also.. I wouldn't ignore Evarist Bartolo's bid.

saviour cachia

Apr 29th 2008, 13:51

@ robert cassar
Mr. Cassar, I have every right to call Dr. Joseph Muscat my friend. I am no brutus, all the other contenders know where I stand. I think you follow these blogs avidly, so I hope that you did not miss my comments wherein I praised my friend Joseph. Yes I am backing George Abela for leader, Others are within their rights to prefer others.

Why am I being accused of hitting Joseph below the belt, because I straightforwardly asked him to rectify reports considered to be spin by ‘Il mument’ and for which some persons irresponsibly blamed George Abela?.

There are plenty of questions to be asked about things we are seeing happening, and it seems that even sensitive material in the hands of MLP officials is being issued. But this does not matter, as long it does not concern my friend Joseph.

I respect your judgement about Dom Mintoff, but even if he voted against his party 10 years ago, perhaps the whole story is not yet know of what made him do it.

Mr. Cassar why are you linking this story with the fact that Dom Mintoff endorsed Dr. George Abela? Who knows maybe Dr. Abela might pay a price for this, because today’s young generation, as you said is completely not being fed the whole truth about some of Mintoff’s decisions.
Mintoff is not Divine and I cannot say that all he did was right, but at the same time today’s young generation would be more correct if they read our island's history and realise how their parents or maybe their grand-parents were till the seventies, begging in the streets or else emigrating en masse to Australia, United States, Canada and all.

Mr. Cassar put your mind at rest that I had the decency to clarify matters with Joseph Muscat himself and I leave it to him to say who is keeping him from rectifying his position, earlier that he intends to do in the ‘Il-mument’ next Sunday.

I do agree with you on your last phrase uttered in our dear maltese language. ‘Kull qalb trid ohra’ Mhux hekk Salv.

I hope that you concede this is a general statement that could be applied to anybody who is backing a candidate or other. Fortunately, I am not expecting anything back. Today I am a pensioner, but even if a senior citizen, still broad-minded, progressive and moderate and as much enthusiastic to see our dear party on the right trek towards a victory in the 2013 general elections.

I.Meli

Apr 29th 2008, 13:51

After reading some of the posts below , I would like to make some comments.
Some are arguing that to attract young and new voters our party needs a young leader. Since when ? If I'm not mistaken AS was about 13 years younger than EFA and still lost the 1998 and 2003 elections. Why ? May be Eddie was much more credible on all issues presented to the electorate ?! And in 2008 Lawrence Gonzi was no teenager!!
Some are asking GA what was his vote in the last and previous election. Very intelligent question . Would it be more interesting to ask all other candidates what was their vote on the EU referendum ?! Many spoke and wrote against joining the EU way back. I'm sure their vote was NO. Will that attract floaters , undecided or ex nationalists. GA's views on EU accession are known to all and that sure makes him most credible.

Which now brings me to the Mintoff issue. Aren't we all talking about inclusion in our party? If so , how can anyone expect GA to shut the door at Dom Mintoff and sending him off from his meeting ? What's wrong with Mintoff expressing support to a candidate ? Are you trying to deny him this right ? When are we going to learn ? WHEN ?? Aren't 3 defeats in a row plus a referendum not enough ??

Did you see anyone from the opposite camp rejected, especially during the election campaign ? The nationalists are miles ahead of us regarding such issues.

One last thing. We are in the process of electing a new leader. George Abela is a born leader and a winner. And a leader is not made , invented or forced. We cannot take any more chances.

george camilleri

Apr 29th 2008, 13:14

Great comment Saviour. In short words MLP needs to look forward not in the past so Joseph Muscat will do it

David Zammit

Apr 29th 2008, 13:03

@Martin Scicluna

I fail to see how Mintoff's endorsement proves that Gorg Abela is a politician completely stuck in the past. Nor do I share your assumption that the past and the future are necessarily opposed and at loggerheads with each other. Surely what matters is how the candidate's policies for the future relate to & come to terms with the past. I understand that Gorg Abela is proposing a unified pro-European Labour Party which emphasises the protection of workers' rights. In this sense, it is a significant break with the past ten years, when the MLP was predominantly Euro-sceptic and tended to expect workers and trade unions to blindly support the party more than tailoring party policies to workers' needs.

Apart from being discriminatory and distasteful, I find your characterisation of older people (or do you really mean older working class people?) as a "roadblock to reform" to be a symptom of the divisive mentality which also characterised that decade of Labour failures. Gorg Abela is fighting against this in the best labour tradition (ejjew nghajtu xjuh u zghazagh). If parallels need to be made, there are obvious ones between his candidacy and those of Barack Obama (in terms of unity) and John Edwards (in terms of workers' rights) in the United States.

For obvious reasons, floating voters tend not to be the keenest attendees at political meetings. Many prefer to keep their cards close to their chest and only take an interest in politics during general elections. Also many young people prefer to express their preferences through internet discussions. A look at the MLP discussion pages on Hi5 would go a long way towards proving that Gorg Abela does appeal to younger voters who want a radical as opposed to a cosmetic change in the MLP leadership and administration. David Zammit, Sliema

Mark Spiteri

Apr 29th 2008, 12:28

Goerge abela said ´New wine cannot be made in old barrels ´ Isn´t he himself an old barrel? expect Dr Abela to talk more substance rather than attacking others!!!!!

Saviour Agius

Apr 29th 2008, 12:21

While I welcome all candidates in this leadership´s bid, I also have my concerns. I endorse the same questions which Louis Tabone put in this blog and would be eager to hear Dr Abela himself giving an answer to those questions. What concerns me most is to know whether or not he voted PN in 2003 cause it wouldn´t make sense (if so) to take the leadership post in that case.

But what bothers me most about Dr Abela is that he is already 60 yrs old and even if he succeeds in becoming the next leader, he would give up his post after 5 yrs (as he declared). This is nonsense!!!! do we have to go for all this trouble to elect a new leader in 5 years time? This does not appeal to me. Every time there's an election for a new leader, people disagree or have different opinion(which is pretty normal) but it doesn´t do any good to the image of the party. So for me Dr Abela is definitely not an option!!!!!

Martin Scicluna

Apr 29th 2008, 12:10

@David Zammit
Tony Farrugia hit the nail on its head two days ago when he said that in a carbon conscious world, we've got a fossil fuel candidate willing to lead the Labour Party. Truth is George Abela has just confirmed that he is a politician completely stuck in the past. Should he be elected leader of the Labour Party on June 5th, the people rallying around him will for sure be the roadblock to reform. I attended both of his public meetings. I ask David Zammit - Where were the young people and the fist time floaters? I could count the young people on one single hand! The cartoon in todays times of malta says it all. Old wine in old barrels.
Martin
Bkara

Claire Bonello

Apr 29th 2008, 12:09

So Mintoff turned up at a public meeting. There's nothing to stop him from doing so.

Sue falzon

Apr 29th 2008, 11:28

@louis tabone

you are right......

David Zammit

Apr 29th 2008, 10:14

It is now clear that Gorg Abela is the only candidate who can unite the various factions in the Labour Party, from Sant's New Labour to Mintoff's hardline Socialists and the General Worker's Union. He has all the credentials as the architect of the New Labour victory in 1996, the former GWU lawyer and now the endorsement of Mintoff to boot. He treated his party loyally when he disagreed with it, openly warning of the risks of an early election and keeping mum for ten years when the party rejected his advice, although time has repeatedly proved him right. While I never voted for New Labour, I would seriously consider doing so if Gorg Abela were the leader. With him as leader, Labour supporters can have their cake and eat it too as they can be pro-EU and also favour workers' rights. They can be modern and forward looking while keeping faith with their past. No other candidate offers the possibility of uniting tradition with modernity as he does. As a University lecturer myself, I am in touch with students in various Faculties and I can vouch for their ability to discern and evaluate character. While being able to speak their language is important, even more is personal credibility and sincerity. Gorg Abela scores highly on all these counts as an excellent communicator, a born leader and a man who has the courage of his convictions and the track record to prove it. If he is not chosen, the Labour Party will be performing mass suicide for a third spectacular time and we all risk getting hit from the fallout.

martin portelli

Apr 29th 2008, 10:05

I really cannot see the difference with regards the Social Thatcherism ('New Politics' & government of all the talents' theme.') proposed by the well meaning and very talented Joseph Muscat and Gonzi PN either ( Well the political spectrum is becoming a bit of a monochrome however the difference can still be seen in the measure of sincere intention!). My greatest concern however is not that Mintoff endorses a very valid George Abela nor that Joseph Muscat is partially endorsed by Alfred Sant. My real question is why George Vella should be endorsing Joseph Muscat. I can understand it in terms of the short term gain of having a heavyweight behind you to sway delegate votes but .....I think He needs to distance himself there for the sake of the party and the sake of Joseph Muscat. Can he guarantee that he won't be giving Joseph Muscat the same disastrous advice he gave Alfred Sant? I thought it a bit rich that he should be the one to extol Joseph’s very merited success in Europe. I am really asking an honest question. Perhaps I have become a bit of a cynic after 3 successive defeats and sadly seeing Labour’s great potential and talent driven into a cul de sac. ( and I’ll be dammed if any one labels me a PN claquer) I sincerely think it would be cathartic if we could evaluate one thing for sure. Who was responsible for giving A.Sant the disastrous advice of eschewing convergence for the sake of a rabid anti EU stance and forfeiting a legitimate turn in government? And will those mistakes be perpetuated, or will the element of pride not allow us to revisit and evaluate past blunders ( and please I am not sycophantically talking about anyone pulling Malta out of Europe but having the right talent to play hard ball logically if needs be the case looking out at the long term prospects not succumb to the here and now only!)

Keith Chircop

Apr 29th 2008, 09:26

It's not that Mintoff was present to show his support for George Abela, it's that Abela LET HIM SPEAK as an "HONOURED GUEST".

This is what we're talking about here.

David Zammit

Apr 29th 2008, 08:51

I hereby apologise to Alfred Mifsud if he took my comments personally or literally. I mean opportunist in the sense that he had argued that past MLP leaders should not interfere with the election of the new labour leader while on the other hand the candidate he was endorsing, Dr Abela was also being endorsed by a past leader. I was merely stating that it was an opportunistic argument since up to that point Mintoff had not endorsed Abela.

I however was not implicating in any way that Mr. Mifsud was an opportunist personally. My command of the English language may not have been too good with explaining myself. I once more apologise and would like to state that the little I have seen Mr Mifsud he has always seemed like a man of integrity and a sound debater. As a labourite however I am hurt by labour exponents argumenting and attacking each other publicly. I appeal all other members of the labour party to forget all their differences and work together.

Joe Galea

Apr 29th 2008, 08:40

@ Marco Brincat
Let's say GA is the new labour leader, will you turn labourite and vote labour, after all the aggressive shooting of words you have jotted down in your post? I doubt it. So why this love for GA from the PN side? This makes me seriously worry. Does anyone really think that GonziPN and supporters wish well to the MLP? If there is anyone who believes this, s/he needs mental help!!!:)

Robert Cassar

Apr 29th 2008, 08:39

To mitigate the blunder George Abela made when he took Dom Mintoff on board his campaign, Saviour Cachia tried to shift the attention by highlighting a speculative report about Joseph Muscat that appeared in “Il-Mument”. Mr Cachia’s comments to Joseph Muscat were neither fair nor clean. Contrary to the appeals for a clean campaign by the leadership contender Mr Cachia is blindly supporting, he chose to pick and introduce to this blog a report in a PN newspaper aimed only to damage Joseph Muscat. This is not what George Abela preaches and I do not think that he approves of such uncontrolled fervor. As a former deputy editor of KullHadd, Mr Cachia knows how the Nationalist media spins its stories with the ususal “sorsi qrib il-partit Laburista” and he should have been more cautious and respectful towards Joseph Muscat whom he calls “my friend”

Turning back to George Abela’s blunder, I am sure that Mr Cachia knows how many Labour families left the party because of Dom Mintoff’s futile war on private and church schools in the eighties. Those students whose lives have been disturbed by those events still abhor the Labour Party because of Mintoff and are very unlikely to come back to the fold with him on board irrespective of what Alfred Mifsud’s polls tell him about George Abela’s appeal to middle of the roaders and floating voters.

Dom Mintoff will go down in Maltese political history as the former Prime Minister who brought down his own government when he voted against a motion about the lease of the land earmarked for the Cottonera waterfront project. This behaviour was unanimously condemned without reservations in the now famous meeting of Labour’s executive group of the 8 July 1998. In case you forgot, George Abela who is now basking in Dom Mintoff’s sun, voted in favour of this condemnation. But as we say in Maltese “Kull qalb trid ohra” Mhux hekk Salv?

Paul Spiteri

Apr 29th 2008, 06:20

George Abela like KMB stood for the worker's cause. This is the essence of George Abela. Mintoff who broke the then institutions introduced the essence of the social Christian measures of free education, free health and low cost housing for the many, at the expense of hard-felt injustice of expropriation by Maltese sufferers. In 1990 when I asked a Greek-Cypriot Green Grocer hawker if Malta did the right thing to oust the British and he replied" It was only your Dom Mintoff that managed to negotiate LM 14 million a year from the British (and NATO) and look what the British did to us they let the Turkish forces land on their naval base and look at what we have: a divided Cyprus!"
What I sincerely wish is that the social services and pensions to be revised - the worker in Malta needs cheaper houses, social safeguards against neo-colonialists - we sold a bank for free, the PN guarded us against foreigners buying second properties, there is much to reform - be it PN or MLP (for which I think the latter should change the party name to Partit ta' Hidma to keep up with contemporary modern).
As for Dr Sant I feel he eliminated the militant thugs and if anything told us the truth of the thorns of EU while equally bad for the PN to having described the EU as only as a bed of roses.
The truth was said the country gave its verdict and decided but it takes two strong leaders that in my view are worth their mantle to spear the well-being and social Christian values up high. To me of hybrid values, George Abela is a worker's man. George Vella must realise that he and all his buddies wanted to impose their will on the electorate when he, signed a document with the EU to open all imports and getting no benefits from the EU way back in 1997 and froze our chances to to among the 10 new members of the 25 EU member in 2004. As for the MLP you need unity and not individual pride for divided you'll fall and united you stand. As a PN voter I still will stand to gain from a strong opposition party for there are loads of challenges ahead of us still to face.

saviour cachia

Apr 29th 2008, 00:43

Today, I heard Dr. Joseph Muscat stating that if he is elected leader, it is very likely that an earthquake will be hitting MLP headquarters.
It is a pity we cannot have a tandem of leaders: Dr. George Abela and Dr. Joseph Muscat, because all points out that the MLP is in such a bad shape, that the changes needed are to the level of tremors and earthquakes.
Come on, delegates use your brians and not your heart; endorse Dr. George Abela and Dr. Joseph Muscat as joint-leaders. Sorry folks, it is past midnight, I must be dreaming!!!!

N.Sciberras

Apr 28th 2008, 23:17

Dear all......

Can anyone please confirm whether Joseph Muscat really formed part of Labour's Strategic Team for the last General Elections ???

Sorry Saviour Cachia.........but i find it really hard to believe that he did actually form part of such a group.

Stephanie Caruana

Apr 28th 2008, 20:07

The Times of Malta missed a phrase that GA said, "I am no one's puppet, and I will never be no one's puppet" not like JM who appears to be AS puppet. So, first, it is clear enough that he respects Mintoff opinion but he is not driven away by Mintoff's opinion on how to lead. Secondly, GA
made it clear that he is in favour of the EU, but Mintoff, in his short speech, also said that the Republic is being taken away from us from the EU and PfP, so it means that Mintoff is against the EU - oh, he has something in common with AS ideals. So, it is clear enough that both of them does not have the same opinion on how to govern. Mintoff went there only to hear what GA had in mind, and not to show that he is influencing GA or any other past relations. On the other hand, GA accepted Mintoff's appearance and did not throw him away/called him a traitor.

Why shouldn't we respect the presence of Dom Mintoff, everyone makes mistakes, but it is not fair on Mintoff, to throw him out of the party after the good he had done in the past. In the end, Mintoff also said that he hopes that George Abela will be the Labourists next Leader - is that something bad that the father of MLP identifies GA as our best leader for MLP? Also, Mintoff should be respected for all the good he has done, and not blame him only for his thoughts.

Moreover, in 1998, Dr. Sant made mistakes: in the way he managed the government. He did not care about the labourer when he increased the VAT and duties without any consultation - a concept which Mintoff always fought to achieve in his times, and Sant was destroying it - so, we cannot blame only one person for losing the 1998 election. GA has nothing to do with Mintoff's and Sant's decisions during this period, and so we have to judge GA on his vision (manifesto) and aims and not on his past presence.

Who will be the best, and 'clean' (no inclinations with the anti-EU, violence, not part of a lost election) person to win Gonzi in the next general election? For me the person who has the necessary tools to lead, win and govern is GA - who has a track record of being a good organizer and present/part in winning elections. PN should/are afraid of him that is why they are using the so called 'reverse psychology' tactic - Be aware of them and don't be part of their trap - cause if GA loses, PN are the only winners!!

A Daley

Apr 28th 2008, 19:39

But I have one question to those that are feeling sorry for Mintoff, which question has not yet been answered.
Since Mintoff always ended his speeches (Malta l-Ewwel u qabel kollox), is that what he was thinking when he brought down Sant's Government in 1998?
When in 1980, and thanks to Mintoff himself, Malta was receiving an aid package from Libya, including cheaper fuel and finally Ghaddafi decided to stop us from drilling for oil, Mintoff held a meeting in Valletta and said these exact words. (Dawn l-ewwel kienu hbieb kbar tghana u issa bli ghamlu saru l-akbar ghadu tal-Maltin). So respect does not come at any cost! Some people do not forget and do not forgive either!

martin Portelli

Apr 28th 2008, 19:11

I am truly glad that these events are happening, the release of all these political emotions augers well for the MLP, rather than what the short sighted amongst you fervently wish for ie. a Boffa style split! Therin lies Mintoff's worth. He's seen and done it all! There is one thing you can truly say about Labour, they sure don't suffer from group think. ! What better hope for the future of Democracy truly ? May we start distilling the essence of statesmanship to be administered as needed to the weak kneed in their hour of need! ( eg,. Mepa reform, etc. etc)
NB. Please don't consign the over forties to the dustbin unless you want to completely ignore the latest stats on the demographics of an ageing Europe. ( We are in Europe aren't we?)

Maria Dolores Fenech

Apr 28th 2008, 18:36

Reading the comments below, I was only worried by the comments of Mr Benny Saliba. I'm sure that even Dr Abela himself would be worried to read your comments? But I ask you: do you honestly think, Mr Saliba, that the PN was not equally divided when it had to choose a leader? Do you remember how bitter Mr Dalli was when he was not elected leader of the PN? These things happen in every party, but rest assured that once the MLP leader is elected (hopefully Dr Abela - who is already reuniting the party by welcoming back those who have left the MLP, hopefully even you), then all labourites are for the new leader.
Please Mr Saliba do not hesitate to contact Dr Abela on his website www.georgeabela.info

Carmen Portelli

Apr 28th 2008, 18:20

Sorry to say but many Maltese have short memory and its not fair towards such great political leader as Mr.Mintoff to go on talking bla bla bla with no appreciation and respect!! After my comment yesterday was very pleased to read John Scerri's comment, I find he was very honest in all he wrote there, enjoyed reading that comment a lot. Why did Mr.Mintoff's appearence in a meeting of a probable MLP leader annoy so many people? What was wrong I ask again? Why all the fuss? I just cannot understand how those who call themselves part of the labour party not being honoured that they as LABOUR HAD SUCH A GREAT LEADER THAT MADE THE BIGGEST CHANGES IN MALTA ...and if in malta today there are no beggars in the streets its ONLY THANKS TO HIM!!! Mr. Mintoff loved and love Malta lots and did always his best to see his homeland on the right track...so I hope those who are showing no respect towards the Great Political Leader will go back and remember all the good thingsssssss!!! Lets hope Malta will be lucky again to find such a respectable leader ones again, one day, in the near future I hope !!! AUGURI!!!

S Bonnici

Apr 28th 2008, 18:14

@ Mario Brincat

Dear Mr. Brincat, kindly note that not everyone is a hard core labourite. Having been brought up in a Labourite family, i can but say that I am a very open minded person and we need fresh ideas not ancient ones.

I just cannot still understand all this big deal about electing the new leader.

Albert gauci Cunningham

Apr 28th 2008, 18:14

MARCO BRINCAT----excellent, to the point and nothing but the truth
G.SAMMUT------Do not presume to talk for the rest of the younger generation....I am young and I have no problem if anyone shoved the PN's history in my face, if anyone mentions Gorg Borg Olivier and Eddie Fenech Adami Nationalists approve because they are proud of their Leaders!! The Pn realised the importance of youths ages ago.....and the total majority of the 30,000 new voters voted PN last March!!!
ALFRED MIFSUD------Is it true that in 1998 you wrote a letter to Dr.Sant against Gorg Abela and Mintoff as reported in a newspaper????

G. Sammut

Apr 28th 2008, 17:58

@ Marco Brincat - We don't need nor want TWO GonziPN's either mate. Now here's a question that I posed earlier. Lets say George Abela wins and he kicks everyone out of Mile End Road and Super One: forever banished, never to return. Lets say he revamps Labour making it more Democratic rather than Social and prioritizes first and foremost private enterprise and liberal economies with some worker's rights here and there.

Do you honestly think Labour would win then?

p tabone

Apr 28th 2008, 17:57

Dr Abela convinced me not to vote for him. He has created an image on himself as a past leader. A winning leader has to be young,motivated and with a clear vision for the future which can attract the younger generations. 100K of voters in the next election will be under 35 years. George does not fit.

Marco Brincat

Apr 28th 2008, 17:01

George Abela is too intelligent for all you hardcore Labourites out there.
You like people like Muscat (Alfred Sant 2) who fits exactly to your way of reasoning!

PN would be pleased to see Muscat as MLP leader as they would be sure of an extra 5 years in power after the 2012-2013 election.

Abela is far better than all other candidates but you don't share this view... your head is more than 6 feet under sand.

Keep dreaming of winning a GENERAL election... your dream will never come true if you don't change YOUR mentality and start realizing that the PN's policies were right from day1.

You won't win again unless you'll start being totally pro-EU, support liberalisation, accept privatization of companies, avoid controversies over social budgets like the last one, have a reformed TV/radio agenda, stop the annoying slogans (like we need a new beginning, families are facing problems, people are dying with hunger, Armageddon is coming...) at every mass meeting and be a serious opposition that backs the Government when facing a huge problem like oil crisis or pensions and not just criticizing.

But there again...my words are too arrogant for you... too pathetic for you... too biased for you... too pro-GonziPn for you...

So keep your Muscats, Sants and Jasons...keep in touch with Super One's propoganda...keep doing politics the 'eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth' -way... keep praising your Manuel Cuschieris and Tony Abelas...

and keep loosing again and again and again...

We don't need you!

Martin Brincat

Apr 28th 2008, 16:52

Sorry, the presence of Mr.Dom Mintoff in your meeting made me change my opinion about you for the leadership of the MLP,Dr.George Abela. I will never trust a person who betrayed his own party. All the problems is Mr.Mintoff

Elaine Azzopardi

Apr 28th 2008, 16:40

It is so true (and a misfortune) that since George Abela pronounced his candidature, there seems to be a very clear split between Labour supporters. It is a misfortune! I wonder why the Nationalist Party is pushing George Abela and trying to destroy Joseph Muscat! Can´t we realise that with George, there´s not hope of victory, if the party will be more divided than ever!!!! come on!

And this applies especially to george abela. I ´m sure he´s very aware of this. so if he truly loves the party, why is he doing this to us?!

G. Sammut

Apr 28th 2008, 16:39

Why all this pandemonium about Mintoff? The reason is quite simple. Mintoff is an old face, an old character. He is the embodiment of a great but turbulent past for the MLP. Now there is the general consensus that the MLP under Mintoff has done a great deal of good for Malta (as evidenced by John Scerri's post in this blog) but towards the end he has committed some grave errors which some political theorists may call 'political suicide' or 'the downfall'. A lot of Nationalists called the 70's and 80's under Mintoff and Mifsud Bonnici as 'The Years of Shame' as did the Labourites call the 60's by the same term (although, by some mystery, this term has now been revised to 'Some Mistakes'). In our more recent political history, with all due respect to him, he is known for being staunchly anti-Sant by all of us.

The thing is, see, is that younger generations (like me) don't really care about what our political 'parents' did so many years ago. We live here and now and we want to look forward. Therefore using the same logic of 1 + 1 = 2 than an old face = old antics, old hatred, old cliques, etc. There is therefore, in my opinion, a founded reasonable doubt on George Abela's call for a more open, natural and inclusive Labour Party especially by the younger generation. Bringing up the past and shoving it in our faces on a daily basis does NOT score any points.

In the end it is not about Mintoff as a person. He has every right to support one candidate or another. it is not about George Abela being 65 because he can still be a great leader. It is about being stuck in the past. It is about using that past to one's own political convenience. It is about not looking forward. But perhaps my words are useless because I'm guilty of being young and the young have no right to meddle in politics right? What do I know!?

Anyways,

Good Luck Evarist, George, Joseph, Marie Louise & Michael

ALFRED MIFSUD

Apr 28th 2008, 16:04

@David Zammit

You accuse me of being an opportunist par excellence. You either explain and prove your assertion or at least have the decency to send my your details so that I can sue you for libel.

Insulting and making gratutious assertions is no way to argue and the Times should impose better standards.

Ivan Grech Mintoff

Apr 28th 2008, 16:03

Some additional points:

a) Dr. Abela's comments "As a starting point ... the setting up of an independent audit to assess the current state of affairs of the party’s finances." are VERY, VERY important and will no doubt (given the chance) shed some important and much needed light.

b) I am also very keen to see the result as to who will be finally allowed to vote for the new leader and who will be excluded from voting.

Giving voting rights to paid up members will be seen to be far more democratic than PN could ever dream to be….! It would also be a breath of fresh air the party very much needs right now. As, I believe that none of the candidates find any objection to this motion, this opportunity should not be missed and must be fully exploited as a clear sign that the party truly wants to update itself and change for the better.

Inversely, I think that much harm could result to the party if it is not even seen to be democratic but remain a force within itself, run by the “few for the many “as opposed to the other way round.

c) All candidates should be given EQUAL opportunity to put their points forward. Only in this way can the voters have the FULL choice to choose from. The party’s TV station should air plenty of one-to-one debate with ample explanation of idea and strategy.

Again, restricting such flow of information (when the mechanism is in place to allow it) will only be seen as a clear strategy to curb vital details which a delegate/voter needs in order to make the best choice for the sake of the party.

It would then be up to the individual voter to sift through and separate the 'spin' from the 'essential and important points'. In this way the voter could therefore, understand fully the way forward that is being proposed by each candidate, rather than just for the voter to be fed snippets of what (just) one side or the other wants to put to them.

Let's see a serious move to openness and free expression of ideas as again, this is what the party (and country) need right now: a serious and viable opposition that is not afraid to put its points forward in a clear and logical manner for the end user to understand and accept.

The way this very election is conducted (restriction vs openness) could very well be the litmus test that the party will be perceived by the rest of the country in the not too distant future.

Carmel Xerri

Apr 28th 2008, 15:57

I fully agree with Louis Tabone comments.

Albert Gauci Cunningham

Apr 28th 2008, 15:57

So if your name is Dr.Alfred Sant and you happen to have led the MLP to internal strife ( and quasi-hatred as evidenced on this blog!!!) in the Party, if you've called Mintoff ( the founder of the MLP) a traitor, if you've led the MLP into it's most precarious financial situation and most of all if you've led the Party into three successive defeats ( 2 of them of huge proportions--more than 12,000 votes--and another by a hairline!!) and another defeat at a referendum you'll get cheers, applause and the enviable "perk" of giving full backing to a leading contender and probably get the podium to address a "mass Rally" in Valletta on the 1st of May!! But if your name is Dom Mintoff and you happen to have built the Party and made it what it is today nearly single handedly you'll only get boos and ppl disassociating themselves from you and lose any DEMOCRATIC RIGHT of backing any candidate because as JENNIFER TABONE said you're just an "..old man.." ( so what??!! Eddie was 66 and 71 when he won the 1998 and 2003 elections!!! and Gonzi isn't exactly a teen either!!). and to EFFIE CARBONARO'S father who went to Qormi to laugh ...what exactly was so funny? The part where Abela says that the MLP can't keep losing one election after the other?? Or was it the part where he said that Labourites are so busy ( as evidenced here) with calling each other names?? No wonder the PN seems to have a perpetual seat in Government! Who wants to elect a Party with so many animosities, lost sheep and arrogance?..........I think Labourites need to be very careful because a crisis worse than that in Summer 1998 is looming!!!!!!!!!!!!

S Bonnici

Apr 28th 2008, 15:48

Different people have different ideologies.

During the time in which Dom Mintoff governed the country, he helped the country grow with resources. However, it can't be said that these were wonderful times either. With the pros and cons of this great man, what he has done for Malta was great.

When in the late 80's the Nationalist party won the elections again, Malta was in for a total change, a change which all the Maltese people benefited from. Commerce improved, we imported and exported, people could go out and buy whatever they wanted and thus we give these merits to the Nationalist party. An innovative party, an education oriented party, a party that with its pros and cons helped Malta grow to what it is today.

My point is that whoever governs the country, he/she does the good things and the bad things but we can't keep crying over spilt milk. We (the Maltese) need to grow in how we portray politics. We can't be one sided. It doesn't make sense. So why keep on going about Dom Mintoff, about how the Labour party was back in the 70's, in the 80's, in 1996. Labour needs a new vision, innovation, it needs to walk hand in hand with the fast rhythm of life.

Labour doesn't need old strategies, we need fresh minds, minds like Joseph Muscat, young and talented. People don't want to see the same old faces, with the same old thoughts. Labour needs to change and it needs a radical change. If the Labour party wishes to maybe govern the country in the recent years, it has to look ahead.

Paul Abela

Apr 28th 2008, 14:50

I really don't understand all this spin. Here we have George Abela being endorsed by Mintoff who is probably the most senior figure and in a way father of the party. This naturally begs the question why? I'm sure Mintoff is not endorsing George because of his pro-EU credentials. So I don't see why this endorsement is being pictured as though it should reflect badly on George Abela's vision for the party and the country. Could it be that the person who is a natural born leader, has seen in George Abela a true leader, despite their divergence of ideas and politics. After all there are other contstants in the leadership race whose ideas are probably closer to Mintoff's.

Jennnifer Tabone

Apr 28th 2008, 13:55

Can you all please leave Dom Mintoff in peace!!! Can’t you all see that he is an old man and that his mental capabilities are likewise. As I have already stated below it is SHAMEFUL to exploit an old man for your personal motives. Do you all really think that Mintoff went to Qormi only because he was taken? Is it not the same tactic used by the PN just before the past general election, when he was dragged to Evans building by some journalists. For heaven’s sake do not resort to such sensationalism. The only result you get from it is bitterness. Leave facts of the past in the past and let us all think for the future to give our nation a strong and united opposition which is avant-garde and most of all has learnt from its past mistakes.

Louis Tabone

Apr 28th 2008, 12:33

Why is George Abela so much in the limelight, than any of the other candidates?
1) he wants to unite the party, he´s firing his guns at other candidates
2) he wants to remove factions, but is creating one of his own(Alfred Mifsud, Domenic Fenech & co)
3) he´s promising a new vision, but he´s associating himself with the past (Don Mintoff)
4) he´s says he´s different, but he belongs to the same faction of people who abandoned the party
5) he wants to unite the party, but didn´t hesitate to wreck the party in 1998
6) he says he suffered to see the party being defeated, but he refuses to declare how he voted in 2003 (if he was pro-EU - and it needs to be confirmed if he really didn´t vote in 2008)
7) he wants to attract floaters and new voters, but it´s evident that many labour hard-core resent him
8) he left the party for 10years and now he wants to change the statute of the party to benefit himself in this leadership race
9) he wants a a “Democratic Social” party rather than a Social Democratic party, i.e destroying the ´soul´ of the Labour party
10) he pretends to be inclusive but at the same time he's furious at people who do not agree with him
11) and so and so on............ (the story never ends)

What is most astonishing, is that George Abela waited all these years to put the party on the right track. If he really believed in change, he had all the chance to push for these changes internally, if he chose to stay!

Sorry to say, but George Abela is contradicting himself. He should take a clear stand if he wants to attract people like me who will vote for the first time in the coming election.

Sue Galea

Apr 28th 2008, 11:35

@ Ian vela

I must admit that I share your concerns. As a new voter (in 2013) I must admit that the new emerging faction of Abela,Mintoff, Mifsud and fenech does not appeal to me at all!!

Despite that my family is Labour, I m attached to no party....I prefer to vote to whom I believe would be best to run our country in the best interest of all rther than be a hard-core like my parents!

Whte people did in the past, let history judge them! Instead we need to look forwrd. We need to give our country a new dimention, a new vision! This new fction (to my belief) would turn the clock backwards! Sorry but it s not appealing to young people like me

A.Borg

Apr 28th 2008, 11:30

Election 2013 scenario:

Vote George Abela, 65, - get pensioners & quasi-centenarians
Vote Joseph Muscat ,40, - get young & upcoming generations

Ivan Grech Mintoff

Apr 28th 2008, 11:29

Analysing these comments, I conclude:

a) Pro-Muscat camp argument is a simple one: youth is better than age for the leadership post of MLP.

This seems a dangerous and somewhat naive assumption as we are looking at finding the next potential Prime Minister here and not an Olympic gold medalist (even though some would argue that Dr. Abela keeps himself very fit)! This is not a beauty contest but a serious post and I would suggest that experience & brains will count more than youth & bravaderie... The Muscat camp would do better to give a more credible and serious image rather than rely on the "youth= winning ticket" formula.

b) Anti-Muscat camp argues that Dr. Muscat is a front man for Dr. Sant, Cuschieri et gang and that this therefore translates to …. status quo. I.e. no change but more of the same “New Labour' (sic!)” formula that - let's face it - has a pretty dismal track record. Dr. Muscat has a big battle on his hands to persuade those disillusioned with “New Labour” to vote for him.

c) The Pro-Abela camp are being called 'fossil' etc. In my eyes, they have the best strategists and plenty of past/recent history to back this fact. Indeed so far, they have been striding forward steadily in all aspects but especially in “content of argument” albeit if their access to the party’s propaganda machine is being somewhat curtailed…

d) The Anti-Abela camp argues that the 'fossils' are out of touch. Worst still, in their (youthful/inexperienced?) enthusiasm to 'push' Dr. Muscat, they attack the Abela camp on a personal level rather than on 'substance of speech'. This strategy can very easily back fire and should be corrected/ better one implemented.


Finally, airing one's opinion openly is very healthy and one should not be afraid of comments such as that the party is split into factions, comedy of errors etc. As if PN isn't split into factions or can have such a healthy external debate!!!

Comments should however be constructive and useful to the argument rather than mere fishwife, hysterical and unsavory personal attack.

May the best person (including the other contestants) win.... with guile, strategy and correct foresight.

After all, this is what our country deserves.

A Daley

Apr 28th 2008, 11:20

The following are some of the problems created when Mintoff opens his mouth after the 1998 blunder, (HIS BLUNDER).
Frequently Mintoff talks about the present corruption, economic mismanagement, the destruction of our conservative morals and so on. Now who was the person who brought down the Labour Govt. of the late 90s? Mintoff, and why? because although he was not the leader of the party he thought that he could dictate to the then PM Sant, and if he did not agree he abstained or voted against.
Now the First question - When Mintoff was PM would he have allowed anyone to go against his decisions? NO? Would his Govt. of 1971 have survived if just one of the MPs voted against? NO? What the leader decided went! and that was it, and that was one of the factors why he managed to change Malta from the prostitute in the Mediterranean to a respected Nation amongst other Nations.
Mintoff is a hard headed person and because of his BIG MISTAKE in the Sant's Govt. he is now the person that no one should affiliate himself/herself with.
Because of that BIG MISTAKE, Mintoff dismantled most of his achievements and hard work, not just his, but all the others’ that worked shoulder to shoulder with him during the most difficult times of Labour's political history! If Mintoff does not like what is going on in today’s Malta, then IT IS HIS FAULT and no one else’s!
What does one think of George Abela when he allows Mintoff to even open his mouth at his meeting? Birds of a feather, flock together!
As for George Abela leaving the party because he thought there was another way of doing things in 1998, then George Abela failed to convince Mintoff not to do the BIGGEST mistake in his political life!
Shame on you Dom, because you are being an insult to the memory of the person/s that helped you to stay in Malta after the war!
Enjoy your retirement Dom and for goodness sake, - stop damaging the party more then you have already done!

martin porteli

Apr 28th 2008, 11:12

I really don't see what the hullabaloo is all about. All contenders are floating the idea of the all-inclusive party; the party of all talents' (definitely on the plate of slick contenders, (with apologies to Gordon Brown's New Politics) so I suppose the real test for any of the contenders is who will rehabilitate Mintoff? Or do they propose to address the faithful at the inevitable pre-election manic meetings about the list of triumphant social changes the MLP brought about ,by revising history, ie. Speaking in the collective and consigning to limbo the name of the man, who being the epitome of the gritty Maltese character spearheaded it all? Well one thing is for sure, there isn't any one yet with his bargaining acumen. Think of the better deal we would have gotten with Europe if you had someone of his ilk at the table. You may not like the man's guts but you can't take away what's his. I am sure the committee investigating the 3rd electoral defeat is counting the significant number of Labour
supporters who stayed at home on March 8th. (bet they total more than a thousand and they might not all be over 80 !). NB the man at 91 still has the colourful ability to inject a virile Mediterranean flavour to what has become a drab monochrome in the Maltese political arena. You are all talking about it!

G. Sammut

Apr 28th 2008, 10:21

Ok P. Busuttil et al, let me see if I got this straight. George Abela is all for being inclusive; opening up doors to all and being the natural party for the people. That is good, I applaud that! But since Joseph Muscat, Alfred Sant, George Vella, Manuel Cuschieri, Jason Micallef and so on are only there to cling onto their seats of power and are part and parcel of a pathetic history as Domnic Fenech bluntly, yet innocently puts it, will the door be made much narrower for them? Will they get a good kicking out of that door? Will there really be a clean-sweep of the whole of Mile End Road? So much for being inclusive! Out with the old, in with the older!

Don't you think that people have a right to question why George Abela agreed with the National Executive regarding an early election and completely changed his mind the day after and left the party? What happened or who spoke to him in those few hours? Don't you think people have the right to question why Dom Mintoff is backing George Abela? Oh and by the way, I, like you, admire Mintoff for the multitude of good he has done for this country back in the day and thats a fact. But it is very much evident that Mintoff has simply lost his touch and remains stuck in the past. That is up to him but I very much doubt that the whole thing is appalling for floaters (George Abela's winning ticket) right? By all means, get him on board, it will do good (as much as it will do a fair amount of damage) but we are still at liberty to ask questions.

So if you are truly desire an inclusive society Mr. Busuttil, I'd think twice before telling a multitude of people to 'shut up' because they have a preferred candidate. It is their right as much as it is yours, habib.

Emaunel Borg

Apr 28th 2008, 10:15

@ P Busuttil

Dear Mr. Busuttil it really amazes me to see your attitude towards people that are expressing their opinion in a very democratic way. Is "shut up" the kind of attitude that will make the MLP an inclusive party, if it is please elaborate on how this will occur. Is this the attitude that Abela plans to have towards some members of AS's clan who have done mistakes in the past, and no I'm not supporting them i am merely asking a question, because that too doesn't mean that the MLP will be all inclusive party.

You say that Joseph Muscat is a new face with the wrong ideas, I ask you to read his manifest or attend a public meeting and then list the wrong ideas. All i have seen so far is professionalism which was always a lacking factor before. He is charismatic, intelligent, and media savvy, and therefore he is perfectly capable of building bridges with a present belligerent media and an uninspired civil society. Yet he is down to earth, forthcoming and presents a simple yet focused and apt message. Joseph Muscat believes in an encompassing style of politics and therefore can attract those who until now, even though sympathetic to Labour, have kept away from political involvement and association whilst at the same time appealing to the party base, therefore by implication he can unite the party.

So excuse me but this is all rumours and specualation because Joseph Muscat has all the credentials to lead us into a 2013 elections victory. And yes i do know PN supporters who would vote for him. And just because the PN media support GA that does not mean he has the credentials to have the leadership role. I do believe that he has a lot to offer but not as a leader. If he wanted to the lead the party he shouldn't have left it when his help would have been substantial.

Sorry for not shutting up !!

Ian Vella

Apr 28th 2008, 08:59

Goerge Abela, Don Mintoff, Alfred Mifsud, Domenic Fenech (the new emerging faction) have one thing in common. ALL abandoned the party and pleased the Nationalist Party! Is this the new Labour which would lead us to a victory? I doubt!

Edward Cassar

Apr 28th 2008, 08:51

Mintoff was the right man at the right time for the MLP and for Malta. The right time was the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s until 1979 when he reached his milieu. Then what happened? The mess of the 1980s and the fight with Alfred Sant in the 1990s. Let's give credit to Mintoff for the good he did (and he did well in certain aspects but not in others) and leave him where his true place is, history. He is history. George Abela needs to get support from the young generation too and not just old people. So far only Joseph Muscat has managed to do so.

Joe Galea

Apr 28th 2008, 08:34

To all. Why for you whatever Labour does everyone has to find a sort of fault. For the PN apologists in here obviously no one is good enough if he/she is not Gonzi. Labour or 'pretending to be' supporters go in here and continue to fuel the show with their comments for the entertainment of the PN's.

Currently MLP is undergoing a healthy contest. Each contestant has the right to chose his strategy. Anyone can attend their meetings (I think Mintoff has a right too). Anyone can go and hear what they're offering and those who can vote finally can decide whoever they think will make the best Leader of MLP and next PM. I think the way that candidates are tackling it is the same way that happens in the US for the leader and presidential race. So what's wrong with MLP leader contestants?

GonziPN apologists you should be happy now that your government is in power again. Why don't we focus on more serious happenings? Like: 1) What happened to JPO police report? 2) What about the fact that Gonzi wants to give compensation (from public funds) to ex-ministers & PS outcasts to keep them quiet? 3) What about the price hikes? 4) What about the re-consideration of the Ramla project due in June (perhaps goodbye Ramla)? and much more in the GonziPN black humour black comedy!!!!

J. Azzopardi

Apr 28th 2008, 08:22

Unless Dr. Abela distances himself from Mintoff, in view of what he did to Labour ten years ago and gave the PN the govt, I can be counted one less vote for him when the leadership issue voting takes place.
I had been in a dilemma whom to vote for, but now it is crystal clear that an Abela- Mintoff pact is evident. Sure Mintoff as every one else has the right to attend to rallies of the contestants, but why Abela and not ML Coleiro, why not Muscat , Bartolo or Falzon for all that matter?

Muscat has said it time and again that he wants to reshape the party. Whether Jason et al remain at the administrative level of the Party has nothing to do with either of the contestants. It is for the party delegates to choose from the list of contenders who will submit their nomination when the time comes and they do it irrespective of who the choice of the leader will be. The new leader will also have to respect the electors choice of the administration.

P. Busuttil

Apr 28th 2008, 03:44

Please supporters of know it all Joe Muscat just shut up, your champion is just a new face with the wrong ideas. Besides to add insult to injury he's backed by Alfred Sant, manwel cuschieri, jason micallef and their losing clan. When will you understand that these people don't stand a chance infront the electorate. Joe Muscat is being pushed by these people not because they are interested in winning the next election but, it appears, to keep their positions within the party. Maybe three successive defeats have not been enough for you to understand this simple equation you need another one, maybe and I repeat maybe you will realize your mistake with these people. Joe Muscat will not attract any PN voters he's part of the Sant clan and this is a sin for PN voters, will you please take notice of this advice. Or maybe you are happy that some people who back him keep their jobs at your expense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even Dom Mintoff at the age of 91 is by far a better choice than Mr. Know it all Muscat.

David Gatt

Apr 28th 2008, 00:28

I don't have anything against Mintoff because of his age. I am against Mintoff because of what he did in 1998, and THAT I can never forgive him. Likewise I can never trust George Abela as Labour leader. In fact I think that is what in fact unites these two... their disloyalty. I think they would do best to team up and form a party of their own.

So George expects us to believe he is the man to unite MLP? Oh, ok, he may bring Mintoff back, but he's in a quarrel with George Vella, Alfred Sant, Michael Falzon, Jason Micallef, GWU... and the list goes on. I don't think that makes his credentials any good.

Benny Saliba

Apr 27th 2008, 23:19

Reading through these comments, I could discern a plan by Joseph Muscat's backers to discredit the only leadership contender who would beat him if the Labour delegates wish Malta well. I have been a diehard Labour activist all my life. I strove hard to stomach Alfred Sant for the forlorn chance of bringing about change in my country. But , witnessing this dirt in the party has driven me to banish the party from my family for good.

Josephine Vella

Apr 27th 2008, 23:16

Labour needs a leader who can reach out to the younger generations. Abela, 60, seems to be rallying support of the old guards like Mintoff, Sciberras Trigona, Duminku Fenech and co. Come next election, Abela would be a pensioner and at 65 I wonder whether young people can actually associate themselves with Labour, On the other hand, Joseph Muscat is the right candidate to lead the party at the present circumstances. Muscat's message last Friday says it all.

John Schembri

Apr 27th 2008, 23:11

I can see that the elves are back to work in the electoral campaign to get the same group to gain power .

Charles Cassar

Apr 27th 2008, 22:49

The presence of Mintoff at George Abela's meeting today is a sign of unity within he party that Abela will bring if he becomes leader. Mintoff remains Mintoff and remains Malta's greatest leader of all times. He has no personal interest in the leadership at this stage but he still loves the party and like any other Labourite has the right to express himself in favour of any of the contenstants.

I assure you that every Labourite in the past 10 years wished to see Mintoff shaking hands with Alfred Sant but this never happened. Mintoff gained respect from international leaders and other entities. Yes he made mistakes but who doesn't.? It is abvious that Mintoff had problems with Alfred Sant and did what he did in 1998 due to this conflict. We never won an election after his departure.

So let's look forward to have everyone on board. All candidates declared that those who left the party are welcome, and this will include Mintoff. His presence only, will inspire many people. Others may not be effected but at this stage we need to respect everyone's opinion and Mintoff is one of us. His opinion has weight and needs to be given attention by delegates. In many cases he was right.

Jennifer Tabone

Apr 27th 2008, 22:35

Tonight on watching the news I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Dom Mintoff at Qormi. To honor and give a tribute to Mr. Mintoff for being a great leader of the Labour party and of the country is one thing but to take advantage of an old man who lay bare his state of mind during his speech today, as well as when downtrodden by a sector of the media in the past election, is shameful. Nonetheless has it occurred to who ever had this brilliant idea that there will be 100,000 voters under the age of 35 in the next election who certainly do not care about the greatness and the deeds of this man. Is this the manner to attract young and floating voters? Undoubtedly the party needs to be united and that every one has a role to play but I do not think that one has to exploit anything and especially anyone for what is becoming to look as a personal ambition.

saviour cachia

Apr 27th 2008, 21:10

So the spinners are trying to make a feast of the fact that our former leader Dom Mintoff endorsed George Abela. Some argued in favour, as a good sign that the lost sheep are coming back to the flock, others maintained the contrary and vowed not to support George Abela for leader because il-Perit was at his Qormi mass rally.
So far so good. Everyone has every right to his own opinion. But all this must point to one intriguing question to one of the contenders in the June 5 election: my friend Joseph Muscat. Is it true you formed part of the strategic team that saw the 4% lead (according to the general secretary Jason Micallef) over the Gonzipn vanish in thin air?
Hope not. Because if so, it leaves a lot to be ponder about. Are the MLP delegates going to choose a strategist whom must be carrying some share of the responsibility of that march 8 general elections defeat as much as the deputy leader Dr. Michael Falzon, who like Dr. Alfred Sant (!?) and Dr. Charles Mangion resigned from the leadership of the party, do.
If the report was complete incorrect, not to say false, my friend Joseph for the party's sake, make the people responsible for the Nationalist Sunday Paper and Website eat their words. Prompt action is expected, or else your vision of victory in 2013 general election is very much tarnished.

Tony Gatt

Apr 27th 2008, 21:09

Why all the fuss? Pretty soon it will become obvious to Malta that all the most important decisions are made in Brussels as has happened with the Spring Hunting ruling. Any future government will just be a rubber stamp for EU laws.

Alice Murray

Apr 27th 2008, 21:07

Any doubts now who threw Labour Party into the pits?!!

The move by George Abela simply confirms my deepest worries. Back in 1998 these people wanted to drown the Labour Party. It is confirmed now... Even Alfred Mifsud realised all this back in 1998. And now he is throwing his weight behind Abela himself. What a pitiful concoction of bitter characters.

Can't anyone realise (even intellegent people such as Prof Dom Fenech) that you are taking the party ten years back!!! Quando mai!

Trust someone who knows nothing about politics but is very very interested. Labour needs someone who cannot be blamed for his past and look only ahead. There is only one such candidate. Joseph Muscat.

If anyone can prove otherwise (ok except for the occasional journalistic question back in 2003) please stand up.

Malcolm Seychell

Apr 27th 2008, 20:46

Like it or not Mintoff was the only decent leader MLP. He won some elections. After him only Sant managed 22 months in government.

The others only achieved negative results. So Mintoff can be considered a luxury for MLP

Renato J. Costigan

Apr 27th 2008, 20:25

Dear Nathalie,

My mind is more than you think 'MISTRIEH'. I assure that by that
'simple statement' you make more than aware. Because the same persons and
mentality of the past are still at the helm of the MLP. For sure that for the next
election I vote again PN. For sure that in the MLP there will be nothing new for the
next 5 years in the. Might be 'BIDU GDID' for another defeat.

Regards the Malta Shipbuilding you mentioned for me and for many
other voters it is the joke of the day. HA HA HA HA HA . But you mentioned nothing
about the ex-Malta Drydocks and the 'hnizrijiet' which happened during the years. I
refer to the past because those were shameful days of the MLP. Days that you want
to forget. Most of the persons of those days are still at the helm of the same party.

Well dear Nat, I have to stop writing to continue hearing and
adjourn myself about the S O A P O P E R A by the MLP on Net TV.

Godfrey Borg

Apr 27th 2008, 20:23

It seems not everyone believe in true democracy since some want that certain restrictions is applied in their "democracy".
For God's sake, is there anything wrong that Mintoff went to George Abela meeting and Godfrey Grima was at Joseph Muscat meeting. Come on, let us grow up in political maturity.
Imagine George and Joe protesting against Dom and Godfrey presence in their meetings and telling them off because they can potentially hurt their political chances.
I am also amazed how one can be so emotional in his judgement when I read statements " I am not going to vote or support you anymore because .....". Emotional reactions never produced good judgements.
If MLP really wants to acheive true reconciliation, then everyone should work towards that objective. Christianity teaches us to " forgive and try hard to forget " since this is the only way to start the healing process. Every politician make certain mistakes in his political life. Can anyone say that Mintoff, KMB,Sant, George Vella etc etc did everthing right in their political life so far? Certainly not? Then do we condemn them to eternity? No we do not but actually try to learn from these same mistakes. And this leads me to state that to acheive certain objectives, unity and co-existence is the only solution.
My only amazement is that we are half way through the leadership contest and I am not aware that the MLP media actually has up to date organised a discussion programme between the contestants. Why? Do I need to follow the other media to know what is actually happening with all the spicing one may have to endure in the process?
Although I am certainly not so young, I do not mind discussing any subject with the youngest of the young. Having an open mind is actually what make you feel young forever.

Maria Farrugia

Apr 27th 2008, 20:17

Joseph Muscat is the best thing to have emerged in the Labour leadership race by a long way. And the speech he gave last Friday in his first public meeting hit home with unerring accuracy, one of the few times I’ve ever seen a speech and thought “bloody hell, THAT’S why I’m involved in this party”. Muscat is young, fresh, intelligent, charismatic, charming and accessible

ethelbert schembri

Apr 27th 2008, 20:05

I am not beleving in what I am reading !!! If everyone who is comenting wasn t there today, please calm down on your misinformation !!!!!
Mr mintoff went for the meeting by him self no one invited him officialy ( if I m not mistaken every one is free to go listen and talk in these ocations) , and there is noting to be ashamed off if he was invited .
Mr mintoff is one of the former leaders of the MLP and still a delegate of the MLP so he should be more than welcome in every ocation of the MLP not just this !!

So if I m not wrong there are who are saying that the PN must be ashamed of Fortunato Mizzi ,Ugo Mifsud, George Borg Olivier and Eddie Fenech Adami ?? Cause please they are not all saints !! And if anyone took a bit of attention , for Dr Gonzi Malta began to exist just 4 years ago !!!! Befor there was noting !!!!

I am just quoting " Let he who is without sin cast the first stone " !!!!

And to everyone if you dont know basic history , again dont coment !!
The history of Malta as you imagin it isn t history is just misinformation!!
I m not saying that everything the MLP did in the past was always right but please is not the other way round either
The thing is that there was so much misinformation in the past and even today that every small thing was and is inflatated exponentially !!

Dr George Abela, the other contenders and everyone in and outside the MLP is saying that we must be a party of inclusiveness !! So this must be good news not bad !!
We must learn from our past, recognise the present to see the future !!

Nathalie Zammit

Apr 27th 2008, 19:26

Mary , i missed yr satire there. Really sorry. But excellent point .

Kevin Zammit

Apr 27th 2008, 19:20

Wow! what a heated debate here! 90+ and can still stir up a malteser by just showing his face :)

Nathalie Zammit

Apr 27th 2008, 18:37

Dear Renato,

i was correct when i siad that li mohok mistrieh because otherwise you wouldnt be reasoning out this way. No it wasnt a threat, it was a simple statement to make you aware of the sitaution which you are currently to blind to see. It is a known fact that the ship building was put on its feet by labour and gonzi said loud and clear that he cannot keep on subsidising it.

If by your description you think i am envious of Dr. Gonzi going up Castille's stair, as assure i am not. On the contrary im sorry for the maltese ppl who do not know what is awaiting them in the next 5 yrs.

If you want to keep on reffering to the past go ahead. The same things are happening today and i doubt you need me to mention il hnizrijiet li qed issiru. However, i doubt they were all days of shame.

JOHN SCERRI

Apr 27th 2008, 18:28

Why all this fuss about this event ?

Mintoff was MLP general secretary at age 19 .
MIntoff introduced equal wages for women and men in the early 70s.
Mintoff introduced housing schemes.
Mintoff introduced children's allowance.
Mintoff introduced the minimum pension scheme.
Mintoff was the FIRST person to celebrate 1st May at Xemxija and suffer the consequences.
Mintoff was the one who abolished beggars from the streets and knocking door to door and reduced poverty by creating a welfare state and social justice.
Mintoff brought 14million liri in the 70s instead of 4million as rent for the British forces to stay here.
Mintoff was minister of public works in the 50's building post World War 2 infrastructure.
Mintoff lifted many in the low class bracket to middle class.

Mintoff tried to convince his hard headed leader in 1996-1998 to refrain from taking fiscal measures which the lower class and middle class citizens could not afford.

Yes Mintoff did mistakes - Is there anyone out there who does not make mistakes?
He once said - 'in order not to make mistakes - sit down and do nothing at all'.
And yet the so called loyal labour supporters of Mintoff believed he who called him 'Trator' and now after so many electoral defeats they want to rebulid the party from scratch.

Mintoff deserves much more respect from MLP.

I am not and was never an MLP supporter, but as a citizen of Malta I cannot but say thankyou to a person who despite the difficult time we had to go through succeeded in taking Malta forward in his own way for the good of our country.
Yes... Mintoff did much more good for his party than anyone else in the MLP history.

Has this man ever entered MLP HQ in Hamrun since it was transferred from 'Macina'?

RITA SPITERI

Apr 27th 2008, 18:17

SO THE LABOUR SUPPORTESRS ARE HANDING DOWN TREATS I THOUGH THAT WAS MEPA'S JOB BEFORE THE ELECTION

Alexander Morana

Apr 27th 2008, 18:15

If Dr. Abela attracts the likes of Dom Mintoff in a parade of an olds folks' home meeting, I presume that Coliero-Preca will attract Jane Fonda in a keep fit class?

Francis Saliba

Apr 27th 2008, 18:11

Trust DOM to throw a cat among the pigeons. He cannot even attend a political conference without producing mayhem. Poor George Abela who finds himself lumbered with good old Dom on one of the front seats at his conference and bringing down on his head the wrath of the callow MLP young generation of Joseph Muscat devotees, masters of IT technology! Are there no other plausible candidates?

Mary Vella

Apr 27th 2008, 18:10

Dear Nathalie, where is your sense of sarcastic humour? OK i will put it in another way. I am dying to read what the likes of DCG and ABC will have to say now. Mintoff who haunted DCG's youth backing her only credible choice for Labour Leader George Abela. lol

Renato J. Costigan

Apr 27th 2008, 18:02

To Nathalie Zammit:-


Dear Nat, that's why I didn't voted MLP 'biex nibza ghal-hobzi' and 'nibqa
mohhi mistrieh'. And by the way is this a treat from a labour supporter? As usual.
I am used with these treats, my friend. I also voted PN so that others would have
their mind at ease. Now that the PN is in power for another 5 years (whether you
you like it or not) and Dr. Lawrence Gonzi going up the stairs of CASTILLE (most
probable you have seen the film) is more than satisfactorily. And more than my
mind is 'mistrieh'.

'Rasek Mistra' you mean the situation during the 70's and 80's, where many
acres of GREEN AREA where bought from farmers for cents and sold for thousands
Maltese Liri. Do you remember those days? Days of SHAME. Those days are still
echoing in the Labour Party.

NOTHING NEW -------- BIDU GDID/QADIM


Pentecoste is only a few days before the 5th June (which means 'U qam mill-MEWT)

ivan camilleri

Apr 27th 2008, 17:41

I just want to say that apart from what happened in the past, MLP has to move on but i'm sorry to say certainly not in this way......

Its so evident somethin is brewing in their glasshouse, clearly showing that the present factions are there to stay, unless some cliques decide to realise that we're in 2008 not in those times where the power of threat was bigger than the power of the word, as its nowadays in all democratic countries......

Unfortunately mintoff's showing up didn't help that much today, on the other hand he's made a great contribution to bring forward another fresh wave of controversy, something which labour can't afford to have at the moment.....

Andrea Leone Ganado

Apr 27th 2008, 17:39

Mintoff's alignment towards Dr. Abela's camp appears to me fairly strange to say the least.
It lacks very much in style and strategy for Dr. Abela and I honestly fear that it may harm his bid rather than help him gain support from both delegates and party members.

It sounds to me pretty difficult for Dr. Abela - after Mintoff's comeback - to deny the criticism regarding his behavior back in Summer 98.

Maltatoday this morning published a 1998 memo sent by Alfred Mifsud to Prime Minister Sant, in which Alfred Mifsud argued George Abela was ready to take over the premier office with the backing of Mintoff in return of the presidency nomination of the latter.

Indeed, this is no new story, since many within the corridors of Labour HQ were already convinced of the matter. Now it will be even more difficult for Dr. Abela to deny these accusation who ironically came haunting him directly from Alfred Mifsud, who tofay is openly supporting Abela.

Furthermore, I believe that Mintoff's presence will hardly help anyone with the MLP to gain ground amongst floaters and moderates. It is true that, the coming battle has to be won amongst the delegates and not with the fundamental vote of the floaters. However, a prospective MLP leader will inevitably have to deal with the moderate's vote in order to achieve a solid government majority in 5 yrs time.

Having Mintoff shadowing him, will definitely not help to improve Abela's already good image with the moderates, actually it can only harm him in such a context.

Similarly it is also hard to believe that having Mintoff openly supporting him, will by any chance help Abela to gain ground with hardcore delegates. Labour delegates are far more angry at Mintoff today than ever before as they reasonably believe that had the party maintained his governing position in 98, the MLP and probably also the country, would have been in a different situation ten yrs down the line. Actually this is also what Abela stresses and with hindsight it is difficult to imagine a worst position for MLP than the current state of affairs.

Thus, if having Mintoff openly supporting Abela fails to actually improve his position either with the delegates or with party member, I ask what was the rational behind such a comeback.
I also would like to know what the moderates supporting Abela's bid think of being aligned with Mintoff again? Is Alfred Mifsud happy to have Mintoff ‘battling’ on his side once more? I seriously doubt it.

If the labour party is to look forward towards welcoming moderates and floaters including professionals who left the party in the Mintoff era, how will Mintoff's open support for Abela help in a Leadership bid?

Since a couple of days ago I was pretty much undecided on who was the ideal MLP leader. Friday I observed Godfrey Grima praising Jospeh Muscat, today I've seen Mintoff supporting George Abela. I have now decided whom to support.

Carmen Portelli

Apr 27th 2008, 17:26

I am surprised how can the maltese show lack of respect towards a GREAT POLITICAL LEADER as MR. MINTOFF. Whats wrong if a great leader who did so much good to Malta expresses his backing towards someone? I live abraod in a european city but do follow as much as I can from the papers of what happens in my homeland. I am in my forties and remember very well Dom Mintoff and all he did for his country, my father was a dockyard worker and remember the misery wage he had till Mr Mintoff made a drastic change in wages and social services that made the working class breath, it hit me as a teenager at the time to see my country making great changes towards a better living. So many good things and changes for the better were done by Mr Mintoff no need for me to make a long list... history serves to never forget....and I will never forget all the good MR.Mintoff did for my country...and nothing wrong if he appears and says his opinions.. all can learn from someone wise like him... I only can wish for lovely Malta a wise and intelligent leader like Mr.Mintoff !!! May The Keeper of The Stars help Malta find such a leader!!! AUGURI MALTA!!!

louis grech

Apr 27th 2008, 17:23

Yes it was reported that the CIA has apparatus that can monitor anyone in the vicinity of a loudspeaker as a mobile phone!
Mintoff is the only proper leader thatthe MLP had so far and not US puppets. Labourites beware !!
I wish everyone could have that stamina at his age!

Nathalie Zammit

Apr 27th 2008, 17:14

@ Renato J

You have right to express that kind of opinion i beg to differ and time will prove me right.

Haga nghidlek ibza ghal hobzok ghaliex kieku telghu l labour mohhok mistrieh imma issa li hemm il PN u se naqsu s susidju u eventually talghaq. Issa jekk inti rasek mistra, shabek mhux kollha ghandhom fuq min jistriehu .

Dominic Fenech

Apr 27th 2008, 17:12

First of all, Mintoff is a free citizen and as such chose to turn up. Is there anything wrong with that, or is anyone expecting that George Abela's people should have thrown him out? I cannot see the logic that welcoming Mintoff means "being stuck in the past"?

Secondly, if one is to be judged according to who one is supported by, then this ought to apply to all candidates. E.g., if a candidate is supported by Alfred Sant and his men, does that make him/her stuck in a more recent and pathetic past?

Third, equating appeal to youth with the age of the candidate is fallacious on more than one count. Youth identify with substance, not age and packaging. (If Alfred Sant failed to attract the young, and Lawrence Gonzi succeeded, it was not because of the age of either). More seriously, certain comments here and elsewhere threaten to turn this contest into an ageist one, pitting the young against the old, which is a bad start in the road to inclusiveness.

Nikita Zammit Alamango

Apr 27th 2008, 17:07

@ Matthew Borg

As a mater of fact im 19yrs old too, and therefore i implore you to rethink about our future. Like i said already, i will say again that what happened in the 80's wrong no questions asked! However you have misinformation because Mintoff did not abstain from voting but voted against and before that he had been astaining or not going to vote. For me Mintoff is a closed chapter, i appreciate his hard work which like someone said in the blog is the basis of our society today, but we have to move on.

@ Brain Zammit

Excuse me but how is Abela showing that he can unite the MLP? Cause he brought Mintoff on board? On the contrary i think this would cause an even greater disaster. Why didnt George Abela try to get Mintoff on board in 98 ? Attending the meeting was nothing wrong but speakin turing the meeting? And yes i agree that the MLP should be open to everyone, because there are A LOT of people that have amazing amout of knowledge to offer to the party. But its imperative that at this stage everyone has the Party at the top of the Agenda and not themselves.

Franco Farrugia

Apr 27th 2008, 17:05

Only one word should be said about this: Disappointing.

Ray Fava

Apr 27th 2008, 17:03

it is clear now. the past vs the future. the new man vs yesterdays men. fullstop

Renato J. Costigan

Apr 27th 2008, 16:47

PAST ---------- PRESENT ---------- FUTURE

Tahwid kien hemm --- Tahwid ghad hemm --- Tahwid jibqa jkun hemm


FOR THE MALTA LABOUR PARTY

Brian Zammit

Apr 27th 2008, 16:36

Dr Abela is already showing that he can unite the various factions there is in the MLP today, into ONE strong party. What's wrong by Mintoff coming to a public meeting addressed by George Abela? Although it's true that Mintoff took many wrong turns in his political life, but the good he did far outweighs the bad.
Everyone should be welcome to join the labour party, even more if he is a former leader!

Noel Cutajar

Apr 27th 2008, 16:28

Well what kind of change is this? Mintoff endorses Abela...now what? He was a leader in his own times when Malta needed a strong leader, but the 1996-1998 era has brought shame on him...are we to endorse him as being part of the new Labour? I prefer that he is no longer endorsing anyone...let George run his own race without Mintoff as we need fresh ideas like those of Muscat...

Matthew Borg

Apr 27th 2008, 16:18

@ Nikita Zammit Alamango

Why you have assumed that I have a certain affection towards Dom Mintoff is beyond me. Not at all actually, to be blunt - while I, like you, was not even born during the times he was the PM of Malta (I'm 19 years old), having studied the conditions surrounding his tenure as PM, I can sincerely say that his leadership was deplorable. On the other hand, if you're referring to the 1998 scenario, then in that case too I am correct - Mintoff does NOT have an affiliation with the PN. Just because he was an influential factor in bringing down the MLP government, you cannot assume that... know the real reasons behind it. Mr. Mintoff never voted against the MLP in Parliament, but he abstained - that alone shows not a political preference to the PN, but a stance against Dr. Sant as leader of the MLP. And we both know, despite our age, what Mintoff thinks of the ex-Opposition Leader...

Kevin Zammit

Apr 27th 2008, 15:51

You can't know where you're going if you don't consider where you've been ...

Keith Chircop

Apr 27th 2008, 15:49

I can understand Mintoff being there, but why on earth did Abela let him speak?

Paul Micallef

Apr 27th 2008, 15:46

Dear George Abela. I am an MLP member and I was seriously considering supporting you as the new party leader. But now I can tell you that my support is over. I want a new leader who has nothing to do with the past, and your honoured guest, certainly is not that type.

Mintoff's tactics and strategies are no longer useful to the Party or to the country and if he ever gets near any one of the candidates who want to become the MLP Leader he will be crossed out of my list without any second taughts.

The first one is you.

Godfrey Borg

Apr 27th 2008, 15:40

These last fifteen days was a period where one was given the opportunity to reflect on the leadership contest.
One positive aspect about this contest is that the five candidates were cordial and correct in their manners to each other so far.
One negative aspect is that persons, who should know better ,are using this contest to air their bitterness against candidates not to their liking or else trying to settle old scores.
The sad thing about it all, is that whilst everyone is preaching the importance of unity in the party and the importance of getting back our " lost sheep ", I have just read earlier negative comments re Mintoff's attendance to this morning George Abela meeting. If I remember correctly, George Abela indicated in his previous Bormla meeting that everyone , who acts in good faith, has a place in the party. I think it is positive that Mintoff attended such a meeting since rehabilitating " lost sheep" can be a wonderful experience to the party. Can anyone believe that Mintoff ,with his 91 years of age , can really influence George Abela or was it a gesture from Mintoff that he accepted George Abela's comments in Bormla.
Also, to be young in your thoughts or policies, certainly age do not actually matter in the equation but maturity and positive approaches help a lot.
I sincerely hope that the "persons who should know better" will let the candidates do their own promotions since the one who actually get elected, will certainly need the help of the other candidates to really unite the party.
Lino Cassar in the " It-Torca" of last Sunday, rightly said that in the past, people has left the party for their own reasons and were welcomed back and given all the opportunities to positively contribute to the party. the late Guze Cassar was a classical example.
So it is time for everyone to seriously reflect why we lost in 1998, two times in 2003, and in 2008. The only time we won was in 2004, i.e in the European Parliamentary elections. But then this question always pop up in my mind " Did the Maltese voting population actually endorsed the MLP only in 2004 because they were sure that the MLP set-up ,at that moment in time, would not be actually be able to get into our nation's driving seat ?
One should really ponder on this question since it really show the way forward for the MLP.
So my friends, calm down and think positively.

David Farrugia

Apr 27th 2008, 15:28

What a mistake George Abela!! What a mistake!!! Party for the future my foot, under your leadership! Come to think of it, was George Abela involved in the Mintoff charade back in 1998? Today I have sealed my support for Joe Muscat. Thanks for enlighting us George.

Jeremy C Portelli

Apr 27th 2008, 14:50

@ Malcolm Seychell

The point is not whether Mintoff should go for the activity or be banned.

It's only about forward looking vision. The man who is proposing himself for leader, George Abela, in one instance preaches for the party to open up for floaters and those of non Nationalist leanings to the extent that he rides on a survey carried in this sense, and in another instance proposes and puts forward ideas of the past.

His political language is nothing but old left ideology and Mintoff epitomised this throughout his years.

It is also ironic who George Abela feels it fit to say he was always in favour of the European union and he is now endorsed by the ersthwile crusader of anti-colonialism, neutrality and a vehement negative stand against Malta joining the EU.

This does not make sense. It does not fit. It simply smacks of opportunism.

Malcolm Seychell

Apr 27th 2008, 14:40

There is nothing wrong that Mintoff went to the rally. He seems to be backing Abela and maybe some other candidate rather then one of Sant puppet who lead the MLP in misery.

Mintoff will surely not be part of the new team, but he has a right to express his views, especially since he is the father of MLP.

Would you ever imagine Eddie being banned to participate in a PN activity?

James Grech

Apr 27th 2008, 14:22

Mr Mintoff, are you trying, once more, to influence what happends in the Labour Party? Dr Abela, by praising people like Mintoff shows that 1) you are stuck in the past and 2) the last thing you deserve is to lead a modern social-democratic party. Mr Mintoff was and will be the reason of the Labour party's demise. Its a shame that such people are causing so much harm to many people out there who have Labour at heart and not personal ambitions.

Micallef M

Apr 27th 2008, 14:22

I think this is normal and democratic.

Even in America past presidents endorse new candidates. It may have good influence or not - but it is absolutely normal in a democratic party.

People seems shocked of the "divisions" within Labour. I say this is a show that MLP is the only true democratic party in Malta.

RITA SPITERI

Apr 27th 2008, 14:12

Really now does anyone in their heart of hearts care who the leader of the opposition is going be, except of course the contenders themselves.

Jeremy C Portelli

Apr 27th 2008, 14:10

I think this is a gimmick with delegates. How many will sway to GA's side however? I think there would be a couple, sure, but would that be enough to install him as next leader?

On a much more serious note, however, how many floaters and PN voters will Mintoff bring to Labour's fold? Will the MLP grow now becasue Mintoff endorsed George Abela?

Can we have another survey on this please?

Kevin Camilleri

Apr 27th 2008, 14:09

I agree 100 per cent with Saviour Cachai. I was present at such mass rally and I became sure that with George Abela, the MLP can see again the winning podium. Don't be carried away because of mintoff coming to the rally. Focus on the main point. the discussion of Dr Abela.

Joe Scerri

Apr 27th 2008, 13:51

Labour : Comedy of errors, keep it up !!

E Grima

Apr 27th 2008, 13:47

A lot of comments on this thread relate to the fact that Labour has to start attracting the youth, therefore Joseph Muscat is it and has to become leader if it wants to achieve the aim of being elected in 5-years time. That is just hogwash. The last three elections saw the MLP being led by 'younger' (or, at least, younger looking) leader than the PN had. The result: three defeats. The aim of the MLP is to get elected, by being attractive to the majority of Maltese electors, not just the youthful section. By being attractive is to project in front of the Maltese voters a solid leader of substance. The old saying goes that youth is wasted on the young. Youth for youth sake is never going to get the MLP over the line. It takes much more than that. Amongst the contenders vying for the leadership I can only see George Abela that might get it over that line.

mary pace

Apr 27th 2008, 13:42

ALL I can say is,may the best man or woman wins,MLP need the best if they ever wants to win an election,

saviour cachia

Apr 27th 2008, 13:41

Please wait till you read the full report of what Dr. George Abela had to say in this morning mas rally at Qormi. Do not get carried away and let your figment of imaginations lose control, because Dom Mintoff decided to come and listen what Dr. Abela was saying.
Dr. Abela was very clear about his objectives and how we can have a better Malta in the heart of the European Union, something which he supported wholeheartedly from the outset.
You can know Dr. Abela better if you read his manifesto and gauge the feeling by the people in the streets, not certain elements in the MLP Headquarters, whose really interest, whether personally or that of the party, is very questionable.
Dr Abela clarified a lot of spins about him and showed the way forward to those who have the MLP at heart and really want it to make a step forward: from 48% to 51%. Come on use your minds and forget about the idea of Dr. Abela being a puppet in anybody's hands, not even Gonzipn.
He expressed a clear message to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. Dr. Abela speech today inspired the ideal atmosphere to all those who really wants to see Malta and Gozo continue to progress on what has been achieved so far. He had a meaningful and steady message to Gonzipn.

Paul Schembri

Apr 27th 2008, 13:39

I just couldn't believe my eyes, when I saw Dom Mintoff enter the venue for George Abela's meeting. How such an icon of Maltese history be there to enhance Dr. Abela's image, when Mintoff is part of the dilemma the Labour Party is in. I just can't believe that true labourites can feel comfortable with Dr. Abela at the helm of the Party and maybe in the future, of the nation, with such past alliances. It confirms that Dr. Abela was part of a conspiracy to bring down the Labour Government because of Dr. Alfred Sant. Also this is confirmed by an email sent by a supporter of Dr. G. Abela himself in a Sunday newspaper today.

D.Micallef

Apr 27th 2008, 13:21

Mr Abela, why didn't you bring on board Mintoff back in 1998? why now?
we need to look forward.

Nikita Zammit Alamango

Apr 27th 2008, 12:53

@ Matthew Borg


Go ahead and question… these are the answers. Joseph Muscat is an apt mirror for the future because he has proven himself in a lot of circumstances if you have followed him from his start you would know. A recent example is his PRO EU antics. All this talk about him being arrogant is only envy for the confidence this youth entails. If he doesn't believe in what he can do how are the people supposed to trust him? I don’t think I would vote for someone who tells me I don’t have a vision, or we ll see when I'm elected. Joseph Muscat has gained my trust over the years, but especially recently when he declared his vision, which I can proudly say is extremely close to mine. It is true that we had a certain attitude that the election was going to be won by the MLP - that is a fact I cannot deny but the result depended on VARIOUS factors and I am positive that the Maltese know deep down the way the election was won . If you really see Alfred Sant in Joseph then I really cannot understand your perspective of thought.

If you are not aware of Mintoff’s connection with the PN then I guess you didn’t follow the political scene in recent years. His past does not indicate that my statement is false. On the contrary your statements are actually contradicting each other. On one hand you have a certain affection towards Mintoff but then you mention the 1980’s. Of course, as a youth myself, I completely condemn those days, however you must remember that it takes two to tango and don’t forget “tal gakketa blu”. I'm sure you remember having children allowance during a labour government amongst other.

Anyway this is out of context, because we are not here to discuss the past or Mintoff’s work. Whatever happened, and what ever has been done, good or bad. I simply think that it is time to move on. Turn over a new leaf, and start afresh.

effie carbonaro

Apr 27th 2008, 12:47

even my 93 year old dad went for that meeting but he went there for a laugh.george are you thinking of forming a dads army party.?

G. Sammut

Apr 27th 2008, 12:43

With Dr. Abela as leader the MLP will crumble under its own shadows. Enough said.

Liam Borg

Apr 27th 2008, 12:38

Today I confirm that Dr. Abela is still fighting the battles of 10 years ago. He might have been, to some extent, right then but is definitely out of tune today. George Abela's campaign for the leadership has revolved around that dreadful day in 1998 when Labour decided to relinquish its seat of power. It might be interesting in historical terms but completely irrelevant to the political discussion the Labour Party needs to be having today.

Moreover it seems that George Abela has no real plans to change anything within the party except maybe a few faces. Passing on the chance to have a genuine party reformed and postponing it for another 10 years (the most that Dr. Abela can offer to the MLP) would be the biggest mistake that the Party can do.

It is evident that Dr. Abela is yesterday's man because he only attracts yesterday's giants. I laud their efforts for Malta but in today's world we are simply inept. For the party to move forward it has to, whilst always remembering its past and embracing it, learn how to move forward, change and adapt to its present reality. Whether George Abela was right or not in 1998 will have no bearing over the aspirations of youths like myself and those who will vote for the first time in 2013. George might be a great mind and a good leader in yesterday's world but is proven to be a dead dinosaur in today's.

David Gatt

Apr 27th 2008, 12:36

Is this a leadership meeting, or is it a meeting for people who have been called Labour's traitors? One more reason for sticking my support with Joseph Muscat and dumping George Abela's credentials to the last row.

Ian brincat

Apr 27th 2008, 12:25

While I still worship Don Mintoff, we need to look forward. Mintoff belongs to a different era, and while his policies and vision (at that time) proved to help Malta stand on its feet, globalisation requires different politics.

While I see nothing wrong that Don Mintoff attended George Abela's meeting, I believe that our next leader should disassociate himself from the past and offer a new vision for the party.

George Abela should seriously consider not to continue to associate himself with people like Don Mintoff, Alfred Mifsud and other who are regarded (at least by the Labour hardcore) as the people who failed the party at one point in time! I don`t think neither that Nationalist supporters, floaters and new voters are please to see the party going back in history.

I believe that George Abela is more wise than that, and should not let these people damage his reputation. If he chooses to do otherwise, that I have doubts on whether he can lead the party to a victory

Emaunel Borg

Apr 27th 2008, 12:22

I can't agree more with Alan Zammit. All the Abela team have one thing that holds them together: that is they always opposed to Alfred Sant. Now with all respect, I do admit that Sant did mistakes however, we want to win an election, then all the party members have to support the present leader and work together for a better team. Not be selfish and look at their own personal grudges !

Muscat said that they attack him cause he has less experience in national politics, well I really thank God he doesn't because the way Maltese politics works is disgusting ! Let's build a Labour team that will win us 2013 elections and many more after that. There is no time for playing around from people from the past. We re in the present, and we look ahead. Therefore we need someone that represents this vision.

Roberta Borg

Apr 27th 2008, 12:12

We need fresh and young people to lead with a pro European view and not old staff like Dr. Abela and Dom Mintoff. The only person that can get MLP out of their situation and attracting new people to them especially new young people is Dr. Joseph Muscat. Its not jsut a question of MLP but we are talking about the possibility of being the PM of all citizens irrespective what colour party. I am sure that if Dr. Ablea gets the leadership alongside with Dom Mintoff we will go back as the old times. One does not exclude the possibilty of being against EU membership and back to old school staff.

Paul Caruana

Apr 27th 2008, 12:07

Hi, all ! Please use your intelligence. Dom Mintoff was the one who put Malta on the map, to say nothing of the MLP. Don't you think he knows more than anybody else what's best? We lost the last election at the university, among other places. I'm sure that wouldn't happen again with George Abela as leader.

John Hili

Apr 27th 2008, 12:03

"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants" Sir Isaac Newton. Good food for thought A.Mangion. Dr George Abela is clearly on the right track. Should we forget our past? Should we dump our predecessors? Never. Mr Mintoff is the foundation of what we are today,

Patricia Mifsud

Apr 27th 2008, 12:02

I'm not a Labourite but the occupier of the chair leading the party in Opposition is something very important to me as a Maltese national. I can't understand why people are annoyed at the fact that Dr. Abela acknowledged Mr. Mintoff and shook his hand.... Does anyone really know whether Mr. Mintoff was there by invitation or of his own accord? In either case, Mr. Mintoff is a public figure one can hardly ignore and has as much right as anyone else to listen to the prospective leader of the party he adheres to and once led.

Matthew Borg

Apr 27th 2008, 12:00

@ Nikita Zammit Alamango

I would like to question how Joseph Muscat is "an apt mirror for the future", as you put it. From what I've read, Dr. Muscat has already gone in with the attitude that he has won the MLP leadership race as well as the race for Castille in 2013. Isn't it this arrogance that hindered the MLP so greatly in the last general election, an election, might I add, in which the party was meant to storm to victory? Perhaps the word 'mirror' in your statement would be the most accurate term used, for with this mentality, it is like we are seeing Alfred Sant all over again...

I'd also like to question how Mr. Mintoff has "friendly connections" with the Nationalist Party. It is a well-known fact that Mintoff did not like Dr. Sant one bit, but it does not mean in the least that these 'connections' existed. Clearly, his past actions would indicate that your statement is false and misconstrued! Also, you mention that Mintoff did "a great deal of good for the MLP in the past and everyone is grateful for those times"... however, on the other hand, you fail to mention all the bad things that happened in the 1970's and 80's; a case in point being the Tal-Barrani disaster of 1986 (when KMB was Mintoff's puppet) as well as the anomalous election result of 1981. I can go on, but it's best I stop here.

Alan Zammit

Apr 27th 2008, 12:00

How can we trust Dr. Abela when he made obstacles to his own leader. He betrayed his party and thus he is a no man trust any more. Obviously one would expect Dom Mintoff to applaud to Dr. Abela as both of them did not like Dr. Sant. All they wished was to see Dr. Sant to go down. For sure, that Dr. Abela will not take my vote.
Alan

Nathalie Zammit

Apr 27th 2008, 12:00

Dear Mary Vella if you seriously identify with DGC then I think there is a huge problem. Or you might just be a Nationalist and obviously want the PN to govern for another decade. Just because George Abela has included Mintoff in his strategy doesnt mean that he is an all inclusive guy. Come on give me a break... do we want a progressive movement in the labour party? A social democrat party or a new wing liberal-conservative group to make everyone happy and the PN will still be governing what ever happens in the next elections?

It is a disgrace that some people actually even think that George Abela is an option!! There need to be change in the MLP and only one constant is able to change that with the help of others. Youths are the people that bring change, that have the eneregy to give a progressive aspect and a new way of doing politics !

Robert Cassar

Apr 27th 2008, 11:51

Dom Mintoff attended Dr George Abela`s meeting? Is Dr Abela running out of steam already? We, the young want to talk about the future. Mr Mintoff and Dr Abela were the future once. Now, they are completely stuck in the past

Paul Vella

Apr 27th 2008, 11:50

I believe that Mintoff made a great disservice to the candidature of George Abela today. He is ruining his chances with Labour delegates and members if these are called upon to vote, and his is also harming Dr Abela's standing with the so called floating voters.

Jeremy C Portelli

Apr 27th 2008, 11:49

I just cannot believe this. If this is the party George Abela is advocating,then the MLP will surely never re-invent himself. If Abela is happy collecting all those who for some reason or another have a grudge against the MLP and/or the GWU, then this his vision is myopic. Is this his view of eradicating cliques?

No disrepect to the Maltese political giant of course, but if Dr Abela is happy hanging around with Mintoff then I doubt whether the MLP under his tenure would be able to meet the growing needs and aspirations of tomorrow's Malta.

I just hope that delegates or members bear in mind that this country needs an MLP that embraces a far wider spectrum of people rather than a multitude of grudge bearers all vying for the sweet revenge.

E Mifsud

Apr 27th 2008, 11:48

Well, there he is again, as expected good old Dom pops up. This evening we'll watch the news coverage and count the under-30's present at the meeting. There weren't much during the last meeting.

Is this the way Labour hopes to attract the new voters? There were over 28,000 this time round and there will be a similar figure in five year's time. Having said that, it is imperative for the new leader gets EVERYONE on board.

Tony Farrugia

Apr 27th 2008, 11:36

In a carbon conscious world, we've got a fossil fuel candidate to lead the Labour Party. George Abela has just confirmed that he is a politician completely stuck in the past. Should he be elected leader of the Labour Party on June 5th, the people rallying around him will for sure be the roadblock to reform. One of the greatest tasks for the next Labour Leader will be to repair the broken contract between the generations.

Nikita Zammit Alamango

Apr 27th 2008, 11:33

A Mangion missed the point when he generalized " that if Labour is elected it will be a party of yesterday and not tomorrow." Has s/he forgotten that G. Abela isnt the only contender for the leadership bid.

Joseph Muscat is an apt mirror for the future. He is young,energetic and holds a modern vision for Malta and as such he represents the aspirations of the modern Maltese, particularly the youths and those who are advancing in society based on their own merits. So there is an alternative within the MLP - all we have to do is choose wisely.

I'm am positive that Mr. Mintoff did a great deal of good for the MLP in the past and everyone is grateful for those times. However, I am also sure that the majority of MLP supporters are still hurt from his actions in 98 that brought labour down.

There are also 2 main things in common between Mr.Mintoff and Mr.Abela - the Nationalist party, seems they both have extra friendly connections. And leaving the party for 10 yrs.

Therefore i impore you, Mr. Abela that if you still wish to do well in the leadership race, use your own skills to impress us, and not others.

Mary Vella

Apr 27th 2008, 11:19

I must admit that I had my doubts when the George Abela candidacy for Leader of the Labour Party attracted the support of the likes DCG and ABC. With Mintoff now also on board all my doubts have now evaporated into thin air. George Abela is indeed the man to transform the labour Party into an all-inclusive party that will guarantee peace of mind to the Maltese Nation.

A Mangion

Apr 27th 2008, 11:00

Just what we needed to confirm that if Labour is elected it will be a party of yesterday and not tomorrow.
We need to look forward and not back, and we don't need pressures from such forces whom amongst all will want to open the EU issue. Mr Abela, where do you really stand or you are ready to take what ever it takes to be elected to power. (Maybe Abela is thinking that Mintoff would be his best asset to attract young voters, floaters and the Nationalist.)
We want a party for the future and not the past.