Falzon calls for revision of MLP statute

j micallef

Jun 1st 2008, 21:03

I do not normally see eye to eye with Frans Sammut's contributions. Not this time however. I cannot agree more on his timely advice to the MLP to upgrade its TV station's news content. I have just watched the SuperOne 7.30 pm news as I do every day, before I switch over to Net News at 7.45, being the dedicated prototype floater that I am. Most of this quarter of an hour of "news" was taken up with visuals and sounds of the PN's general council. To give me an idea of attendance by delegates at this conference, the OneNews camera focused on 4 empty seats in the stalls whilst giving me snippets of Gonzi's address! Why try to take me for a ride and try to hoodwink me in this way? Can't the OneNews team understand once and for all, that many like me would be seeing the other side of the coin as well, and that we would only end up disappointed and disenchanted at the way OneNews try to cheat us, especially when we later on find out that the stalls were indeed jam-packed during the main speakers' interventions?

Ray Vassallo

Jun 1st 2008, 13:18

Well done Dr. Falzon......and well done Frans Sammut (as usual). Mr. Sammut's comments succinctly propose basic changes which would suitably transform the MLP's frontispiece from the indigestible paste it yet offers to a palatable cuisine suitable for everyone's gustatory senses.
We hope that Dr. Falzon's eventual election will also curtail our view of those party hangers-on (the term "members" sticks to my gullet). who have perrennially barred the MLP organisation to individuals who could have offered so much more than the Byzantine conflicts which maintained these individuals' hold on power. Come the 5th June we want change.......the alternative is too awful to contemplate. Best of luck to Dr. Falzon.........and to the Labour Party!

Sergio Galea Vincenti

Jun 1st 2008, 12:30

@ Mr. Frans Sammut: Very eloquently said. Unfortunately, the local broadcast media - particularly the political stations have wallowed in a certain mediocrity which has gathered momentum from the early days of Super One and, later, NET TV. Pushing untrained and unskilled youngsters (and, often, not so young) in front of the camera or handing them a microphone with the hope of their becoming a "personalita'" has lowered the standards in Malta quite dramatically. I am all in favour of broadening accessibility and inclusion but not at the cost of content and quality and I believe that, yes, the road as you envisage it is the right one.

Unfortunately, I have been hearing about the need to change since 2003 (if not before) and, yes, the promoters of the status quo in the MLP have indeed stifled any reform as some are stuck to their seats regardless of whether they have the skills or aptitudes to occupy them.

I won't go into the state of the PN stable which, in my opinion, is now in as sorry a state (if not to some degree worse) than the MLP one. For sure, our culture and heritage are under-represented in the media.

Frans Sammut

May 31st 2008, 18:59

It should by now be obvious to everyone that what the MLP needs is a good TV station that keeps the electorate posted on its position regarding national issues. It needs a good News Section which (i) would be as linguistically efficient at least as those of TVM and Net TV which at the moment are by far superior; (ii) has delivery skills that are better than those of an amateur school station; (iii) have a sense of priorities where news value is concerned particularly now that general elections are over and the country is expected to return to normality with some exceptions, namely outstanding issues like pairing and the Mistra mystery. A good TV service would include debates and discussions on all subjects treating them in a much more serious way than, say, Xarabank which is notoriously superficial and, at the end of the day, perfectly useless. The entertainment content - if it may be so considered - should not be allowed to outstrip the educational and cultural ones. And by 'educational' I do not mean lessons in physics or geography, nor by 'cultural' the usual information dished out on villages festas and such like.

Edward Cassar

May 31st 2008, 14:05

@ R Cassar: from where did you get it that Falzon is a non starter among delegates? From the twisted survey on another newspaper, based on a list of delegates leaked from the MLP and based on a sample of delegates ticked-off by the person who leaked the details? As for the the 'electoral office clique', can you give more details on this 'clique' and on how it has affected negatively the Labour Party? What I can tell you is that there are other cliques in the party, especially evident the one clique that leaks confidential documents to the press, such as the 1998 pre-election executive meeting minutesand the complete list of delegates and their personal details to have a hoax survey, a clique that writes to the MLP Board of Vigilance to take action against fellow MLP officials that leads to the brain drain from the party, etc etc etc. And you want Dr Falzon to shut up and not defend himself publicly when he is publicly attacked such as in the case of the so-called 'defeat report', compiled by a person who is known for her anti-Falzon antipathies.

Sergio Galea Vincenti

May 31st 2008, 13:49

@ J.C. Azzopardi: I couldn't have put your comment better. I remember that the last major overhaul of the Statute was carried out during the 1988-90 period where circumstances where very different from those of today. There is much that can be improved and also opportunities to be capitalised upon. A change today - after the leadership vote - is necessary because the Party and its activities - and indeed society as a whole - have change quite drastically during the last twenty years or so.

Sergio Galea Vincenti

May 31st 2008, 13:42

@ R. Cassar: Seems like you don't have an inkling of what you're talking about! First, the Xarabank survey was not carried out amongst delegates. The second is that as anyone who has an ounce of knowledge knows, Dr. Falzon was instrumental in building a team which built the MLP electoral office starting from 1992.

Since, then, Dr. Falzon did a lot of other work within the MLP despite the fact that he had to often face that brick wall made up of people who still think they 'own' the Party and its subsidiaries.

Most people with a shred of honesty and insight know how he - and others - have continued to work loyally and in silence for the best interest of the Party at the same time whilst others chose to abandon the Party, its delegates and its members! The situation got particularly worse in 2003 when there was the leadership resignation withdrawal fiasco on that infamous 1st May celebration!

Yes, he is entitled to now cry foul because he is now contesting for the leadership and because everyone is mucking around throwing lies and dirt because there is no substance with which to challenge Dr. Falzon's bid.

EMMANUEL ZAMMIT

May 31st 2008, 12:51

WELL DONE!!
THATS THE MLP I KNOW!!

J.C. Azzopardi

May 31st 2008, 12:34

I agree with Michael that it is time now after the leadership contest, to make the necessary overhaul to the Party Statute and adjourn it to modern day needs. I agree also that we should use all avenues possible for the message to be conveyed to all sectors of the voting population, however we should not let known political adversaries use the media to forward their agenda at the Party's expense.

R Cassar

May 31st 2008, 12:04

Ahh finally no foul play reported. What a bit of fresh air. I suggest Dr Falzon to pass on this advice to George Abela and Joseph Muscat. Xarabank`s survey concluded that Avukat Dottor Michael Falzon is a non starter amongst both delegates and the general public. I can finally put my mind at rest that the party will not fall in the hands of a person that cries foul every second and that is against cliques in the Labour Party when he himself was surrounded by the biggest clique aka the electoral office clique. Will he not admit that the electoral office has always been his BUNKER?