Government urges opposition to collaborate on the shipyards

Government decides to go it alone and take unilateral decisions on the Drydocks, ignoring offers for discussions from the union and MLP. Visions of PfP!! Well, Gonzi is boss man and it's his perogative to decide how to tackle national issues but then he can't come whining for collaboration and trying to push the national interest button. Dear Prime Minister if you decide to go it alone then You Are On Your Own!!! Fit-tajjeb u l-hazin.

Why are the MLP and its sympathizers so upset with the decision to privatize the Drydocks? Haven’t they used the drydock workers enough for their political gains and in the process, the Maltese people, from their taxes, had to carry the burden. The government has been elected to take tough decisions, and this is one of them, and for which it has to carry the political responsibility. If the MLP does not support this decision for its own reasons, then the Maltese people expect that there won’t be any spokes in the wheels. And for goodness sake stop mentioning Sea Malta and Interprint – the story of these two companies is known by one and all.

GonziPN once more pretends collaboration from the opposition after it decides on an issue. Its decietful and arrogant behaviour has no limits. What a cheeky slogan is " Fl-Imkien kollox possibli"!

GonziPN has no moral right to impose on the majority of the electorate what should be done or not be done on the future of the Drydocks, without proper and vast consultation with all concerned on the issue.

The PFP issue and now the DRYDOCKS issue proves GonziPN's real intentions: confontations on all levels. If that's what he wants then let us give him that. First thing that comes to my mind is civil disobedience! Let us start giving him what he is asking for.

Flimkien kollox possibli was a slogan copied word for word from Sarkozy`s UMP Party - "Ensamble tout deviant possible". A couple of months after winning that election, Sarkozy had to face thousands of disguntled French voters who voted him in office but completely disagreed on the arrogant way by which he was leading their country. Just recently several French opinionists backed with independent polls said that Sarkozy reached an all time low in the polls. Is Lawrence Gonzi copying Sarkozy`s arrogant way of doing politics? I wonder why the Government is not consulting the opposition and the other parties. Are we going to be lead by this old style politics? No wonder the facebook generation is disengaged from local politics. Having said that, every cloud has its silver lining and im looking forward for Joseph Muscat to come up with an alternative government that will lead by the front .Pity that we have to wait for another 5 years to experience this new way of doing politics.

Are these people so biased that they cannot see that THEY are paying hefty wages to these dockyard workers who had for once, twice, trice, been given a financial pardon out of our taxes, to laugh at us and continue with their financial losses? Who in his right mind would dare to keep the MDD in business? If the MLP wants to run it, MR government give it to them free of charge, instead of opening supermarkets as their newly elected Deputy Leader Toni Abela had said. Stop being foolish. The MDD had its chances and thanks to the GWU and Sammy Meilaq and his henchmen, they made a farce out of worker participation. So let's stop this tragicomedy of errors. The Government is there to govern in our national interests. And no spokes in the wheels please. We're talking here about our money. Our taxes. Our surrvival.

Gonzi thinks that he can take the country for a ride. First he decides by himself, then after MLP has commented on the issue, then he wants MLp to join....after he has decided. The question here is not on privatisation or not, but on the way this Dictatorial government is acting.
So people like Raymond Sammut, AGC, et al should read all the facts before speaking nonsense and asking for collaboration by the opposition.
MLP has offered colloaboration on National issues and it means it, but Gonzi has turned down this offer already and is crushing on everyone. After he was criticised, then he makes a U-turn at face value. Hope this deal wouldn't end up like that of Sea Malta.

This blinkered and brainwashed nation is getting what it deserves.

mr bonello not only the shipyards workers should know what a hard day work is,goverment workers shoud learn too.we are fed up of paying taxes and seeing govt workers in offices and other public entities lazying on there workplace.dont tell me you are one of them mr bonello?

First he decides, then he wants to discuss. same old story, same old democracy, welcome new communism.

Nothing has shamed post-war Malta more than the politicised management of the dry-docks. It is so very natural for the Grand Harbour to have lean, highly efficient, and very profitable dry-docking facilities. Dr Muscat, no nagging please. Roll up your sleeves, screw everyone who wants to keep politicising, work with Dr Gonzi (it's all we have got right now) and fix this problem at the soonest.

It is high time to privatise the shipyard. The shipyards workers will learn what a days work is under a private owner.

Now is that Government cheek or what? It decides to privatise, says had x number of offers a year, not sure if it will part or full privatise, but sure that workers have to be shed, possibly exchanged views with potential interests, no idea if we are talking about the privatisation of a shipyard or the selling of real estate Government property, Opposition apparently never put in picture, and now Government wants Opposition to collaborate up a blind alley. It makes the word to collaborate sound as dirty as in WW2 times. Come on Government, get real. If you want collaboration, you must first show yourself that you are communicating properly. Do not take stances. This stance is full of rhetoric and opportunism.

Don't make us laugh dear government, first you make a decision and then you need collaboration? If you are serious first seek collaboration and then a decision is made.

So the government decides then urges the opposition to collaborate!
Doesn't the government believe in the 'Djalogu' anymore?

So first the decison is made public, then they state that they're willing to collaborate! How strange!!!!!!!!

I think that privatisation was imminent as it synergize with the privatisation startegy pn had the last decade or two. Privatisation should not be the issue, but people and jobs should... Mlp's point that its better to see if who wants it, wants so much people makes sense (though gov may had alraedy tried to privatize it and didn't manage cause of no of workers).

While its good that the goverment is taking action on the issue, I think that it would have been wiser if the government's statement was ... gov is starting discussions with opposition, unions and other relevant stakeholders on the future of dockyards rather than simply pointing that no has to be reduced and we'll see that with GWU...

Its good that mlp showed the helping hand, but, on the other hand I found mlp statement somewhat agressive... a different style that mlp is heading to can start with such statements by the leader.

The Nationalist Government, Gonzi Mark II, cannot have its cake and eat it.

It cannot, and must not ,expect Labour or the Unions to accept its diktat on the shipyards.

As taxpayers we have the right to know who was really responsible for the financial losses sustained by the shipyards over the last few years. Why is the Government keeping mum about who was responsible for the botched Fairmount contract which lost the shipyards € 43 million. Was it the workers and the local managers who know their business or the foreign executive management who made a total and complete hash of it?

Also, is it true that a $ 160 million contract for the repair of 8 eight Agip oil tankers was not accepted by these foreign managers?

Don't get me wrong. I am not advocating that the taxpayers continue to subsidise the shipyards indefinitely. However, it is inconceiveable that, as a maritime nation, we lose the knowhow and skills of the 'yards and their workforce as the first wave of redundancies have shown. What use is it sending skilled workers to cut grass with local councils.

That's a complete waste and the result of pig-headed tunnel vision.