Sant relaunches attack on Pullicino Orlando
'The issue stank, no matter how one looked at it'
Former Labour and opposition leader Alfred Sant last night renewed his attack on Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando over the Mistra disco case warning the government that it should face up to any attempts to blackmail by virtue of its single seat parliamentary majority.
Speaking in Parliament, Dr Sant said no one more than himself knew what it felt like to be blackmailed in a situation of a one-seat majority in the House. But whereas the situation 10 years ago involved somebody who wanted to hold steadfast to a political view, this time it was much worse because the person involved wanted to stand by a personal decision that involved deception of the people and corruption.
Should the government continue to ignore the issue and tolerate a vitiated presence in the House, it would be blatantly failing its duties to the country and the House, causing the people to lose confidence in Parliament and in politicians.
In his 30-minute speech during the adjournment, Dr Sant said the people being arraigned in court in connection with the Mistra case were, if anything, agents working on behalf of someone else. Therefore, if they were to be arraigned, the promoters of the disco and those who stood to benefit from it, such as the land owner should be similarly held to account.
Dr Sant said that in presenting its case about Mistra, the Labour Party had been careful to have its claims backed by facts. At the risk of the PN finding out that it was investigating this case, it had waited patiently until the documents were revealed, even when that happened at the end of the electoral campaign.
The evidence presented so far showed clear manipulation of the technical and bureaucratic processes at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority for the development permit to be issued against established procedure and precedent.
He had claimed, Dr Sant recalled, that this involved corruption and money changing hands. Maybe, it was not a case of wads of banknotes changing hands in some dark corner, but the money could be seen in the way the value of Dr Pullicino Orlando's land shot up when the permit was granted, and in the hundreds of thousands of liri he stood to gain just from renting the land for the disco.
Some might try to believe Dr Pullicino Orlando when he said he did not know the details of the development, but for all level headed people, this was a very serious case, as serious as the corruption of Appeal Court judges.
Dr Sant hit out at Dr Pullicino Orlando for having accused him of having ignored what his family were going through.
Not very long ago, Dr Sant revealed, Dr Pullicino Orlando had phoned him at home, pleading to him to ensure that One TV and radio stations did not report something which had taken place within his family. Dr Sant said he assured him it would not be reported, because the Labour media did not act that way, although the same could not be said of the Nationalist Party media.
Dr Sant also referred to alleged e-mail exchanges between MLP general secretary Jason Micallef and entrepreneur Kevin deCesare on the Mistra case and insisted they were all false, and that Mr deCesare never had anything to do with revealing the case. Significantly, it was Dr Pullicino Orlando who was mentioning these e-mails, in yet another attempt to hide the true facts.
Dr Sant insisted that Dr Pullicino Orlando's attitude and behaviour were unacceptable in a democracy and it was stupid of him to argue that he had been exonerated, just because the Attorney General and the police had decided not to press charges in court.
Those who were to be arraigned were but agents acting on somebody else's behalf - the promoters of the disco and the owner of the land and if these agents were to answer in court, the promoters and those who stood to gain from the way the permit was issued should also answer before the people, Dr Sant said.
The issue stank, no matter how one looked at it. This was, above all, an issue of political morality which the Prime Minister, as head of the government, needed to tackle.
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Joe Grima
Jun 28th 2008, 20:44
Dream on MD. Dream on....
Michael Debono
Jun 28th 2008, 13:39
I have read Mr.J.Grima reaction to my entry. My response is a dream
I had a dream. A soul with tears in the eyes made me promise to ask people to pray to redeem for misdeeds that occurred while responsible for certain office. I queried the soul to be more specific. “No, I cannot it concerned the contents of a certain bag. I cannot say more” was the reply, but added:
“Who was mostly responsible ought to think twice before throwing stones. They might have the power to rebound”. Rebound? I said.
There was no answer but regrettably I woke up with a bad taste of things past. Fortunately it was only a dream but the word "rebound" struck me hard.
Since I believe in dreams I do not cease to pray for this poor soul,- it has been years now,- until relieved of the pain.
Joe Grima
Jun 27th 2008, 00:19
Michael Debono: A gullible victim of former enemies ,who attached the quote "over my dead Body" to my name. I challenge you to find it ,in any newspaper or in any speech I made at any trime during my active political career. Those erstwhile enemies now seem to have changed. Let the healing process begin and we will bury that one along with others in the dungheap of history.
Let me tell you a couple of things about myself: (1) The ghosts of the past have never given me sleepless nights because my past is clear in front of my open eyes. . It was the ghost of a possible future under Sant that gave nightmares to hundreds of thousands of Maltese who refused to vote him in . You are right. Maltese and Gozitans, myself included, can sleep soundly now that Sant is not their Prime Minsiter.
(2) In recent weeks I made only one step towards my fiormer Party. Joseph Muscat personally invited me to retrurn and I endorsed his Leadership with my presence because I believe in him. .Sant's Parliamentary diatribe , quoted above, seriously tempted me to take two steps backward .
John Schembri
Jun 26th 2008, 23:41
Was Dr Sant expecting us to vote for him because he "uncovered" this "scandal" on the eve of an election?
A Daley
Jun 26th 2008, 21:39
joe martinelli, the results are not yet known, because the case has not even been heard in court.
Let us see what the three wise men have to say in court first, because for all we know, they may be all innocent while the culprit may still be at large.
This time you are not only being patronising, but you also managed to contradict yourself in such a childish way.
They say that throwing venom could actually be proof of someone being guilty.
The issue stank and it is still stinking something foul!
mark tanti
Jun 26th 2008, 21:12
After the bus ticketing scandal by which A.Sant ruined M.frendo's political career and which afterwards this so called scandal resulted in one of the dirtiest plan made by A.Sant to gain power now it is JPO's turn.
This character assassination and mud slinging campaigns started after A,Sant was elected MLP leader. Previous MLP leaders never used such dirty political tactics.
A.Sant will be only remembered as the creator for this kind of dirty politics used against his political rivals to gain power at all costs.
After so many defeats A.Sant keeps on hammering this kind of politics.
A.Sant, can do a great favour to the Maltese citizens and get out of political scene once and for all. I am convinced that this will be greatly appreciated by the majority.
Michael Debono
Jun 26th 2008, 17:12
Coraggio Sur Grima. Are you no longer being haunted by a soul of a defunct.
Probably not any more since everything fizzled out and you can sleep with your mind at rest.
Ghost of the past, that's past history.
Al buon intenditor poche parole. Every one can use sayings in other languages even if with mistakes, once they are understood.
"Over my dead body " is reminiscent of something else. Happily you are still alive and going strong, just like old Johny Walker. May you live a hundred years.
Charles Camilleri
Jun 26th 2008, 16:03
After reading ' Ir-Rapport tat-Telfa Elettorali tal-MLP' that put the blame on Dr. Sant and four other officials I am at a loss how Dr. Sant has the effrontery to bounce back on the Mistra case when this has been dealt with by the police. Is it a case to divert attention from his failures and the fact that former officials are keeping a distance from him? Labour Party is always the same. They are always right no matter what the Police/Attorney General or our Courts say. Having had such failed political career, the latest fiasco being the last election, i think it is prudent for Dr. Sant to call it day and stop belittle our institutions, in this case the police and the Attorney General.
Christian Spiteri
Jun 26th 2008, 16:00
@Joe Martinelli
If you remove your blue blinkers once in a while maybe we'll start benefitting more from your undoubted sagacity about Maltese politics.
Joe Martinelli
Jun 26th 2008, 13:29
Old news by a has been. Dr. Sant made his point, an investigation took place and we all know the results, but the 'no regrets' doctor cannot let go. The honourable doctor still wants to be a back seat driver making his voice heard in order to, sort of, go out with a bang. Problem is, he rings hollow and the big bang is just a mere remote rumbling.
He obviously has shelved the commissioned report regarding the latest election loss which approportioned a substantial blame on his leadership (or lack of) and of his behind-the -scene machine and continues to believe that he is always right. Now he turns his guns at "agents working on behalf of someone else" and that "the promoters of the disco and those who stood to benefit from it, such as the land owner should be similarly held to account". The land owner has already been exonerated from any illegalities, or is Dr. Sant now thinks (again) that the Police investigation is a 'screen' (paraventu)?
A court case against three individuals is in process - comments now amount to interference with the judicial system.
Joe Grima
Jun 26th 2008, 11:45
So, finally it's out. Ten years after Sant and his cronies described Mintoff's position in the House, before Mintoff voted against the Goverenment , as a severe case of jealousy of an old leader for the young , freshly-cut Dr Sant -- a case of someone who wanted to lead from the back seat and who would not let go -- Sant now admits that, as I said on Xarabank some weeks ago , the Mintoff - Sant conflict was a wholly ideological, poltiical issue .I have said that the conflict was between a Leftist Mintoff and Dr Sant who had moved his Party into the right wing of Maltese politics.-- a position long discarded by the PN.
Now Dr Sant has found the courage to admit that, " whereas the situation 10 years ago involved somebody who wanted to hold steadfast to a political view.....", So it was politcal . Nothing to do with treason or with Mintoff's belt buckle.
What other issues, that Dr Sant has politically mangled over the sixteen years that he led the MLP, is he willing to admit to and to correct even at this late stage of his political career? Avanti, coraggio Dottore!