Mintoff's prize money
I refer to Albert Dimech's letter about Dom Mintoff's prize money, from his recent Gaddafi Award.
I fully agree with Mr Dimech's proposal of distributing money to families who suffered the loss of a member of their family due to inhuman policies between 1971 and 1987. My mother was one of them, Mary Psaila aged 45 of Żebbuġ, Malta. What an honourable thought Mr Dimech!
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Jeremy J Camilleri
Sep 4th 2008, 17:39
My oh my...From factual and forgiving Chris Ripard has gone all partisan and sarcastic...well...attempts at sarcasm anyway..the we won you lost syndrome is more at home in football clubs rather than politics.
The reality which Chris Ripard is trying desperately to avoid is, that well, he talks about facts and the importance of facts, however, he does not seem to be in possesion of any .
Now I am sure that none of Mr.Ripards family got spirited away by Mintoff.....so, once again...what facts?
Ps...on blogs we don't talk..we write...
Chris Ripard
Sep 4th 2008, 13:39
There you go again, Jeremy, "expecting" , which pretty much equates to conjecture in my book . . . a bit like MLP winning an election - always expected, but (the FACT is) rarely happens!!
When you learn the difference between fact and speculation, we'll talk - till then, all the best.
Jeremy J Camilleri
Sep 4th 2008, 12:12
My oh my Chris...You havn't woken up today have you...
I asked a question, because I expect that you know the facts.....
Does that deserve a bigger DUH??
Chris Ripard
Sep 4th 2008, 10:48
@Jeremy
"Who went missing?" is not a fact - it's a question, duhhh!
I'm not surprised you don't like facts - they put MLP in opposition for 20 years . . . and counting!
Jeremy J Camilleri
Sep 4th 2008, 09:55
Chris ripard...Actually it is facts I'm asking about...Who went missing?
I simply asked why these allegations were not taken to the law courts...No answer there either.....
Now A Mangion...People have been murdered, and dumped in wells for hundreds of years.... That has nothing to do with it. You need to prove that Mintoff had a hand in missing people.SImple really?
I'll ignore the doctor's issue, since you did not answer me in yourmost recent contribution, I';ll take it that you've ignored that one.
Its so easy when we're bleating allegations....but backing them up is rather akward is it not?
As for Raymond Caruana....and the unfortuanate incident regarding a person who could have told us something...I can assure you that there is no need to contact a medium...The person who claimed to know everything is still very much alive and kicking
Chris Ripard
Sep 4th 2008, 09:19
@ Jeremy
I state FACTS you state conjecture - there's the difference!
Saviour Sam Agius
Sep 4th 2008, 07:27
Seeing the arguments from both sides, I start to think whether we should increase the voting age big time rather than decrease it. The only problem is, I can't come up with the limit. Not even 50 seems to be enough. I have yet to witness some mature political discussion in my life.
Political discussions in Malta follow this exact pattern. One side accuses the other of having done X, and the other replies by saying that the first has done 2X. The first accuses the second of having done 3X... etc.. and it goes on forever, or until one beats the hell out of the other.
No one ever talks about what will be done next. Both sides simply justify their shortcomings by comparing them to the other side's shortcomings. Purely childish behaviour, and these comments and various letters on all local newspapers follow this same pattern. Our politicians seem to like it too because that's all they can come up with as well.
Gerry Cowie
Sep 4th 2008, 01:25
Dear God,
There appear many who feel that Dom Mintoff should be canonised in his lifetime as he never, ever, ever did anything wrong and he made everybody exceedingly happy.
He must be perfect because they will not admit he has ever done any wrong and expect people to quote specific examples of these wrongs.
It seems for instance that nobody recalls the BICAL scandal and how it resulted in the imprisonment of people in the Corradino for many years who were subsequently completely cleared? What did the then administration do about it? And why do the current administration not just get off their backsides and do something about it?
People did suffer during the administration of Mintoff. There are none so blind as those who will not see!
Thankyou
p.grima
Sep 4th 2008, 00:54
Once upon a time there was a man detained by Malta Police who somehow "escaped" (?) only to be found dead later under a Qormi bridge, massacred with blows. Isn't he another victim too?
joe Fountain
Sep 4th 2008, 00:15
One of the reasons the maltese will never move forward is because we are obsessed with bringing up the past ... both parties have done wrong, and we all keep up bringing it up at every opportunity ... move on guys
laurence schembri
Sep 4th 2008, 00:01
@ A. Cassar
Sorry, you got it all wrong, try again.
Rory O'Neill
Sep 3rd 2008, 22:53
Just forget Mintoff, he was a just a loser who thought he was a the "great one" He was in fact a complete waste of space who did untold damage to your fantastic Island. Just forget about him and hope he fades away!!!
A.Mangion
Sep 3rd 2008, 22:02
@Jeremy J Camilleri
Now if it had been only policemen who were eating imqarrun il forn........
missing is missing. whether exiled, murdered and dumped in wells, or driven to an early grave by depriving them of their lawful rights or making their lives unbearable in some way or another.
As for knowing who murdered Raymond Caruana now I was going to mention a person who could tell us a thing or two but he died in an unfortunate accident.
joyce aquilina
Sep 3rd 2008, 21:58
@a mangion
the MLP supporters that cursed mintoff got their reply cause they are stiil in the opposition
because we [MINTOFFJANI] are still going strong
Jeremy J Camilleri
Sep 3rd 2008, 21:38
Once again, for A Mangion's benefit, I shall have to ask...Just who went missing...??
Missing is not a self induced exile...but someone who disappearead, and never reappeared,,,of course...with Mintoff being held responsible...
Regarding the doctors..aren't Mintoff's policies still being adhered too in this regard, more than 25 years after he resigned from Prime Minister??
And please A Mangion..please don't mention the police again....Must of these eating mqarrun il-forn or worse were promoted soon after the change in government, so they couldn't have been all bad...get my drift?
As for Raymond Caruana...Did the person making the statement really know who murdered him?
We could go on and on, but its only one simple question..who went missing?
A.Mangion
Sep 3rd 2008, 21:16
@ jeremy J camilleri
Alright, how about the hundreds of doctors who had to exile themselves because of mintoff's policies?
in raymond's caruana's case. did the mlp need someone to tell them who shot at the club? the police had the murder weapon in their possession. how else could they place it in the farmyard where it was found? who passed it on to them if not the murderer? Perhaps they were too busy eating imqarrun il-forn at the station!!!
Jeremy J Camilleri
Sep 3rd 2008, 20:34
Dear Chris Ripard....
Since the nationalist party, in your little world, seemingly introduced the law courts in 1987, and since Connie Scerri claims that the inhumane policies sended circa 1987, that makes it ideal doesn't it?
As for Albert Dimech, and even J Dalli...well, obviously people have not forgiven, as they are stillw riting letters to the times claiming to have lost members of thier family...so forgiveness was not behind the mysterious decision not to use the courts....
As for Raymond Caruana...did'nt a famous someone claim to know who killed him.....?
Now once again..the question arises...just who went missing?? WHo are these mysterious missing people?
a.cassar
Sep 3rd 2008, 19:14
@laurence schembri
May I remind you, not that you need reminding surely, that raymond caruana was shot in a PN club and it was nothing personal. whoever shot at the club didn't mind who was hit as long as they were nationalists. and what about the frame up?
laurence schembri
Sep 3rd 2008, 18:24
@ A. Mangion
The difference between the killing of Karen Grech and Raymond Carauana`s is, that one was political. I let you chew on the answer.
A.Mangion
Sep 3rd 2008, 17:27
The difference between the Karen Grech case and the Raymond Caruana case is that in the case of karen grech the labour government remained in power for ten years after the murder and nothing was done to catch the killer despite all the machinery at the govrnment disposal. while in the Raymond caruana case labour was also in power with all the time to destroy evidence and all we got was a disgusting frame up.
A.Dalli
Sep 3rd 2008, 16:49
@J.Azzopardi.
you will find people that will never admit to what happened in the past (not necessarily all labouristi of course, hence many had voted PN). This is like Zimbabwe and Robert Mugabe. We all know the atrocities this African does to his people, yet people still vote for him and remain loyal, they will vouch that what the opposition is saying (and confirmed by many) is just blatant lies. Same for these people here trying to ridicule people who mention the dark days of 71-87. Of course there were good things that happened as well. But the bad things were so bad, so cruel, so with vengence that they obscure all the little nicities.
All those calling for people to go to court etc... rest assured that some people do forgive, other know that proof has been destroyed or cases are now expired. You have to remember that some things are very difficult to prove. Who killed Raymond Caruana ? Can anyone prove it ? Who murdered, Karen Grech ? Did labour not try to find who in all those years of saying that the PN were behind it ?
A.Mangion
Sep 3rd 2008, 15:59
@ Joyce Aquilina
these blogs against mintoff fade into insignificance compared to the hatred I saw for mintoff at the vittoriosa waterfront in 1998 and the curses against him I heard uttered by labourites who had hailed him as saviour and god a few years before. Funny you should compare mintoff to jesus the same people who waved palm fronds and sang hosanna were the same people who shouted crucify him one week later! can you see the resemblance?. And you don't have to point a gun at someone's head to make ones life miserable.
j azzopardi
Sep 3rd 2008, 13:57
these bloggers either are 16yr old (new voters hopefuls) or were living in clouds, not to remember the nastieness of those days ( still its right to back what you write with facts )
alfred galea
Sep 3rd 2008, 13:27
Dear Ms. Scerri - why don't you tell it to the marines.
joyce aquilina
Sep 3rd 2008, 13:21
how much hatred can one have for this wonderful man.
jesus did good in his time and they killed him and you are doing the same to mintoff.
did he put a gun against your mother,s head?
if you have proof go to the police.
Chris Ripard
Sep 3rd 2008, 12:57
@ Jeremy J Camilleri.
NOW we have law courts - MINTOFF suspended them.
NOW we have law courts - MINTOFF'S thugs ransacked them.
I personally don't agree with Mr Dimech's suggestion, as, if we don't forgive people's past errors we will never move on.
That said, those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.
laurence schembri
Sep 3rd 2008, 12:28
Sorry Ms. Scerri, can you please be more precise with your accusations.
Be careful, what you penned could be libelious.
@ T. Borg
Why should anyone be entitled to a cent, it is his money.
Jeremy j Camilleri
Sep 3rd 2008, 11:36
Opps..meant be a woman....
Jeremy J Camilleri
Sep 3rd 2008, 11:32
Isn't there a court in Malta?
Did you not have faith in the law courts? Even under a Pn Government?
...Back your claims, open a law suit...be a man..come on...
Marco Psaila
Sep 3rd 2008, 11:32
Not good enough Ms Scerri. Throwing mud is easy enough. You should have explained what Mr Mintoff had to do with your mother's death.
james cassar
Sep 3rd 2008, 10:37
'loss of a member of their family due to inhuman policies' : What inhuman policies - pension rights, free health service, social benefits, social housing, minimum wage.
Can you be more specific if you are to be believed.
And what is keeping you from applying to the authorities for compensation (sic) to those who suffered injustices for political reasons. Thousands and thousands of pounds has been distributed to such victims, even highly doubtful ones.
Or is it a case where you have been abandoned by your political party.
t. borg
Sep 3rd 2008, 09:57
be sure that as long as he lives no one is going to get a cent from mr. mintoff's money.