Tony Borg, Naxxar
Nothing to smile about for the 30,000
Rachel Cassar, in her letter Who's Smiling Now? (October 25), was right only when she said that "Xarabank was a great eye opener on Friday evening".
This is very true because we were given the opportunity to watch a Prime Minister who was manifestly stale and carrying the same old baggage - including the repetitive, tedious, wide smiles which have now become so past their best that viewers can forecast them minutes away.
In contrast Joseph Muscat was fresh in appearance and delivery and in addition he was also clinical and to the point in his arguments...arguments which forced the Prime Minister to turn to his old-fashioned sermon-like deliveries reminiscent of the old panegyric style homilies.
One of the arguments made by the Prime Minister, which certainly did not bring about any smiles on the faces of the majority of viewers, was when he boasted, in no small way, that his government was being so generous that it was subsidising, from our taxes, the electricity and water bills of more than 30,000 families. Is this really something to boast about? Isn't the fact that more than 30,000 families in Malta and Gozo cannot even afford to pay their electricity and water bills actually something to be ashamed of? Did this declaration by the Prime Minister put a smile on Ms Cassar's face? If it did, it certainly did not bring smiles to the faces of any of the members of those 30,000+ families who cannot afford to pay their bills. Shame that today we are living in a country that has more than 30,000 families below the poverty line.
This is something that should really worry Ms Cassar. There is definitely nothing to smile about this tragic situation!
Does she think that the Prime Minister should continue to splash our TV screens with his usual sarcastic smiles, albeit sometimes verging on the angelic, when he makes such erratic statements?
Ms Cassar's last sentence was: "This time nobody is going to fool us ..." It would have been much more appropriate had she said: "This time nobody is going to fool us ... again".
Yes, Xarabank was a real eye-opener because Dr Muscat gave us all, especially our Prime Minister, a lesson in the new way of doing politics. Keep up the good work Joseph.
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R. Cauana
Oct 30th 2008, 07:05
Mr Borg belongs to the 39 percent who appreciated Dr Muscat's (or should I say 'Joseph's) performance. The MLP leader continuously referred to the PM as 'Lawrence' while Dr Gonzi politely referred back to him as Dr Muscat. Even Lino Cassar in his weekly column commented negatively about this.
It's so easy for someone to throw about comments and criticism without offering alternatives. It's so easy for someone to laugh off (loudly and near hysterically) every time one of his skeletons is brought out of the closet. It's so easy for someone to wipe off the dark past of the MLP with just an 'apology' in words but then when asked to take action about requisitioned premises simply draws back. Such premises also include those that were taken away from their owners because they were going to be rented to the PN (Luqa case in point).
What a pity that the MLP had such a golden opportunity to elect a real leader, such as George Abela, who would have really given our PM a tough time. Dr Gonzi can bask in his 61 percent of public opinion from the Xarabank encounter.
M Brincat
Oct 30th 2008, 00:13
................. we were given the opportunity to watch a Prime Minister who was manifestly stale and carrying the same old baggage - including the repetitive, tedious, wide smiles which have now become so past their best that viewers can forecast them minutes away............ Mr Borg, The Dr Gonzi you are criticizing is the same person that broke your heart last March, and we are willing to vote for him again and again in the future :)
l Galea
Oct 29th 2008, 20:17
C. Mc Neil
How about those thousands of houses requisitioned by the Nationalist Party and by the British Government?
Houses were requisitioned by all types of Governments so as not to have thousands of people out in the streets, so why do you only mention the Labour Party and never mention the Nationalist Government and the British Government?
I am not saying this to justify any requisition, but requisitions were the order of the day under different governments.
As to again requisitioning property, the power to requisition has been removed and no further requisitioning can be made.
However, how about the Nationalist Government who gave a very nice gift of the land at Qawra to foreigners when he sold Maltacom?
How about the land which is being given to the new gas company which will get paid instead of paying for its use?
These are both PUBLIC property belonging to all of us which the MINORITY Gonzipn Government is giving away to foreigners on a silver platter.
C. Mc Neil
Oct 29th 2008, 15:01
How about the thousands of houses that had been requisitioned by the Malta Labour (Socialist) Government for a very small pittance not fit for this day and age. Some families had not one apartment or flat taken, but 15 and even 30 apartments, leaving them with a small sum while having to pay for all the expencies that might came later in years. Was this fair? How could they ever expect the public to vote them when they took property, and won't they do it again if re-elected, are you sure?
Now according to some friends who where going to consider voting Labour, have been turned off since J. Muscat decided to support the introduction of divorce, forgetting that in our countries they had been ruined by criminality that came from broken families much more. One can see various reports and facts of this occurrences due to divorce!
joseph scicluna
Oct 29th 2008, 14:50
Ha! Ha! Ha!
WJ Gatt
Oct 29th 2008, 13:27
Mr Tony Borg seems to be worried about the state of these 30,000 families, but despite this he seems to be very against subsidising these families. Mr Borg feels free to comment on other people's actions, and fails to suggest a solution. What should the government do? Please note that I'm not trying to defend 'my' party, we'll leave that for those who can't think.
Your letter is also an eye-opener. What's on your agenda Mr Borg?
M J Gatt
Oct 29th 2008, 12:16
Can Mr Tony Borg tell us all how he chose which smiles are sarcastic. Poor Dr J. Muscat-who was smiling almost all the time- did not know that some of the MLP clubs are requisioned houses, now paying a pittance. If he smiled, the owners of these houses were not smiling, not even sarcastically.
Liam Kelly
Oct 29th 2008, 10:47
Its a shame the physical appearance of politicians is what determines who you vote for.