Claudia Calleja
Gonzi owes explanation on 'web of espionage' - Muscat
Labour leader Joseph Muscat yesterday demanded explanations from the Prime Minister about what he described as a "web of espionage" in the way the government passed on information about complainers to the Nationalist Party.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi owes the country an explanation about the "scandalous and shameful" channelling of confidential data from government to party, Dr Muscat said during a district committee meeting at the Labour Party club in Victoria.
"If Lawrence Gonzi knows details that have not yet been exposed about this case it is his duty as Prime Minister and as leader of the Nationalist Party to disclose them and declare what measures he is taking to sort out the situation," Dr Muscat said.
The attack follows a reference, during Dr Muscat's parliamentary speech on the budget last Monday, to the alleged transfer of personal information, from the government to the PN, about citizens who visited ministries, departments and secretariats.
Dr Gonzi replied to his questioning with "absolute silence", Dr Muscat said yesterday as an article in Malta Today reported that PN general secretary Paul Borg Olivier sent an e-mail requesting government ministries to send the party confidential information about people who approached ministries with complaints.
Dr Muscat said the article "removed the mask" and uncovered the truth about the matter.
In a statement, Dr Borg Olivier clarified that the "customer care exercise" he was coordinating abided by Data Protection law.
However, when asked by The Times yesterday whether he intended publishing the correspondence related to Dr Borg Olivier's e-mail to clarify the matter, Dr Gonzi avoided the question.
Dr Muscat had said earlier that he believed there was more to this story and insisted that it was Dr Gonzi's duty to divulge further details in the name of transparency.
He also insisted on further investigations into the recent massive breach of the system of the government's IT agency, Malta Information Technology and Training Services (MITTS).
Dr Muscat also spoke about the water and electricity tariffs and reiterated that the government was in effect increasing the surcharge to 194 per cent. He maintained that the Labour party's calculations were correct and challenged the government to publish its workings of the tariffs.
Picking on the analogy frequently used by Dr Gonzi, who compares the global financial crisis to a tempest, Dr Muscat said: "He tells people that the tempest is coming then he takes away their umbrella."
Dr Muscat made reference to a statement made by Social Policy Minister John Dalli in Parliament in which he called on employers not to use the global financial situation as an excuse to undermine workers' rights. He said the Labour party agreed with this comment and backed the government in any action taken to ensure workers' rights were upheld.
Dr Muscat also criticised the Nationalist Party media for the "attack" on economist Edward Scicluna "simply because he said that the figures and reasoning behind the budget did not make sense".
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
Petrol price up 6c
In Discussion
20 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Joe Vella
Nov 18th 2008, 08:57
@ Jeremy J Camilleri
You really have no reason at all. You are consulting to J Farrugia that if he has any "definite proof" to take it to the authorities.
I wonder if you have advised Joseph Muscat, the MLP and all the little elves, including yourself to do just that.
I believe the following few words that you threw at J Farrugia are more appropriate to you;
" Then again, it might be just you blabbing your mouth off with no factual proof, as usual."
How appropriate indeed!
Joe Vella
Nov 18th 2008, 08:52
@ V. Fenech @ l Galea
It is not the first time that Maltatoday has been left with eggs on its face.
Everything that moves in Malta and Gozo is a scandal for the MLP and Joseph Muscat. If they have any evidence of any illegal activity take it to the police.
But it seems that Joseph Muscat and the MLP have lost the battle on the budget and have been exposed to their hypocrisy in regards to the electricity/water tariffs, so now they are back to the old trick in their books.
Shame, Shame.
Joe Vella
Nov 18th 2008, 08:46
@ Dane Cauchi
Everything that moves in Malta and Gozo is a scandal for the MLP and Joseph Muscat. If they have any evidence of any illegal activity take it to the police.
But it seems that Joseph Muscat and the MLP have lost the battle on the budget so thye are back to the old trick in their books.
Shame, Shame.
Joe Galea
Nov 18th 2008, 08:13
A mangion: The only reason you keep bringing up is the 1997 W&E tariffs. First, what does this have to do with this article? Second, that is an event buried long time ago for which MLP and Sant paid bitterly. So your reasoning is just CRAP!!!
J Farrugia: Why do we have to believe the PN Sec and not J Muscat? What does the PN have to do with the government confidential data? Are we ending up as a dictatorial state?
J Martinelli
Nov 18th 2008, 02:25
If Dr. Borg Olivier wants names of complainers, all he has to do is read these pages. He will have quite a long list. His job will then be to strike off the 'regular ones' who complain even if the sun rises tomorrow and end up with a few legitimate complaints which should be brought to the attention of respective ministries for their attention and action.
If some readers think that the MLP does not possess confidential information about private individuals and their political leanings, they are grossly mistaken. One of their senior members of their caucus stated quite openly on the eve of the last election when 'they could not possibly lose the election', that they keep lists so that once elected, they knew who to put where, and in what capacity, in an "organized way and without confusion".( kollox organizzat - nafu lill min ser nahtru u fejn - bla ebda konfuzzjoni)
They who live in glass houses........
P.Schembri
Nov 18th 2008, 00:17
@A.Mangion. Do you want to know why the PN has been 20 years in government? Deceit, lies, and character assassination. Without these PN could never win the elections by itself. As in the 60's, with the help of ecclesiastical bodies, in the last 20 years with the help of the constituted bodies.
Jeremy J Camilleri
Nov 17th 2008, 16:25
J Farrugia, If that is the case, and you have definite proof, then you should report this to the authorities.
Then again, it might be just you blabbing your mouth off with no factual proof, as usual.
A Mangion
Nov 17th 2008, 16:15
@ V Fenech
Just a small reminder: The current government has just been confirmed 7 months ago. And again, people trusted the pn policies over the MLP once. Is this enough to show you who the people trust most. In the last 7 months I saw no earthquakes etc at Mile End. Wait a sec.. according to the defeat report issued last may, a number of defficiencies on strategy and top personnel led to labour defeat. Did we see any changes since? Is the Muscat tactic different from the Sant strategy? No. You know why? Same people, same ideas, same mentality. Will lead to same results at the end!!
V Fenech
Nov 17th 2008, 15:04
A Mangion
You definitely don't know what you're saying!
If Sant's measures weren't introduced in those times, Enemalta would have been closed since 1996. Labour wanted to make good for the mess left by the previous Nationalists' Government in the Enemalta Corporation. Joseph Muscat is not late at all and the least thing which the PN should do is to keep on resurfacing all the harsh consequences brought about by their politics.
Considering how all the country's assets were sold to compensate for Nationalists' Governments losses is enough!
By the way, you can also watch these....you speak about political inconsistency over 11 years, I speak about political inconsistency over just three weeks!
V Fenech
Nov 17th 2008, 14:47
The usual blue goblins amaze me!
This is a scandal written with black on white and you still deny the facts. The only answer delivered by Paul Borg Olivier is that it is his duty to such job!
Dr.Muscat knows what he's saying. Those referred to by Dr.Muscat who received certain material from the PN are convinced that they have never passed their information to the Nationalists' party!
It is funnier how the PN apologists here choose to attack Dr.Muscat whole ignoring Maltatoday who is alleging much more serious accusations!
lgalea
Nov 17th 2008, 14:47
J Farrugia
Do you think that we will believe the PN General Secretary?
Apart from the private data to which you refer which is that found in the Electoral Registers (apart from perhaps more information at the PN) the information which Borg Olivier wanted is about persons who complain. Do we now not even have a right to complain? Are we under the KGB or what?
A Mangion
The tariffs under Labour were a totally different kettle of fish.
They were intended to make good for the losses EneMalta was making and had nothing to do with oil. However, when Labour got wise as to what those at EneMalta wanted to do it stopped the new tariffs from being issued, unlike your conscienceless Gonzipn Government.
A Mangion
Nov 17th 2008, 13:57
Joseph Muscat cannot be taken seriously when he speaks about the new water and electricity tariffs. When the 1997 Labour government had substantially increased then water and electricity tariffs (price of oil per barrel was only 12 dollars) Doctor Muscat had decribed the price hike as 'just'. I found this on You Tube which clearly illustrates Muscat's inconsistency. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyAsS9ld0BU
J Farrugia
Nov 17th 2008, 13:53
To all these know alls: Private data is already in the hands of the political parties given to them by ..... So dont play the virgins.
george sinagra
Nov 17th 2008, 13:00
KGB revisited.
Andrew Cumbo
Nov 17th 2008, 12:49
@ J. Farrugia
For you there is nothing fishy in both cases. But the man on the street is asking, for what this data is being collected?
The Data Protection Act of 2001 was enacted in Malta on the 14th December 2001, with both sides of the House of Representatives voting in favour of the Act. This continued to further confirm Malta’s tradition to cherish democratic values, foremost amongst which is the right of the individual to privacy. It was brought in force on the 15th July 2003.
Do you know Mr. Farrugia even for a school publication, parents have to sign a form, and state if they agree or not that their children information is published in the school magazine. Have the P.N. asked these persons that their data is going to be forwarded to P.N.? And for what is going to be forwarded?
Mr. J. Muscat is not worst than Dr. A Sant but he is making things worse for P.N. And that how he shall continue. We shall be informed with all these irregularities that the P.N. Government is illegally doing.
Dane Cauchi
Nov 17th 2008, 12:10
Don’t be ridiculous J Farrugia, Muscat is right in demanding an explanation over such a scandal.
We expect the PM to reply to this and to the Mitts scandal as I recall a few months ago the word transparency was on GonziPn’s electoral manifesto.
We just hope that it is not another promise gone with the wind.
Chris Borg
Nov 17th 2008, 11:51
Big Brother is Watching.
R Gauci
Nov 17th 2008, 10:33
When Dr Muscat was a 'journalist' he mastered the art of spin - the Super One way. Now, he is behaving like a 'Super One 'investigative journalist'' - for want of a better term - and spinning like crazy on everything he can get his hands on. "Web of espionage" sounds like science FICTION to me. Once a Super One 'journalist' always a Super One 'journalist' I guess!
Jeremy J Camilleri
Nov 17th 2008, 10:06
Once again, I read JFarrugia's contributions, in the vain hope of finding a shred of reason.
The PN General secretary has no official rule within the Government, and as such, whatever explanations he may decide to give have absolutely nothing to do with the case in question.
Now if Jfarrugia believse that private data should fall into the hands of political parties...well, thats another matter....
J Farrugia
Nov 17th 2008, 09:47
Dr Muscat is worst than Sant. The PN Gen Sec has already told him the whole story and yet he keeps harping and harping. As for Professor Scicluna, his predictions on the economy proved him wrong. Put 4 economists in a dialogue and you will have four different versions about how our economy is faring. And to think that this is the job for the economists who have studied the same theories??? Give me a farmer anytime and he'll put them in their proper place.