Labour is now Partit Laburista
Labour Party’s delegates this evening unanimously approved the re-naming of their party. It will now be known as “Partit Laburista”, abbreviated to PL.
The delegates also approved a change to the party’s emblem but retained the torch that was seen by Paul Boffa, the first Labour Prime Minister, as representing progress and a guiding light.
The decisions were taken at a party extraordinary general conference which started to meet on Monday under the title Progressivi. The three-day conference will end on Sunday.
Deputy leader for parliamentary affairs Anġlu Farrugia said the progressive element meant that the party had to renew itself. The Nationalist government, he said, was seen more like a “rightist regime”.
Labour’s parliamentary group was compact and confident that with Joseph Muscat at the helm the party would achieve its goals.
He repeated his claims that votes were bought by the PN to win the election saying he had documentation, which the party was ready to publish, to prove that the PN stole the election.
Dr Farrugia said Malta still had no Data Protection Commissioner, three months after the last person to occupy the post passed away.
On injustices, Dr Farrugia said people who won cases against the government were owed their remedy and until then the government could not expect favours from the Labour Party in opposition, not even pairing.
Toni Abela, the party’s deputy leader for party affairs, compared the Labour Party to a ship that entered the Drydocks for renovation and was ready to begin its voyage - with its final destination being Castille.
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carmen caruana
Nov 30th 2008, 22:53
Nahseb ahjar jintefaw madwar mejda jahsbu kif se jbiddlu t-triq li ha dan il-pajjiz milli jahlu hin prezjuz fuq x'ha jsemmu l-partit........l-importanti li nergaw insibu fina l-valuri xellugin, inhallu l-kapitalizmu ifalli u nergaw nibnu mill-gdid is-socjeta' taghna u nitghalmu mill-izbalji tal-passat!!
Francis Attard
Nov 30th 2008, 22:20
I am already trying to guess who is going to get the blame, from Dr.Toni Abela, if the LP will lose the next general election. He, unlike what he accuses some opinionists who, according to him, spend five years criticizing the nationalist government and when the general election is nearing they do the opposite, chooses to praise the LP for five years and after its defeat in a general election starts criticizing it.
Kevin Borg
Nov 30th 2008, 21:05
@ A.Buhagiar
You are right. Labour is BACK big time. Infact it is really going backwards at full trottle.
V Fenech
Nov 30th 2008, 21:05
PL is on the right track, it should never sleep on certain issues. Lately PN has caused severe damage onto our democracy and a stronghold like the Opposition should be there to be truthful to the people and make a great pressure onto the Government who is not even respecting what there's written in the manifesto it's been elected on!
Certain comments by Angelo Micallef and Bill Millam are unbelievable, they remind me of Paul Borg Olivier tactics!
Mattias Agius
Nov 30th 2008, 19:30
In just a few days time, Mr.Muscat has left an impressive imprint on the Labour Party. Attitude, dynamics and policies. Well done! This pre announces a progressive line of thought and shows how mature the party and the leader are. Dialogue and respect of each other......gonzipn and autstin powers should learn. Keep it up Mr.Muscat!
j micallef
Nov 30th 2008, 18:07
Once a change of name was felt to be necessary, why stop at PL... ? MLP (Malta Labour Party) will now be known as PL (Partit Laburista). Why not PLM (Partit Laburista Malti)? One advantage of the PLM alternative is that all you have to do to know the new MLP name or to remember it if memory fades is to stand MLP in front of a mirror!
M.Buhagiar
Nov 30th 2008, 16:53
LABOUR IS BACK BIG TIME !!
Joseph we are ALL behind you!!
Schembri Ray
Nov 30th 2008, 16:12
Toni Abela must be careful how he describe his party. Obviously if their ship hits Castile; it will be sent again to the Drydocks for repair of dismantling.
Christine Attard
Nov 30th 2008, 15:52
NEW NAME.... NEW LABOUR..... NEW DANGER!!
Jason Spiteri
Nov 30th 2008, 14:23
If Anglu Farrugia thinks the PN's policies under Gonzi rfelect even those of a centre-right party, let alone a rightist regime, it says a lot about how little he understands politics. PN is at least as left the MLP is, and that's the real tragedy in this country.
Ernest Vella
Nov 29th 2008, 23:15
MLP and PL means the same...PLM would be nicer...and than what's in a name....different name....the same old people....with that lovable smile of Jason Micallef....why did not thought to put a smile instead of a torch...its happened in GonziPN and is happen to PL now....we need change of people not of logos....keep it up SMART MALTA....
Ronnie Gauci
Nov 29th 2008, 21:24
@ Mark A Vassallo
.... and 20 years ago (1988) compare the lifestyle from 20 years before cioe from 1968. Thank God our country started making progress from 1971 onwards and that thanks to both parties MLP (or LP) and PN. Hopefully we'll make the same reasoning in 2028.
Karl Consiglio
Nov 29th 2008, 21:16
"Labour is now Partit Laburista." Yes ok, as opposed to what? Pun totally intended
Jane Bartolo
Nov 29th 2008, 20:38
@ Alfred Agius
I do criticise PN where and when necessary... and the party does listen!
The difference between PN and MLP, excuse me PL... is that whilst one party needs to shake the soil its built on to simply make a change in its name, and then still stands on the same unstable foundations; the PN continuously strengthens its structure, renews its administration, and keeps close to the people.
Moreover, the PN does not need to lose an election to do this!!
Maria Dolores Fenech
Nov 29th 2008, 18:45
Let the PN apologists think that this is only a cosmetic change.
You know what happens to people who take everything forgranted? Jigrilhom bhal ma gralu l-fenek fil-hrafa tal-fenek u l-fekruna!
Keep up the good work Joseph.
PS The LP is becoming a bigger party day after day. I hope his answer will be in the affermative.
Chris Azzopardi
Nov 29th 2008, 17:51
Since you persist in having a laugh about cosmetic changes........
Why didn't you laugh when PN turned suddenly to GonziPN so as to hide his 2 handbags together with their incompetency wonders?
This country is filled with flaming hypocrites.
A Brincat
Nov 29th 2008, 17:03
@ A. Grech
totally agree with you
Another cosmetic change!!! Now whats next in the MLP's.... oops sory ...PL's business plan?...... "PL Cosmetics"??
P Debono
Nov 29th 2008, 16:50
LOL. The more I read about this new PL (God give us a break), the funnier things get!!!
And what about the "earthquake of change"!!! hahahahahahahaha, looks like we've kept our tradition of literally copying successful slogans from abroad! But nothing can hide the fact that Joseph Muscat is a poor man's Barack Obama. A beggar's Barack Obama rather.
alfred agius
Nov 29th 2008, 16:32
JANET
So you prefer to live under the shadow of Big Brother Paul Borg Olivier , PN Secretary General !
You must be in favour of having your personal details passed on to the pn general secretary after you happen to seek and have an appointmentat any of the ministeries. That a good, wise girl !
alfred agius
Nov 29th 2008, 16:24
jANET AND CO
You should start looking no further than your party and put your house in order. The way you criticise Labour while not criticising pn`s long list of shortcomings is giving the fact away that you are a bunch of masochists. who are ready to suffer anthing as long it comes from their own part quarters. And ther`s more to comeyour way , including forking out money to pay for you sewage and daily domestic waste. But fools are chirping happily on the blog ang looking elsewhere not much further than their nose.
Ray Buttigieg
Nov 29th 2008, 16:19
what an earthquake....prosit eh, so there we have it....the progressivi of malta have changed their name. come on guys after 20 years in opposition is this what you are only capable of doing. Joseph muscat seems to be leading one of those gospel churches in alabama usa, where everybody loves each other..sic. change the politics and the substance and not the old label. Here are a few changes in the MLP i would recommend
a) Ditch socialism...it has failed. Embrace social liberalism. Its what the new left in Europe is all about
b) Change the name from Partit Laburista to Partit Liberali.
c) Take clear political stances and stand up to what the party believes. Clearly in favour of social rights such as divorce and gay rights and stop hiding behind the excuse of the need to debate these issues nationally.
e) Embrace once and for all free market economics. no to subsidies and no to big brother economic policies.
this is the earthquake that true progressives desire
Kevin Borg
Nov 29th 2008, 16:18
@ Alfred Agius
The list of MEP candidates is really worrying all PN supporters! We are also losing sleep at night.
However may I remind you that elections are not won by attractive names on a list but by vision and foresight. Something the PL those not have on the list and still needs to add or else in five years time it will be back choosing a leader more democratically than the PN.
Jane Bartolo
Nov 29th 2008, 15:49
@ A Grech
I couldn't agree more!! Unless the now PL completely remove all their unwanted delegates, 'klikki' and their very useless administration, JASON INCLUDED... there will be no actual "terrimot".
Changing the party name and emblem will not change their track record of rubbishing Malta, embarrasing us internationally, but more importantly having their priorities turned upside down!!!
It's a pity these people simply don't learn from their mistakes... or at least try to be followers... The PN renewed itself without any earthquakes, but the PL has to act out a supposed terrimot, and stupidly still leave all the rotten roots cemented into their Centru Nazzjonali Laburista!
alfred agius
Nov 29th 2008, 14:42
It`s evident that the PN apologists are being embarassed by LP`s steady course towards being Malta`s most democratic people`s party. They are not happy that their party`s destiny lies in the hands of a handful bunch of 50, which reminds us of Communist China, but would not admit it. Deep down they are envious of Labour`s vision and and fast move forward. They should note that more people are already getting closer and identifying themselves with Labour . Labour`s prospective MEP candidate list is already sending messages to these pn bloggers. And that`s why they are reacting the way they are and but the panic syndrome gives them away.
A. Grech
Nov 29th 2008, 13:53
The only things that spring to mind when reading this news items is the old English saying that goes, "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear", and the old Maltese saying that goes, "Il-ħanżir taqtgħalu denbu, ħanżir jibqa'."
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
charles marsh
Nov 29th 2008, 13:17
So many things have been changed and the reporter only emphasises the cosmetic changes. You are feeding your readers half truths and that's disgusting coming from a news paper like the Times
joanna farrugia
Nov 29th 2008, 13:00
the same ols song from pn supporters jason micallef alfred sant toni abel anglu farrugia.i would like to hear a song about pn stuff but my desire will never come cos they keep their stuff hush hush and they enjoy singing the same old song and pretend or demand that mlp change.insejt sorry intom partit tal futur progressiv u mexxi minn 2 pari idejn sodi mhux hekk!!!
M.Buhagiar
Nov 29th 2008, 12:23
@ James De Giorgio
Considering that after a few months after being elected , the new NP secretary Pawlu Borg Olivier already committed his first colossal gaffe embarassing the party, it will be interesting to see who will perform best from the 2 secretaries of both parties . Jason with all his good and bad has already four years experience in the post while the new " PRODIGY" is still green and he`s showing it !!!!
So Mr Degiorgio I invite you not to count your chickens.........!!!
Kevin Borg
Nov 29th 2008, 12:22
@ Chris Borg
The PL according to you is much more democratic than the current party in goverment. I think you should turn a couplr of pages in the history books, perhaps chapter 1976 - 1987. I think you will find a good few examples of not to do to insult democracy and its practice.
The number of voters choosing the leader has nothing to do with democracy or its practice. The PL delegates choose the current general secretary. The chocie may be called democratic but was it the wise to re-choose Jason Micallef ?
That is why the PN restrict the gruop to 50. Not because they are not democratic but because they need to make a good decision based on the opinion of informed people who have a good foresight and know what is best for the Party. The election carried out by the 900 delegates produced a couple of surprises that show that certain delegates slightly think before they throw the ballot paper. The proof of this is the past twenty years PL has spent in opposition.
Tony Borg
Nov 29th 2008, 12:13
@ James Degiorgio
"At least PN's 50 delegates or so choose competent people"
By any chance are you referring to the appointment of Paul Borg Olivier and his performance in his first few weeks? Did you hear of the (in)famous spying scandal? If there is any personification of incompetence this is surely it.
Noel Barry
Nov 29th 2008, 11:49
Dear Chris Borg. You are very wrong. The PN leader is chosen by the Kunsilliera, which number in hundreds and not by 50 people. The same goes for the Deputy leader.
James De Giorgio
Nov 29th 2008, 11:18
@Chris Borg. At least PN's 50 delegates or so choose competent people, unlike the 900 or so labour delegates who chose JASON MICALLEF (again and again!), for goodness' sake...
Mark A. Vassallo
Nov 29th 2008, 11:11
Mark Piscopo, you must really be joking. You blame the 4 day week on the government when everyone knows that the primary cause is the GLOBAL economic crisis. You probably hear only One news. Over the last couple of weeks on the BBC news, not NET news, it was reported thousands of job cuts in the major car industries in the US. The companies you mentioned have stated that the 4 hour week is due to decreased demand. And why has the oil price gone down, because of decreased demand resulting from the global crisis. So it is quite childish to blame the governement for this.
Regarding life style compare your lifestyle with that of 20 years ago. Kif nghidu bil Malti HEMM BAHAR JAQSAM.
Chris Borg
Nov 29th 2008, 11:02
Now all card-carrying PL members will be able to choose their Leader....while the PN leader is elected by 50 people.....just goes to show how democratic both Parties are.
All those who want to know what sourgrapes are should read many of the comments here.
Emmanuel Xuereb
Nov 29th 2008, 11:01
The title and the content of this article are dishonest to your readers. Perhaps that is way it was not signed. Some people never change.
Noel Barry
Nov 29th 2008, 10:51
You can change papers and statutes to make them look nicer but the character and attitude never changes. Take Toni Abela for example. He is already seeing castille as his final destination. I remember him before the last election saying that the Nationalists are so afraid of losing that they are all reciting the rosary. We all know the final result. Then there is Anglu Farrugia. Every time he speaks he is always attacking the PN. I remember him too after his 22 months in goverment saying that one morning we will wake up and find that the PN no longer exists. We also know the answer to this. They just never change.
Martin Frendo
Nov 29th 2008, 10:41
Dear Mr Costa, PN has and is still evolving silently but surely and with no pomp and much noise to the modern and ever adjorned political World.
steps taken by PL surely one can compliement them and see the desire to come foward as a challange within our politcal arena , but the real change has to be from the inside ( stringi stringi alla fine dov'e la sostanza reale?? )
the islands need a real new political school of thaught far from what we are living - can we grow up also politically please ? let us not look at faces but issues and sustenance. indeed together we can :-)
Mario Bonnici
Nov 29th 2008, 10:39
For all those attacking Dr.Toni Abela.
Toni Abela's appointment as deputy leader shows how much PL has changed. Don't you remember that back in 1989 he was the only one in the MLP to criticise corruption and violent elements in the party. For this he was expelled!!
Now, almost 20 years later he is back in a very important post. OK, maybe he is a a bit emotional in his speeches, but nobody can accuse him of any wrong doings.
Well done Joseph and all the PL delegates. Keep the change coming.
Mark Piscopo
Nov 29th 2008, 10:31
Everyone must feel proud that we have a good opposition party and who voted PN last election deep in his heart knows that he made the wrong choice. With these high taxes , utility tarrifs, the drastic increase in the gas cylinders, the new vehicle circulation tax apart we have the highest inflation rate in Europe with the lowest wages in Europe. The majority of workers of some Major companies in Malta are on a 4day week basis.Honestly speaking my family and I were never supporters of the MLP but seeing our lifestyle now that is going downhill we regret the fact that we voted for Dr Gonzi.
joanna farrugia
Nov 29th 2008, 10:14
@mattew bonello may you tell me what the pn ship is called?as far as i know its already sinking and pls try to be more concrete in your words.for me all these negative comments means 1 thing pointing all your fingers to the PL to try to hide PN disasters.
Chris Azzopardi
Nov 29th 2008, 10:09
Cosmetic changes? The ones shown in this article are. The others are beyond cosmetics and everybody who is not blue brainwashed can see that. Also, these are only the initial changes which will lead to others.
You waited so many years for the completion of a "state of the art" (sic) hospital which cost DOUBLE the money taken from YOUR taxes. Can't you wait a little longer for all the promised changes to be acted upon? Bil-Malti : "Kemm intom mghagglin fejn tridu!"
As regards "Some things never change...." Someone should really look in the mirror before criticize on the "never-changing" attitude of a party.
matthew bonello
Nov 29th 2008, 09:32
So the ship is ready to sail is it? So was the Titanic.
Amadeo Costa
Nov 29th 2008, 09:04
It hurts me to say i but it's about time someone in our party (PN) takes the initiative to do something similar to what the MLP did.
J. Giusti
Nov 29th 2008, 08:50
@Anglu Farrugia and Toni Abela:
LOL!!!!!! Some people never change....
Kevin Borg
Nov 29th 2008, 08:49
Whats in a name? If these are the changes than I am afraid that Toni Abela's ship will be returning to the dock in five years time to be refitted. The problem is that in five years time there may be no dock!
As for Dr.Farrugia, it is better not to comment anything about his speech. I would be doing myself and all the readers a favour, because it is really not worth the toughts.
The Labour Party has been busy trying to make a new package for an old product that is far beyond its expiry date. The people at the helm of the party are all coming from a past that its only trade mark was lack of foresight and vision. The deputy leaders are also hindered by there extremist talk that reminds us of the MLP of the 1980's. Old expired wine in new bottles will not be bought on the retailers shop. The only chance of selling it is if the other wine is sold out and by default the customer will have to buy what is left on the shelf. Hence the future of the PL is in the hands of the PN
Jason Borg
Nov 29th 2008, 08:48
Change in the name, change in the emblem, may be changing the colour into dark pink...but still remains il-lejber , with the same people playing musical chairs.
basta li progressivi !!!
Ivan Tabone
Nov 29th 2008, 08:40
Some comments just make me laugh...it's like one attacking the other for every little thing.
Although to be fair with them, the report just highlights the cosmetic changes that have been approved. It seems that the article only wanted to highlight the emblem and the party's name. I'm not into politics myself and I don't know what were the exact changes but this is what such articles should do. Can we please be informed of what the REAL changes are before we can judge.
JOHN MANGION
Nov 29th 2008, 08:31
xix????
mela ahnamhux dejjem lejburisti kunna????
mhux dejjem partit lejburista???
gennintui. ma nufx!!
J. Borg
Nov 29th 2008, 08:29
Until some time ago......
Anything was better than the MLP
Now.......
Anything is better than the PN!
A. Saliba
Nov 29th 2008, 08:14
So... the Labour Party is now Partit Laburista and they are now "progressivi." They have my vote.
Maria Falzon
Nov 29th 2008, 07:37
All these comments below make me even more convinced that what Joseph Muscat is doing is irritating some heads in the pieta HQ. The change in the name, about which all of these comments are making a fuss about is only a small part of the real changes in attitudes, modes of thinking, openess, and people representation, which are taking place within the PL.
John Scerri
Nov 29th 2008, 05:07
Reality not cosmetics please
Bill Millam
Nov 29th 2008, 03:21
The last paragraph in this article relating to Toni Abela's comments reminded me of that Maltese song from a while back "JOHLOM MIN IRID"
lol
Viva l-Partit Glojuz Nazzjonalista!
Bill Millam
Los Angeles
c.farrugia
Nov 29th 2008, 02:32
New name... Old faces!!! Lets hope its not a face lift, but a structural change for the mlp!!! oh sry for the PL!!!
Angelo Micallef
Nov 29th 2008, 01:58
PL or MLP whatever the case its still the same old Labour!!!
Joseph Demanuele
Nov 29th 2008, 00:28
Exactly like a ship in the drydocks coz it's never ready or if it is full of strikes and reeeeally really slowww. If its final destination is truly castille its a party built not on the purpose to serve a country but to serve its hunger for power.
Some things never change and Labour Party is one of them
Karl Borg Bartolo
Nov 28th 2008, 23:58
The changes is the labour statute are not just about the name and emblem. There are much more significant changes such as the abolition of the Brigata and Discipline Board, the creation of a structure responsible to meet the specific needs of Gozitans, and the abolition of certain posts from the Administration, posts which can be given to appointed technical persons. A more important change is that of creating a national congress made up of labour party members who will elect themselves the Leader of the party when there is a need, and to approve or disapprove of the electoral programme, or parts of it, before every general election. This is the first party in Malta who is introducing such innovative, forward-looking process. Other changes are directed to attract more youth towards the party, such as the lowering of the membership age to 16 and the introduction of quotas to enable more participation from younger citizens.
It is strange that timesofmalta.com chose to put an emphasis on the change in name and emblem, overshadowing all the other proposals listed in the document being tabled for approval.
André Xuereb
Nov 28th 2008, 23:51
"The party’s conference, entitled Progressivi..."
"... He repeated his claims that votes were bought by the PN to win the election saying he had documentation, which the party was ready to publish, to prove that the PN stole the election."
Oh, the irony of it all...
Ronnie Gauci
Nov 28th 2008, 22:30
I do not agree with this decision! Who does Joseph Muscat and his delegates (a bunch of yes men) think they are to change the history of the MLP?? They are changing everything within the party EXCEPT the usual dark manoeuvres which characterised it during the post Mintoff years and made us lose 5 elections out of 6 and I don't see how he's going to win the next one.
Every day I meet dozens of Labourites OUT HERE who are perplexed about the new leadership, myself included and for me to have made the decision not to vote next time "ci vuole".
Tony Mizzi
Nov 28th 2008, 22:26
New beginning ???? What new beginning???
Dr.Farrugia same old story ..... of votes bought by the PN..... Dear deputy leader of opposition accept the reality that your party lost the last election, and and do not continue to bombard us with the same pathetic story for the the next 4 and a half years ......
Apart, were is this rightist regime ....... The PN a rightist party???? Does Dr.Farrugia know anything about politics??????
I reckon no. If he knew, he wouldn't have referred to the PN as a rightist party. How can his party come back into power, if his deputy doesn't have a basic clue of what politics is????