Austin Sammut
Thank you Eddie
I have done a bit of historical research and searching in my life. There is no doubt that the history of Malta has been shaped by the Nationalist Party, punto! I have followed the likes of Fortunato Mizzi (founder of the PN way back in 1880), his son Enrico, Sir Ugo, my cousin Giorgio Borg Olivier, but Eddie Fenech Adami had the toughest nut to crack. I will never forget his election to the party leadership in 1977. I was a PN councillor at the time and, of course, voted for Ċensu Tabone (our "Sur Ċensin" from St. Julians, my home town, and our patron and godfather) whose humble and warm abode in Carmel Street was our każin for so many years, governed by the inimitable Sinjura Maria around the large kitchen table, until we bought the każin in Triq George Borg Olivier (formerly Grenfell Street).
But Dr Fenech Adami it was to be as leader.
I then remember the long years in opposition when, for some of them, between 1976 and 1981, I was parliamentary reporter for In-Nazzjon Tagħna or (for some crazy Mintoffian frame of mind) In-.......Tagħna. Those were the days when the Mintoffian thugs sat in the VIP area in Parliament, just behind the press box. As reporters, we were threatened and even assaulted. There were occasions when we had to flee the House to continue our reporting from the opposition room. For my own personal safety, I used to be escorted through the back entrance opposite the Valletta market by Carm Lino Spiteri - Iċ-Ċumpaqq (opposition whip) and Joe Fenech (both rest their soul).
This is what Dr Fenech Adami had to face.
I also remember the infamous Black Monday incidents. I was sitting in Parliament when we heard a roar (like that of wild animals) as the Curia bookshop was being ransacked in Archbishop Street. Then we smelt the burning of the Nationalist Party club in Piazza Regina. Believe me, MPs from both parties were shocked and very worried.
Perhaps this was Dr Fenech Adami's first real test. He went to Dom Mintoff's office and warned him that if his thugs and arsonists were to attack the PN headquarters then there would be serious trouble and Eddie would not shoulder the responsibility for that. Of course, his house was then attacked (in the context of one of the most Nazi-type lies ever, when Xandir Malta falsely reported that the MLP club at Birkirkara had been ransacked).
Being in Parliament, I heard the news of the attack on Eddie's house immediately and, with my journalist's nose firmly to the ground, I was there within 15 minutes. It was a disaster. I clearly remember (then) Magistrate Joe Filletti arriving to carry out the inquiry. There were so many supporters. They were angry. They were looking for blood. Dr Fenech Adami would not have it, even though his wife, his elderly mother and his young children had been terrorised. I will never forget those scenes of destruction, of course, but also Dr Fenech Adami's firm control.
I have been before Dr Fenech Adami on other occasions of crisis. I remember the balavostri incident at Żebbuġ. I believe Dr Fenech Adami and Guido de Marco were in Gozo at the time and they raced back to headquarters. They took important decisions.
I also remember crucial decisions being taken at the Stamperija after parliamentary sittings, with Dr Fenech Adami, Dr de Marco, Louis Galea and others deliberating, top buttons undone and ties lowered, and, perhaps, a tot of whisky. Dr Fenech Adami also liked a cigar at the time.
I remember the momentous decision to go ahead with the Tal-Barrani mass meeting. It was not an easy decision but it was taken with tremendous responsibility as we sat in front of the party leaders at headquarters.
There is no doubt (although we may say it with hindsight) that Dr Fenech Adami was the best thing that happened to Malta.
I am writing all this because he was 75 last Saturday. But not only. He will shortly end his public life. But then, who knows? I am so honoured to have known him personally and having had the opportunity to really feel at home with him.
I must say that I was very confused about the decision to have him appointed President although I backed his appointment to the full from day one. But there is no doubt that we were lucky to have him serve the nation up to the highest post. There was a very dangerous man referred to as Is-salvatur ta' Malta in 1972. But the real salvatur was Dr Fenech Adami.
Dr Fenech Adami, enjoy your permanent sabbatical and ad multos annos!
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lgalea
Feb 10th 2009, 22:31
c.camilleri
You call a castrophic situation when EFA inherited nearly 500 Malta Liri in Malta's coffer!
What can the situation be called now with nearly 5 BILLION debt contracted by EFA and Gonezipn after squandering all the money left by Labour?
C Chircop
Feb 10th 2009, 21:34
@ Pat Muscat
(With all due respect to the newspaper I am posting this comment on)
Who owned the Times (by the way, it was instituted in 1935)? Was it an independent, objective newspaper?
Interestingly enough, the internment and deportation of Mizzi and other maltese was declared illegal and null by the Maltese courts. You may want to consult the book ' L-Internament u L-Ezilju' which gives an extensive review with facts on this subject and the background.
Again, it's all about facts and proof. The British authorities and Britain itself never labelled the Nationalists as fascists - it was all cooked up by the Constitutionals. They were only labelled as 'suspects' Perhaps you may keep that in mind
muscat.pat
Feb 10th 2009, 20:58
@C chircop
Please go through the Times of Malta during the 1920' right through the war and you will be shocked to discover that what The Times says about the Fascio, the Fascists, the Partito Nazzjonalista and Mizzi, are really worth their weight in salt!
Edric Micallef Figallo
Feb 10th 2009, 20:35
Fortunato Mizzi an irredentist? That already is enough to discard anything else stated.. At One can speculate on whether his son Enrico Mizzi was such, but definitely not Fortunato Mizzi.
Enrico Mizzi was an intellectual and man of culture, such men have no problem considering controversial ideas. He knew quite well what Maltese culture was about and this can be confirmed by reading the articles he wrote. One can also find him invoke our cultural and traditional "italianità" and clamouring for our "indipendenza nazionale" way back in the 1930s. Regarding Fascism, it would be appropriate to check Enrico Mizzi's constant campaigning for greater civil rights and democracy for the Maltese. Plus, back in those days people with Fascist sympathies abounded worldwide. These included diverse figures like Churchill, Gandhi and Stalin, whom hardly can be considered Fascists, can they? Some quotations in Italian on Mussolini, amongst which of mentioned people - http://it.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benito_Mussolini. That should give some context to those slandering "the greatest amongst the Maltese" , as Dom Mintoff termed Enrico Mizzi. This assertion was made by Mintoff in a speech referred to in Bijografiji by Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici.
At least on Mizzi, Mintoff can be trusted.
C Chircop
Feb 10th 2009, 20:07
@ rene joseph
Please quote reliable sources - any historian worth his salt will tell you that the inclination towards Italy was based on latin culture and language, which features were ingrained in the Maltese society since the Middle Ages. Both Nerik and Fortunato believed in these ideals WELL BEFORE fascism saw the light of the day.
At no point did Nerik Mizzi publicly speak in favour of the fascist regime in Italy. He never preached violence or acted in any way which would have pointed towards a totalitatian regime. He fought for dominion status as another contributor correctly said. He also believed in the use of Maltese pari passu with Italian.
The Casa Del Fascio and the Partit Faxxist Malti existed - they had nothing to do with PN though. Actually, some were defectors from the party since they were not universally accepted for their views.
Back your alleged statements with facts first. Categorical statements like those only worsen the lack of knowledge on 19th/20th century history within the Maltese society (attributed to the education system which opts to leave out 20th century maltese history at secondary level).
A. Mizzi
Feb 10th 2009, 18:37
Believe what you want to believe.
Maybe you reasons to be thankful to Eddie, but just do not go under the assuption that there is mutual agreement to your article certainly written with Nationalist Party Loyalist Passion, depicted Eddie as a nutcracker in the way he challenged the Leadership of the much respected cousin of yours Dr. Gorg Borg Olivier.
rene joseph
Feb 10th 2009, 16:42
@ gianninu
No need to get hysterical really.
My point on Fortunato and Nerik Mizzi was not whether they founded the party, which is an undisputed fact but rather on the popular perception that they were some kinds of patriots when they were not.
I repeat: they were irridentist and Nerik Mizzi, more militant than his father, had fascists sympathies. In Malta existed the fascio di Malta, unless you also choose to ignore this.
It is also a renowned fact that most nationalists choose to ignore the party's early start, because really there is nothing to be proud of.
I'm not into glorification and hardly anyone has ever question EFA confessional ideology which has brought Malta into a semi-theocratic state. Or to which extend his connection with the Italian Christian Democratic party went.
I find also ridiculous the perception that everything that is right and correct was PN and everything that was wrong was PL.
No saints, no sinners in politics. Only politicians.
c.camilleri
Feb 10th 2009, 16:33
@ Gianninu Saliba We associate the economic boom of the 60's and 70's with Dr. G.B.Olivier. After we had only deprivation of items which we now taken them for granted. ex. Bar of chocolate or a cordless telephone which was a crime to posses. Free University was introduced by the NP and later the LP introduced the parrinu to enter University, the number of students being not more than 800. Remembering the catastrophic situation in all aspect of life that Eddie inherited in 1987 without being bias in any way, we can truly say that he made a very good job indeed. He gave us back democracy and prosperity. Thank you Eddie and may God grant you more life to enjoy your deserved retirement.
Gerard Cassar
Feb 10th 2009, 14:15
Dr Austin Sammut when the Nationalist party club in pijazza Regina was attacked I witnessed everything from far away, beside the point that I resented the attack because of political consequences, I never saw a little smoke coming out of the club, not even that of a cigarette, perhaps some one was smoking in front of you and your imagination transformed it in smoke coming out of the Nationalist party club. Reporting does not allow imagination running away and seeing what one would like to see.
Regarding the attack of Dr E.Fenech Adami house, an event that happened years after, you forgot to refer to the morning events and the why a person with a housing problem went armed into Castille and could have hit, I do not say killed the Prime minister. You forgot or you missed an article in a P.N. paper somedays before regarding a housing problem Say all or say nothing!
Gianninu Saliba
Feb 10th 2009, 14:07
Dear Rene, call Fortunat and Nerik whatever you like, but the facts remain unchanged. Fortunato founded the nationalist movement and Nerik was steadfast in his conviction that Malta will one day join the other Commonwealth countries that at that they attained Dominium Status... Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. The 70s economic boom you refer to resulted in 20,000 unemployed and another 20,000 in the Military Corps and that not to mention the food, water and electricity shortages. Yes, my friend, the disasters of the seventies brought about the rise to glory of Eddie Fenech Adami, who will go down in history as the one who fought and won against dictactorship... and the one who defeated Dom Mintoff, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnic and Alfred Sant. Malta is proud of its history and our history was written by the those who defeated Imperialism, Colonialism and Socialism. I repeat, these all happen to be PN leaders... Furtunat, Sir ugo, Nerik, George, Eddie and now Lawrence.
rene joseph
Feb 10th 2009, 12:24
@ Gianninu Saliba
F.Mizzi and Nerik Mizzi were no patriots, but irridentists ... they didn't fight for malta's independence but for malta to be part of Italy and not of England.
I have nothing really against EFA, but his ideology has turned Malta in a semi-theocratic nation - and it is about time to also criticise the 'real salvatur' about it!
'the history of Malta has been shaped by the Nationalist Party, punto!'
to say this, it is clearly to take a partisan stand on history. Very incorrect. Especially, when one considers that social benefits, the economical boom of the 1970s, free education, civil marriages, right to vote for women, voting age lowered to 18, the first woman president were all part of a Labour government.
martin portelli
Feb 10th 2009, 11:41
'There is no doubt that the history of Malta has been shaped by the Nationalist Party, punto!'
Your 'historical research' isn't the least bit influenced by Ibn Khaldun's Muqaddimah is it ? Not a great fan are you ?
GiovDeMartino
Feb 10th 2009, 11:40
Unless you are old enough to remember the hell in which we all were between 1971 and that glorious May 87, you can never ever understand how Eddie and Friends managed to change Malta beyond recognition. Eddie is certainly in a class of his own. It would be a grave mistake if youngsters believe that our present day prosperity, very high standard of living and, above all, our democracy have always been with us. We rallied around Eddie and Friends and had to shed tears and, sometimes blood to achieve them.
Gianninu Saliba
Feb 10th 2009, 11:32
Way back in 1981, I had a banner across my balcony in High Street Hamru which read: "Eddie int it-tama taghna". Now, without hesitation I can say: "Int kont is-salvazjoni tal-mahbuba Malta taghna". Yes, Malta taghna. Thanks Fortunato Mizzi who started the patriotic movement, thanks to Sir Ugo Mifsud who carried the nationalist banner, thanks to Nerik Mizzi who was exiled for standing for what he believed in. Thanks to George Borg Olivier who made this nation of ours a sovereign state, thanks to Eddie Fenech Adami who attained democracy and secured our rightful place in the Eu. Yes, thanks must also be given to our present leader and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi who is continuing where his five predecessors left off.
Oh! I am so proud to be Nationalist
Jean-Pierre Aquilina
Feb 10th 2009, 10:05
I also remember Eddie's firm control over the PN supporters at the time when he PN was in opposition. He never encouraged revenge; on the contrary, he insisted that all PN supporters are to remain calm. i am grateful for this peaceful stance; if this was not the case, more blood would have been shed unnecessarily.