Candidate launches campaign in a quarry

E. Vassallo

Mar 16th 2009, 17:46

@Marco Cremona

I don't know from where you got your assumptions that Dr. Deidun is losing votes by the minute. He has just got our family's votes for being a true gentleman.

I don't see your pointless attacks on Dr. Deidun.

M. Micallef

Mar 16th 2009, 13:34

Unbelievable - a young candidate is putting his money where his mouth, risking his party's umbrage, just to prove that his green principles are still intact, and all he gets is the flak we are seeing on this blog, by some posing as environmentalists. Mr. Cremona - no one has forgotten the scenes of yourself repeatedly inviting Dr. Joseph Muscat at your house over the last few months. Nothing wrong in that, but don't try to pontificate to others when you are operating on a hidden agenda. Dr. Deidun had the damned guts to publicly declare his political affiliations - why dont you do so yourself, rather than posing in a holier-than-thou stance? Some staff at a particular ministry can vouchsafe hearing you literally beseeching a particular Minister for consultancy contracts and tenders - Dr. Deidun does not deserve the treatment he is getting from you, Mr. Cremona - you pose as an environmentalist but are nothing more than an amateur politician. No wonder the green movement never makes an headway - you shoot down any member of your movement who makes the bold move out of sour grapes.

Dr. Robert Aquilina

Mar 16th 2009, 11:12

@ Marco Cremona Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm getting the impression that you're refusing to consider the tangible benefits that Dr Deidun's proposals would bring to NGOs and local Councils. Whatever he might have said and however you may choose to judge his earlier comments (which obviously you are free to do), I think that Alan's proposals rather than focusing on a single environmental issue are aimed at empowering NGOs and local councils in cases where the authorities are unwilling to act. Isn't this revolutionary enough? Since you are showing so much interest, could you please comment on his proposals? I would interpret any further silence on this subject as uneasiness.

r ferriggi

Mar 16th 2009, 10:37

I wish,,,,,,, but i cannot see how,,,,,,, Mr Deidun can move forward and keep his conscience clear when blatant environmental fouls will be done by his own party. the fund-contributing contractors are too strong within the parties!! will he stand up and fight?? i doubt it very much. for someone to be able to effect changes ONLY by being part of the machine itself is not encouraging at all.

Muscat.Pat

Mar 16th 2009, 08:27

Give us more studies on the Hanfusa, tell us how vulnerable are these insects. Emphasize that they are on the verge of extinction; shed a crocodile tear for one Hanfusa that has died but then say nothing of the millions of Hanfusi that were exterminated when 3200 permits outside the development zone were issued in the last years.

Marco Cremona

Mar 15th 2009, 18:31

@ Robert Aquilina

Seems you have not read my comment below. Alan needs to reach out to the environmentalists he has publicly attacked before he can dream of any kind of support from the environmental lobby.

Seems he is losing the environmentalists' votes by the minute as can be seen from the comments on the Times online.

Robert Aquilina

Mar 15th 2009, 09:55

What about evaluating Dr Deidun's proposals? I think he is being innovative and is really struggling to pnt NGOs and local councils in a better position to struggle for their causes. Should we ignore these proposals and simply speculate on ulterior motives?

I'm sure many Maltese are realizing that Dr Deidun is the most valid choice for the environment lobby in the political scene today. I feel that environmentalists should publicly support this man.

Good luck Alan.

albert spiteri

Mar 15th 2009, 00:19

WOW! Seems like Mr. Deidun is JPO's quick-fix replacement on the NP's environmental ticket. After 20 years of Nationalist mauling and defacing of every square inch of Malta's countryside, Mr Deidun solemnely professes his true environmental destiny neatly packaged with NP backing and blessing. Cheeky? Of course not! Mind pulling the other one please Alan!

Marco Cremona

Mar 14th 2009, 21:08

I wish my fellow environmentalist the best of luck.

However, I feel I must comment on a statement he made just after he declared his candidacy. He said that he is tired of proposing/criticising from the outside (i.e.from outside the party and government) and getting nowhere.

What this implies is that for an individual to contribute for the betterment of his country, he/she IS FORCED to work 'FROM WITHIN'. This is indeed very worrying and it betrays the well known (but rarely discussed) fact that suggestions/proposals are only accepted if they originate from 'within', i.e. from friends-of-friends. Unfortunately government is not willing to consider (and less accept) ideas on the basis of merit but it's where it originates from that's important.

My gut feeling is that Alan will soon realise that working within is just as hopeless a situation as working from outside.

Alan's campaign started on the wrong foot when in his very first interview he decided to belittle some fellow environmentists, probably in order to attempt to elevate his profile. Insinuating that NGOs are naive and/or extremists is not on, and Alan should make a public apology if he hopes to regain the support of the environmental lobby.

Alex Spiteri

Mar 14th 2009, 19:47

the MEP election will be remembered for the worst political marketing ever in the history of world politics!

launching a campaign in a quarry....unbelievable!

J Micallef

Mar 14th 2009, 19:35

Bold move by a humble candidate, who has earned my respect

Gerald Fenech

Mar 14th 2009, 19:23

With all due respect Alan Deidun you have lost all the credibility you had as an environemntal whistleblower by contesting on the PN ticket which has been mostly responsible for the huge amount of overdevelopment which has plagued this country for the past two decades.