Editorial

Anthony Mizzi

Mar 21st 2009, 08:51

And what about pre-election promises, that have never been delivered by Nationalist and Gonzipn administrations?

It is shameful that after 20 years of Gonzipn administration ,you get the Finance Minister, with full support from Dr. Lawrence Gonzi, stating that there are no funds to refund illegal collected VAT on car registration blaming it all on the RECENT credit crunch .

I blame it on mismanagement of the country's finances over a 20 year span of Nationalist administration selling off profitable enterprises and emptying the country’s coffers. .

I have absolute faith in Dr. Joseph Muscat that he will honor promise made, more than I can say for Dr. Gonzi who just gives freebees on a first come first served basis, like concessions to first-time property buyers, incentives on purchases of eco-friendly appliances, state of the art healthcare, ...list is endless

Mark Busuttil

Mar 20th 2009, 22:23

let's not talk about political opportunisim before an election.... PN is an expert here.

I bet that the PN government will revise the water and electricity tariffs on the eve of the European Parliament elections.

If the PL wanted to gain political mileage it should have proposed these mesaures closer to the general elections.

Jonathan Scerri Ferrante

Mar 20th 2009, 22:17

The Labour Party, under Joseph Muscat, has been proactive in many cases. His initial reaction to the rent reform - a very extensive study - is one example. The PL is also compiling extensive reports with proposals on the planned reforms of MEPA and the local councils. The PL also provided several proposals aimed at addressing illegal immigration.

I will let your readers to judge whether all these extensive reports were drafted for political mileage.

Thomas Cannataci

Mar 20th 2009, 22:11

I voted for PN for many years. I could never imagine giving a vote to a party which was always criticising the other side without providing alternatives or solutions. The labour party was like this for many years.

Now we have a PL leader who is giving concrete proposals on how to move on. The 20 points on how we should tackle illegal immigration, tabled in parliament this week, is a case in point. Whether you agree or not with the stands taken, Dr Muscat is leading a proactive party which is addressing the people's concerns by providing solutions.

The PL is taking a proactive approach on many issues.

T CAssar

Mar 20th 2009, 21:55

now this paper's editor shoudl declarre his bias - Joseph Is the doing the right moves and he is surprising quite a few - to say the least - and btw i never voted labour - but will this time- good luck Joseph give us a better alternative

Albert Bezzina

Mar 20th 2009, 20:24

Four years too early? On the contrary, it is just in time. When one considers the time it takes to get anything out of the Maltese Courts plus at least 18 months waiting at the European Courts of Justice, a final ruling would be at hand just about at the time of the next general AND MEP elections in 2013. Buy than, everybody hopes, the worst of this recession would be behind us and the €50million would not be needed anymore for 'financing projects of national importance (new parliament maybe?) to overcome the recession. And that is only for VAT on registration tax. The rumblings are already in the hands of the Maltese courts as regards overpaid registration tax on used vehicles imported from EU member states between May 2004 and December 2008. But that is another story - possibly worth another €15 million.

Claudine Bonavia

Mar 20th 2009, 17:06

It is a pity when an esteemed newspaper such as this one self-tarnishes its independence and objectivitiy in this way. True, everyone is entitled to take editorial sides, however following such a decision stop waving the flag of objectivity in other circumstances.

There's just one word to describe this editorial...Biased!
There's just one question...Why?

MSciberras

Mar 20th 2009, 16:56

Not once in my life have I voted for Labour but even were an election held tomorrow and my choice poised on a delicate balance needing a feather to tilt it either way, this partisan, nonsensical editorial, with its infantile arguments and Pravda like worship of the prime minister, would be a ton of bricks crashing down to Labour's advantage. Add the The Sunday Times editorial of last Sunday to the pot, and any illusion that this so called newspaper is independent (let alone a proper newspaper - no self respecting British or American journalist would accept working at Allied Nespapers, and I am not talking about the pay) fades into nothing.

Alfred Farrugia

Mar 20th 2009, 15:10

Is it not likely that an Opposition Leader would not have the ground and the possibility to resort to political gimmicks if a Government taxes its people in a fair and just manner in the first instance? How is it possible for a Government not to know exactly whether it is right or wrong to impose a tax on another tax or service fee, and hope that a Court would eventually decide in favour of the government’s action?

Are governments in place to take calculated risks with people’s money in the form of taxes? It is immaterial whether in the absence of such a tax a larger number of people might have to compensate for it with their money. A tax is either levied justly or it is not. Have we come to the stage where principles are no longer of any value?

If the people begin to perceive their government as imposing taxes or service fees unjustly, would this not lead to doubts and uncertainty and undermine the people’s acceptance of paying “fair” taxes? The same applies to inflated estimates of consumption in the energy sector.

M. Bugeja

Mar 20th 2009, 14:55

If anyone watches Jon Stewart and the Daily Show, they would know that recently there's been an uproar against journalism that bases itself upon what they are told, rather than doing any sort of investigative reporting. It saddens me that the editorial has come off so partisan, and instead of doing their own reporting in order to better inform people of the issues that we need to know about - we just see reporting that sings a partisan tune, in this case in favor of PN.

Why doesn't the Times try to doing any sort of investigative reporting, rather than report what it hears and leaves it at that? Anybody can do that with enough money and staff. Journalism lies in the ability to discover and bring to light issues which are trying to be hidden by those in power (even the opposition).

The Times reports things much in the manner of what you find in an encyclopedia - everything is clean and in black and white. We all know this isn't the case, so why not find actually INVESTIGATE and report to the people so that we can make up our own minds?

Joe Vella (Mellieha.)

Mar 20th 2009, 14:44

@ J Apap

"Is it the same for the European Courts of Justice who have lately called on Poland to do the same thing Joseph Muscat is urging the Government to do??

The European Courts of Justice have not called upon Poland to reimburse the vat on car registration as you wrongly claimed.

It is the European Commission that is taking Poland to the European Court because it believes that Poland's VAT on car registration was in violation of European laws.

Now, just your self this question, if the European Commission in the opinion that Malta Infringed European law, don't you think it would have taken Malta to the European Court as it did in the past with Denmark, Holland and now Poland?

Malta's stand, and by the European Commission failure to take Malta to the European Court, is that Malta's vat on car registration is similar to that of Holland, which the European Court ruled in favour of Holland.

Nathalie Zammit

Mar 20th 2009, 12:44

I wonder whether i should laugh or shed a tear. The repetitive Times editorials anti PL is becoming a habit. Its quite funny how after elections the Times becomes quite pro PL but as soon an election is cropping up the propaganda begins.

I am not one of the blinded labourite's who think that the PL is perfect or has done nothing wrong in the past. However, I do believe that under the leadership of Muscat it has achieved milestones and truly became the voice of the the majority out there.

Does the times ever opt of writing an editorial regarding the government ordering one of the organisations of the 30th anniversary of Freedom Day, to evict the premises which it has used for 22 years ?

An official threat !! WAKE UP... we re in 2009 not 1009

R. Caruana

Mar 20th 2009, 12:28

@ J Apap

"Is it the same for the European Courts of Justice who have lately called on Poland to do the same thing Joseph Muscat is urging the Government to do??" Note that case law between Malta and Poland is very different. Holland was also taken to court over the same issue and was completely cleared. Our case is exactly like the latter, and all that J Muscat is going to have, after decades court battles on the subject, is probably going to be egg on his face... but by then he'll probably also be Prime Minister, so it suits him fine.

J Apap

Mar 20th 2009, 12:16

The editor should note that if the Government would compensate the money previously stolen these will serve as an economic stimulus, something which Lawrence Gonzi is very far from thinking of let alone implementing it in an effective way!

Rather than being very much biased, I prefer to call the editor as commissioned to divert the attention or discredit Muscat's achievements in keeping their ears to the ground and listening to what the people are there are feeling at the moment. The facts are that the present Government did not hesitate to empty the Government's coffers for the sake of an upcoming election. There are funds available for petty projects which are being by Austin Gatt to hide their politics of arrogance, reluctance and disorder. So why should the Government to refuse to give the people what is theirs by right?!

The editor may be hinting that Lawrence Gonzi is being nearer and more realistic when it comes to priorities.
Is it the same for the European Courts of Justice who have lately called on Poland to do the same thing Joseph Muscat is urging the Government to do??

N.Calleja

Mar 20th 2009, 11:45

A well written editorial indeed! Dr.Muscat is grasping with every leaf to gain polulistic consent! But this not in the nation's interest. The Prime Minister has already assured one and all that the government would honour any decision taken by our Courts and even the European one if it is found infringing any directive. This is in clear contrast with what used to happen under socialist rule when our courts were mocked at by Mintoff and Co. Furthermore this is shear illegal buying of votes on the eve of the European Parliament elections. As you said another tax could easily be introduced to make up for the 50million euro involved. Whom are we kidding? All tax-payers will have to dig deeply in pocket then!

Victor Ross

Mar 20th 2009, 11:33

"Alas in his almost desperate quest fro votes he has adopted a please-everybody-at-the-same-time attitude and this will certainly come back to haunt him"

Fully agreed. His predecessor used the same tactics (so much for earthquakes !!!!) This is what we call the policy of the two stools. Yes having your two feet on two stools is safe enough. But when the time comes that you have to stand on one stool (being in Government) well that is a different scenario. You see his predecessor when he found himself having to stand on one stool had to call it a day after 22 months.

mike turner

Mar 20th 2009, 11:31

The repeated anti PL propaganda in the Times editorial opinions is becoming quite ridiculous. It is quite clear that a demonisation program is being embarked upon, similar to the one which damaged Dr. Sant. However it is doubtful whether this one can succeed in view of the loss of credibility due to the intellectual feebleness of its claims.

Andrew Mangion

Mar 20th 2009, 11:17

If we had to take this leader seriously we would have to say that the EU is also being opportunistic. The leader of the Times forgot that yesterday Poland was taken to court by EU on the same issue.

In it's own admission, the opinion showed the PN strategy to win elections i.e. not do anything for four and a half years and then come up with arguments under disguise that they understand the people's needs just before a general election. No wonder a lot of election promises are forgotten by PN the next day of the election.

The people we need to represent us in parliament are those that act upon issues that impact the society immediately.

As to the help being given to the manufacturing to safeguard jobs by the government, this is commendable but isn't this a short term aide. In 20 years of PN in government, PN did not lift a finger to give manufacturing it's due importance. Now in crisis, we are trying to patch up.

Roberto Vella

Mar 20th 2009, 10:47

It is not a question of promises...it is a committment. Cannot blame the editor on this however, he has been used to so much promises, especially on the eve of elections, that he is perhaps not able to distinguish between the two anymore. So much so that he is himself stating that the PN would have done this on the eve of an election... "the issue over VAT on car registration would most probably have not arisen at all had the country been approaching a general election. The Nationalists would have seen to that in time!" Such action only reinforces the perception that the PN will tackle such sensitive issues merely to win votes and not as a matter of conviction. The latter is exhibited when you do not take political timing into consideration or gauge a comittment by the number of votes it will get you - you do it because it needs to be tackled.