Labour leader pays tribute to national feasts protagonists

carmel cassar

Mar 23rd, 10:58

Nahseb li meta il primministru jaqra certu kummenti, li minghalih min jikteb qed jghamel xi pjacir sew lil partit kif ukoll lill gvern lhekk imsejjah tana lkoll, jibda biex jaqta qalbu li xi darba dan il poplu sejjer jitghallem. hafna kummenti negattivi, partggjani u ta firda. Mela ejjew nghamlu lkoll resulizzjoni li niktbu biss kritika kostruttiva u kummenti inkurraganti, ghax le?

reno calleja

Sep 22nd 2010, 07:29

What a mature and sombre appreciation of history. What a difference from those who are running the Nationalist Party to-day, who enjoy being divisive, instill continuous fear on Labour and refuse to look at the future and who, for political mileage, want to stick to the past.
On more than one occasion, Joseph Muscat is showing he is the man of the moment. Let no one think that he has no Opposition in his own party for being so conciliatory and balanced in his tone.
The next election is not going to be easy to win. The Nationalist Party, with the support of the media and its powerful accolades have shown that come elections their hatred towards Labour unties them.

On the other hand Joseph is giving hope to people like me who come from a dying breed. Our wish is .to see Labour in power to clear the mess, the corruption, the mismanagement, the hemorrhage of public funds through incompetence and sleaze, and above all to see a party in power that really fights for Malta's interests.

Ralph Agius Fernandez

Mar 31st 2009, 10:20

The way I see it Labour needed to rival Borg Olivier's achievement (as though independence wasn't for all Maltese citizens). Republic day cut off any legal or even moral links with the British. Yet, we still call the 31st March, the day on which the British government argueably got rid of us, Freedom Day because afterall, it's true - we couldn't indulge in Badminton at the Marsa Sports Club (which was built by the British)(just as much as you cannot be a member of the elite Casino Maltese if you're third-class). I invite you to go ask an African what he was up to during his country's Freedom Day - he'll most probably recount bloody battles and suffering. We on the contrary lined the docks and cried goodbye! Because many knew that the next ten years or so of 'freedom' would be anything but. So let's drop the Mintoff Memorial day and focus on the two main political and national feasts; independence and republic and of course, the Vittoria!

GaleaL

Mar 31st 2009, 08:59

To all pn apologists.
What Mintoff did was to rid us of any foreign military personnel and the use of Malta by foreign military powers, including NATO and the USA.
It could not be done before because when the pn government was ousted in 1971 there was not a penny left in Malta's coffer, so much so that to pay the government employees Mintoff was given an open cheque by Gaddafi for such purposes. To get an open cheque from anyone is quite an achievement. He also got loans from other countries at 0.5% interest starting to run after 5 years.
Apart from this, how could Mintoff develop Malta and establish what was necessary to really make Malta independent from anyone else without first having the necessary funds and setting up companies to employ the people that under the pn administration were simply exported to Australia and other countries that wanted immigrants?
Mintoff milked the British Government between 1971 and 1979 to gain time and money to do what was necessary for Malta to be really free.
Attacking Dr Joseph Muscat only means that he is better than Gonezipn and is a pain in the pn's back.

c.camilleri

Mar 30th 2009, 18:54

@ nathalie zammit. There is no such thing as true Independence. It is either a full Independence which gave the power to our PM Dom Mintoff to prolong the presence of British troops by five yrs or it is not independence at all. If it was not a full Independence Mintoff would not have been allowed to act like he did while in office.

Peter Bonnici

Mar 30th 2009, 18:34

Labour will do anything to try take credit for some achievement of Malta and its people. The truth is that 31 March 79 was simply the expiration of an-already extended contract, one that was meant to end 5 years prior. If anything, mintoff denied us of this so called freedom from the British 5 years too late. Some national hero !

Gianninu Saliba

Mar 30th 2009, 17:18

Dear Mr. Anthony Magri, I do remember vividly our beloved George Borg Olivier telling the British government, "I have not come for a silver collection, I have come to demand what is ours". The 1962 PN manifesto never mentioned "Quasi" Dominion Status. The word quasi was added by sarcastic Mintoff, who still could not accept that Integration with Britain was rejected. Dominion Status was what South Africa, Canada and Australia had untill recently. The three countries have however been independent for donkeys' years. Actually, Australia and Canada still have the Queen of England as their head of state. Pease, Anthony, do not try to tell me that these countries are not yet independent. By the way, I also remember Duncan Sands stating that George Borg Olivier has left him exhausted and added on "It seems that this man never sleeps". And you have the cheak (audacity) to say that "Borg Olivier was handed independence by Duncan Sands and he had no other alternative but to accept it". The only one who surrendered to Britain was Mintoff, he accepted to give them the right to be here in exchange for what Borg Olivier previously called "Silver Collection"... and called it rent.

Jeremy J Camilleri

Mar 30th 2009, 16:43

Joe VElla....Its called a BOOK..or in this case...BOOKS...... Surely you don't expect an answer in one sentence in a comment page.

Muscat.Pat

Mar 30th 2009, 15:57

Cyprus was a British colony and its still has a British Airbase even though the Cypriots do not want it. Cyprus was invaded by a NATO country and the British did not lift a finger! Are the British democrates? Of course they are but only when THEIR interests suit them! The same thing would have happened to Malta, if its leaders directly ( MINTOFF), or (indirectly Mizzi and Borg Olivier) did not intervene. So freedom from what? Ask the Cypriots!

Muscat.Pat

Mar 30th 2009, 15:49

@Gianninu Saliba. Freedom from what? What do you thing Nerik Mizzi was fighting for? Do you know that by 1969 Parliament-under the leadership of Gorg Borg Olivier- passed a resolution asking the British to pay their side of the Independence agreement ( they stopped paying their rent) or move out? Mintoff sided with Borg Olivier. By the way, under PN's Independence the local airports,seaports, harbour areas Mosta depot, airspace, local seas, currency, head of state, Local Radio and military affairs were STILL under the British! By 1979 these important places and symbols became Maltese. @Joe Vella. When you will be getting your pension, you should thank MLP; it was because of Mintoff that we could run our economic and social affairs.....yours and mine pension included NB. even yours and mine two -thirds pension for that matter!

wally vella-zarb

Mar 30th 2009, 15:36

The true National Day ought to be the Sette Giugnio because that was the day that the Maltese people started to really make their voices heard against those who were oppressing them. Unfortunately, the PN will never give up the idea of 21 September, nor will the PL renounce the 31 March. And so, it would appear that we are doomed to an eternity of one side describing 'Independence Day' as a farce while the other side claims that 'Freedom Day' was merely the end of a commercial agreement.

Ronald Galea

Mar 30th 2009, 15:14

@j vella why don't you tell us what we achieved in 1964. you obtained your freedom and the right to govern malta. we started to manage pbs, airports, ports etc. ara kont'x tidhol il marsa sports club qabel. grazzi perit.

J Martinelli

Mar 30th 2009, 15:12

If only the man practices what he preaches. What cheek!

P.Schembri

Mar 30th 2009, 15:08

You are what you and your children are today is because of March 31, 1979. I may be confusing things or confusing you with another one, but if I remember correctly you were with the armed forces, so I think I understand why you're against this particular date. If I'm mistaken, I do apologise. But Freedom day brought real freedom, politically, economically and Malta as a self-governing nation. Before that we were still under the whim of the British Government. Even our foreign policy had to be construed on the British policy. Our economy depended on the British economy. But under Mintoff we saw an end to all of that. Malta became Malta for the Maltese.

Alfred Grech

Mar 30th 2009, 11:35

The bickering that takes place in Malta is shocking and very sad. We are supposed to be one nation under one flag but the split between us is very scary. Many of us should feel ashamed of themselves to let politics overtake the love that we're supposed to share towards our country.

Bringing the past does not help. No political party is perfect. All have committed huge mistakes and injustices. Thinks did calm down a bit and hope we will all work hard to calm them down even more.

The many "national" holidays we have are a farce - NP National Holiday, LP National Holiday - where is the MALTA National Holiday? Why not sit down and sort this mess out and show some dignity and respect towards our country?

Joe Vella (Mellieha.)

Mar 30th 2009, 11:22

I would like for someone to tell me what Malta achieved. politically, economically and/or socially on March 31st, 1979?

P.Schembri

Mar 30th 2009, 11:20

Didn't you know that the British and the US helped as much as they could to keep MIntoff out of power, but in 1971 the wind of change was so strong that nothing could hold it?

Or such things you knew but kept them to yourselves because deep down you knew that this was as undemocratic as can be?

And all this goes on only to show that Mintoff was the one who brought real freedom to our country. Of course without Independence this wouldn't have been achieved. But it was Mintoff who brought the real Independence.

P.Schembri

Mar 30th 2009, 11:16

Being under the British yoke is what you call independence? We were only independent politically, but as a nation we were still dependent on Great Britain. Even our economy depended on Great Britain. Mintoff brought the real Independence in everything. From a fortress economy to one depending on tourism. He needed no permission from GB to contact other countries as GBO had to do. Plus the British were bound to pay Lm14 million yearly and not if they deemed fit not pay at all as happened in 1967-1969.

And to add insult to injury it has now come out that in 1971 the British and the USA didn't want Mintoff to come to power, because they knew that if he did, they would have to say bye bye to the free lunch that they were enjoying here on the island. That's the kind of independence we had in 1964-1971. Is that something to celebrate and brag about when after independence when the island had the Queen as the Head of State or great parts of the island and major sections under the British?

Nathalie Zammit

Mar 30th 2009, 11:02

A clear example of how to bring unity by the leader of the opposition himself.

How can anyone dare to bring him down or the the public who would like to celebrate Freedom Day ? There are no room for arguments that, for Freedom Day to be possible, Dr. Borg Oliver had to acquire Independence. However, only those wearing blinkers say that it was a true independence. Reality shows differently and so does the fact that the English governor preferred Borg Oliver and not Mintoff as a negotiator ?

Anthony Magri

Mar 30th 2009, 10:43

Mr.Gianino Saliba: Though Borg Olivier was handed the Independence constitution with the left hand, he said thank you and with the right hand handed over the signed mutual Defence agreement that was nothing but a surrender pact to Britain.
The P.N. never(sic) never asked for independence. Borg Olivier was handed independence by Duncan Sands and he had no other alternative but to accept it provided he signed the occupation agreement by the same British forces.
Remember also that "Quasi Dominion Status" whatever that means was on the P.N. agenda. Independence was utopia for the P.N.
This ought not to cease to be recalled for those who have short memories or want to brain wash the young generation

Joseph Sciberras

Mar 30th 2009, 10:17

As for paying tribute to Dr Borg Olivier, will he apologise on behalf of the PL that the celebrating of Malta's Independence, the day when it became a sovereign nation, was completely ignored and ridiculed between 1971 and 1987?

Perhaps he can also explain why he did not turn up for the official celebrations of Independence Day last September. Was he on some other holiday?

Actions speak louder than words, much louder!

Gianninu Saliba

Mar 30th 2009, 09:59

What freedom did Dom Mintoff gain for Malta? Freedom from what? If the socialists believe that the coming to an end of an agreement entered freely by Mintoff is freedom. Then we must celebrate it accordingly. In other words, Mintoff realize that he had extended the British army's stay beyond the original deal signed by George Borg Olivier and he must have accepted that that was wrong.