Albert Gauci Cunningham, Buġibba
The Nationalists' many broken promises
I don't like wasting people's time feeling all shocked and aghast at some comment Joseph Muscat made regarding that piece of not-so-nourishing beef called a burger and pathetically trying to point it out as the reason people should not vote Labour next June.
Instead I'll waste some of the readers' time asking those who call a spade a spade whether or not this is the same party many like me voted for and whether or not it still deserves our support!
Is this the same party that preached togetherness? Where is the "togetherness" now? Where was the togetherness in the messy utility saga affair when everyone, including those who stood four square behind Eddie Fenech Adami during the EU referendum, told our PM and Austin Gatt that these bills were a menace and a burden a weak economy could well do without? Where is the "togetherness" when these same bills are issued while they are being discussed with the regulator?
Why did the PN promise to widen the highest tax band by 10 per cent (35 per cent tax down to 25 per cent) when it knew that this was a measure the country could not afford in times of economic ills? Why did the PN lie so blatantly when up till last March when Lawrence Gonzi used to say that "finances are fine now, in fact we can focus on the environment" only to find that the deficit is out of control and will increase by more than threefold (€60 million to €200 million)? Why did the PN destroy everything it had so excruciatingly "built" before 2008 just to win an election which it had known it would only win by default (as it did)?
Why did the PN promise to continue helping young people through a particular housing scheme only to abruptly stop it when people had already signed contracts? Does the PN know how many people were up in arms against this classic case of total lack of "togetherness"?
Why did Dr Gonzi act like our modern day workers' hero promising not to give contracts to businessmen who employ people illegally or disregard their rights such as sick leave only to go totally mute on it since March?
Have all these very real injustices faded into thin air now or was it just a load of crap like most of the manifesto itself? Why did the PN promise the Ta' Qali businesses a project which it had now so unceremoniously scrapped? Why did the government promise to support anti-homophobia legislation only to retract and say that we need a "culture-change" after march? Whatever happened to the urgency to enact laws that protect co-habitating couples? How longer must these people wait to see this promise materialise?
Why did the PN give the impression that liberalisation was not on the cards in the transport sector when it knew that this was not the case? Why did it promise loads of people jobs here and there only to "conveniently" forget these voters after March? Why promise accountability when we have ministries "drowning" in mismanagement and no-one is held responsible? Why whine about "biting the bullet" on one hand and increase the Cabinet's wage on the other? Isn't that exactly what the MLP had done in 1997 and for which it got a lot of egg on the face from the Nationalist side? So what has changed now? And all this is just the tip of the whole shocking iceberg of broken promises, apathy and arrogance!
True, some would rightly point out that I made my bed and so I should lie on it and as much as I have to accept that argument I have to also reserve my right as a voter in a supposedly democratic country to shout out aloud that the "bed" I got after March was definitely not the one I bargained for and therefore that the "contract" thousands "signed" with the PN through their vote has been disregarded or even worse completely broken. Come June I will definitely not be voting for those who used me for my vote and then did it "their way" once power for them and their acolytes was secured!
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Giov deMartino@jjCamilleri
Apr 25th 2009, 11:14
If you decide to say something, make sure that it makes some sense.
Jeremy J Camilleri
Apr 24th 2009, 20:29
Has anyone told Demartino to swap parties?
GiovdeMartino
Apr 24th 2009, 16:47
I have nothing against anyone who GENUINELY decides that the other party is better. Note the genuinely. But suppose I decide to believe that the MLP is better than the PN. OK. But can you imagine me condemning ANYTHING that the PN did in the past and praise anything the MLP did? Even when our clubs were attacked and destroyed completely by known criminals? Even when workers were not allowed to strike? Even when the Const. C was suspended? Even when citizens were tortured/murdered at the police HQrs? Even when the Progress prtess was razed to the ground? when workers were locked out suspended, physically assaulted? Can anyone ever condone these atrocities? Iwa hadd ma jmerini lili? Anqas Pietru Pawl Busuttil? Lin o Cauchi. Nardu Debono, W> Cardona. Can anyone deny that we were on the verge on a dictatorship? Naqleb Labour jekk dawn ma jtunix job jew flat, imma dawn l-affarijiet, dawn il-hnizrijiet nista' xi darba nichadhom?
Jeremy J Camilleri
Apr 24th 2009, 09:32
The reaction to the letter by ALbert Gauci CUnningham, a person who I have duelled with constantly in the past only goes to show how tribal the Maltese political scenario is.
You have commentators in favour of the PL greeting Mr Gauci Cunningham like a prodigal son, and the PN supporters, including gentleman in exile Martinelli and one way traffic Demartino attacking him and almost having us believe that Mr. Cunningham is something akin to a war time traitor.
In reality, this is a comment by a person who voted with his conscience, and now feels let down.
Why is that such a big deal?
Is that such a rare thing ?
At least people like him have the courage to speak out!!
Keep it up Albert
GaleaL
Apr 24th 2009, 09:26
c.camilleri
Do you call the squandering of around Lm500 million left by Labour and casting the country into around €4,000 debt uplifting Malta from the nadir of labour administrations to the present day prosperity? You aren't living in Australia and seeing things upside down are you? This also applies to Martinelli who is living comfortably in far away Canada and is not the least affected by the disastrous situation of the Maltese economy brought about by the pn governments.
M.Gauci
Apr 24th 2009, 08:35
Albert Gauci Cunningham
It is your right to vote as you deem fit, whether misguided or not, it is your right. I assume you have already bought the MLP flag to wave in case of percieved or not relative victory. I do hope that what you think has let you down in one party you will not find the same or worse in the other as you'll end up switching to AD then and maybe going out for politics on your own and solving the problems of the world and Malta in the nick of time.
This is the nice thing about democracy, the grass is always greener on the other side. Whether it really is, is for each and every one to judge and act accordingly as happened in 1971, 1996. I will stick with the party you has done mistakes but overall guided this country to the perfect storms and not stamp my feet like a kid when global circumstances dictate some shifts in policies. Like in utility tariffs you mention when im 1996, price of oil was a midget compared to the price of oil at end of last summer, etc.. etc..
GiovDeMartino@PSchembri
Apr 24th 2009, 08:26
35 new cars a day, millions of euro bonds snatched in no time at all, places of entertainment fully booked, mobiles replaced toys, thousands taking holidays nabroad, millions of euro contributed towards politic.part. fireworks, churches, institutes, foreign war/earthquake/famine/droughts...victims...luxurious apartments....and we have no money.
Nigel Lawrence
Apr 23rd 2009, 21:16
@c.camilleri
Have you ever left 1987? Do you spend all your time looking backwards instead of aspiring to the future?
Albert Gauci Cunningham
Apr 23rd 2009, 20:54
@Giov De Martino---What are you on about??? I think you've completely got the wrong person......I have never spoken to Dr.Gonzi personally and i never wanted anything from anyone!! Its just not my kind of thing to ask anything from anyone sorry!!
MCallus----Maybe you should have answered the questions in the letter yourself!! I will stand by whoever treats this country and its citizens properly not by those who have promised one thing and delivered another!! Which part of 'this government has lied to the people" don't you get???
laurence schembri
Apr 23rd 2009, 20:41
@ Bertie O`Cassey
`Rome was not built in one day`, so you tell us. But, Dear Bertie, it was burnt in One Day.
P. Schembri
Apr 23rd 2009, 19:25
@c.camilleri. What you're conveniently not saying is that today we're spoilt for choice, but with no money in our pockets, because your PN government is openly taking 41% as taxes, etc.
M Callus
Apr 23rd 2009, 18:02
@Martinelli
Why are you wasting your time? AGC is standing up for people he used to "bash" last year!!! Everybody has got the right to make a u-turn and AGC will surely find his home in the u-turn party!!!!!
c.camilleri
Apr 23rd 2009, 17:32
Just a few words to answer your letter. Just go back to 1987 and ponder on the great task achieved by the Nationalists' Govts of uplifting Malta from the nadir of labour administrations to the present day prosperity. We no longer cry to have our basic needs but moan to have more luxury items.
GiovdeMartino@AGC
Apr 23rd 2009, 16:56
What did YOU expect from the govt. which you did not get? If I am not m,istaken you once wrote here that Gonzi always ignored your telephone calls. Am I correct? If the answer is in the affirmative, what did you want to tell him?
Albert Gauci Cunningham
Apr 23rd 2009, 16:35
Mr.Martinelli as much as I'd like to answer you I do have to remind you that ,as stated, my letter was written to those who call a spade a spade!! You are definitely not one of them for if you were, if you heared people's pains and anguish, if you saw how many promises the PN broke even on a personal 'grassroot" level then there is not even the slightest doubt that like me you would not even contemplate voting PN!!
Sorry my vote is going for PL....next June....and in the next general election and for the foreseeable future!!! Enough is enough!!
P. Schembri
Apr 23rd 2009, 15:31
@Mr. Martinelli.
Since you didn't mention the 3rd option, I'll tell it to Mr. Cunningham myself. Do as Mr. Martinelli did and go to Canada.
P. Schembri
Apr 23rd 2009, 15:29
@Martinelli. It takes a guy with guts like Mr. Cunningham to question the faults of the PN, very much unlike you. You're living comfortably in Canada, while we have to face the music here.
Pairing. This procedure is an option not a must. And since the difference in votes between the two parts is only a handful, the opposition has every right not to use this option. Remember, 1996-1998?
About recession. If the Government, and everybody knew there was a recession on the horizon, why was the PN promising heaven on earth pre-election 2008? Of course, because the PN knows how gullible the Maltese people are, so the PN tickled the egoisitic fancy in half of the Maltese.
About the w&e tariffs. The government, conoscent of the looming recession, instead of alleviating the burden, put on more burden, especially on the lower income classes. Is that social just and a government with a social conscience? Hallina Mr. Martinelli. Always using the recession as an excuse. The PN is very good at excuses, and as fate would have it, always found.
J Martinelli
Apr 23rd 2009, 14:28
Part 1
I shall answer AGC's questions with some of my own.
1. Is this the same party which preached 'a new way of doing politics' and the first thing they decided under the new leadership, was not to have an agreement on 'pairing'? Is this the togetherness the vast majority pines for?
2. Is continuing to subsidize W&E bills any more helpful for the economy during this global economic meltdown?
3. When promises were made regarding lowering the tax bands, the world economy was steaming ahead. When those promises were made, there was no date attached to them, only that they be done during the present mandate which has four more years to go.
4. The US economy started all this and worse is still to come. The US Government is spending four Billion US dollars to try and shore up its economy. This represents an all time record for a government deficit. Unfortunately most of the four billion will vanish into a black hole with near zero improvement to the moribund economy. GM and Chrysler will still seek bankruptcy protection. Ditto for EU and far eastern economies which experienced record losses.
Continued
J Martinelli
Apr 23rd 2009, 14:27
Part 2
Mr. Gauci Cunningham posed question after question which does not allow me to address individually since some do not make much sense and appear to be the result of not having things go the way he thinks should have gone. We all have our wish-list but Santa does not always deliver what we order and on time. This is the real world and circumstances change so promises have to be shelved or delayed according to the exigencies of the time. Would the LP do anything different? Yes they would. First they screw up, then they frantically try to fix that which they themselves botched up. Result is, one step forward and one step backwards. It is like running on the spot - you get the exercise but not move forward one inch.
So, Mr. Cunningham has two very attractive choices - vote LP and reap the fruit of left wing unworkable policies or worse, vote AD which is eons away from being a credible party.
There is of course a third option for Mr. Gauci Cunningham, but at the moment he is too upset and therefore unable to see the forest for the trees.
M Attard
Apr 23rd 2009, 14:02
@ A Gauci Cunningham
Albert it's a pity that you only realised now that the PN where taking most of you (who voted PN) for a ride prior to March 08. If I remember correctly you where one of those who vehemently sided with the party in Government and opposed almost anything that Dr. A Sant used to say. At least you have finally woken up and realised that not everything that Dr Sant was saying was incorrect. Cheers
P. Schembri
Apr 23rd 2009, 13:57
Sorry Mr. Gauci Cunningham that I have to disagree with you. The PN always kept the unwritten promise, or written in the wind. MILLI GHIDNA M'HEMMX XEJN! That promise is always kept between elections.
But come election time, and all promises will activated!
Bertie O'Cassey
Apr 23rd 2009, 13:10
Well all I can say is that rome wasn't built in a day and that OUR government was elected for five years.
There is a bigger picture, just because you cannot see it, it does not mean that it is not there.
Faith is the hardest thing that one can keep when he/she feel that they have been wronged....... Just wait and you will see....
Jim Hamilton
Apr 23rd 2009, 13:04
Mr AGC,
Well said, I couldn't agree more.
I am also of the opinion that governments should be held to account for promises made prior to election.
The many manifesto pledges that you have mentioned, and the many things that this government has promised to do, unless fully implemented are not worth the paper they are written on.
As such democracy is being treated with contempt, and the sad fact is that we are letting it happen, as most people in this country just accept things without much of a whimper.
Governments should have no legal choice but to follow manifesto's and all promises to the letter.
GiovDeMartino
Apr 23rd 2009, 11:26
Haven't we heard that a eyar ago? And whenever thered was a general election? Don't you think that it is too early to count your chickens? Will you never learn? And if the PN doers not keep its promise, does the new MLP keep them?
J.Borg
Apr 23rd 2009, 09:36
The PN knows that come next election it will be outsed from government and so why bother if deficit increases.
Then they will start criticising the PL governemnt for the icrease like they did in 1996......
people are not stupid anymore nowadays.