Democracy in Malta being threatened – Bedingfield

emanuel Muscat

May 17th 2009, 15:43

@P.Schembri
So your Mr.Bedingfield made another mistake!He said that he could not vote because he could not consult with his colleagues after a last minute amendment to the Pope resolution on condom use!So he just follows what others do!Doesn't he have an own opinion!Or was he unwilling to risk being told off as what happened before in the immigration vote?He obviously needs to be told what to do,poor fellow!

Sylvester B. Fenech

May 16th 2009, 12:08

Glenn, but what exactly do you know about democracy ? You mention promotions, ID Cards and permits - if there is someting wrong with them ( like it happens in all the world ) that is not good, but far from threatening democracy. I experienced 1981 - 1987, and what happened then does not happen in ALL the world ( in certain countries, YES ). Glenn, you should be helping PL to improve its image. Statements like these keep giving the WRONG MESSAGES about a new labour.

P. Schembri

May 16th 2009, 11:25

@Scicluna & Callus. Yes it was wrong that workers and students were beaten. But which is worse being pyschologically intimidated as many workers and students are? What about the political transfers? Haven't you forgotten these? Especially 1987-1992? Of course you don't mention those.

@E. Muscat. When did Labour govern illegally? In 1981-1987 MLP government was constitutionally legitimate. It's the PN spin and thirst for power that tried to make the government illegitimate and dictatorial. It's thirst of power brought the country to the brink of civil war. But it not happen because the dictator (sic) you're talking about (Mintoff) was the one who proposed amendments to the constitution, and made it possible that whoever gets the majority of votes can govern. Of course your PN won't mention this. This fits nicely with its spin that Labour government was a dictator.

As for Glenn Bedingield made a mistake, Dr. Simon Busuttil did the same mistake 12 times over! Nothing to brag about isn't it. But anyway for you PN diehards only the PL commits mistakes, because the PN is the pure one.

Victor Buhagiar

May 16th 2009, 10:29

Is this person representing Malta in Europe? No wonder we can never make any headway in this country. Mr B. I'll never forget the MLP banana republic in the 70's and early 80's. You'll never get my vote.

Emanuel Muscat

May 16th 2009, 10:20

It would be better if he explains how come he did not vote in a crucial vote on immigration which was vital for Malta!Democracy threatened, my foot:this happened when the labour movement trampled over all the democratic rights of the majority of maltese when they stayed in power with a minority of votes!

M Callus

May 16th 2009, 09:01

@P. Schembri

SSSHHH! Meta ssawtu il-haddiema taht il-PN??Taht il-PN kollox u kulhadd jittiehed for granted!. Taht il-labour BISS kienu jissawtu l-studenti u l-haddiema.

Peter Darmanin

May 16th 2009, 08:48

Shame on you Mr Bedingfield.
Have a look at this again: http://frankportelli.com/uploads/6/10/Stqarrija_Frank_Portelli_-_14_05_09.pdf, and please, grow up. You don't deserve to represent us, Maltese and Gozitans, in Europe.

R. Scicluna

May 16th 2009, 01:25

@ P. Schembri

Sad, sad comment..you have no idea what you are on about...

P. Schembri

May 16th 2009, 00:03

Always mentioning and besmearing Mintoff when you should be thanking him. If it weren't form him Labour would be in Government not the PN. Those are his democratic credentials. Your PN party doesn't want to amend the electoral law for fear of losing his majority and power. Labour was never afraid of doing so. Prime example 1984 when the consitution was amended to the majority of votes gets to govern. Mintoff proposed it. And the PN with its thirst for power accepted the amendment with open arms. Then in 1998, when Alfred Sant rather than succumb to the threats of Mintoff, resigned from office and called fresh elections. That's democracy! Let the PN do the same if the June Elections show a majority of discontented voters. Of course it won't. The PN loves power and would do anything to keep it, even lying, as happened already.

Christopher Briffa

May 15th 2009, 19:54

Dear Mr Bedingfield, I just love it when Labour Party candidates like yourself try to impress and appeal to your fellow socialists as it brings out the best of you and your true face is uncovered. I am one of those who always tries to listen to the Labour Party`s message and I also try to evaluate positively what you are saying. Unfortunately for you and your party, it has the opposite effect on me and I am sure on many others, who like me are not particularly happy of how things are being run by the present administration, but you leave me no option, I`m just too scared to trust politicians of your ilk. As for democracy, I happen to be a little bit older then you and I can very well remember the glorious democratic years of Mintoff, KMB and later Sant, yes those were great years indeed but only if you happened to be close to some strong minister of the socialist regime of the time. I think you should stick to running your catering establishments as politics seem to be a more complicated animal for you. Hallina ha nghixu !!

P. Schembri

May 15th 2009, 19:25

A case of two weights two measures. Let's see who really threatened democracy. During the labour years who ordered civil disobedience, who started industrial actions that ran from 1977 up to till 1984? When did the bombs on doorsteps and gates of embassies started to explode? When these then stopped so abruptly? Who set up street leaders to spy on their neighbours? Who wanted to take the government when the Labour government was constitutionally elected therefore legitimate. Who sent delegates to foreign countries to plead with them to stop aiding our country? Who went about Europe distributed the (in)famous Malta file to undermine foreign investment here, and at the same time undermining a legitimate government? About the industrial actions. How come there were industrial actions during labour years and then during the PN government the same unions did not take industrial action, although the conditions remained the same? Remember one certain union asking the labour government for a Lm9.00 raise? How come this same union is not asking the same now? But to say the whole truth there was violence, instigated by who?

M Callus

May 15th 2009, 18:34

Glen Bedingfield kien qed jirreferi ghas-snin 1981 sa 1987. Kellna GVern li ma kellux il-maggoranza, haddiema mkasbra, jekk tistrakja taqla daqtejn kif tmiss il-ligi, transfers bla addocc, etc etc

M. Borg

May 15th 2009, 18:22

Int Sur Glenn Bedinfield trid titkellem fuq id-demokrazija? Int li timmilita f'partit li meta kien fil-gvern kasbar id-demokrazija. Hallina nghixu trid!!! Ahjar meta tmur tivvota fil-parlament ewropew taghmel xoghlok kif suppost u mhux tivvota kontra pajjizek u kontra r-rieda tal-maltin. Il-Maltin nies serji jridu fil-parlament ewropew, nies li jiggieldu ghad-drittijiet ta Malta u mhux paroli fil-vojt kif taf tghid int.

G .Mangion

May 15th 2009, 18:18

Shame on You, Bedingfield Shame What a desperate way to hunt for the M.E.P Votes, What should Glen must have told , the PES to keep an eye on how things were being run in Malta, Is the way the Opposition is Out of Control and cannot Keep on track with the P.N in Gov't & to whole of Malta !!! But what one can Pretend, From Bedingfield, He Quoted many times that, Il - Partit tal P.l Lewwel U Qabel Kollox, Including his Motherland MALTA.

salvu calleja

May 15th 2009, 17:55

Keep up the good work Glen. Guess who? ………..“I am the Prime Minister. I am the Government,” This is Democracy at its BEST

M. Zammit

May 15th 2009, 17:48

Dear Mr. Bedingfield., Thank you for helping me change my mind!! I was not going to vote in the forthcoming elections but now I will and once again I will for the PN candidates. Thanks for helping me realise that the Maltese Socialist are still the same! Thanks again Mr.Bedingfield.

Joe Vella

May 15th 2009, 17:40

Mr. Bedingfield, I have one comment to make; Are you for real? Seriously, please tell us. Cause I cannot believe what I just read. If you are really one of those stars candidate that Joseph Muscat keeps harping on, then the PL is in dire straits to come up with bona fide candidates. Unfortunate for the PL, and indeed sad and humiliating for Malta to have individuals from the PL of your calibre representing Malta at the EU.

Mark Portelli

May 15th 2009, 17:39

Araw din http://frankportelli.com/uploads/6/10/Stqarrija_Frank_Portelli_-_14_05_09.pdf

j micallef

May 15th 2009, 16:01

What does Mr.Bedingfield hope to gain by tarnishing Malta's good name abroad in this manner? Even if, by a long stretch of our imagination, Mr.Bedingfield's assertion were true - which every sane person knows it is definitely not the case - only harm will come upon us as a people and a nation by dragging our reputation through the mud with European nations who have such close commercial ties with us. Will Mr.Beddingfield be happy if he learnt that tourists who were planning a visit to Malta changed their plans fearing undemocratic treatment by our "despotic" government after hearing his outburst? Is this the reason Mr.Beddingfield is after our vote to secure his EU Parliament seat, so that he can spend his energy tarnishing the good name of the Maltese from his position of power?

What any sane Maltese voter wants to hear at the moment is a clear commitment by ALL prospective EU Parliament candidates that they will stand four-square with the Maltese in obtaining the best benefits possible from our membership with the EU, even if Mr.Beddingfield's party was all out against it when we were asked to take our decision in a referendum.

Wistin Schembri

May 15th 2009, 15:59

Dear Mr Bedingfield,

Thank you for reporting the Maltese government in Strasbourg...these threats to democracy cannot keep going on with impunity.

This is a deja-vu`. Maybe you're young, but a prominent official of your party did a somehat similar exercise in Strasbourg in 1983...he distributed The Extraparlamentarians. Hon Leo Brincat can give you a copy.

Keep alive the spirit of Dr Alex Sciberras Trigona who told the ambassadors in Malta not to meet the PN officials who were threatening the paradise being created by your party led by the great Dom Mintoff.

Please try to make sure that the public broadcasting does not broadcast PN activities again. If you want, one of the key players at that time is still active in your party...just have a look at It-Torca every Sunday.

And, given that we're using this medium, the glorious past of your party can indicate what to do to The Times if it dares threaten the workers.

It's just great that this time round you're not alone...the European Socialists (PES) are with you.

Keep it up.

J Farrugia

May 15th 2009, 15:31

Glenn Bedingield shouting that democracy is being threatened in Malta???? Were was he when democracy was really threatened and not only that, it was dead. Under Labour, we had a dictatorship.

R Agius

May 15th 2009, 15:16

In typical Super One fashion their ex journalist is spinning lines in a bid to appear 'tough' and liberal. There is no threat to democracy in Malta - that finished around 1987! What Mr Bedingfield and his colleagues who chuck mud never mention is the fact that the Electoral Commission is made up of two nominees from the PN and two from the PL with an independent chairman. How is it that with all these supposed threats to our democracy we have never heard any whimper from the PL's nominees? There can only be one reason - there was never any threat to democracy and they know it! As from Mr Bedingfield his credentials and track record to represent us are very evident.

Gianninu Saliba

May 15th 2009, 15:10

This shows you why Labour want win the upcoming EU parliamentary. The electorate must ensure that Malta is represented by true patriots. Bedingfield must go and tell the European Socialist as to how Mintoff and Mifsud Bonnici threatened democracy especiall when both of them remained in government when the vast majority of the electorate wanted a Nationalist Government. The 1981 election result message was loud and clear. That's lack of democracy for you Mr Bedingfield

M Buttigieg

May 15th 2009, 14:44

Hallina sur Bedingfield. Taf x'kien jonqsok tghid - Li fi zmien il-Gvern Socjalista kien hawn aktar demokrazija! Kont qed nahsibha nivvutax. Grazzi Sur Bedingflied ghax ergajt ikkonvincejtni biex immur nivvota!

Mark Portelli

May 15th 2009, 14:39

"These jobs are then being given to people who are not competent to do them, Mr Bedingfield claimed." then you should resign and give your seat to someone who more responsible in the labour camp.

Ray Gatt

May 15th 2009, 14:20

You're one of those people who are not able to do your job Mr. Bedingfield. What what on earth are you doing in Brussells. How about learning how to vote and not make a mockery of the rest of us Maltese. How dare you talk about democracy Mr. Bedingfield. We are not perfect here but even you know that Democracy in Malta was introduced by the Party in government at this moment in time. Why not establish democracy in your own Party first. Why exactly are you contesting the MEP elections. You're all anti EU.

Maria Borg

May 15th 2009, 14:18

Mr. Bedinfield we are on the fast track to a one party state.