Sunday, 5th July 2009 - 11:26CET
No Cabinet reshuffle plans - Gonzi
The Prime Minister said today that he is not considering a Cabinet reshuffle and will see how things develop.
Speaking in a radio interview, Dr Gonzi said his aim was to ensure that by the end of the legislature Malta was stronger and better, and the government would be able to go before the people showing them that it had delivered on its promises.
Dr Gonzi said he had taken certain decisions at the last legislature and they had yielded results. This legislature had four more years to run and he reserved his right to take decisions as the situation developed.
Replying to other questions, Dr Gonzi said the Mepa reform due to be unveiled on Thursday would review the Authority’s policies and practices. He stressed, however, that people who were not eligible for a development permit in the past would not suddenly become eligible.
Dr Gonzi also argued that one could not strike down permits which were issued over the years according to existing law, regulations and policies as long as they were given on the basis of accurate information. That would be unfair. However, where policies were wrong, they would be changed.
The reform, he said, would seek to remove abuse and introduce better timescales for Mepa decisions.
BUDGET PREPARATIONS
Questioned on the Budget, Dr Gonzi said the government would try not to impose new burdens, although one still had to await developments, notably in tourism. Should tourism hold on to 2007 levels, the government might be able to cut spending rather than impose new taxes.
The government, however, had to come out with a formula which ensured that Malta remained a competitive destination.
SMART CITY
Dr Gonzi denied that there were any changes or problems with regard to Smart City. He said final documents were being prepared fo the various stages of the project and there were no changes either in the government’s plans to further develop the IT sector.
CITY GATE
Dr Gonzi said the secret behind the Piano plans for Valletta was that Parliament and many offices would leave the Palace and the lower floor would become full of specialised museums of all that distinguished the Maltese. That would draw people into the heart of Valletta, and eventually Fort St Elmo would be rehabilitated to draw people further inward.
Dr Gonzi said he was glad that most of the people had welcomed the Piano plans.
He said a solution still had to be found for the affected shops. The governemnt, he said, had a right to terminate those leases and it would try to find alternative sites for them, but the national interest had to come first.
In other parts of the interview Dr Gonzi said the EU had confirmed that Malta absorbed all the funds allocated to it between 2004 and 2006. This, he said, belied claims by some who said that Malta lacked the administrative capacity to fully handle this sector.
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Comments
Excuse me for my late reply. But, Dennis, I never said that Gonzi won in 2003. A collective, very much needed effort made PN win both Referendum and General Election in 2003. And therefore EVERYBODY won. In 2008 hats off to Gonzi for another PN victory. Shame to PL for not having convinced until then ( and to date ) that they are an alternative. It's true Gonzi will not be running against Alfred Sant but that means nothing. Joseph Muscat may seem an alternative but so far he has only convinced his diehards. Definitely not me or others that are considered as genuine floaters ( not opportunists ). I repeat, people keep sending messages to a non excellent present PN . One has also to take into consideration the various worldwide problems that are affecting every country. But, messages YES but risks, a definite NO. And the people know it - PL has nothing to be so happy about. Time will tell.
Kulhadd ghandu dritt jghid kif jahsibha hux ... mhux bhal qabel l-1987 ... fejn kont taqla li xebgha jekk taghti l-opinjoni tieghek kontra il-gvern prezenti ... imma l-poplu ddecieda tajjeb dawn l-ahhar snin ... hlief dara fl-1996 (imma rranga l-izball ma l-ewwel cans, 22 xahar wara).
Nisma minghandek, habib.
do not forget, other past options included:
> no to EU
> no to euro zone
> no to liberalisation of media
> no to free market
> no to the new power station
> no to the new telephone system
> no to the new air terminal
> no to the new and modernised recyle plant in m'scala
> and a never ending list of other no's to pretty much everything and anything.
Everbody does mistakes, but I made a very very big one when I trusted this person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you forgot to mention A H1N1....mhux tord ta Gonzi.
mlp NEVER change >>Direzzjoni Success tfisser kollox hazin u kollox tord ta Gonzi
...have a break
@ Mark Galea: Ara t twegiba li tajt lil Alfred Cassar, ghax int bhalu tghix f'dinja ohra!
I Said ( Why the so called opposition wont get rid of all the old mentality it has in its own party ) THE SHADOW M.P's .
No Cabinet reshuffle plans - Gonzi, We are With You Dr Prime Minister keep it up .
Immagina li kieku hemm il-PL fil-gvern!!! kieku tal-inqas kien ikun hemm wiehed ferhan li sejrin tajjeb. Issa ghidli li kieku il-PL kien fil-gvern konna nkunu genna fl-art.
Nistenna twegiba minghandek.
Of course, your sarcasm is not in the league of Black Adder or anything remotely similar, however, we shall labour a brief smile for your benefit.
Just to make you feel better.
Now, for trumpet blowing, the Pn seems to know how to blow its own trumpet very well actually, judging by the recent election results, however, there are only so much patches you can put on a faulty tyre.
As for the reshuffle issue, if you are living in the real world and not somewhere distant like, perhaps, Canada, you would realise that the main bulk of those clamouring for a reshuffle are in fact staunch Nationalist supporters.
Dr. Gonzi, for whom I have the greatest personal respect, stated that building permits that were issued according to existing laws and regulations cannot be withdrawn. This is precisely what Victor Scerri is arguing. While he admits that the development at the Bahrija Valley is outside the development zone, he inists that MEPA had approved 29 other projects that were O.D.Z. Who cares if his would be the 3Oth project allowed to go ahead by MEPA in dubious circumstances?
True, Flimkien Ghal Ambjent and Ramblers insist that in granting Mr. Scerri the permit to destroy one of the most beautiful valleys in Malta, the law and many regulations were abused. Which side will the Prme Minister take in this case?
reno calleja
Gonzi ma qalilniex li l-finanzi fis-sod, ir-ricessjoni mhux se tolqotna ecc...
Mhux Gonzi qed ihalli barranin jiehdu x-xoghol tal-haddiema Maltin?
Mhux Gonzi gholla l-petrol, diesel, zjut, elettriku, ilma meta barra rohsu?
Mhux Gonzi gholla l-mizati, licenzji, tariffi, kontribuzzjonijiet, il-VAT b'20% taparsi biex taghmel tajjeb ghall-Mater Dejn, ta' l-ajruport u postijiet u kumpaniji lill-barranin biex jaghmlu li jridu bina u bil-haddiema.....
Tifrah ghax hadt ftit lura income tax u ghollielek kollox?
Sewwa jghid il-qawl Malti li l-iblah taqlalhu ghajnu jifrah.
Bilhaqq, malajr kiber it-tifel tieghek biex is-sinjura tieghek hadet it-taxxa lura u diga' qed tiehdu c-child care centre!!!!!!!!
Joseph E Briffa
I think that pathetic are those who like the proverbial Statue Angel with the nail in their backs and they have to keep smiling.
Imagine there is Alfred Sant as Malta PM. Imagine what would the W&E Bill be now when the price of oil is $70, or when it was $120, considering that he raised the bills to hell when the price of oil was only $12.
We wait and see when the PL is in government. Then it woul be nice to see the comments of the likes of Galea L, AGC, Jeremy Camilleri and so many others.
I believe you never needed attention at our state of the art hospital. It is good to have a close to perfect infrastructure but you need to run things properly too.
I used to think your way until I had health problems which made me realise what kind of monopoly certain consultants have at Mater Dei.
Taf meta jifferocjaw in-nies meta bhali nkun qed inqalleb go xi kexxun u nsib xi ittra li l-prim kien baghtli rigward it-tarzna, ftit qabel l-elezzjoni i jien fdajtu! Meta nircievi xi kont tad-dawl, meta mmur nitfa l-petrol il-karozza li ghadni kemm xtrajt b'magna petrol minnflok diesel ghalinqas nkun qed nghin ftit lil ambjent, izda dan il-gvern ma jaghmillekx kuragg!
Hemm nifferocja jien!
Why the so called opposition wont get rid of all the old mentality it has in its own party .
Who is new in the PN party?Austin Gatt? John Dalli? George Pullicino? Giovanna Debono?tell me who?
They have all occupied their seat for so long as well!!No need to tell the PL to change you need a change as well!!
Elizabeth Camilleri
Il-Prim Ministru qieghed fis-siggu tar-responsabilta. Hemm differenza bejn min irid jiehu decizjonijiet u bejn min jitkellem biss.
Nahseb illi meta nizen kollox, jien lil Dr. Gonzi nafdah, s'issa z-zmien dejjem wera li kellhu ragun. Ghandu vizjoni u genwin fil-mod kif jaghmel il-politika.
Mux bhali ghax mhux jogoghbni kif qed imexxi!!Irid ihoss il polz tal poplu !!Mux ekk qal imma fil fatt jaghmel kontra!!Kif nista nafdah!!
Whilst I congratulate Gonzi and company for at least giving it a try, I'm above 50% sure that the reform above all other issues with spell doom for the PN next elections.
So you're saying that modern day PN is taking a leaf out of 80's Labour policies....DO you see the irony in your statement?
PN has regressed 30 years? Your words not mine.
Why the so called opposition wont get rid of all the old mentality it has in its own party .
What Cheek!!!!!
@Edwin cachia---Huwa fid-dmir tal-Gvern li jiggverna u jaghti is-soluzzjonijiet ghall-problemi. Ma tahsibx li qed tippretendi wisq meta ssaqsi ghall-soluzzjonijiet ghall-frejjeg ta Gonzi?.........Minn froga ma taghmilx bajda mela minn hawwad u gerfex issa m'ghandux dritt jipprova jitfa htijietu fuq haddiehor!! Ovvjament xorta naqbel mieghek li l-Oppozizzjoni ghandha toffri soluzzjonijiet basta dawn ma jkunux uzati biex jghattu l-inkompetenza ta haddiehor!
hahaj!!
L-aqwa li ghamilna display ta' xahar bhala konsultazzjoni kif titlob l-ligi ! u hallih ha jghid lil poplu :)
City gate, st.elmo, merchants street, st.george's square, smart city, menqa, cottonera waterfront, monti destruction, rise in cost of fuel, light bulbs to families, building bahrija, removing 7 Giugnio monument, mater dei waiting list ... flimkien kollox possibli.
U l-poplu jcapcap u jdoqq il-hornijiet!
keep it up Malta!
Such were the 'great old days'. Such was the vision of the Labour Party - always a lot of talk and when it comes to governing it fails miserably and becomes dangerous and a threat to democracy. It would be irresponsible not to look back at LP's track record.
Can one imagine if their past record included Independence, infrastructure modernization, joining EU, adopting the euro and no violence? Mur oqghod bihom, kieku!
I take your comments very lightly....and normally by decision I don't even reply
jien haddiem normali, li fl-ahhar tlett snin naqsitli t-taxxa, u qed niehu aktar children allowance. Il-mara tieghi iffrankat sena taxxa ghat-tifel li kellna. niehu wkoll rebate mit-taxxa ghax nibghat it-tifel f'childcare centre.
Veru qed inhallas iktar dawl, imma nahseb illi l-prezz taz-zejt mhux Gonzi jiddecidieh, imma l-income tax, ic-children allowance iva ta !!!
dwar dawk li qed jahdmu 4 day week, nahseb illi nispera li naqblu illi hawn recessjoni u din mhux tort ta' Gonzi, imma bis-sahha ta' Gonzi il-post tax-xoghol taghhom gie salvat bl-intervent tal-Gvern.
Dwar li jsejjah elezzjoni...nahseb il-parir tieghek ser jiehdu imma meta jasal il-waqt...fl-2013
X'weghdi irid izomm. Mela nesa waqt il-meeting tar-rebha x'kien qal x'behsiebu jaghmel u l-ghada li inhatar PM ghamel kollox bil-maqlub.
Gholla id-dawl ghal darba darbtejn.
Gholla il-petrol xi erba darbiet.
Il-hajja tghola kuljum.
Il-laburisti jaqilghu fuq wicchom.
Xi min daqqiet nghid jien qed nghix fi gzira ohra jismha Malta 2.
Jekk int xi benestant u ghandek il-miljuni hafa m'humiex bhalek u qed joghtru taht il-pizijiet tat-taxxi imposti minn Gonzi. Ghiod lil dawk li tilfu xogholhom jew qed jahdmu gimgha mnaqqsa konsegwenza ta' l-inkompetenza ta' Gonzi li qed ihalli barranin jiehdu x-xoghol tal-haddiema Maltin.
As for Smart City, they left India because India did not give them companies such as Maltacom on a silver platter and allow them to exploit the property market. And we can only be sure when we see thousands of MALTESE citizens employed at Smart City not thousands of foreigners.
Gonzi, if you really care for Malta and the people resign and call a general election.
Dan nahseb hu frott il-politika tal-Gvern ili qed jimxi b'kawtela. Nahseb illi meta nghaddu minn dan kollhu nghidu illi Gvern kien mexa tajjeb f'din is-sitwazzjoni.
Jien dalghodu qad nisma lil Joseph Muscat. Muscat issa sar prevedibbli fi kliemu - ezempju l-progetti tal-belt, ghamel gimgha ma jitkellimx fuq il-progetti, biex jara r-rih fejn qed jonfoh. Issa ghax sema lil tal-hwienet jitkellmu dwar parkegg u l-hwienet li jridu jitnehhew biex isir il-progett, qed jitkellem f'dan is-sens minghajr ma joffri soluzzjoni. Mur gibu kien il-Prim Ministru x' jaghmel ?
Jien persuna li l-Belt immur spiss u mmur bil-karozza tieghi. Qadd ma nipparkja l-Belt dejjem nuza l-park and ride, b'xejn u efficjenti. Jekk hemm bzonn nestenduh, f'dawk l-inhawi hemm fejn.
Nahseb illi meta nizen kollox, jien lil Dr. Gonzi nafdah, s'issa z-zmien dejjem wera li kellhu ragun. Ghandu vizjoni u genwin fil-mod kif jaghmel il-politika.