PN should worry about its own crisis - Marisa Micallef

A Zammit

Oct 8th 2009, 08:35

@ Peter Bonnici: Just look who calls about imagination. We have a government who is robbing the majority to give the very few (you must be one of them on how fervently you defend him) but four you it does not matter, but for you it was before that one was robbed to be given to another. I think the land robbed in these last years coupled with other scandals are already enough to see who is robbing who.

Peter Bonnici

Oct 4th 2009, 12:07

@ Marcel Dingli. You must be seeing things Mr Dingli. Can't see what u imagined I tried to imply.

Peter Bonnici

Oct 4th 2009, 11:55

@ T Camilleri. This conversation can go on for ever. The only way the welfare state was able to be set up was by heavily taxing successful, hard-working people. Worse still, social housing was in some cases built on requisitioned land after necessary laws were pushed through parliament. How do you think they financed it? Isn't it obvious that a right wing (which was further right in those days) would oppose? I would oppose it today myself if I saw that the govt was robbing Peter to pay Paul.
The max tax rate was raised to 65%, disincentivising hard work and subsequent success. Not to mention that in order to sustain the welfare state we had to do without adequate investement on other areas like water supply, power supply, telephone systems, road network, education. We had fallen way behind in those areas, whether you would like to admit it or not. Look now where this welfare state has got us. A point of no return, soon the taxpayer will be forking out for botox, breast implants, tummy tucks, you name it.

GiovDeMartino@M Dingli

Oct 4th 2009, 08:09

Ikkalma Sur Dingli li ma jigrilniex bhall-vopa. Imbaghad kollu unutli nhabbtu fuq sidirna.

T.Camilleri

Oct 3rd 2009, 23:37

@Peter Bonnici

Well at least now we have an admission that the introduction of the welfare state in Malta is a feather in MLP's cap.

Although social housing, minimum wage, free health care etc, were also available in Poland, Hungary and Romania and all the eastern bloc, yet the Nationalist party felt the need to vote AGAINST them when introduced in Malta by a Labour government.

Marcel Dingli

Oct 3rd 2009, 21:04

@ Peter Bonnici. Tilghabiex tan NARROW sieheb. I know how to read between the lines.

ray spiteri

Oct 3rd 2009, 20:54

@tonio aquilina
jobs for the blue eyed boys and you expect that a carrot will result in eternal loyalty to yours truely PN. shame on people who things jobs can buy votes and permanent association with a party. do you see the arrogance of your member of parlaments. do you see nothing irregular. so if your happy with the current system let other people have their own opinion. arrogant is an adjictive so much attached to pn my friend tonio. it seems pn are going through so much pain with such flow of people going towards PL. i know few of them and were so much active with pn.

Marcel Dingli

Oct 3rd 2009, 20:33

Iva Giov ghandi l vot, mhux grazzi lilkom imma. X maghmiltux biex tipprovaw tnehhuhuli ?? Tipprovaw tghadduni ta mignun,tipprovaw taghtuni interdett, min jaf x imiss ? Taf x naf nghidlek Giov li kieku inqalghet il gwerra civili li dejjem ried il PN, abbli kont immut martri ghall partit. Imma issa ftahthom ghajnejja u ndunajt kemm il PN ried jinqeda bid demm tal partitarji ghal skopijiet ta propaganda. Jien Malti mhux xi bicca pupazz ta EFA u Gonzi. IL verita hi verita. il PN spicca u ma biddlulhux ismu ghax raw li ma qabillhomx biex ikomplu jitmejlu bin nies. Issa l vot ghal labour, Mhux ghax jien socjalist imma b`hekk biss nehilsu.

C.Busuttil

Oct 3rd 2009, 20:16

@Giov DeMartino
Robert Arrigo sewwa jaghmel u mghandux bzonn ikun ministru, il-fatt li ma sarx ministru kien insult ghall-votanti nazzjonalisti ta' l-10 distrett, l-aktar distrett li dejjem kien lejali lejn il-partit anke meta tilef. Is-Sur Arrigo huwa ferm mahbub u rispettat f'dan id-distrett u kienu hafna dawk dizappuntati li ma sarx ministru, Kieku ma kienx huwa fl-ahhar elezzjoni li hadem fuq li hadem (mhux bhal ohrajn) sabiex johrog in-nies jivvotaw, illum Sant prim ministru. Gie elett minkejja bosta "heavyweights" fl-istess distrett. is-Sur Arrigo kull ma jaghmel qed iwassal il-messagg tan-nazzjonalisti ta' dan id-distrett, ghalxejn jitkellem fi hdan il-partit ghax fuq widejn torox jaqa l-kliem tieghu bhal ta' bosta ohra. Il-PN qed jiehu forgranted l-10 distrett imma mid-dehra il-messagg fl-elezzjoni ta' Gunju li ghadda ma wasalx. Inutili tinhebba wara skuza li jrid ikun ministru bhal li kieku ghandu bzonn, mhux Arrigo huwa imwegga ghax mhux ministru imma l-votanti li wrew bic-car li lilu riedu imma bhas-soltu "simply ignored" . Ejja nkomplu nidhqu bina nfusna, spiccajna ntoleranti ghall-kritika, fejn huwa z-zmien fejn konna nghidu jigri jkollna gvern tal-PN halli nkunu nistghu nikkritikaw open lill-Gvern u l-partit meta jkun hemm bzonn. Inriedu u hemm bzonn aktar nies bhal Arrigo biex forsi nqumu mir-raqda.

Peter Bonnici

Oct 3rd 2009, 20:15

@ Marcel Dingli. Don't for one moment think that i'm a PN diehard. I have criticised this government many a time on these pages. I just think its ridiculous that you compare one with the other, or try to find similarities which are so remote if existent at all. I stand to gain nothing personally from PN governments I can assure you.

@ T Camilleri. Had the PN dismantled the welfare state, then perhaps your argument would be stronger. But they didn;t. Au contraire, they made it a bit too generous and hardly affordable. The fact that labour introduced it may be a feather in their cap, but remember that social housing, mimimum wage, free healthcare etc, were also available in Poland, Rumania, Hungary, and all eastern bloc states, yet I bet that you never applied for a visa to gain citizenship there.

Thats all from me tonight guys. See u tomorrow.

Luke Borg

Oct 3rd 2009, 19:54

Welcome aboard Malta's first moderate party, Marisa!

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness and arrogance.

Marcel Dingli

Oct 3rd 2009, 19:32

Sur Bonnici, l-imma hi li mhux l MLP kellu l-istrategija tal-vjolenza. Tifthux kotba ghax ma jaqblilkomx. Fuq l affarjiet l ohra nhallik tohlom sieheb, mhemmx akbar mit trux li ma jridx jisma. Kif ma tnizluhiex min jikxfilkom il borom mahmuga u titlaqkom ??!!!

Peter Bonnici

Oct 3rd 2009, 19:08

@ Marcel Dingli. Nahseb illi lanqas ex-ministri laburisti m'huma ha jaqblu mieghek fuq din li ghidt.
Xoghol - numru rekord ta nies jahdmu, u livell baxx rekord tal qaghad.
Gustizzja - Forsi mhux daqs kemm xtaqna, imma fuq kollox kellna Rikonciljazzjoni Nazzjonali bhala tir taghna, u mhux tpattija. Tant hu hekk illi MLP abbanduna l-istrategija tal vjolenza.
Liberta' - jekk ghandek dubju fuq din, ma nafx man, Ghandek problema nahseb.

Kultant nghid kien haqqna gvern laburista bhal ma kellna ghax il-malti min jaghtih bis-sieq irid.

Mike Magri

Oct 3rd 2009, 18:55

WELCOME ABOARD MARISA MICALLEF......

DR. MUSCAT... YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK....

guido farrugia

Oct 3rd 2009, 18:54

How very painfull it must have been for PN apologists. The writing is on the wall, the Gonzipn is bellyup with this Marisa affair. Let,s look forward for others to follow her footsteps, maybe even with her own assistance. How about it Ms. Micallef. Welcome to the party.

T.Camilleri

Oct 3rd 2009, 18:44

For correctness sake, we did not really lived in Beirut during the 70's and 80's under a labour administration. During that period Labour introduced ALL existing social benefits, social housing galore, minimum wage equal for men and women, bonus, leave,sick leave compulsory school till the age od 16, pensions,free state hospitals, health centers all around Malta and much much more. The irony is that the PN then in opposition voted against ALL these social benefits under one excuse or another, example they voted against the pensions claiming that our elderly would have money to get themselves drunk .
If we want to be credible we have to admit that each administration has its ups and down, and we have to admit that the present administration is in one of its worst down periods.

GiovDeMartino@Marcel Dingli

Oct 3rd 2009, 18:31

"Mela kollu gideb li kien hawn il-vjolenza u l-korruzzjon" TITWAHHAX META TIFTAKAR LI DAS-SINJUR GHANDU L-VOT.

Marcel Dingli

Oct 3rd 2009, 18:18

U nkomplu b`ta zmien il Labour - lil min ressaq il Qorti il gvern nazzjonalista ?? Mela kollu gideb kien li kien hawn il vjolenza u l korruzzjoni. Jien ghadni qed nistenna titwettaq l-ewwel weghda ta xoghol gustizzja liberta, ghax l anqas din ghadhom ma wettqu ahseb u ara il gideb kollu li bellghulna f`dawn l ghoxrin sena.

c. bartolo

Oct 3rd 2009, 18:07

@j martinelli
i do not have to revisit history... i was there in the 60s... and know exactly what was going on... you should perhaps remove your blinkers and and read your history objectively...... your party then was in cahoots with general gonzi and there is no denying that.

tonio aquilina

Oct 3rd 2009, 18:00

Dear Marisa

Is that all that you can say about the Nationalists, who gave you top positions? Well I guess
it has to be arrogance from the deep of your heart

Marcel Dingli

Oct 3rd 2009, 17:50

Sur Martinelli, jien ghixt taht il PN, taht il Labour u taht it taparsi Partit Nazjonalista wkoll. Dejjem Malta u qatt il boghod bhalek. Ghal min isemmi l-oxxenitajiet ta zmien il Labour nghidlu li dak iz zmien jien kont Nazzjonalist feroci, pero dak iz zmien taqla daqtejn u daqshekk. Nazzarda nghid li l ghar li jissemma jigifieri il Lorry Sant inzerta li hu ragel ghal elf darba u aktar minn tal PN tal lum. Daz zmien ma jsawtukx imma jkissruk fil fin fin. Ikissrulek il business itelfuk l impieg iressquk il qorti fuq akkuzi foloz etc etc. Rigward il vjolenza ta zmien il labour, dak kien zmien iebes imma l-PN mhux xi vergni tafux. Forsi il quddiem jintefgha aktar dawl fuq dak li sehh, Il prosperita li ssemmi int sur martinelli ghall qalba tal qalba biss qeghda. Li kieku jippublikawhom nghidlek ukoll.

GiovDeMartino

Oct 3rd 2009, 15:36

Il-membri parlamentari KOLLHA qeghdin hemm bis-sahha tal-partit taghhom. Ikunu YES MEN LE, imma jekk iridu jikkritikaw dan ghandhom jaghmluh minn gewwa JEKK VERAMENT MA JKOLLHOMX XI AMBIZZJONIJIET. Jekk fl-ahhar mill-ahhar jibqghu ma jaqblux mal-partit triq wahda jkollhom. JITILQU ghax l-irgulija hekk titlob. Imma Malta zghira u kulhadd jaf lil kulhadd u kulhadd ikun jaf hafna fuq kulhadd. Dawn fl-ahhar mill-ahhar qeghdin hemm ghall-gid tal-pajjiz u biex iservuna. J G H I D U!!!!!!!!!

J Martinelli

Oct 3rd 2009, 15:22

@ C Bartolo

Revisit history and you will find the answers to your questions.

You will be surprised what you will find. The Church made its own decisions and if you are old enough to have known Archbishop Gonzi, you will agree that he did not have to rely nor depend on advice from the Nationalist Party.

GiovDeMartino@CJ Buttigieg&Pulis

Oct 3rd 2009, 15:19

Ghandek ragun mela, Sur Buttigieg, thobbu l-lejber minkejja l-atrocitajiet li wettaq.
@Mr. Pulis. Naqbel hafna ma dak li ghedt int. Pero l--lejber kien fil-gvern inqas minn 30 sena ilu u facli hafna tkun taf x'kien jigri. Haw dokumentazzjoni kemm trid fejn tista' ticcekkja. Billi ghamel xi beneficcji socjali ma jfissirx li kellu xi dritt iwettaq l-oxxenitajiet li twettqu fis-70 ijiet u t-80 ijiet.

Steve Sant

Oct 3rd 2009, 15:19

The truth is both PN and LP are socialist parties. The only difference is their name? . Blue , red, if the money is good who cares. It's been like this in politics since the 1900. Politicians are just not to be trusted. It's all in the extra zero on the end of their pay cheque.

S.Caruana

Oct 3rd 2009, 15:07

Marisa decided to have a new role and change party. Nowadays everyone is free to choose and decide for himslef. The PN should respect her decision. We all know there are also MLP persons who have decided to join the PN, so why all this fuss from The PN Party?. Dr Joseph Muscat is more interested in people who have good qualities and are ready to help people and the country. Its not the colour that counts of the party but the Social human aspect of the person that counts. In my opinion the PN tried to interfere in her personal matters of Marisa Micallef and this is a shame on behalf of the PN party. In my opinion they should appologise her and never and never do such silly remarks.

E. Vassallo

Oct 3rd 2009, 14:02

@PEter Bonnici

Agree with you. I don't mind R.A. and JPO critizing as long as their criticisms makes sense. Furthermore, we need such politicians that every now and then make their checks and balances with the incumbent in office. Unfortunately, the Labour party lost their chance in the EU membership issue(Joseph Muscat was one of the blind folded followers who followed his leader into the wall, no matter what MLP apologists say!!!).

As regards Marisa Micallef, I say good luck to her...but what goes round comes around

Graham Crocker

Oct 3rd 2009, 14:00

Albert gauci Cunningham , mhux hekk hux. The policies I actually like about socialist parties (the secular ones that give us rights) do not apply in Malta like abortion and divorce rights (shouldn't a rape victim have just as much as a right to abort as the pregnant women who could die in childbirth? Why did Mintoff stop at 1 case in 1981?) .

My left foot is more progressive and liberal then the Labor party and thats why the liberals choose PN, because they know that the PL is more authoritarian then the PN and also because PL is pro-public sector which is against the philosophy of free market capitalism. This is Europe not America, the meaning of liberal here is different and our political system follows from the UK system so you cannot mix up labels with countries from different continents that use a completely different political system to ours.
The reason the liberals stick with PN is because they know the alternative is a repackaged product and against their values. PL won't even promise us secular rights that have been deprived from us and naturally we always go for pro-private sector parties over pro-public sector ones.

s pulis

Oct 3rd 2009, 13:58

@GiovDeMartino
Ma jidhirlix li x'imkien qatt ktibt li jiena nippreferi lil xi hadd minn iehor. Anqas ma ghedt li inti poggejt lil xi hadd fuq pedestall imma tkellimt dwar il-mentalita ta hafna Maltin. Kieku ma kienx hekk ikollna bidliet aktar sikwit fit-tmexxija tal-pajjiz. Kull partit ghandu bzonn jiggedded fl-oppożizzjoni sabiex kif jiehu l-gvern ikun ta gid ghal Malta. Biex inwiegeb kollox jiena ma niftakarx lilll-pl jmexxi lil Malta - pero milli nisma lil min jghid it-tallaba spiccaw mit-toroq u nghataw bosta beneficcji specjali. Meta tela l-Pn sar hafna gid specjalment fejn tidhol infrastruttura tal-pajjiz. Jien m'ghandix ghamad politiku imma l-bandiera ta' pajjiz ghax jiena kburi li jiena Malti.

Kevin Borg

Oct 3rd 2009, 13:28

Marisa Micallef has the upper hand in this saga.

Local political history has thought us that politics are not done through unethical and loud mouthed comments. It seems like PL have learned their lesson and are trying to be slyer in their political strategy. In fact this was the reason why they set aside Jason Micallef who could even be provoked by a weary look during a debate.

As I already said yesterday in another comment, being a PN adherent, I feel ashamed that our party general secretary has come out with such lambast comments which are more reminiscent of Dr.Sant’s style of approaching a situation crisis the party may find itself in from time to time.

Our secretary general should focus more on those who are still within the party than those who have left. If Marisa Micallef is feeling more socialist on the inside than let her go join the socialist’s clan were she belongs.

For those who can read between the lines PBO comments are showing the state of panic the Party is in at seeing staunch members cross the line to the other side. I think it is time to keep quiet and suffer in dignity.

J. Schembri

Oct 3rd 2009, 13:10

@ Albert Gauci Cunningham: So if the LP is progressive and liberal because obviously now we have Joseph , why on earth did he retreat his private member's bill in favour of divorce?

Peter Bonnici

Oct 3rd 2009, 12:46

@GiovDeMartino. Risposta daqstant semplici. Kieku R.A. gie mahtur fil kabinett forsi kien jahdem min go fiha biex it-tgergir jghatu kasu. Imma la ma kienx, allura bil fors ikollu jitkellem fil-miftuh. Lili persuna bhal dan ma jdejjaqni xejn, anzi.

J. Schembri

Oct 3rd 2009, 12:13

Labour Party ex ministers of the 80's are still politically active and some of them are MP's. In the sixties there was no full democracy because the Archbishop was also a politician , to be precise he was one of the founders of the MLP. He made a personal crusade against Mintoff , because he feared communism/socialism (it was the time when there was unrest in Chekoslovakia and Hungary).

GiovDeMartino@S Pulis

Oct 3rd 2009, 11:46

Le jien ma poggejt qatt lil hadd fuq pedestall. Il-prtoblema hi, jew hu, li jaghmlilna x'jaghmlilna l-PN, ZGUR U ZGUR li qatt ma jkun ghamlilna daqs kemm ghamlilna l-aburisti bejn il-71 u s-87. Int lilek, Sur Pulis, x'ghamlulek tant kbir li tippreferi L-OXXENITAJIET LI SARU FIL-PASSAT?

Andrew Mifsud

Oct 3rd 2009, 11:23

Dr Paul Borg OLIVER, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULD NEVER THROW STONES. ANOTHER THING PLS DO NOT GET PERSONAL TO ATTACK MS MICALLEFF.
GOOD LUCK ON YOUR NEW JOB MS MICALLEF WHATEVER WAGE YOU HAVE WITH THE PL , IT IS NOBODY'S BUSNESS HOW MUCH YOU EARN.

c bartolo

Oct 3rd 2009, 11:13

@ J martinelli
are you referring by any chance to the 60s, when you write about "the near loss of democracy to malta"?.... actually, in those dark 60s years, there was no real democracy, as one was not permitted to vote freely, as the church ,then, in cahoots with the party in power, inposed mortal sin to anyone who voted for the laobour party... if you keep harping back to the 80s, then i suggest you should go even back to a couple of decades earlier!

Albert gauci Cunningham

Oct 3rd 2009, 11:10

The Nationalist Party is not a Liberal Party as many imagine but a Conservative Catholic one, therefore incompatible with certain liberals that write on these blogs....C.Bussuttil

This guy is 100% correct!!! That is why all those who profess to be liberal have no other choice but to leave the PN!! The PN cannot hunt with the hound and run with the hare anymore now that the EU issue is over!!

C Galea

Oct 3rd 2009, 10:41

Sorry to say but I feel it to be the truth. PN has recently been suffering from a haemorage. Ms Micallef is just one lost cell. No need to mention names. It is more or less the reversed experience of what happened to the MLP during the late 80s and 90s. And it led them to big losses. Something bad is now happening to this party despite its glorious recent past, victories and to what it has achieved for this country. It is interesting to see what the 3 MPs has to say on Bondi +.

Appeal to Dr Gonzi. Please show the strong arms you promised. Do not let amatures prevail.

J Martinelli

Oct 3rd 2009, 00:52

@ Marcel Dingli

"By being rude and arrogant you dont get the lost sheep back". Now, Marcel, what in heaven's name gave you the idea that we want the lost sheep back? I am glad you chose to call the sheep you are referring to as 'lost'. Indeed, how true!

You must be too young to know the difference between a government which brought prosperity and a regime which brought the near loss of democracy to Malta. It is not something which voters should toy with!

However I am so glad that I am getting the admiration of Joe Grima who asked my friend Charles J Buttigieg to give me a hug! Yikes!!!!

Rodnick Abdilla

Oct 3rd 2009, 00:51

x Riha ta hruq, xi gralkom tal PN ? sibtu l iebes, Wellcome Marisa and well done Joseph

s pulis

Oct 2nd 2009, 22:08

Mr Demartino
Shame on politicians. Yes I agree but blind folded supporters should also be ashamed!!! Imissna nisthu kif jaghmlulna x'jaghmlulna nibqghu nadurawhom. Anqas li Alla ma nitrattaw hekk ahna l-Maltin ghax jekk jigrilna xi haga kulhadd iwahhal fih u jehodha kontrih... jew ma nattendux quddies - qisu ghandu bzonna lilna!! Lill-partiti poggejnihom fuq pedestall imzejjen bid-deheb u l-hagar prezzjuz. U huma jbam.......!!!!

Charles J. Buttigieg

Oct 2nd 2009, 21:05

@ GiovDeMartino

We moved in prior to 1987.

GiovDeMartino@C J Buttigieg

Oct 2nd 2009, 20:09

Ma tantx jidher li laqtek l-GHAKS li gabu fuqna gvernijiet nazzjonalisti. Sur Buttigieg!

GioVdEmartino@Peter Bonnici

Oct 2nd 2009, 20:01

Mistoqsija semplicissima. Tghid kieku Arrigo sar ministru, kieku tghid kien jahseb li n-nazzjonalisti humna disgruntled? I am beginning to believe that the majority of politicians are nothing more than opportunists who are interested in nothing but themselves. A friend of mine once told me "these (politicians) are employees. WE are SUPPORTERS. I think he was right. Shame on some of them.

Marius Cremona

Oct 2nd 2009, 19:26

If your party is like Animal Farm - where some species as more equal than others ... CHANGE FARM Good Luck

Marcel Dingli

Oct 2nd 2009, 19:14

@ all PN. By being rude and arrogant you dont get the lost sheep back. Try being attentive to your supporters, try turning to your centre right origins ( the labour party is more to the right presently whilst the PN has gone to the extreme left). Try fulfilling all the empty promises. Try eliminating corruption.Try not being vindictive with your own people. These are just a few hints. Obviously you wont listen, you never did. Then when its too late..................... ! Next time round its my vote for labour.

Peter Bonnici

Oct 2nd 2009, 19:09

@ Giov DeMartino. Robert Arrigo simply said that the PN government should be more attentive to public opinion. This is what Lawrence Gonzi said he will do after scraping through the last election. What worries more is not Robert Arrigo's honesty, but your arrogance, and inability, in this case, to call a spade a spade. A genuine supporter does not follow blindly. Yesmen are of no use.

Steven Brockwell

Oct 2nd 2009, 18:37

well said Marisa its not the color its the people. all governments should adapt this to their politics, the times of red and blue are over! its what is good for the people that matters and not what is good for the party in present. after all its the people that vote and not the party's that elect them selves ??? well done, i hope to see more people like you on the rise

GiovDeMartino@ R Arrigo

Oct 2nd 2009, 17:58

Min ikun partitarju genwin ma jistax mas jsewwidx qalbu meta jkun jaf li fil-parlament hemm nies bhalek jirraprezentawh. Veru li l-irgulija ghosfrot!

gatt noel

Oct 2nd 2009, 15:29

This is what Robert Arrigo, the Nationalist MP had to say about this event "Marisa’s move is a result of the mass disgruntlement out there against the PN in government. I am definitely not surprised at her move. I would dare to define the situation as ‘forced’ disgruntlement, because all this could have easily been avoided only if the party could care to listen to the people’s calls and concerns". ( malta today 30/09/09) .

Adriano Spiteri

Oct 2nd 2009, 13:02

'Middle way' What does it mean? It means 'Politics of a majority vote'. That is exactly why we have two Parties that do not differ from one another. Both socialist with GonziPN being MORE socialst itself. This country is in dire need of a Radical Right Party to end Pity Politics that both parties were able to hold since after the independence.

Neville

Oct 2nd 2009, 13:02

"The PN should worry about his own crisis"....the right reply to the inappropriate comments by Paul Borg Olivier.

P Pace Balzan

Oct 2nd 2009, 11:36

@A Caruana I would also like to add that if these benefits are controlled or capped perhaps the retirement age can be revised. It is worth reminding people that : 1-Pensionable age has increased by 6.55% 2-Contribution in terms of years has increased by 33.33% Lack of control will lead to a retirement age of 68 - 69.

J Farrugia

Oct 2nd 2009, 09:12

@ Joe Fenech it's you who is being rude, arrogant and ignorant of the true facts. PBO was just saying the truth and YES, truth hurts the labourites, because they will be paying her the 40K out of their own pockets. nOT OUT OF OUR TAXES. She was a good for nothing oaf who preferred unmarried single mothers to stable families. and that was her downfall. You want her? Take her! we dont want to continue funding her delicacies and her luxurious living.

Mark Cushcieri

Oct 2nd 2009, 09:10

to all those pn diehards who yesterday tried to associate me with dr joseph muscat.... I am my own representative and speak only for myself and no-one else. What i say here is purely my opinion. thanks

Charles J. Buttigieg

Oct 2nd 2009, 08:41

@ A.Zahra If you are genuine yet reluctant to stand up and get counted send me an email and you'll have nothing to fear (tal pepe don't dirty their hands) In all honesty I also doubt whether A.Zahra is your real name.

Joe Fenech

Oct 2nd 2009, 08:03

How dare Paul Borg Oliver be so person, unethical and rude and mention Marisa's personal life. That one of the worst unprofessional comments I've ever heard - bad even by local standards which, to be honest, aren't any reference!

At least, she was working in the UK making a career on her own merits not like him - his career lies on the fact that he is a Borg Olivier and his a mere party product like many on the island!

Denis Catania

Oct 2nd 2009, 07:30

I served the people of Malta first, not the PN. WELL SAID Ms.Micallef.

A Caruana

Oct 2nd 2009, 01:24

Good article BUT quoting this part..... "coming down hard" on single mothers. Sorry but this is one good thing this government will be doing. What do you expect??? The benefits tripled and those girls who gets pregnant the earlier should be given a bonus too? Honestly if PL is going to win votes with allowing the exploitation of the welfare like this, its better if the tax payers start leaving the island.

Why should the tax payer make good for the irresponsibility of others??

jfarrugia

Oct 2nd 2009, 00:00

I dream the day when an election comes along and no one votes blue or red. Yeah caos will ensue but god just too look at the faces off these numpties we have would be priceless.

J Micallef

Oct 1st 2009, 23:42

Oh Maltese worker, have your wages suddenly gone up? (No) Has your pension entitlement suddenly exploded upwards? (No it is still calculated on the 1984 wages of the president of the republic with just a slight difference in 25 years) Are you being given thousands when you lose your job? (No - you will be lucky if you are eligible for unemployment benefits).

Let me remind you that both parties were very happy to agree (yes agree) on a massive payrise and removal of ceilings on pensions.... no not for you.... for MPs! And they also agreed to give former ministers and MPs a hefty sum in compensation (and of course they accepted it willingly).

I can't understand how people who work hard to earn a living still defend politicians, and their partisan political parties. Hidden Agendas? Sometimes I wonder whether some of the regular bloggers are paid to blog.

A.Zahra

Oct 1st 2009, 23:41

Hi there Charles j. Buttigieg.
By calling me a fake you will not get me to give you my address. I am not that situpid. I have too much to lose. You of all people should know how gonzipn works. Unlike you I do not live in a tal pepe estate sourrounded by people who never dirty their hands. I repeat all that I have written. Shame on JM for giving a nationalist so much power. Do you really believe that any nationalists can ever work for the MLP to gain the government. How stupid can one be after all that MML et al wrote about and did to our party. No I am not that stupid and I shall boycott all fundraising activities of our party as long as MML and others are in the pay of the CNL.

malcolm seychell

Oct 1st 2009, 23:30

Good Luck Marisa.

You have always been a balanced person and straight to the point.

I completely agree with her that the PN should worry about its own internal crises.

For those who are impressed by the Eur40,000, it is just lm17,000.

xi konsulent bahnan li ngiebu minn barra biex jghid xi cucata jithallas dawk il flus ta ftit sieghat xoghol.

Saviour Scerri

Oct 1st 2009, 21:51

This is amazing............... I say it is not the Nationalists who need to know how much she is being paid but the Socialists..........Labour supporters (or what ever you call yourself). cause YOU WILL BE PAYING HER....................... and you PL members who pay their membership have the right to know...........or is it not in the party's interest to tell you?????? or worst noone of you has the guts to ask?????....... Haven't you any dignity.............JM sees you crying..............( bikkejja bil-Malti) .............he didn't find any TRUE PL member to fill the post ( does he think there isn't one PL supporter up to MM's standard ...?????). Had he to turn to someone who for years whiplashed your party................ or is she the "wooden horse of Troy"????? ...........in MM out Jason M....??????wake up and instead of saying things about the dire state (?) of the PN. you PL supports ask questions in respect of your party..... or is it a one man band..???????.......... where noone dares ask......??????? hapened before did it..?????

Edgar Azzopardi

Oct 1st 2009, 20:53

This job should have been offered to another MM- not to a person who we will all find it difficult to trust --but to a person who had a big hand in getting us a huge win for the LP in last Junes elections- MARLENE MIZZI

Stephen Florian

Oct 1st 2009, 20:36

The Lady should go back to where she came from. There is something essential to politics, it is honesty and clarity of intent. She does not belong to PL, and PL is not any other enterprise , it is what represents and defends Labourites from people the likes of her and many others like her. So have some dignity and go away. If in financial crisis, then ETC would suit you better. Everyone has to pay a price for deeds done and decisions taken in life. Do not burden PL with yours. PL is morally obliged to respect the will of the Labourites, Labourites who frequently pay a high price for their political beliefs.

Philip Hili

Oct 1st 2009, 20:23

Does Ms Micallef think that the past is so easily forgotten? Doesn't she remember the harsh anti-MLP articles she used to write?

Charles J. Buttigieg

Oct 1st 2009, 20:11

@ Joe Grima.

You gave me a right telling-off for nothing, you either misunderstood my remark or maybe it was my fault for not expanding on the point I wanted to make being that the PN apologists can’t criticise your return to Labour (the general perception then was that you had left the PL) because they had previously accepted you as one of their own.

Joe I always admired your skills and always maintained that you were the best minister we ever had in the tourist industry, I always admired your power in public speaking and I was even a regular viewer of your Net TV shows. When I saw you at Joseph’s inauguration ceremony at CNL my hearth filled with joy and my eyes shed tears of happiness. I hold so high an esteem of you that I’ll have no difficulties to forget that you put me in the same category as the PNs Don Quixote. People do say nasty things when they are upset and I apologise if I had innocently and inadvertently upset you.

alex grech

Oct 1st 2009, 19:40

prosit PN what a way to to get in a mole exactly where you want prosit or is not a mole lol viva il PN

Mark Cushcieri

Oct 1st 2009, 19:26

name calling people turncoats and probing into ther personal financial status will just make you look more pathetic and utterly shameless pn. grow up pls.

G. Mangion

Oct 1st 2009, 19:14

@ Charles J. Buttigieg (1 hour, 33 minutes ago

Ghllkemm jiena Nazzjonalist , grazzi ta l - Informazzjoni personali li ghobok taghti lil kull min qed jara dawn il - kummenti, ( Dejjem Jekk kollox Korrett )
B' HEKK QED TURI LI, BIL PARTIT NAZZJONALISTA FIL GVERN, ISSA NISTAW NIGHXU
FIL - LIBERTA KOLLA , IL VERU CERTIFKAT TA PACI U SLIEM GO DIN L' ART HELWA MALTA
IGIFIERI , SPICCAW , 70'S U 80'S , DAK IZ - ZMIEN ANQAS GAZZETTA MA KONT TISOGRA GHAX IHASRUK BIS SWAT !! PROSET SUR Charles J. Buttigieg.

M. Catania

Oct 1st 2009, 19:10

Joe Grima and Marisa Micallef's cases are completely different. Joe Grima wasn't accused of asking for a government post from Labour before presenting his NET Tv show. According to PBO's statement yesterday, she asked the Govt to provide a job and wasn't accomodated. This wasn't refuted until now. It was alleged on another blog that there was a request of 2 jobs in London or Brussels. (http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090930/local/marisa-micallef-is-victim-of-financial-crisis-pbo)

Charles J. Buttigieg

Oct 1st 2009, 18:28

@ John Schembri

The term ‘turncoat’ carries a stigma however many a time it is used loosely. A person can change their allegiance for a different number of causes, greed and opportunism as well as through genuine conviction. At the best of times the only person who knows the real reason for the conversion is the individual involved. In our political history we saw many politicians crossing over the line, two of them made it to the highest office and another became a prime minister. Some former PN ministers militated in the PL before they gave their allegiance to the PN, the current president of the PL used to be a PN activist and one of the PL deputy leaders was one of the founders of AD. I don’t think it comes as a shock to you to learn that even Joseph Muscat used to support the PN considering that we have no difficulties to accept St.Paul as our national Patron Saint despite the fact that he slaughtered an innumerable number of Christians before he became a ‘turncoat’.

Darren Cassar

Oct 1st 2009, 17:50

There's no point in mentioning u turns. It was the P.N. who committed the u turn i.e. from one of good principles in the 80`s to present principles of lies and corruption.
Politics is no football team. No way I will support a corrupt government just to say I'm no turncoat.

Charles J. Buttigieg

Oct 1st 2009, 17:18

@ A.Zahra

My name is Charles J Buttigieg ID. 619042 (M) I live at Villa Casablanca. Santa Maria Est. Mellieha. I support Labour and proud of it.

If you are a genuine Labour supporter have the courage to identify yourself alternatively send me an email on cjbutti@maltanet.net.

If you keep silent it would prove that you're a fake.

Genuine PL supporters welcome Marisa Macallef and all others who persuade themselves that Labour is the way.

Joe Grima

Oct 1st 2009, 16:55

@Charles J Buttigieg. Days after welcoming me to One TV, now he calls me a twice-over turncoat and invites PN apologists to attack me. Buttigieg is an interesting contributor but some of his myopic comments often make him miss the wood for the trees. In my earlier comment I answered his " turncoat" inanity. I will not repeat myself but I will enlighten him why PN aplogists of substance do not find reason to attack me. That is because, having followed my shows for so many years, they knew that I was not one of them. Had I turncoated, as a former Minister, it would have been easy to obtain my just rewards. That simply did not happen. My shows at NET were fair and balanced to a T. I gave equal opportunity to both parties and to all participants. How else could we have garnered so many floating voters and so many voting and non-voting Labourites as our constant, regular patrons, elevating Opinjonisti to the Malta Top Ten progarmme list, when the show was broadcast on the least followed station in Malta? To Buttigieg: give Don Quixote PN Martinelli a hug. You're birds of a feather on opposite sides.

Joe Micallef

Oct 1st 2009, 16:34

@ C.Busutill and the rest

Let's see if we can have an intelligent discussion.

What line are we expected to toe, lest we want our family to be persecuted as you say.... I honestly would like to know, at least for my children's sake, that is I would like to know so that unless I feel that it is the line to toe, I don’t - and also to tell my children that to safeguard their self respect and principles they must not toe any line because they’re threatened to do so!

Otherwise all this moralising stemming from a personal decision to take a well paid job, which is hard to find in the current financial crisis is irrelevant. As for Marisa – Good luck and congrats (I honestly think you are worth that price tag) but I do not think you should justify your commercial decison by pretending to moralise with silly unfounded parables.

J. Schembri

Oct 1st 2009, 16:33

@ Mr Buttigieg :Mr Joe Grima left the MLP because he was in total disagreement with KMB about the liberalisation of TV and radio stations . Presenting a programm on Net does not make you a Nationalist. Even Gorg Abela was inactive in the MLP for a long period and was called a Nationalist.
So are you calling Ms Micallef a turncoat? I suppose what's good for the goose is good for the gander.
With some stretch of immagination I can understand why she accepted the job. If she kept her mouth shut and did not attack her former party no one would have raised his eyebrows, after all there is John Bundy who will be presenting his program on ONE. He is a former PN candidate but remained Nationalist.
Were Wenzu and Toni turncoats ?Is Dom Mintoff a turncoat?
She wanted attention and it has boomeranged against her.
What irks me is this playing with words, PBO never said that she was in some financial crisis, he said that she is a victim of the finacial crisis (she couldn't find a job because in the UK they are still losing jobs) . These tactics do not make one credible.

s pulis

Oct 1st 2009, 16:30

A. Zahra
Ghalfejn tridu lura lil Jason bhalek?! Biex jerga jferrhek kwarta u jtik l-impressjoni li l-PL rebah il-gvern? Biex jerga jkun hemm elezzjoni ghat-tmexxija kif kien hawn l-ahhar wahda!? Biex ikun f'xi diskussjoni u jdahhaq lil Malta meta kliemu jikkontradixxi lil tal-Partit! Ftakar meta qal ftit gimghat ili li l-Pl kien se jrahhas id-dawl kif jitla fil-gvern. Ikkuntradixxieh Louis Grech! U int tridu lura! Hekk trid dal-kummiedji!

C. Busuttil

Oct 1st 2009, 16:13

What Marisa Micallef did is her business, personally I would never do what she did as for myself its a question of principles. I would rather not vote but never cross the line.

However what she wrote "It wasn't just the reds who suffered. Anyone blue who didn't toe the line 100 per cent feared for their business, their children being refused certain jobs and more," is very true and actual. Unfortunately that's what the party has become No less no more. Hiding our heads in the sand will give the party no advantage at all, the reality is that the party has let in various unworthy opportunists and bloodsuckers that are doing alot of harm.

ONCE again I ASK you, that is, all those that style themselves as true nationalists to tell me what are the values and principles of the Nationalist Party (please don't tell what are labour's values as I don't care) as I sincerely doubt that you have knowledge of these values or even share them. The Nationalist Party is not a Liberal Party as many imagine but a Conservative Catholic one, therefore incompatible with certain liberals that write on these blogs.

Mike Magri

Oct 1st 2009, 16:07

..Quote.. "..It wasn`t just the reds who suffered. Anyone blue who didn`t toe the line 100 per cent, feared for their business, their children being refused certain jobs and more..", Marisa Micallef....

My God what a Strong and most Worrying certificate for the GonziPN Regime, coming from an ex-PN candidate, etc, etc......!!!!!!!!!

Not that i ever, ever had any doubts about all this, mind you, and especially when the previous prime minister, Dr. Eddy Feneck Adami, of .."..INSIRU ILKOLL AHWA MALTIN..", my foot, (and later, self made President), ANGRILY cried out loud that AWFULL and DISGUSTING statement of .."..Fejn Huma `l-Laburisti..??.."....!!! Meaning, OFFICIALLY CREATING A POLITICAL SPLIT between us ALL.... I never ever heard or read any sensible politician, local or foreign, making such a Desperate, Dangerous and Fearful cry against his or her own local political opponents..

Conclusion: Hell... If some of the `Blues`, who don`t toe the line 100 per cent, SUFFERS, immagine what`s in the GonziPN and his Freind`s closset, for ALL the Poor `Reds`...!!!! Mamma Miaaaa What a Shame in the so called Catholic Malta....!!!

A. Zahra

Oct 1st 2009, 16:00

I have stopped giving money to the LP because I do not want to pay one cent of miacllef leyson's 40,000 euros salary. I do not want her to go into our HQ afier all she wrote about our leaders and party. and she doesnot even know how to speak or write in maltese. She is already harming the LP with her influence on JM. Shame on him. Bring back Jason. send her back to the pn.

Joe Grima

Oct 1st 2009, 15:53

@ Adrian Cachia/Deo Micallef. I said yesterday, in reply to the PN's Don Quixote, Mr Martinelli, that I never asked to produce programmes at Net TV. I was invited to produce at Net by Roger Degiorgio, then Head of Broadcasting, today the respected owner of MediaToday. There were no conditions from his end but I did make some. One was that I did not want to be paid for my work by NET but that I would find my own sponsors to finance my efforts. That same condition I made to One TV for the coming January series. That answers Deo Micallef. Since Net made no conditions they obviously did not expect me to change my principles and I didn't. That complements Adrian Cachia's contribution. I left NET in June 2006 of my own accord. PBO recently refreshed the invitation to return. As always, if we tackle divisive issues on One TV in my new series, I want equal, incisive presenations by all parties holding divergent opinions on the particular issue. In trying to communicate this to PBO I was met with that
old-hat, them-and-us arrogance. But then PBO is Dr. Gonzi's problem not mine. Where art thou Joe Saliba!

P. Barbara

Oct 1st 2009, 15:19

Welcome fil-Partit Laburista Mrs M. Micallef u lil kull min lest li jigi fil-PL. Jiena ilni membru 27 sena membru fil-PL u kburi li nies bhalek qed jifhmu li PL kien u ghadu l-iktar partit serju li lest jahdem ghal gid veru tal-poplu malti u ghas serjeta fit-tmexxija tal-pajjiz, issa ukoll bhala membru fl-EU. Min hawn nghidlek WELCOME u proset lil Joseph Muscat li qed jaghraf it-triq it-tajba tal-Partit. WELLDONE JM.

Charles J. Buttigieg

Oct 1st 2009, 15:13

Just a little observation and a question.

Joe Grima turned his coat for the second time, this time back to its original colour, strangely enough there were very few sarcastic remarks from the usual Gonzipn apologists, wonder why.

Now we are seeing a multitude of former PN militants embracing the PL, last one is Ms.Marisa Micallef-the talk of the town. My question is- would these same Gonzipn apologists be posting the same adjectives, nasty remarks and innuendos had a prominent ‘lejburist’ or ‘lejburista’ defected to Gonzipn?

There was once a known criminal who supported Mintoff to the hilt and then became a PN supporter. This man was presented to a euphoric crowd during a PN mass meeting with a lamb around his neck and boasting that he was one of the lost sheep who saw the light.
And the crowd cheered like there was no tomorrow.

manuel lia

Oct 1st 2009, 15:12

marisa micallef leyson didnt switch to labour.she was paid to switch to labour.and that is a big difference.cause lets face it..40000 euros a year is not bad for someone who has lambasted labour for all these years. one last thing to our prime minister.....keep saving jobs cause thats whats important for us maltese...and ull get rewarded in the next election.....surely....

Martin Spiteri

Oct 1st 2009, 15:09

Alas for some people ms micallef took the opportunity to jump of the truck while the sun shines and advice labour on how to prepare executive jobs? So now we are criticising what made us? HOW CONVENIENT!!

I would laugh my head off if by some chance labour doesnt make it next elections, in actual fact no one really knows how the voters will vote. Expecting labour to win because it is high time frightens me!! Why? because our dear young joe muscat has presented nothing which excites me! and many ask him, so you are criticising this and that, do you present any alternative as the nationalists did way back in the 80's? According to our dear joe muscat we should have still not made it to full EU membership. When he was interviewed he said " u iva kont zbaljat" what cheek!!!!! I am not impressed at all. So ms micallef wants to gear up to be on the winners side in the next elections, I wish you good luck and I am sure you will be heftily paid for your turncoat services. Many are calculating this PN defeat by default. But , one ever knows .

GiovDemartino@AGC

Oct 1st 2009, 14:59

Domt ma ndunajt bil-hazen tal-PN Sur Gauci cunningham! Sa erbat ijiem ilu ma kontx tikteb kontra JOs Muscat u tinkieh li baqaghlu 5 snin ohra zgur fl-oppozizzjoni? Meta tkun titkellem ma shabek, kif tispjegaha din il U turn tieghek? Orrajt in-nazzjonalisti fallew kompletament. IMMA l-lejburisti saru sewwa issa? Possibbli ma tisthix tidher barra?

JOE MUSCAT

Oct 1st 2009, 14:54

Most of these reactions go to show just how politically immatureand insecure we still are in this country. A lot of people are still either 'Blue' or 'Red'. We are probably the most politically racist country in the world. I know how black people must feel. We are a just colour. Am I mistaken? When we get ripped off by the authorities with expensive power bills, over the top car registrations, bad roads, corruption galore etc. is it just labour people who pay and moan and nationalist people who condone and justify these things. Aren't we all Maltese? Do we not have the courage as one people to condemn something that is wrong, TOGETHER.

So Marisa Micallef is a labour advisor....SO! What's the big deal? Good luck to her. How convenient it is for some people to bury their heads in the sand and still point fingers. If we really want to point fingers there are a lot of places we can start. In Malta we need unity because we are divided by a few people's greed. The tax payer's money does not have a colour and we ALL have to pay. So stop being a COLOUR... Be a voice.

J Martinelli

Oct 1st 2009, 14:35

@ Albert Gauci Cuningham

You are asking what the NP's values are?

Why don't you put the same question to the LP (MLP)? You will be surprised with its answers - or lack thereof!

Marco Spiteri

Oct 1st 2009, 14:31

@Albert Gauci Cunningham ....cont

The PN is not hungry for power. It doesn’t put itself in power. It’s the people’s will that chooses PN over and over again. I am sure there is something good coming out of the Nationalist Party as you can fool people for one election but you cannot keep on fooling them for one election after another for 25 years and yet they always choose PN to govern. If you think the Maltese are stupid, you’re wrong.

Yes I am fully confident that Lawrence Gonzi is the right person for Malta and I am sure he will lead us out of this situation and I for one want to show my support for this man, who I know is genuine and doing his very best to face all the current challenges. Joseph Muscat’s musical chairs do not convince me neither do all the old faces he still have around him. Come next election its PN again.

Marco Spiteri

Oct 1st 2009, 14:29

Albert Gauci Cunningham

I follow your posts from time to time and I must say I admire how you find the time to comment on practically all the articles in this Blog. I don’t have much time to reply to you however I couldn’t just let your post go by without a comment.

The PN definitely has family values and these are tangible values. To mention a few: The always increasing number of day care centres for children of working parents, the legislation on numerous laws and regulations for women wanting to go back to work, the children allowance extended to all the children of the family, the anti abortion conviction of all our MPs, the educational system on the island. We could see on the news this week the reopening of the University to thousands of students. Isn’t investment in education a benefit towards Maltese families? Saint Vincent De Paulle home for the elderly has been refurbished and extended to make our elderly feel comfortable as much as possible. The new general hospital. Its never ending really. I would need a whole newspaper to list all the benefits towards the family by the PN government.

Steve Calascione

Oct 1st 2009, 14:05

Malta's real problem is neither its voters, nor its politicians or political parties, for all these can be replaced during that national pastime, general elections.

The real issue is justice or the lack thereof. Malta is governed by a legal system that bears more resemblance to a junta or an occult sect, than a real system of justice - the engineering of judicial rulings that consistently place a shroud over deeply held political ideologies, does nothing but ensure the survival of a political caste that has no place in society.

In Malta, a person who supports the forced repatriation of asylum seekers and who calls for the use of food as a geopolitical weapon, a pretext for genocide; can expect a suspended sentence. Asylum seekers on the other hand, are invariably sent to prison for many months if they so much as make any attempt to leave the country, without appropriate documentation.

Marisa Micallef has every right to work for whom she pleases; I shouldn't think we'd have to wait for general elections to speak truth and bring forth a more equitable society.

Joseph Galea

Oct 1st 2009, 13:30

So an ex-PN appointee has taken a job with the PL! What's the big deal? Is there nothing else on this island of ours that merits our attention more?

Gianninu Saliba

Oct 1st 2009, 13:26

The alleged financial crisis that Marisa was supposed to be in before Joseph offered her this job might be real. Her accusation that the PN should worry about its own moral predicament might be a figment of her immagination. Since Marisa went over to live in the UK she might advise Joseph to advocate Integration with the UK once more. Mintoff any many of his supporters will be all out in favour of such a proposal.

E Gatt

Oct 1st 2009, 13:21

@Christian Ellul

Of course you can you can wake up one day and believe in another ideology: it’s called acting.

Another example of ‘acting’ is Marisa Micallef’s new Leaders’s admission that he cried in past elections - presumably also when Labour lost their chance to keep Malta out of the EU.

Marco Spiteri

Oct 1st 2009, 13:20

The Maltese Socialists (LP) are trying to make political mileage from the current world economical crises. Well for all those who want to listen. I am a Nationalist, proud to be one (not employed with the government) and I am fully confident that Dr. Lawrence Gonzi will steer us out of this present situation and when he does we will win the General Election again.

As for Marisa, I wonder what all the Nationalists are telling her in the many emails she is receiving. All the Nationalists I know are disgusted about her opportunism. If you ask me, I cannot understand why all this fuss about Marisa crossing over to the Socialists, she never was anything within the Nationalist Party.

MBorg

Oct 1st 2009, 12:58

Why do you all have to criticize Paul Borg Olivier ? He did not say anything that was not true. He just stated the honest facts.

Marisa left her old job with the Housing Authority of her own free will. According to her letter no one made her terminate her employment with Government.

It was she who chose to go to England. Now she chose to return to Malta. P Borg Olivier is right the Government is not an a la carte restaurant , you just can't expect to find a Government job whenever you feel like it. That is a fact . There is surely. nothing nasty about this remark.

Adrian Cachia

Oct 1st 2009, 12:42

@N.Calleja - You forgot that the PN took onboard Mr. Joe Grima. He was a minister with the labour party wasn't he a true labourite?

Albert Gauci Cuningham

Oct 1st 2009, 12:41

All this jibberish about being this or that, being labour or nationalist and having principles is just a load of hogwash!! What principles does the PN have? The family value? Yeah right family values my foot!! What family value is there when you tax families to the point that making ends meet becomes a huge challenge?? What value is there in allowing divorce from maltese who might have lived abroad and then hypocritically deny the same right to those who dont have the means? What values does the PN have? Honesty??? What honesty is there in granting dirty contracts like the one of the Power station? What honesty is there in ignoring civil society and doing things behind their back?? What are PN"s values?? The real PN values are only two: misplaced conservatism and hunger to remain in power even at the cost of deceiving the voters!! If you accept this shame as being a norm and even worse a value then by all means you're nationalist or better a "Gonzian" on the other hand if you want change and a way out of this mediocrity you have only one choice; go left and go labour!!!

C.Busuttil

Oct 1st 2009, 12:31

@N. Calleja

For the record can you tell me please who are the true nationalists?

Lawrence Gauci

Oct 1st 2009, 12:29

Mr. M Rizzo would you disclose your wage to the rest of the country?? i guess not and you shouldn't so why ask Ms. Micallef to disclose her wage, that was totally unethical . PBO should publicly apologize for such a speculated comment.

PN supporters call it an opportunistic move .. useless cry over spilt milk. PN are afraid of what Marisa Micallef could disclose, i bet she could bring out lots of skeletons in the PN's closet .

Marisa Micallef has set an example to PN activists. it is ok to vote PL . Good Job Marisa and hats off to Dr. Joseph Muscat

David Scicluna

Oct 1st 2009, 12:28

@m rizzo

Mr.Rizzo, Why don't you tell us how much you earn?! I hope you pay all your taxes and VAT too. Stop being personal, you give politics a bad name.

deo micallef

Oct 1st 2009, 12:28

Typical nationalist 's comment, " when someone does not tow the party line 100%" they start throwing mud, gossiping, speculating character assassination etc etc, truly CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC values indeed!! And why does Marisa Micallef have to divulge her salary in public and not the many party officials and advisers which are employed by the pn? Also you happen to forget Joe Grima the ex LP minister, was he doing the talk shows on the pn's media for free?? I really doubt it!!

Enzo Caruana

Oct 1st 2009, 12:24

Ms Micallef's dignified reply puts Paul Borg Olivier's inane personal attack on her to greater shame.
PN apologists commenting on this item reveal the state of panic and arrogance that has gripped the PN and have no right or reason to know what anyone at the Labour Party is earning. They should be more concerned about how much Dr Paul Borg Olivier takes home for being such an embarassment to his Party and the now clueless PN government.

Andrew Grech

Oct 1st 2009, 12:21

As a mature Nationalist myself it only goes to prove that by far Nationalist supporters are more open-minded than those of the PL, thus allowing us to think and act accordingly. We make or break an election - labour is not in power because of Alfred Sant and the PN supporters did not trust the guy one bit...simple. Now things are changing.

Ms Micallef must have felt that it was time to move...good luck to her. If by next election I will not be satisfied with the outcome of this legislation, I may opt to cast my vote for another party.

Only yesterday in the UK did the Sun tabloid shift its support from Gordon Brown to Cameron's party and this after 12 years supporting Labour!

The PN should work on its strenghts and not critise those who left as this opens the party up for even harsher criticism. Life goes on.

It would be great if one day we can all unite behind one leader with a mixed cabinet all with one common goal - our country.

r ferriggi

Oct 1st 2009, 12:16

xi darba kelli fiducja fl PN.

qedin naraw il qiegh tal qiegh.

m'hemmx fejn tasal izjed. halluna min Marisa Micallef.

ghandna bizzejjed problemi tal pajjiz.

Dr Gonzi,,,,, mela issa kulhadd jghid li jrid u xhin irid issa??

C.Borg

Oct 1st 2009, 12:12

welcome aboard MM.. one of many joining our team recently.. no doubt there was a 35000 difference! Listen to the wind of change....

P.Cassar

Oct 1st 2009, 12:12

@E Formosa et al
What surprises me is not Marisa but what made people like John Dalli, Frank Portelli etc etc return to the fold ( if they REALLY did ) after all they said about the PN (back stabbing bomb planting etc etc). In fact what they said makes Marisa's remarks extremely tame. Have diehard nationalists ever thought of this?

Gerard Cassar

Oct 1st 2009, 12:12

It appears that Mrs Marisa Micallef has disturbed the P.N. and raised a tsunami in their camp.
If it is not a spine in their side would they have reacted similarly.
If she were a nonentity would we have seen and continue to read such reactions from the upper echelons of the P.N. to the lowest.
Tens of Joes have changed sides in politics. Who Cares!

R Spiteri

Oct 1st 2009, 12:07

Dear Ms Micallef Leyson, do you have the guts to say publicly what you asked for from the Government and from PN prior to switching to Labour for a reported Eur 40,000 a year for 4 years?

joyce aquilina

Oct 1st 2009, 11:57

a big welcome to you marisa and all you pn blogers BREAK YOUR HEART

A Galea

Oct 1st 2009, 11:57

@ edwin formosa: If PBO is so convincing, then why would the PN try to replace him as it is doing?

@ N Rizzo: Typical nationalist arrogance. She is employed with a private company, so what is your business in you asking her about her salary? Would you be happy if you were asked yours? If she was employed with the government we do have the right to know her salary since we pay taxes, but not in a private company/party!

Lewis Ellul

Oct 1st 2009, 11:51

@ edwin formosa et al
Really? But you're not convincing at all. In fact i find you outright pathetic. PBO was born with his foot in his mouth and the less he speaks and writes, the longer he will be tolerated as PN General Secretary.

Paul Smith

Oct 1st 2009, 11:35

Not only have millions of Brits been affected by the financial crisis but also a lot of Maltese and it will get worse, Tourism is not down in Malta due to a bad product but because of the financial crisis, one would imagine that later next year Malta will be really seeing it's very own little financial crisis with no room to competitively devalue the currency as you are in the Euro, you could be in a very similair situation to Ireland whom also built more apartments than they had people to fill them!
So the attack on this women was very immature by the PN.

Not only that - over 20 years of PN and what do certain parts of the island including infrastructure look like? A shambles! Projects that never come to fruition that seem like PR stunts and a gov so on the ropes that it cannot admit it's Smart city project has hit the buffers and was all hype.

Christian Ellul

Oct 1st 2009, 11:34

U-turns in politics are always due to personal interests!! You SIMPLY CANNOT BELIEVE IN AN IDEOLOGY ONE DAY, WAKE UP THE NEXT DAY AND BELIEVE IN ANOTHER!! How can you in the past be conservative minded and than become a progressive socialist?? I reckon It should go against your instincts. I think in the long run, with such a move she can produce as much political damage as much as benefit to her new PL.

Victor Ross

Oct 1st 2009, 11:33

Ah so no more interviews eh !!!!!!!!. This reminds me of when things are going bad in the world of soccer and the team and coaching staff stop giving interviews ,SILENZIO STAMPA. Come on Marisa give us a break will you?

Joseph Scicluna

Oct 1st 2009, 11:31

what a poor showing marisa!

d borda

Oct 1st 2009, 11:28

Ms Micallef did you forget what your salary and perks was when you were Housing Authority Chairperson?

How convenient it is to forget! By the way you were paid from taxpayers' money.

J. Schembri

Oct 1st 2009, 11:25

Are we going to start confusing people's minds? The "alleged financial crisis" referred by PBO were not HER's . I took it that she resigned went to the UK to search for greener pastures and than the WORLD's financial crisis crept in , leaving her out in the cold with no job in the UK.
And please , it does not follow that if Jason is asked to leave we ask Paul to leave.
I am not convinced with this Damascene conversion , she's just a highly paid advisor employed by the LP ...... Dr Muscat will listen to how a Nationalist thinks . When the time comes the squeezed lemon will be thrown in the bin with the others.

Mark Cushcieri

Oct 1st 2009, 11:24

M rizzo what business is it of yours how much her salary is..that is confidential information...dont you guys get that...where are the rights and confidentiality...why doesnt PBO tell us he much he earns first. And maybe how much money he made dealing on the side maybe...i'm sure its bigger than her paycheck

Ray Zerafa

Oct 1st 2009, 11:22

Dr. Gonzi made the first step by appointing Dr. George Abela our president; Dr. Muscat followed him by appointing Ms. Micallef his advisor… why not?? “Awguri mil-qalb Ms. Micallef” I am nationalist supporter and pleased with both moves. These are responsible decisions and hope that we see more courageous assessments by our politicians if we really want our country to prosperous.

edwin formosa

Oct 1st 2009, 11:21

"I can assure you that a real nationalist would have nothing to do with the PN"
Jan Sammut such a discovery entitles you to be another of Dr Muscat's advisers
.

Anthony Mercieca

Oct 1st 2009, 11:12

Nothing personal against Ms. Micallef.

The beauty of Democracy is the right to make personal choices which may look strange to some and pleasing to others. However, as well said," the PN should worry about its own crisis". Typical labour statement, especially in the present circumstances where the international economic downturn is blamed on the government sequitur PN by those opposing the administration.

I am more convinced that at the end of the line, this administration will succeed in turning the tide, just as it managed to win the 2008 elections in spite of all odds.

Whatever is the outcome, it is heartening to see that people manage to find more than decent jobs in spite of all and all the gloom that we hear on One News

Salvu Felice Pace

Oct 1st 2009, 11:08

Interesting that Marisa chose to comment on what suited her only. She said nothing about PBO's comments on the government's inability to supply her with a job. Neither did she comment about PBO's challenge to her that as an advisor to Joseph Muscat she should advise him to return all the properties stolen by previous Labour governments from the public and from private owners and return them all to their righful owners.

M Rizzo

Oct 1st 2009, 11:01

JUST READ A LETTER IN TODAY'S TIMES ABOUT MRS MICALLEF BLURRED MEMORY ... WORTH READING!

AND NO DEAR MARISA GOVERNMENT IS NOT AN A LA CARTE MENU !

YOU DENIED PREVIOUS REPORTS IN THE SUNDAY TIMES THAT YOUR NEW SALARY IS 40k ..SO PLEASE CAN YOU TELL US HOW MUCH IS IT?

WITH REGARDS TO HER ATTACK ON THE PN, WELL WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM AN EMPLOYEE OF THE MLP?

edwin formosa

Oct 1st 2009, 11:00

Reasons for u-turns in politics are always clear to behold. Borg Olivier is more convincing than Marisa Micallef.

Joe Micallef

Oct 1st 2009, 10:57

Some critical analysis of what seems an intense clutching at straws effort

“she was very pleased to have been offered this "really interesting" role” – do I understand this solely done as a job not out of moral conviction (Phil Noble style of political marketing)

“Dr Muscat "believes in the middle way" and she believed in this too” – who is saying this Marisa or the reporter. If it is the latter someone, either MM or JM has had a radical re-evaluation of the other or otherwise this stinks of opportunism.

“If the PN wants to make nasty remarks” – leaving aside MMs recent contributions, where is the nasty flavour of remarks, granted they were not proper?

“She added that many Nationalists had e-mailed her to express their support….” – I support your decision hoping that you manage the apocalyptic change required, but sadly think you will fail – Maybe you ought to tune in to MLP delegates before trying different pastures.

“…and she stressed that she would not be giving any more interviews because that was not part of her new role” - with all due respect following the other day’s ill conceived fable, that is a wise decision!!!

Jan Sammut

Oct 1st 2009, 10:56

@ N. Calleja

I can assure you that a real nationalist would have nothing to do with the PN.

Jake Micallef

Oct 1st 2009, 10:46

How can the policies of a great party such as PN be determined by someone like Paul Borg Olivier? Has the guy realised that since he has been elected he has been the Maltese version of George W Bush? I am sure we will soon have books and websites with "Paulisms" referring to his comments.

So we have a great PM and leader with a formidable reputation as gentlmen, policy maker and stateseman and everything gets thrown in the bins because of PBO and the way he is administering the party? Him and Jason Micallef do a great team.... I would gladly seem them doing a joint TV programme "Naturambjent".. maybe on Smash.

N.Calleja

Oct 1st 2009, 10:45

I think the PN is the winner with Marisa Micallef moving from its fold to the Labour Party because it sifted itself of mercenaries amd opportunists. She must have never been a true Nationalist!

Mark Cushcieri

Oct 1st 2009, 10:45

PN should worry about its own crisis - Marisa Micallef
"If the PN wants to make nasty remarks, that is their choice but I choose to be dignified and professional in this situation. I am very surprised that the secretary general of the PN should stoop so low," she said.
What a brilliant reply...keep it up Marisa ...we are all after the middle way..we're fed up of the blu-red dominion/kingdom.

dusty williams

Oct 1st 2009, 10:44

Yess woman tell them!