Christian Peregin
Family asks Sant for apology
'Insensitive' comments
The family of the young soldier who drowned during a military training exercise in February filed a protest in court yesterday against former Labour Party leader Alfred Sant for "offending his memory".
During Tuesday's programme Dissett on TVM, Dr Sant claimed Gunner Matthew Psaila had been enrolled in the Armed Forces of Malta's special duties company just before the election without fulfilling the necessary requirements - namely that he could not swim. He implied this was what he called part of the government's pre-election employment flurry.
Gunner Psaila's parents and brother have filed a judicial protest vehemently denying Dr Sant's claims, asking him to apologise and saying they were "very hurt" and would be holding him responsible for damages. Contacted yesterday, a family spokesman said they were seeking legal advice to see what action could be taken against the former Prime Minister to make up for the insulting remark.
"We're not interested in money. We just can't believe someone can be so insensitive. Why on earth did he say that? Politics was never part of this tragedy," the spokesman said, adding that various Labour exponents, including the current leader, had attended the funeral.
"I was sitting next to (current Labour leader) Joseph Muscat," he said, incredulously.
In the judicial protest, the family said it was unethical for Dr Sant to criticise the government by referring to a person who had died and who was never in public life.
They insisted Gunner Psaila was qualified to join in his role and that, as had already been said in the press a number of times, the ability to swim was never a requirement.
Meanwhile, the government issued a statement to back what was said by the family's spokesman, confirming that Gunner Psaila was admitted after the election - and not before as Dr Sant claimed - following the annual call by the AFM.
The government said it was shameful that a soldier who had died tragically was dragged into an argument over the loss of a general election. What Dr Sant had said also reflected a lack of appreciation of the service of the AFM soldiers in the interests of the country and its people.
Dr Sant's comments had prompted the national broadcaster to run a scroll on the pre-recorded interview pointing out that the inquiry into the soldier's death established there was no obligation for soldiers to know how to swim.
Dr Sant could not be contacted for a comment yesterday.
The Nationalist Party also condemned his comments as completely "insensitive" and called on the Labour Party and its leader to disassociate themselves from them.
Gunner Psaila died in the early hours of February 16 after succumbing to injuries he sustained during a military exercise at Chadwick Lakes three days earlier. The incident is still the subject of a court case.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
Petrol price up 6c
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
21 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
C.ZARB
Oct 22nd 2009, 18:19
Dr Alfred Sant will always be considered by many floater voters as the PN's biggest asset.
J Martinelli
Oct 22nd 2009, 17:45
@ Deo Catania
I sympathize with you since you do not have the slightest idea what an apology means, even less what, in your own mind, an 'apologist' is.
No wonder, all Laburisti who refuse to bite the bullet and acknowledge the atrocities of the past, cannot and will not use the word 'apology' since they have yet to introduce it to their vocabulary.
I wish there were such human beings as Labour Party apologists! It will be a good day for Malta when and if that ever happens.
J Camilleri
Oct 22nd 2009, 17:15
@ M Teuma
That's right. Attack the grieving family instead of a fumbling and bumbling 'former' politician! How low can you go? I bet if we were the parents mourning a son who was dragged into all this nonsense (and SO unnecessarily) we would all feel different... In our blindness to jump to our idolised politicians' defense even when they have been proven wrong we harden our hearts against the true victims in this story. True colours shining through...?
Maryanne Spiteri
Oct 22nd 2009, 16:41
Typical! Dr Sant reappears after an absence with yet another serious howler and people who point out the fallacy in his arguments are called PN apologists! You don't have to be a Gonzi sympathiser (far from it!) to cringe at what Sant said. The reason political parties never renew themselves is because they are made up of these people, who defend the indefensible! @James Grech Again, by likening this case of a simple, normal recruitment procedure (he was after all one of many) with others' unethical (and definitely condemnable and condemned) behaviour or some other corrupt action (equally condemnable if true) is accepting Sant's statements that recruitment into the Army or Government is still the shady and corrupt process it was a quarter of a century ago!! @ M Teuma Haven't you been following the papers which described how the family of the deceased have been clamouring for answers from the army? And rightly so! If we have to make public comments at least let's get the basics right. Anyway, what is Sant trying to do? Win the next election for this tired PN Govt like Mintoff did before him?!
Deo Catania
Oct 22nd 2009, 15:19
@ all gonzipn apologists. I pity you.
J Farrugia
Oct 22nd 2009, 14:47
gerard cassar, the AFM dont recruit puppets or boy scouts. They enlist men! It's besides the point they dont know how to swim and they dont need to know how to swim. It's their own affair. But the AFM has several divisions where a person can execute his duties in the best interests of the AFM. And that was why young people such as this fine soldier applied to join the army. And were accepted. And that's why they are trained. to be of service to others. No amount of flipped arguments would convince us that the ex MLP Leader used this soldier for his own 'imagined' political agenda. Shame on him.
J Martinelli
Oct 22nd 2009, 14:33
Another typical miscalculation from Dr. Sant.
Why can he not stay retired and be quiet, or at least, engage his brains before opening his mouth?
Making another allegation such as he did for sixteen years, and almost all of which were completely unfounded, does not contribute the least to his already tattered reputation.
Gunner Psaila was a victim of a shortcoming in AFM regulations which, no doubt is, or has already been corrected. Politics did not enter into the tragedy at all.
What's Sant's next move? Interview all the soldiers in order to give us an economist's infallible estimate of who is a Labour supporter as opposed to Nationalists? How pitiful!
Unfortunately the Psaila family should not expect an apology from Dr. Sant since he has never had any regrets for his erratic policies of the past. He'd rather go to court in a final attempt at proving that once again, he is right as he previously insisted in matters where he was clearly proven wrong!
Maryanne SPiteri
Oct 22nd 2009, 14:33
Rereading my bit (below) I realise I mistakenly put in a double negative. I obviously meant to say "...he would not otherwise have got in..."
James Grech
Oct 22nd 2009, 14:32
@Maryanne Spiteri
Only if you believe in fairy tales will you believe that "all transparent procedures, ombudsman and other bodies checking that systems are fair etc.. that have since then been introduced" have in fact changed anything. You talk about democracy. But are you implying that minister Fenech's lack of ethical behaviour and the way that the contract to extend the power station, an example of democracy? Btw, there are many more examples of this kind of democratic attitude, which I can refer you too and which beg clarification and transparency, only, it would take me many more words to enlist them all here.
M Teuma
Oct 22nd 2009, 14:01
The Psaila's family anger may be better directed at getting justice for their lost son.Why aren't they suing the authorities for compensation and a re writing of the rules?.Why isn't their anger directed at whoever allowed him to join the army when he couldn't swim,especially when that particular force is also in charge of maritime duties. At the end of the day,a soldier has to attend to all types of scenario's and that includes wading/swimming in water. Imagine a soldier of anywhere else excusing himself from duty because he couldn't swim.
I am absolutely certain Dr Sant meant no harm and for them to sue him says book loads about them and the illogicality of their argument. It also says a lot about whoever is giving them advice.
P. Schembri
Oct 22nd 2009, 13:57
I did not say that I believed what Dr. Sant said. I only said that taken in context, the accident would have happened if steps were taken to check if a person can swim or not. And obviously, those irked by Sant's statements, I can well note that you're all PN apologists.
Anthony Schembri Adami
Oct 22nd 2009, 13:47
To be fair this case can ONLY question the competence of Army authorities.as swimming is not a requisite to become a gunner but it is one to do the training he was ordered to do
R Agius
Oct 22nd 2009, 13:42
Yet another of Dr Sant's masks has come off....viva il-karnival!! Would be laughable if it wasn't so sad!
Maryanne Spiteri
Oct 22nd 2009, 13:23
@p schembri
Writing what you did automatically means that you too believe what Dr Sant said! And you don't find that insulting?! Alive or dead, but mostly because he's now dead, it is a major affront as you are saying that he would not otherwise have not got into the army, when the truth is that this was a normal and regular selection process and no favours were made to anyone! But then I can't expect you to understand that. This is proof that labour supporters live like 25 or so years ago and the only way they think they can get a job is through currying politicans for favour and not because they merit it! Absolute ignorance of all transparent procedures, ombudsman and other bodies checking that systems are fair etc.. that have since then been introduced. When you decide to join this millenium (or grasp the notion of democracy) you are welcome.. and that invitation is open to Dr Sant too, of course.
Gerard Cassar
Oct 22nd 2009, 12:42
Why the Armed forces endanger the life of their recruits by exposingthem to drowning when making exercises in the water whether deep or shallow. One can easily slip as it happened and drown in less than ten Minutes particularly if the water is polluted.
Had knowing to swim been a condition there would not have been such a terrible irresponsible accident. And the authorities just say there is no proved guilt. The guilty people are those that draw up the conditions for enrolment.
Exercises should not be tried unless the army rules cover all contengencies.
It is like issuing a driving licence ignoring one of the basic rules, to some one who is not versed on its requirements.
We always pray for the repose of the soul of young Mathew, but his death is always in our mind and ask: Why? And try to find an answer.
Aidan Zammit Lupi
Oct 22nd 2009, 11:58
"I don't know why an apology is needed"
Because he used Mr Psaila's case to gain political mileage, and was untruthful?
He just can't get it right, can he?
R Xuereb
Oct 22nd 2009, 11:51
@P Schembri
Yes the context in which Dr Sant insulted the family was trying to justify his 'power of incumbency' by using an example he obviously trumped up. He continues to blame everyone around him and has failed to take a good hard look at himself. What he would see is a failed politician who thought he could run a party and a country with the 'relative' ease with which he writes fiction....
It was an insult and a little like Dr Muscat's fake apology you typify the PL by failing to see obvious wrong!
M.Azzopardi
Oct 22nd 2009, 11:51
Shame on you Dr. Sant....this attitude shows you never deserved better than being in opposition!
J E Gatt
Oct 22nd 2009, 11:42
Il-gvern irid jghid meta saru l- interviews mhux meta dahlu.
Il-fatt l-iehor li m'hemmx ghalfejn ikunu jafu jghowmu biex jidhlu suldati huwa nuqqas serju minn naha ta' AFM. Din hi xi haga vera bazika u jekk ma jafux jghowmu l-AFM hija responsabbli li taghllimhom. Il-familja ghandha taghmel protest il-qorti kontra AFM f'dan il-rigward.
Christopher Xuereb
Oct 22nd 2009, 10:44
The passage of time has done nothing to dim this colossus of political incompetence. Wouldn't the Nationalists, fraught as they are by internecine squabbling, just love to have him back at the helm of the PL.
P. Schembri
Oct 22nd 2009, 10:42
I don't know why an apology is needed. Dr. Sant only mentioned Mr. Psaila (RIP) as an aside to the government's incumbency. Didn't even insult his memory. Dr. Sant mentioned Mr. Psaila as an example of what a government does, in a bid to win an election, to the extent of ignoring basic needs in special forces. I'm sorry, although I wholeheartedly concur that the family were irked by case, it must be said and seen in what context the said person was mentioned. Nothing despicable or demeaning was done.