Christian Peregin
Muscat distances himself from Sant
But former leader stands firm
Labour leader Joseph Muscat yesterday distanced himself from the comments made by former leader Alfred Sant about the tragic death of a young soldier last February, even as Dr Sant stood by his controversial remarks.
Speaking during TVM’s current affairs programme Dissett last Tuesday, Dr Sant said Gunner Matthew Psaila had joined the army without the necessary requirements, as part of the government’s pre-election frenzy of jobs for votes.
He said the young man did not know how to swim and had still joined the army’s special duties company just before the election.
Both the government and the family have since made it clear that the young soldier joined the army after the election and strongly denied there was any favouritism in his employment.
However, although he “deeply regretted” that his comments had hurt the family concerned, “as a matter of principle and duty to the nation” Dr Sant yesterday stood by his remarks “in the way I said them”.
“As a nation, we cannot continue to excel at organising national funerals while taking no adequate steps to prevent the recurrence of the slackness, favouritism and scandal that give rise to them,” Dr Sant said, strengthening his attack on the authorities for the death of the young soldier.
When asked for a reaction, Dr Muscat said that Dr Sant’s views did not reflect his own or those of the party and he had “communicated (this) to the family” personally.
“Dr Sant is entitled to his own views, based on his knowledge of facts and for which he alone is responsible,” Dr Muscat added.
Gunner Psaila died in the early hours of February 16, days before his 20th birthday, after drowning during a military exercise at Chadwick Lakes three days earlier.
The incident is still the subject of a court case, but the fact that Gunner Psaila had difficulties with swimming prompted questions about how he had been allowed to take part in a training exercise that involved wading in depths of water. Recently, however, a fellow soldier testified that he had seen Gunner Psaila swimming before he went down during the exercise.
Dr Sant said the country must finally start to take the principles of personal responsibility and the duties of political and administrative accountability seriously.
“We cannot allow any longer these principles to be fudged and these duties to be shirked, for reasons of political convenience, of personal friendship and respect, or of commercial gain.
“For me, this goes beyond ‘politics’ and certainly at this stage of my political career, beyond any vote-catching considerations. It is an overriding moral issue, as it has always been.”
He then promised to keep speaking his mind about the need to radically discuss and reform the conduct of public affairs, “no matter what media and other manipulations are attempted”. The family of Gunner Psaila on Wednesday filed a judicial protest against Dr Sant, asking for an apology and holding him responsible for damages, for what they described as an offence to their son’s memory.
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 had never been in public life.
They insisted Gunner Psaila was qualified to join in his role and that, as had already been said in the media a number of times, the ability to swim had never been a requirement.
The government had also issued a statement confirming that Gunner Psaila was admitted after the election following the annual call by the army.
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J Camilleri
Oct 23rd 2009, 21:19
@ Neville Zammit Did you even try to get to know what Sant said before you wrote in? The issue was not whether they asked him to swim in 'deep' water or not, (that's for court to decide) but that the PN gave him a job he did not merit because elections were coming up (and everybody is ignoring the fact that he was employed AFTER the elections, in a normal recruitment process, and with ALL the qualifications - swimming was NOT required - to become not just a gunner but an officer cadet!) Dr Muscat, though I usually don't agree with him, did the right thing: a step in the right direction. His followers could at least think about it.
Mario Farrugia
Oct 23rd 2009, 20:05
kemm ghandna Leader bravu !!
jmifsud
Oct 23rd 2009, 19:59
PN has a lot of apologies to make, mostly for the lies and unkept promises mostly delivered before elections. We were made to believe that the PN is a champion in EU related matters and will be in the forefront to improve the wellbeing of the Maltese public. Now we are seeing a party that is hindering the Maltese people from reaching the standard of living enjoyed by most EU countries as we were promised before EU elections.
R. Caruana
Oct 23rd 2009, 19:51
Dr Sant, 'no regrets', as usual!
Dr Muscat, 'it's not my pigeon', as usual!
Whose shouldering responsibility within the PL? No one, as usual!
Apologies? No way, as usual!
So what's new in the PL?
Neville Zammit
Oct 23rd 2009, 19:35
I stood 100% but what Dr Sant expressed. If Grn Psaila could not swim, then why they asked him to swim in deep water? Isin't that dangerous?
As usual the apologists of the conservative demochristian party gonzipn turn their guns over Dr Sant and perform what they are expert at: Character Assasination.
J Camilleri
Oct 23rd 2009, 19:32
Well done Dr Muscat. But here's the thing. In yesterday's Times comments, those who disagreed with what Sant said were called PN apologists. Hmm... I notice they didn't post anything today!
michael fenech
Oct 23rd 2009, 18:13
@ Joe Vella
Mr Vella this matter is absolutely nothing and you want Dr. Muscat to make a public apology when he had nothing to do with this matter, Dr.Sant is free to express his opinion.
You and all the other PN apologists should be asking Tonio Fenech to make an apology to the country in parliament about the free trip to Spain with the blessing of the of GonziPN.
G. Mangion
Oct 23rd 2009, 18:08
Muscat distances himself from Sant !! So it seems true that j.m is not in Control of his party,
Mr alf sant Will never do any apology for his Shameless Remarks, !!!
The whole of Malta, is Still crying for the loss of this young Brave Soldier,
And J.M Must take this Matter Seriously and be Responsible in this Particular case, People
are Still asking, WHO is the BOSS at the LE Party ??? ...........................
SIMON AMATO
Oct 23rd 2009, 17:43
Well done Joseph!.jien bhala laburist nixtieq nuri s upport lejn joseph. dr sant kien ikun ragel kieku rrizenja fit 2003!. kellu cans iehor meta ried jigi cedut siggu fil-parlament imma ma hadux!.kieku hareg ghal MEP kien jaghmel sens aktar milli kif gara u tela Joseph |Cuschieri!.jien is sapport tieghi jmur kollu ghal joseph muscat. ghamel sew qal hekk joseph.lill dr sant nirringrazzjah biss ghal fatt li gab il kalma u nehha il-vjolenza u daqsekk biss.ma nixtieqx infahhar iktar lill minn tellef 3 elezzjonijiet lill PL.
joe Valla
Oct 23rd 2009, 15:57
@ John Micallef
If Joseph Muscat really means what he said, then he has to options; one is to as Alfred Sant to withdraw his remarks and offer a public apology to the Psaila Family; secondly, failure for Alfred Sant to do so, the only option left for Joseph Muscat to do is to expel him from the PL caucus. Period.
Enough of hollow words from Joseph Muscat and the PL. They either practice what they preach or stop taking the Maltese Electorate for a ride. The Maltese electorate demand action and not cheap talk.
Anthony Falzon
Oct 23rd 2009, 10:08
With all due respect, if gnr Psaila could not swim, was it not up to him to inform his superiours that he cannot swim, when asked to go into the water?
John Micallef
Oct 23rd 2009, 09:10
This is the politics we need, & we should vote for!! Note Leaders that give a hand to their people that did it wrong.
Well done Joseph, keep it up.
With all due simpaty to Dr Sant.
B Zammit
Oct 23rd 2009, 09:04
Dr. No Regrets