Eddie Aquilina, Sliema
Dom Mintoff and the politics of division
I was amazed to read Robert Henry Bugeja praising Dom Mintoff (The Politics Of Division, October 30). If ever we had a political leader who fomented class hatred and division in years of political violence, it was precisely the politician Mr Bugeja adulates.
His nostalgia for the pre-1987 Labour government sounds more like a case of amnesia. Not only the political violence but also government controls in all facets of life, corruption, high unemployment, lack of opportunities, closed University, second-hand investment and, to top it all, 8,000 jobs for the boys in the last few days before the 1987 election are simply forgotten by Mr Bugeja in his earnest wish to have Labour back in government.
"If there are still some good people out there who still believe that Malta saw the light when the PN came to power in 1987, think again", implores Mr Bugeja. Well, what we can certainly say is that on May 9, 1987, we ended a dark period in our political history that should really have ended in 1981 if it weren't for Labour's inability to accept defeat at the polls.
Mr Bugeja's praise of Joseph Muscat is a case of amnesia as well. Doesn't he remember Dr Muscat spearheading Labour's anti-EU campaign on Super One TV with his "made in Brussels" diatribes? But, of course, with Mr Bugeja's nostalgia for Mintoff, he would have liked every minute of those programmes.
We are one nation now because successive Nationalist governments gave the opportunity to tens of thousands of working class youths to achieve the level of education that has widened the middle class. The 1981, 1987, 1992, 1998, 2003 and 2008 election results show that the Maltese people appreciate the well-being brought about by Nationalist governments and that the dark Labour years Mr Bugeja yearns for under Dr Muscat remain a blot on Labour's history.
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Gerard Cassar
Nov 5th 2009, 20:23
So according to Mr.Franco Farrugia there was freedom of the press under Mintoff. Silence amounts to approval. I asked the question and challenged you to say whether there was freedom of expression under Mintoff not as you wrote: one could not criticise under Mintoff!
This is what you wrote
"Please, don't make me laugh, most of you. At least, if nothing else, today, we can criticise to our hearts' content - it was not so(sic) during Mintoff's regime. At least, today, we can study to our hearts' content - it was not so during Mintoff's regime!
You did not answer hence your argument is lost. The question is:
"Why did you write that at all? Because you have been brain washed! Misrepresenting and trying to brain wash others. That what upsets the stomach Not saying the truth bluntly. You did not attenuate your writing, no you are positive 100 % and you proved nothing because there is nothing to proof. So use carefulness when writing to be published. I cannot stomach lies, you see why you upset my and perhaps others stomach too.
Kurt Mifsud
Nov 5th 2009, 12:33
@s.fenech - I never neglected the world economic crisis. But you are neglecting the careless overspending there was during Fenech Adami's government. Where did the Lm 100 million Mintoff left go? How could you turn that into 100m debt?
Franco Farrugia
Nov 5th 2009, 11:22
@ Gerald Cassar - If one of us two is brainwashed, surely I am not the one. If you read all my writings, you will know how moderate I am and how balanced my opinion is! So, don t you come telling me that I upset your stomach! The fact that you think like that about those times show, heh, that you certainly were not at the wrong end! The fact that you, for one, did not mind all that was going on, upsets my stomach and I have to leave my desk momentarily ... but not before reminding you that it was not the "people" who went to burn down The Times and it was not "the people" who went to attack the Curia, just opposite the Police HQ. It was Labourites, pure and simple, led by Mintoff's lack of tolerance, bellic discourse and his ministers' actions! Since when a national enterprise allows workers to leave their places of work in order to go and burn down here, and there, and attend political manifestations and meetings? Well, the Drydocks did and it continues to be haunted by this evil till its death-knell! Now, call me 'brainwashed'!
Gerard Cassar
Nov 4th 2009, 20:49
Mr. Franco Farrugia. Is it possible that you write" there was no freedom under Mintoff." Was the Times not published daily (the people attack is of course condemned) even after being attacked and what articles were written on that occasion. You truly upset my stomach and of how many more,with your "saintly" remarks about freedom. Was not the P.N. paper published daily. Was there censorship. Give a straight answer "Yes" or "No" and don't beat about the bush..
If a public manifestation of insurgence takes place, which government stands with closed arms. A civil servant according to the democratic rules cannot absent himself from work except in case of a lawfull strike and not following a call by the leader of the opposition. It was a protest for one day less holiday when, and you cannot deny it, though you were a teacher that that government that abolished a one day public holiday gave 52 days extra holidays to government workers, Saturdays. So don't show that you have been brainwashed nothithstanding you pretend to be a well educated person and perhaps a free thinker. Come on see things as they were and not as related by the dependent press.
Franco Farrugia
Nov 4th 2009, 08:54
Atr Joe Busuttil - Indeed, Mintoff may have put us on the world map, but for the wrong reasons. We were very much a renegade state, thanks to him. He may have brought freedom from the British - but were we, the Maltese, free? No. And to me, that is all that counts. He was a dictator, he was a conservative, he wanted things to run only his way, he was intolerant to views which were not his own!
Joe Busuttil
Nov 3rd 2009, 20:48
Eddie,(Aquilina not FA) Mintoff was the person who put Malta on the world map. What I am sure of is that on more than one occasion when I have been abroad I was questioned about what Mintoff was up to . Foreigners especially English people,who admire a real leader, are the ones who ask most about him. Which of your leaders is known to the common folk abroad? He may have made mistakes,but his achievments surpass them.
s.fenech
Nov 3rd 2009, 20:16
@k. mifsud So u have not heard of the economic & financial crisis out there? and u still believe that malta has a kaxxa in which pennies r dropped in? what can i say u r obviously well read in economic and financial affairs! Mlata a paradise, no. ! Iceland is though, especially after heeding joseph muscat advice and staying out of the eu and out of eurozone! perhaps u should ask joseph how malta would have fared had it stayed out of the eurozone, as he had wanted.
N.Cortis
Nov 3rd 2009, 19:57
Dom Mintoff was a born leader and the greatest Prime Minister Malta has ever had!!Why Malta should say a great thanks to Mr.Mintoff-------- Children,Pensioners,all women----(equal pay for equal work) Mid Med Bank, Bank Of Valetta,Sea Malta,Air Malta,5 day week to all workers,40 hour week to all workers,half yearly and christmas bonuses,flat rate cost of living increase--(not on % bases as we used to have under PN prior to 70's),on two consecutive budgets all workers were given a rise in pay of LM 4.00 weekly,Housing estates all around Malta to the workers families,home ownership schemes to the working class,extending the runway from luqa to B'bugia---(a very large project that took 7 years to complete,with Dom Mintoff monitoring every single phase of that project,building of no.6 dock,Malta ship building,Tele Malta,Ene Malta,malta post ,ect.ect.ect------just to mention a few things that Mr.Mintoff did for the Maltese nation,apart from giving Malta FREEDOM from the british,when Malta truly became free without any foreigner obliging us what to do!!!Dom Mintoff managed also to convince both USA and Russia so that they should not send armed warships into our port!!!!! The list of good things Mr.Mintoff did for Malta is endless!! All this with the PN opposing everything!
Franco Farrugia
Nov 3rd 2009, 19:38
Please, don't make me laugh, most of you. At least, if nothing else, today, we can criticise to our hearts' content - it was not so during Mintoff's regime. At least, today, we can study to our hearts' content - it was not so during Mintoff's regime!
P. Schembri
Nov 3rd 2009, 19:19
@Franco Farrugia. I know you're a moderate, so I'm going to talk like one. Yes, the last Labour legislation was a disaster, that should never have happened. But bear this in mind, and you as a moderate, I know you'll agree with me. It takes two to tango, and that's what happened after 1977. When EFA was elected PN leader, all hell broke loose. Industrial actions, boycotts, espionage network, you name it and it was there. Mass demonstrations, mass meetings nearly weekly, and what not. Keep the nation on tenterhooks. You of course know the (in)famous Malta file and book "Is Malta Burning?" Don't you think that would have a bad effect on international relations? The government was driven into a corner. To make it worse, there was another recession, 2 in five years if you remember correctly. So what the government should have done? I totally deplore all violence perpetrated, and am not one to condone it. But let's not point fingers to one side. The other side wasn't as pure as many made it out to be.
Kurt Mifsud
Nov 3rd 2009, 18:53
@s.fenech - So what is paradise? What we have today is paradise? Oh yes i forgot, it's because of the world's recession. It has got nothing to do with the fact that Mintoff left Lm100 million before giving his place to Fenech Adami who in turn left Lm100 million debt
Muscat. Pat
Nov 3rd 2009, 18:53
Mr Aquilina is the living proof that the politics of dividing the Maltese society is still the number One agenda of a few good men. Otherwise how can one explain that after 20 years of PN rule and misrule, people like Mr Aquilina, still harp on the hatred that they have for anything to do with PL and yet find nothing wrong with the hardships that ordinary Maltese are going through at the moment?
The truth is that there is no freedom without social justice, and social justice was introduced in Malta by the PL.
s.fenech
Nov 3rd 2009, 18:15
how can living under mintoff have been such a paradise? for a few maybe, especially those who had connections, who could get a license to sell on, a piece of land that was green area & suddenly building permit issued and on and on. malta under mintoff was a pariah state with friends such as caucescu of rumania,and kim il sung of north korea. it was condemned by human rights groups and shunned by democratic govenments....a pardise indeed!
c. camilleri
Nov 3rd 2009, 17:07
@ Michael Degiorgo How could the Nationalist elected candidates get their salaries when they were not sworn in a MPs. If you believe that Dom was so generous with is opponents when all Malta was downtrodden i suggest that you will check the facts before rushing to print..
@ jc forte. I think you are having a hard time defending your Dom.
MIchael Degiorgio
Nov 3rd 2009, 16:28
MR AQUILINA MY I REMIND YOU IT WAS THE PN WHO BOYCOTTED PARLIAMENT FOR 18 MONTHS AND IT WAS THE LABOUR PARTY THAT WAS FOOLISH ENOUGH TO STILL PAY THEM THERE SALARY NOW ANSWER ME THIS WOULD A COMMON PERSON GET THE SAME TREATMENT FROM HIS PLACE OF WORK ALSO LABOUR WITH THE SURPLUS OF OVER 7000 VOTES IN 96 SHOULD HAVE HAD A MAJORITY OF 3 SEATS AND NOT 1 I SUGGEST THAT YOU SHOULD SEE BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN BEFORE YOU LOBBY ONE SIDE MAYBE THE GOOD THAT WAS CREATED FROM 71 TO 87 WERE NOT WHAT YOU EXPECTED FROM A TRULY PERSON WHO ALWAYS HAD THE MALTESE NATION FIRST AND FORTH TO HIS HEART
g.c.Forte
Nov 3rd 2009, 16:02
@ David Buttigieg...I am sure that J. Borg wanted to say 8000. The point is that the P.N. makes fuss on the elections of 1981, when the labour won by the majority seats as per our CONSTITUTION, and never says that in 1996 the labour should have had at least two or three seats more, and the story would have been different,but because the gerrymindering that the P.N. done, the story is like it is . Minn fuq l-irdum ghal isfel. And please we are brothers..we are not evils. Mr. Editor take note.
g.c.Forte
Nov 3rd 2009, 15:16
@ Maria Vella.. It seems that taking you from your writing in english,you are an educated persons.Being a youth in Mintoff era, I come to the conclusion that your parents used the money that Mintoff gave them ( children`s allowance ) very wisely. I am sure that any of your family is still living in a government house that took in Mintoff era.But I am very sorry, that your parents did not tells you the financial situation when the labour found when took power in the70`s. Like a good father, yes Mintoff always thought and worked for a better life not just for today, ( like the government we have now),but for the next generations. But when the P.N. got the power in 87.. FAQQAW kollox...today ??? "ghal gol hajt."please read my comment below.
J Martinelli
Nov 3rd 2009, 14:39
If one goes to a doctor (the electorate) and the doctor prescribes pills (election defeats) what is the patient do? Stare at the pills (for 21 years) or get it over with and swallow them in order to get better?
Pity is, the (M)LP never got any better meaning they never had the gumption of swallowing their pride (pills) and truly reform, regret and apologize for the past and start a fresh page.
Changing leaders but sticking to passé' methods does no good. The present successor to Dom Mintoff invited back elements from Mintoff's time proving that there is not the least desire to change tack from the dark era.
Maria Vella
Nov 3rd 2009, 14:18
Growing up as a child an youth under the Mintoff regime was no joke. I believe that the Great Dom did some good initially way back in 1970s, but towards the end of his dictatorship living on this island made you hate it. I remember the days when simple things were illegal to own. You were a criminal way then if you dared own a cordless telephone, you needed to ask for a fvaour to get a telephone line at your new home, you needed to have goodies imported , hidden away in luggages from UK, clour TVs a dream, and the list goes on and on. Violence need not be spoken more of. I truly hope that the Progressive Party (that is what he calls his party even though the latest abbreviation is in Maltese PL) that Dr. Muscat is so keen about, is clean of all the filth of the past corupt people, and practices. Dr. Muscat frightens me. He seems too pleasing towards everyone, I wonder when he is truthful, and when he is not. The Maltease will change the Govt. but they will not become anyones's slaves again. "Doms children" have learnt a lesson. NEVER AGAIN
David Buttigieg
Nov 3rd 2009, 13:42
@J.Borg,
"But how can you explain that in 1996, the PL gained about 18000 more votes but still finished with 3 seats less. "
Where on earth did you get the 18000 figure? In 1996 labour won by 7,632 votes, no more, no less! No wonder you find it so easy to forget the evil regime of the 70s and 80s if you don't remember 1996.
g.c.Forte
Nov 3rd 2009, 13:01
@ Eddie Aquilina...Can you be kind enough and tell me who was that person who introduced these. A. Minimum wage from Lm.4.00 to Lm42.00. B. Same wages for men and women. C. ALL the Social benefits. D. Sea Malta, Air Malta, Mid. Med.bank, Freeport and hundreds of factories. E. Thousands of houses, flats and plots given to the common citizens with a very little rent (same as you are buying peanuts.) and many more............Now can you tell me A. Who went against our constitution, and for nearly 2 years he and his fellows boycotted the parliament. B. Create instabbility in our country because of the CIVIL DISOBIDIENCE. C. Went across Europe and tell them not to invest in Malta. D. Who was pleased when the crowd called " Salbu,,,Salbu " D. Who put the lives of women and children at risk, when he march them to make a meeting in Zejtun,when he knew that there is going to be trouble,irrelevant what the courts said, the first thing he should care was the lives of the people. Dear Eddie.. A COIN HAS TWO SIDES...and do not forget it. If these are not divisions,what are they ?
Franco Farrugia
Nov 3rd 2009, 12:19
At Mr P Schembri: 'To be a labourite under a PN government is someone of a lower scale and under-privileged. A labourite can't be part of a board or authority. That is political division.'
>>>> At least, today, labourites cannot fear for their very lives, under PN, as was the case with Nationalists under Mintoff. I am not in any way trying, even remotely, to defend the PN, especially this administrationm because it has huge faults and it is carrying out immense blunders, to my knowledge. However, facts are facts and you cannot try and deny them.
P. Schembri
Nov 3rd 2009, 11:41
Who was the one who called out in Republic Street "Fejn Huma l-Laburisti?" That is political division, Mr. Aquilina. No wonder you're hurting about the truth. It was your dear leader, and photograph model who brought division in Malta, as soon as he had been chosen Leader of the PN in 1977. Do you remember the whole espionage network of "Il-Kumitati tax-Xoghol"? Do you remember the social boycotts against everyone who was a labourite? Under his leadership the labourites became a stigma in Maltese society, as it was back in the 60's. To be a labourite under a PN government is someone of a lower scale and under-privileged. A labourite can't be part of a board or authority. That is political division Mr. Aquilina.
J.Borg
Nov 3rd 2009, 11:41
@ Eddie Aquilina:
How is it that you and other PN bloggers, keep saying that the PN should have been in power in the 1981 election.
Can you please quote from our constitution the paragraphs regarding election and who should have been elected.
As far as i know, the constitution stated that it is the party who gained more seats should govern.
I know it was a perverse result.
But how can you explain that in 1996, the PL gained about 18000 more votes but still finished with 3 seats less.
Also, i don't know how the PN bloggers shed all this hatred against one of Malta's great politician.
Also as regards JM praise, as if everyone coming from the PN side was in favour of joining the EU.
Grow up and look ahead as it is the future that is of interest to us.