Wednesday, 25th November 2009 - 11:31CET
Update 3: Muscat does not take part in OPM Budget debate
Joseph Muscat when he spoke on the Budget in Parliament last week.
Opposition leader Joseph Muscat did not speak in the Budget debate on the Estimates of the Office of the Prime Minister which started yesterday and continued this morning.
It was the first time in recent history that the Leader of the Opposition did not speak during the debate on the ministry he directly shadows.
The Opposition speeches were made by former Opposition leader Alfred Sant, Karmenu Vella, Leo Brincat, Helena Dalli, Stefan Buontempo, Roderick Galdes, Gino Cauchi, Marie-Louise Coleiro and Joe Debono Grech.
Dr Muscat only spoke during his general reply to the Budget speech last week.
A spokesman for the Labour Party said that Dr Muscat felt that his two-hour speech last week was sufficient and he had a very well prepared team which could speak on the various sectors of the Office of the Prime Minister. The spokesman also pointed out that time allocated for the Budget debate was limited.
PN STATEMENT
The Nationalist Party in a statement said that Dr Muscat by not taking part in the debate had 'abdicated his responsibilities'.
The party said Dr Muscat's behaviour was unacceptable and raised serious questions over the way he was handling his responsibilities as Leader of the Opposition.
Its said his absence was symptomatic of arrogance and superficiality.
PL STATEMENT
The Labour Party in a statement this evening reiterated the comments made by its spokesman in the morning. It also pointed out that the Prime Minister twice refused a request for an extension of 15 minutes to the time availabile to the Opposition and an equivalent amount to the government.
The PL said the government's lack of respect to Parliament was evidenced by its putting off of debate in Parliament on the Opposition motion on the power station extension.
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Comments
IF the conservaitves want a history lesson about their party they need to look no further to the newsreel of when Musollini declared war on France and the UK (Malta) AND SEE WHO WAS CARRYING the Maltese banner and how the announcement was greeted. The newsreel was shown on the Geographical GHN.
Inhobbkom Joseph seems to be having huge difficulties with his diary because he either doesn't turn up for meetings, or he's late. Yesterday's totally unacceptable delay in meeting the King of Spain speaks volume of the man. Perhaps he was tucked in some corner eating his favourite burger again? The leader of Malta's opposition party portrayed Malta in very bad light with his delay in meeting the highest representative of the kingdom of Spain.
I have my own opinion of people who are repeatedly late for meetings, none of them are good.
Rise in deficit
Less tourist visiting Malta
Less tourist visiting Malta by cruise liners
Dark cloud on the power station tender ( which the government do not want to discuss in parliament )
Power station failures
higher water - electricity-gas tariffs
Refusal to eliminate the prescription on Parliamentary deputies
Shortage of medicine and over inflated prices. etc.etc.
Yet, what's bothering the pn apologists is JM giving space to his elected party deputies to discuss the budget.
Always the same old tactics when they are against the ropes.
Mind you the important decisions are always left out of the budget. In England, the Prime Minister gives out the budget speech, a reply is given by the opposition and the PM replies back all in the same day. Parliament is there to change and improve legislation not to go into endless debates that mean nothing to the people.
Now this can either be interpreted as arrogance or as a showing that budget speeches are useless or both.
ARROGANCE at it's best??!!
Are you sure you're talking about Dr.Muscat or maybe about the Nationalist Government??
@all PN bloggers
It's better if you worry about the much more serous scandals that have hit our country during these last months...
"I support Labour because the PL thinks this way, logically not traditionally."
Yeah, great, now go tell that to Iceland now.
first he ran away and hid from the icelandic repporter.
then he shied away from the press questions.
after that he did not confront Gonzi on the budget.
now this.
.
Dazgur li kienet rebha legali. Jekk hux fair jew le dak argument iehor. Infakkrek li kieku ma kinux ftit voti, fl-1971 kienet tigri l-istess haga bil-PN kien johrog rebbieh. Imma dakinhar ma qaghdtux tghidu li l-MLP kellu maggoranza tajba, izda ntalbu recounts. Bilhaqq dak iz-zmien id-distretti lanqas kienu kollha bl-istess ammont ta' deputati
I mean for crying out loud trying to use this non-issue to discredit Muscat will only add to his popularity...mark my words!!
If Malta's present predicament emanted from lack of speeches by Dr Gonzi, the problems would have been easy to remedy ; indeed the problem lies with too many speeches and rhetoric, and , unfortunately too little action. The truth is that Gonzi does not make things happen.
We want action not words Dr.Gonzi!
Everyone knows you like to talk. Well done??
The Finance Minister reads out the countries annual estimates for the upcoming year; the Leader of the Opposition reacts and the PM counter reacts. The projected estimates are then subdivided and each divide is scrutinised and debated with the respective shadow minister. No problem to accept that.
Our PM is directly responsible for more than one ministry due to his ‘new idea ’to have a small cabinet. To me it makes much more sense to listen to the different opposition MPs, who shadow the PM’s different portfolios, levelling their particular area of criticism than the leader of the opposition following an old tradition for the sake of it. If a thing doesn’t work, change it.
I support Labour because the PL thinks this way, logically not traditionally.
I'm glad you noted thet the present PL team is a balanced mix of experience and youthfull energy and innovation. With a young leader bringing in fresh ideas.
And the person you disparagingly refer to as the "ex Ms Malta of some years back" is now a Ph.D. Not many of those on the PN benches.
Ghaliex dejjem tgergru? MLP doesn't exist exist any more. Miet malli il perit irrezenja. So if you feel down and depressed, join the glorious PN, li qied fil gvern bil barka ta Alla, u jkollkom biex ticcelebraw. Hallu warajkom dak il partit tellief, and join the main Maltese Party=PN. Harsu madwarkom, u taraw kemm ghandkom gid. Pajjiz benestanti. So ghaliex tgergru? Il PN ghamilkom sinjuri, u ta il futur lilkom, u lil pajjizna. Pajjiz li huwa wihed mill ahjar fl EU.
So, ejjew nirringrazjaw lil PN, ejjew nivvutaw ilkoll flimkien lil PN.
Grazzi,
Shaun Bonello.
You need to brush up your political history.
- Yes the Labour win of 81 was perfectly legal and constitutional. The PN boycott of parliament, on the other hand, was not - it verged on the seditious. Bear in mind also that 10 years earlier - in '71 - the PN had tried to do EXACTLY the same thing and only failed by a whisker.
- The constitutional emendments of '87 achieved two aims:
- It made the gerrymandering of elections (started by the PN in '71) no longer possible, and
- it forced the PN to accept the neutrality clause, which made it impossible for them to make Malta a NATO base again, as they would surely have done without it.
Dr Muscat can afford to take the centre stage ( or decline it for even greater effect ) while his party is in opposition, so I expect we will be seeing many more carefully rehearsed performances from him before (and after) the next election.
Sadly, however, a good government also needs a good opposition to keep it focussed and accountable. Regrettably, Malta appears to have neither at the moment.
Never mind, we still have Dr. Joe's unique brand of political comedy to cheer us through the recession... Bravo, Joe.
We should be discussing the way Joe Borg has been cast aside like a squeezed lemon and John Dalli kicked upstairs to make Gonzi;s shaky throne just a bit more stable ,,,,
what's the fuss about Joseph Muscat not speaking during the debate.....this should have also come from the PM and let backbenchers to speak.....
Why is it that as things were always done like that, we cannot change them.......one thing in question is that like what happens in the reply to the budget...we have a 2 hr speech then the leader of opposition has to endure an other 1hr speech in which as happens repeat most of the things already said and answers some questions from the media....from me just a waste of precious time...
Quote: "At least he was present unlike certain PN MPs who fail to attend parliament"
You spoke too fast mate, The final vote this morning passed by 35 to 32! Guess who were the ones that were absent from Parliament!!
Not quite the stuff of a 'prime-minister in-waiting'.
U mbaghad mur ara kieku tkellem x'kien ha jghid mhux dejjem l-istess diska, gholi tal hajja, korruzzjoni, nies ma jlahhqux mal hajja, nies bla xoghol, koppji bla divorzju , prim ministru u ministri ma jaghmlu xejn bla bla bla
I find it more serious when ministers take" free tickets to ride", are not accountable for massive fraud at their VATdepartment, and yet no one ever resigns.
And still, works at Bahrija are progressing , notwithstanding the massive protests by the public, on such a prestine land.
These are far more dangerous indications of undemocratic behaviour...... No wonder, Malta (under Gonzi) is fast sliding in the index of "Transperancy International"!
after all the OPM has parliamentary secretaries as well as the PM. no one is suggesting that it was the PM who had to reply to the opposition speakers!!
trying to belittle Joseph only goes to show how afraid you all are of the man and maybe how disillusioned you all are with the par idejn sodi who seems to have lost control over his own parliamentary group!!
Pity that two days later Dr Gonzi , no matter his age, was so immature and unbelievably unethical in the way he spoke.
Budget ma kienx reali... Inutli thabbaq fuqu... jekk lanqas biss nafu kemm se jkunu l-kontijiet... Kif tista titkellem... M'ghadux iz-zmien li toqoghod tghid hafna kliem sabih filbudget.. Imbghad ma tatix widen tan-nies tijghak stess....Ilum kulhadd sar jimpurtah kemm se jibqalu flus fil-but hu... U din ma nafawix... Ax la naf kemm se joghla d-dawl u l-ilma... u l-medicini, u il-prezz tal-haxix... ect ect ect... Nista nibqa sejjer insemmi l-lista. It could be it was a good budget... But in reality are people having more spending power in thier hands or all this spending power is ending to the gov again.. ??? Everybody will see his pocket... the answer is there
If I did not know so well, I would have thought that you were an apolitical person who does not even know the M/LP MP's.
Considering the fact that five out of eight speakers have been MP's when you an me were much younger, your statement holds no water.
It suffice to mention that Joe Debono Grech is about your and my age - nearing 70, whilst Alfred Sant , Karmenu Vella, Leo Brincat, and M.L. Coleiro were all in the fray either in Parliament or holding important positions during the Mintoffian/KMB regime. Than there is
ex Ms Malta of some years back Helena Dalli who has been active in the M/LP years before the last 3, i.e. the not so young new MP's, Gino Cauchi, Rodrick Galdes and Stefan Bountempo, who served the M/LP in Local Committees & Councils for quite some years.
I opine that most, if not all of them, are not worthy to shadow the PN Ministers, let alone running our country three/four years from now.
Coaraggio Fuggiamo JM.
Michael Seychell
Tal-Pieta
Hallina Guz
They see nothing wrong with Tonio Fenech travelling on a private jet with the businessman who could be taking over yet another casino worth millions of Euros.
They see nothing wrong with the Tonio Fenech not making a statement in parliament about his trip opting instead for a newspaper interview.
But if Joseph allows his team that is specialized on the topics discussed to do their job than…
Please read the last paragraph, and in particular the last sentence where you will find all is revealed.
Why try to make an issue from a non-story?
Dr Muscat is acting the way he does because he knows the popularity he currently enjoys and attending the OPM debate or not is a trivial matter so let us not be naive in convincing ourselves otherwise.
re medicines.....the pharmacy of your choice scheme was a total failure and yes many medicine is out of stock. ask around and you'll get a confirmation of this.
The many 'captains' will again sink the ship.
Joseph may run, but cannot hide.
@ Joe Cassar
Easy to explain Dr. Gonzi's occasional absence from Parliament - he is out there getting jobs and foreign investments and maybe saving your job if you still work.
@ M Farrugia
"Mature enough to trust his team"? Which team? The anti-EU or the pro-EU team (because it has no choice)?
@ C.R. Taliana
Forsi ghax 'it-team' ma jhalluhx ipacpac fil-vojt ghax kull darbe li jitah halqu johrog b'xi cucata?
@ ALEXANDER ENUIS
Still cannot get rid of that sour taste of last five elections, eh? Oh, yes, less 22 months!
Well done Joseph! The less we hear from you, the better!
MUSCAT SHADOWS THE OFFICE OF THE PM SO HE SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN!!
IT WAS HIS DUTY TO SPEAK AND COME UP WITH SERIOUS PROPOSALS AND ARGUMENTS BUT HE FAILED TO DO SO .... HE ABDICATED FROM HIS RESPONSIBILITY AND THIS IS SHAMEFUL
NO MATTER WHAT THE LABOUR APOLOGISTS ARE WRITING IN THIS BLOG FACT REMAINS THAT MUSCAT HAS SHOWN HOW IRRESPONSIBLE HE CAN BE !
LAST TIME HE SOPKE IN PARLIAMENT HE SAID AD NAUSEA 'I'M YOUNG' .... I'M AFRAID HE IS MORE IMMATURE THAN YOUNG FOR THE POST OF OPPOSITION LEADER!
ARA FIL-KAZIN TAL-LABOUR IL-HADD FILGHODU HEMMHEKK HE SPEAKS FOR HOURS ON END GHAX HEMMHEKK THE CROWD WILL CLAP AND SAY 'KEMM HU BRAVU L-LEADER'!
IF THIS WAS SOME STRATGEY THEN HIS ADVISORS HAVE MADE YET ANOTHER BIG MISTAKE! SLOWLY BUT SURELY JOSEPH IS LOOSING IT .... SEWWA QALET DIK IL-.KARIKATURA TA' THE TIMES LAST MONDAY LI THE GUY IS ALL HATS......IMMA SUSTANZA ZERO!!!!!
WHAT A PITY AND WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT THIS GUY IS !
Look at what your 'experts' brought our courtry to.
Il messag waslu ghal min irrid jisma' .
Issa spicca iz-zmien tal-paroli fuq il-budget, issa nigu ghal kontijiet, imbaghad la jkun hemm il-kontijiet fl-idejn nitkellmu . Issa naraw liema paroli kien fil fatt paroli fil vojt
This news does not augur well for the Leader of the Opposition Joseph Muscat as it sends the wrong message that he is not capable to suggest and debate the subject unless of course it is an already prepared speech (presumably by others), which he can read from it.
Unfortunately, this kind of attitude is not appreciated by the majority of the Maltese electorate as it clearly demonstrates that this “guy” is merely not up to the job!
Pity!
JC.
Your Mum must be luckier then Me.
I am entiltled to my tabs for high pressure AMLODIPINE 5mgs and has had to buy them for the past three months and I am from Naxxar and fall under the Pharmacy of Your Choice Scheme.
Lies? Lies MY FOOT, Grow Up and face the facts if you have any common sense!!!
Why are you taking JM to task for not participating in yesterday's debate in parliament?
Where were you when recently the Finance Minister said that he has nothing to say to parliament because he said what he had to say to the Times?
@ L.Gauci: Don't you know that during PM's budget speech, half of the oppostion members were absent !?
Who want to be bored by lies?
Jekk Dr Muscat jitkellem tgergru li ma tkellimx u jekk ma jitkellimx tgergru ghax ma tkellimx. Sirtu partit tat-tgergir ghax issa sibtu dak li hallejtu ghax hsibtu li se titilfu l-elezzjoni u ghamiltu stragi bl-ekonomija imma irnexxilkom tisirqu l-elezzjoni bi zbrixx. Imma kif jghidu, minn xarrbu kielu l-bakkaljaw ghax inthom stess sibtu l-problemi li ghamiltu u hallejtu ghax flok ma wicc il-Labour sibtuhom ma wicckom.
Joann Bugeja
Il-gideb huwa ta' dawk li jridu jqarrqu bil-poplu.
Staqsi kemm hemm medicini li huma out of stock ghax il-Gvern ta' Gonzi ghandu jaghti l-miljuni lill-importaturi tal-medicini.
Ghax ommok sabet il-medicini li kellha bzonn ma jfissirx li kulhadd qieghed jinghata l-medicini.
Isthu jekk tafu tisthu.
Can you cite anywhere where in a Parliamentary Democracy is practiced where the Leader of the Opposition failed to respond to the Budget when the Estimates of the Office of the Prime Minister are being debated?
So we are blaming Muscat for being absent from what a Budget Debate which he discussed last week.
Why don't we all ask how many of all members from the Side were present??
How many times during the year nearly half / 3/4 of the parliament seats are left, leaving only the speaker and 4 members of the house asking questions to each other.
What is he afraid of?
What should be concerning to most of us all is that most of Dr Muscat's speech remained unanswered by the PM.
The €15 million in efficiencies that would go into our water and electricity bills.
cost of living
The long list of unfulfilled promises
The long list of dubious cases such as the power station/tonio fenech etc.
What's the use of having a PM speaking every day when he doesn't address our real concerns.
Joseph Muscat spoke for 2 hours and pressed all the right buttons. Enough said.
Today, the discusion was about th nitty gritty, day to day operations of the office of the PM - which includes many diverse fields - so much so that no less than 7 or 8 opposition MPs cover the OPM.
Muscat did well to leave all the time avaibale to the shadowing MPs to make their criticism, rather than take it up, as is usually done, with generalised comments mainly done for the gallery.
New people, new thinking. Ths augurs well for future debate in parliament.
Issa billi jitkellem il budget mhux diga lest u min jaf x'ghad irid jigri matul is sena li gejja!!
Din tajba bhal tal-pre-budget forums biex jiddiskutu x irid isir umbad kollox ikun ilu preparat. Meta jirrispondi tghidu li dejjem kollox hazin u meta ma jghid xejn tghidu li new politics u hallunaaaaa!!
Ahjar taraw it travu li hemm f'ghajnejkhom milli it tibna ta haddiehor!!
He needs to train for when he is elected, you see.