Update 3: Dalli gets health and consumer policy portfolio

George Caruana

Nov 29th 2009, 15:15

He will be responsible for DG Health and Consumers, the Community Plant Variety office, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the European Food Safety Authority, the European Medicines Agency and the Executive Agency for health and consumers.

This means that we are all going to die... either with a virus, of hunger or overdose!

Mary Ann Borg

Nov 28th 2009, 20:55

The appointment of John Dalli to practically the same portfolio he held in Gonzi's cabinet is yet another confimation of the quality that this PN government has. Malta appoints a health minister to run local matters and hey presto, the same guy is offered the same responsabilities, this time not only to run Malta's health matters but of the whole of the 520million EU citizens. Par Idejn Sodi, u kif? In the meantime, in trying to allay the focus he brought on himself by showing up late with the king and shying away from the budgetary speech in Parliament, now Joseph is trying to divert the attention to the power-station extension by denying facts now even produced by the Danish police themselves. Time to go slightly further north and have a quick word with the citizens of Iceland again!

C Chircop

Nov 28th 2009, 19:42

Although this is a great appointment for Malta, and I am confident that he will be a success in his new portfolio, I feel that this will have an impact on the quality of the current cabinet.
John Dalli is an experienced and capable MP within Gonzi's cabinet, and in spite of what people think, LG relied alot on him.... similarly to how Giovanni Felice was in Borg Olivier's cabinet in the 60s.

When Felice was unfortunately forced to stand down from his ministerial post due to ill health in the late 60s, Borg Olivier's cabinet suffered, with the consequences seen in the 1971 electoral defeat. History has a habit of repeating itself.

Unfortunately, some people within PN's ranks took the opportunity to issue a superfluous, parrot-style press release which included an attack on PL. For me, this press release holds no water. In the coming weeks, we wish to understand the reasoning behind the next cabinet re-shuffle, since this will impact PN's chances in the next election....just over 3 yrs away.

I'm concerned.

Victor Laiviera

Nov 28th 2009, 11:58

I see that Dr Frank Psaila, Direttur Informazzjoni, PN, is honouring us with his comments.

Perhaps he could give us some concrete reasons why Dr Joe Borg was shunted aside like a squeezed lemon.

joe scerri

Nov 27th 2009, 22:19

Qed niehu l'impressjoni li l-policiti taghna qed jitilquna ftit ftit, u kollha qed jippreferu Brusells minn Malta. Qishom qed jaraw il-parlament malti tat tieni klassi. L-ahjar nies qed jitilquna ghall-rihna.

Dean Adam Mifsud

Nov 27th 2009, 21:08

Well Done Mr. John Dalli on your nomination as EU Commissioner and I`m sure you`ll also
do well in the Health and Consumer Policy portfolio.You will do Malta proud and an Honour,
as well as the Commission,Mr. Dalli.I would like to thank Joe Borg for the sterling work he h-
as done in the last five years as Fisheries and Marritime Affairs Commissioner.Joe Borg has
kept Malta high in dignity during the last Commission.Well Done Mr. Joe Borg.

E. Vassallo

Nov 27th 2009, 19:42

Good luck Mr. Dalli. I hope that you perform well as in past occasions. Although I do not agree with some of the contributors who commented that you were one of the best performing in the present cabinet. Your showing in this legislature ranks among the worst in this legislature and it is only now that we are hearing re some reforms and practices in the health and social sector. Also I felt that I don't hesitate to add that I personally gave my first prefernce to Hon Dalli the last being in 2003 and I don't hold any ill will towards the Hon Dalli.

Mick (Cut to the chase) Quinn

Nov 27th 2009, 18:53

Well I think he will have a full portfolio just on Health and Safety in Malta, not to mention the medicines fiasco that exists here, but as it's an EU unelected appointment I'm not holding my breath

will xuereb

Nov 27th 2009, 17:53

Will Mr Dalli be able to arrange it so that consumers will be able to get a full cash refund when returning unwanted goods from retailers instead of the usual credit note. Or am i mistaken and this policy already exists and i am being misled when the retailer puts up a sign reading no cash refunds given?

Marco Spiteri

Nov 27th 2009, 14:55

Well done John. You make us proud.

V Battistino

Nov 27th 2009, 14:18

So much for the makku island landing such a distinguished post !

So much for local media speculation that giving our name late will lend us a meagre portfolio !

So much for sending John Dalli away from our island - I guess he won't feel nearer anyway given the assignment and our reality.

Well done to our makku island swimming in the waters full of baleni !

Good Luck Mr.Dalli, thank you Dr.Borg, well done Prime Minister !

Mark Said

Nov 27th 2009, 14:17

I think so too. But if that was his wish.........so be it!
Good luck Mr. Dalli and best wishes!

laurence schembri

Nov 27th 2009, 14:14

And so say all of us.

Dr Frank Psaila, Direttur Informazzjoni, PN

Nov 27th 2009, 13:52

Part 2

John Dalli kien strumentali biex il-qasam tas-servizzi finanzjarji jkollu bazi soda f’pajjizna u llum qed ihaddem eluf ta’ haddiema Maltin u Ghawdxin. Kien ukoll responsabbli minn riformi kbar fis-sistema tat-tassazzjoni f’pajjizna u mexxa n-negozjati biex f’pajjizna gie l-bank ta’ fama internazzjonali l-HSBC lil tat lil Malta riljev qawwi fid-dinja finanzjarja u bankarja.

Minkejja l-attakki feroci u kontinwi tal-Partit Laburista fuq John Dalli, illum John Dalli qed jaghmel unur kbir lill-pajjizna bil-portafoll li nghata mill-President tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea Jose’ Manuel Barroso.

Il-PN jawgura lil John Dalli u kburi li ghal snin twal John Dalli hadem fl-istrutturi kollha tieghu u kien xprun ewlieni biex il-politika tal-PN titwettaq bil-bniedem fic-centru taghha.

Il-PN jirringrazzja lil Joe Borg, l-ewwel kummissarju ewropew Malti li bil-hidma tieghu fil-qasam importanti tas-sajd u l-affarijiet marittimi ghamel isem mill-aqwa lil pajjizna xhieda ta' dan il-fiducja li l-UE uriet bil-portafoll li nghata l-kummissarju ewropew gdid John Dalli

Dr Frank Psaila, Direttur Informazzjoni, PN

Nov 27th 2009, 13:47

Part 1

Il-portafoll li nghata l-Kummissarju Ewropew Malti John Dalli, s-sahha u l-politika dwar il-konsumatur jaghmel unur kbir lil pajjizna. Is-sahha u l-konsumatur huma zewg oqsma ta’ importanza kbira ghac-cittadini kollha tal-UE u l-fatt li dawn l-oqsma nghataw lil Kummissarju Malti jaghmel unur kbir lil pajjizna u lill-poplu taghna.

Ghal darb’ohra, pajjizna permezz ta’ John Dalli, ta’ prova li c-cokon tad-daqs mhux xkiel ghall-kontrubut li Malta taghti fl-UE. John Dalli se jkun fost il-kummissarji ewropej bl-aktar karigi importanti.

Il-portafoll li nghata t-tieni kummissarju Malti hu xhieda ta' kemm kienet ghaqlija d-decizjoni tal-Prim Ministru Lawrence Gonzi li nnomina lil John Dalli ghal din il-kariga prestiggjuza u li ggib maghha responsabbiltajiet kbar.

Illum John Dalli hu l-aktar Ministru li ilu fil-Kabinett ta’ Gvern immexxi mill-Partit Nazzjonalista. Beda bhala Segretarju Parlamentari fl-1987 u kien fil-kabinett ta’ kull Gvern immexxi mill-PN. John Dalli kien Segretarju Parlamentari ghall-Industrija u Ministru ghall-Ekonomija, Finanzi, Affarijiet Barranin u f’din il-legislatura Ministru ghall-Politika Socjali li fost ir-responsabbiltajiet tieghu kellhu l-qasam tas-sahha. John Dalli ghandu esperjenza twila fil-qasam finanzjarju u ekonomiku mas-settur privat kif ukoll fi Brussell, kif ukoll kien Kontrollur Finanzjarju tal-PN u l-kumpaniji tieghu.

Kevin Borg

Nov 27th 2009, 13:38

While congratulating John Dalli on this new appointment I cannot but agree with the general feeling that this was a wrong move by the Prime Minister for the national interest he holds dearly at heart. Dalli was by far the most experienced cabinet member and was, without any fanfare, reforming the system and mentality of social welfare.

Many people consider energy as one of the main challenges in this country but I am sorry to say they are wrong. The social services of this country have been used and abused to their stretched limit and this has made their future precarious to say the least, and hence emerging as one of the toughest problems this country must solve in the near future.

Dr.Gonzi’s choice for a European post may be good for Europe but very bad for the nation. Few are those individuals on the Government’s side, except Austin Gatt , that are hard headed enough to execute a tough policy to put the house in order were needed.

Let’s hope Dr.Gonzi will appoint a Minister for the post left void by John Dalli who is able to fill, at least, one of the boots Dalli left behind.

Vince Peresso

Nov 27th 2009, 13:29

Just to say prosit to John Dalli and wish him well in his new venture. I am positive he will do a very good job.

Tony Mangion

Nov 27th 2009, 13:15

Knowing John Dalli, I have strong feelings that he himself have asked the P.M. to nominate him as E.U. commissioner as he couldn't stand the dubious behaviour of many of his comrades at the Cabinet. Wishing him the best of luck in his new assignment.

R Agius

Nov 27th 2009, 13:14

The makku roars again!!! Congratulations! Wonderful feeling seeing fellow Maltese do so well. This vindicates the Nationalist ethos that we are as good as!!

J.Tonna

Nov 27th 2009, 13:05

Yes we will be losing John Dalli's good service. However as he is a very conscientious man, I am sure he will continue giving advice to the Maltese government as well. But all in all he really deserves it.

N.Calleja

Nov 27th 2009, 12:58

Where are the usual PL gloomers and moaners? Who said that the able John Dalli was going to get a minor portfolio because Gonzi was late in announcing him to Barroso? Why don't you hide your faces in shame and let the Government work in the great interest of the Maltese nations! Good job Gonzi ignores what the Labour says or suggests, because the opposite always happens. Congratulation John you've been given a portforlio of great importance!

M Tabone

Nov 27th 2009, 12:57

I think that, if in tune with Finance Ministry, Mr Dalli could continue reforming the Maltese Fiscal Policy, as he was catalyst in reforming and overhauling the Revenue side of this country. Only adequate and stable fiscal revenue can sustain and secure proper social benefits. Politicians like Mr Dalli don’t grow on trees.

c.muscat

Nov 27th 2009, 12:48

congratulations mr.j.dalli

lgalea

Nov 27th 2009, 12:34

Good luck.

http://openeu.bluestatedigital.com/page/m/4b66095d/1ba89f19/85e9c40/7c556b0b/3594556364/VEsH/
EU Commission to "look at" direct EU taxes
AFP reports that in a question-time session in the European Parliament yesterday, European Commission President Jose Barroso said he would look at the idea of raising direct EU taxation. Asked if he agreed with Herman Van Rompuy, the new EU President, that there should be EU taxes, he said: "I intend to look at all issues of taxation in the EU, we have to look at this, we have to look at all resources of the EU. We have promised it to the parliament, the programme with which I was elected was to look at possible 'own resources' and this is in the programme that was adopted by this European Parliament."

http://openeu.bluestatedigital.com/page/m/4b66095d/1ba89f19/85e9c40/7c556b1c/3594556364/VEsEBw/
A BBC investigation has found that large sums promised to developing countries to help them tackle climate change cannot be accounted for. The money was pledged in the 2001 Bonn Declaration, signed by 20 industrialised nations including the 15 EU countries. The EU says the money was paid out in bilateral deals, but admits it cannot provide data to prove it.

Sandra Shields

Nov 27th 2009, 12:02

I would like to congratulate Mr Dalli on his new position, but am sad to see that we are exporting all our assets. Mr Dalli could have contributed more to Malta at the present situation