Ian Cilia, Mellieħa
Labour Party missing an opportunity
To renovate our country and introduce the best reforms, such as local councils, rent regulation, education, the dockyards, primary healthcare, public transport and Mepa, our government enters into a lengthy process of widespread consultation with NGOs, unions, constituted bodies and civil society.
Unfortunately, Labour is not contributing much. Last week, after the government placed the Malta Environment and Planning Authority reform Bill on the table, the Prime Minister explained that although the PN has allowed enough space for everybody's input, it was very disappointing that the Opposition failed to find the time, during the 20-month consultation period, to offer any feedback on the reform especially after Joseph Muscat had announced in 2008 that a new committee would present the Labour party's suggestions. What a missed opportunity for Labour.
The PN's 2008 electoral campaign slogan, Together, All Is Possible, is not a rhetorical battle cry. The PN has opened its political arms to the Opposition on several occasions. The decision to nominate the President of Malta from the Opposition's camp is testimony to the value the PN places on consultation, compromise and dialogue. Pity the offer to "work together" has not yet been taken up by the Opposition.
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Anthony Pace Gouder
Jan 27th 2010, 09:48
Ian, a most glaring ommission of consultation , in total conflict to what you 're saying , is the Valletta PIANO-GONZI Project . Obviously ,the plans and scaled down models were not produced in a day ,and nobody (except those few involved with the PM ) HAD A CLUE what was being fabricated . Consultation ? Ask the famous five !
A whole Nation left in the dark .!
Therfore , all was kept secret for months until one fine day the Project was launched out of the blues, and REGRETFULLY in the aftermath of the Euro-parliamentry PL Landslide result .
This display of arrogance REACHED ITS PEAK with the PM's announcing that TIME for Public discussions on this project was over , when there was ABSOLUTELY NONE!!!!
That's it Ian ........ Look before you leap .
A new development ,only revealed the other day , is an imminent Gonzi - Piano " Mysterious Meeting" ! ?
The
Anthony Pace Gouder
Jan 26th 2010, 22:52
@Ian Cilia
Dear Ian, you must be living in Dreamland !
Yesterday it has been REVEALED that Dr. Gonzi and Arch. R. Piano were to hold a "mystery meeting ".!
The Government i.e., Dr. Gonzi has as yet failed to make public the contents of the agreement (contract) engageing R. Piano . The project plans and scaled down models were presented to the general public as a "fait accompli" , as arrogantly , the WHOLE PROJECT had been , for an unknown period of time , discreetly discussed , prepared and decided upon behind a whole NATION"s back ! They had the cheek to say that time for DISCUSSION was over, when discussion was NIL .
APPARENTLY THIS HAD BEEN INNOCENTLY PLANNED AS A WONDERFUL "SURPRISE" PRESENT TO THE PEOPLE UNTIL THE EURO PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION's RESULT AFTERMATH !
The avalanche of complains , opposition and widespread criticism to the project , is 100% proof of this administration's total disregard / lack of CONSULTATION .
K Vella
Jan 26th 2010, 21:44
@ Carmel Cilia
X'ghandu xaqsam. Ian is talking about the possibility for the MLP to really make a difference. And he is right. They didn't do anything to offer any suggestions. Is it the case of "from the frying pan into the fire"?
And again, do YOU remember "is-sengha tal qawsalla", Diraghjn il Maltin? Id Dejma? etc etc. What does MLP have to show for? Horrendous food, bulk buying a failed economy? Or are you too young to remember these?
Carmel Cilia
Jan 26th 2010, 18:26
I would like to know from my friend with my surname what he understands with consultation.Would it be the same consultation the P.N. is using in the water and electyricity tariff question.
I would like to tell Ian that the P.N. has been taking us honest maltese citizens for a ride for too long. Nobody with a sane mind would believe one single word of what our prime minister is telling the Nation. Remember Ian the phrase 'Finanzi fis-sod' Remember Ian ' il-par idejn sodi" My dear friend the game is up, your party has been crying Wolf for too long now.
Charles J. Buttigieg
Jan 26th 2010, 18:17
@ Ian Cilia
God help us if the opposition joins forces with the government as if that happens we will be kissing goodbye to our democratic system. The notion suggesting the opposition to work in harmony with the government is a dangerous one. The opposition has to stand on the other side of the fence and allow the party in government to do what it thinks it should do, scrutinize its business and criticize when it sees wrongdoings. It’s called checks and balance, a principle which could never be achieved if the two sides work together.
m. borg(slm)
Jan 26th 2010, 18:01
@Karl Abela
...and gonziPN reminds me of students who sit in the front row , pretend to know all and during exams have hidden material from were to copy from and end up being gonziPN's MPs
D.Spiteri
Jan 26th 2010, 17:38
@ Karl Abela
Are you serious about what you wrote?!!! That's exactly what the pn's media try to push!! As I have said in a comment before : Min ghandu widnejh biex jisma, SUPPOST sema'; Min ghandu ghajnejn biex jara, SUPPOST ra' ; u min ghandu mohh biex jifhem, SUPPOST fehem. I hope the reason behind your comment is because you don't understand written Maltese, otherwise my friend, you're not using your senses well.
Anthony Mizzi
Jan 26th 2010, 16:33
Labour is not contributing much? Well at least labour is offering proposals and it is who ever runs the OPM that these proposals are not being even considered , let alone accepted.
Labour is setting the Gonzipn agenda which truly has fallen in such a mediocre state that can only be described it as administration by crisis.
Gonzipn apoglists would be beter off trying to make wake-up calls to Dr. Gonzi and his administration and just Lave the LP alone, they just don't need their advice..even if they are as well meaning as the PN can be when giving advise to the Lp.
If there are any opportunities not to be missed try getting Dr. Lawrene Gonzi to grab them as at the end of the day, he is supposed to be at the helm.......or isn't he?
Karl Abela
Jan 26th 2010, 15:56
The labour party reminds me of the typical clueless students who sits on the back bench of the classroom to avoid being asked questions for fear of answering incorrectly. Finally, when push comes to shove, the student has no option but to sit for the compulsory school examinations and, as expected, fails miserably.
And this is exactly the tactic that labour is employing. Before the last election campaign, Labour were enjoying a huge advantage over PN. As soon as Labour's plans for the country (or lack of) were uncovered their advantage was quickly lost in a matter of 2 weeks.
Indeed, it is a huge contrast to PN's Vizjoni 2015 !!!!!
The big question remains: What is labour going to do if they make it to government? Will they be able to run the country satisfactorily? Will there be some kind of direction, plan, strategy??? Does Labour even have the know how??
Difficult to say....their past strategies where a bunch of plans hastily put together as a quick fix to win the election such as the No for Europe strategy, or recently, the year of the repeater class for our primary schools.
Labour missing the opportunities? Yes, deliberately.
Muscat. Pat
Jan 26th 2010, 15:13
Pity the 15% of the Maltese who have fallen in the poverty trap if more of the same is coming along. They have no heart, no emotions no pity?
Tony Mangion
Jan 26th 2010, 15:07
Ian Cilia should know, that it is in the nature of the Nationalist Government not to have serious and true consultations on his projects or reforms. When he seems to be consulting, it will be only done as a cover-up. How many times have you heard constituted bodies complaining that the Government acts contrary to what has been discussed and decided upon with them?. The last example was last week when the Govt. went before the MCESD, hopefully to discuss the utility bills, when he had already the respective Legal Notice in the offing. With regard to the power station extension, will it makes you laugh or cry knowing that MEPA is issuing the building permit next thursday and the contractor in charge of the works has already bought the material?. All this is done before even the project is brought for discussion in parliament.
J.Borg
Jan 26th 2010, 15:02
For me the PL was right in not taking part in the pre-law for MEPA. That's the way to do it. Let the government work and then when the law is presented in parlament a serious debate is held and if the opposition has amendments, that's the place were they are to be presented.
Otherwise what's the use of having parlament just to stamp and make official the mepa reform without any asrious debate.
Also, when the PL offered it's assistance it was always turned down by the PN. Then do the PN really expect the PL totake part when it's for the PN's convenience only.
Now we'll wait and see what proposals the PL is going to present in parlament and we see if the PN is ready to accept any sensible change or it turns it down.
Michael Gatt
Jan 26th 2010, 14:20
IDAHHQUNIEX IZJED GHAX BIEX NIBKU GHANDNA KEMM TRID KIF SALLABTUNA
F Cassar
Jan 26th 2010, 13:59
Mr Cilia couldn't have said it better .... Joseph Muscat is a huge disappointment ... he thinks he can modernise his party with the likes of Toni Abela!!
laurence schembri
Jan 26th 2010, 13:52
Understatement of the year. An Oscar.
Galea. L
Jan 26th 2010, 13:43
Ian Cilia
Keep joking my friend.
Lawrence Fenech
Jan 26th 2010, 12:50
Another joke of the year bhal tat-trab iswed.
g.c.Forte
Jan 26th 2010, 10:47
Is this letter a joke or what...........Not in a thousand years I will believe that the P.N. government wants to include the P.L. in the reforms that you are mentioning. If I start, it is not 200 words I need but 2000. But I wish to ask you who said this phrase " Agree or not we have 5 seats more and we do what we want ". In my opinion, now that only with one seat difference Dr. Gonzi is very careful and playing it like you are saying, because if he makes a small mistake, it will be his own comrades that will put him down. We had some signs already.
Jeremy J Camilleri
Jan 26th 2010, 10:45
Work together? Is Mr. Cilia living on Mars?
D.Spiteri
Jan 26th 2010, 10:26
HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! But shall I cry?
Let me say this in Maltese: Min ghandu widnejh biex jisma, SUPPOST sema'; Min ghandu ghajnejn biex jara, SUPPOST ra' ; u min ghandu mohh biex jifhem, SUPPOST fehem.
Any further comments on this letter would be ......................