MP turns down prime minister's offer

Mary Ann Borg

Mar 12th 2010, 00:00

That Dr JP Farrugia is a good and honest man, there is no doubt. That he is couragious in speaking his mind is in no doubt either. This however, doesn't mean that he is correct. Firstly, he spoke (treathened?) to vote against the Healt Bill when it was clear that the bill was only in its earliest stages and open for discussion. He should remember that his 'threat' could easily be copied by the people who voted him in at the last election. Secondly, Dr JP Farrugia was not correct when he said that accepting the new post will hinder him from critisizing the government. The only thing he could not critisize is the ministry in which he would have been involved. I think that's quite fair and logical and I can't see why Dr JP Farrugia has to speak his mind out in public and on Super 1 repeatedly. This is up to him, of course, but it's sad to see such a gentleman signing his own political death warrent, really sad because the man is full of energy and has a golden heart. He confuses me totally.

E. Vassallo

Mar 11th 2010, 13:21

@Jean-pierre Farrugia

There was no need to highlight not once but TWICE the clause inserted in the code of ethics. You are a great family doctor with true social conscience but Nationalists feel that you are playing at the opposition's hands with every statement that comes out of your mouth. What I wanted to ask you, is why are you bringing all the health shortcomings now and not when you were a Nationalis candidate? I find it hard to believe that you refused your twinning because of your choice to criticize.

Unfortunately every time we see or hear you is only on One TV. Believe you are becoming pathetic by the minute to the Nationalist supporters.

RGatt

Mar 11th 2010, 13:01

Lawrence Cardona today heard an MP who hears the peoples cries. I wonder if Mr. Cardona ever heard of commas and fullstops and well written English grammar.

Jeremy J Camilleri, have you ever heard of the three wise men in shorts?

@ Muscat Pat - Treason is when Dom Mintoff votes against in parliament and he's called a traitor by Dr. Sant, the then PM. Treason is when you have the above mentioned wise men in shorts who decide whether one is still allowed to be a member in the party or not, eg. Wenzu Mintoff, Toni Abela, Maria Camilleri and others. How dare you talk about treason Pat Muscat.

m.farrugia

Mar 11th 2010, 10:11

It-tabib Farrugia baqa sod fl-argument tieghu allura mhux pinnur, li kienu bidel hsiebu kien ikun pinnur. Ghalkemm il-kurrenti ħafna minnhom huma kontra tieghu ma marx huwa ghand l-opposizzjoni imma l-opposizzjoni qed taghmel kapital minn kliemu. Hemm kurrenti kontra tieghu u baqa sod. Nahseb li ma tridx tmur l-Universita sabiex tifhem dak li ktibt. Nispera jekk ghandu jirrispondi kif jghid inti ma jħallinix nieqes. Mhux kull kelb li jimbah jigdem, u din ikkonferma it-tabib stess bi kliemu stess.

Stephen Borg Cardona

Mar 11th 2010, 01:06

I`m sorry but i very much doubt that there are more than two or three people in parliament form either side who are not there out of ambition and self interest.

Michael Catania

Mar 10th 2010, 21:06

There is a saying and qoute "A dog that barks never bites"

Joseph ( Joe) Grima

Mar 10th 2010, 20:44

@M Farrugia. M'inhix qed nifhem ir riferenza ghal pinnuri , l-oppozizzjoni u l-kurrenti. Ghaliex ma titkellimx car halli min ghandu jwiegbek ma jhallikx nieqes?

c. bartolo

Mar 10th 2010, 20:32

@stephen borg cardona
with regards to jp farrugia losing too much private practice.... i assure you i know jp as a family doctor... whoever visits him as a patient he never asks for remuneration... you have to insist on paying him! and i know for a fact that he has numerous patients whom he does not charge at all.....when he charges he asks for 5 euros for a visit....!! and he always has a sympathetic ear to listen to you..... keep up your great work jp.... you are worth your weight in gold..

m farrugia

Mar 10th 2010, 20:13

@joseph(joe) Grima. Naqbel mieghek kwazi f'kollox dwar dak li ghid fuq it-tabib Farrugia. Inzid xi haga oħra mhux se jittradixxi l-partit tiegħu skond ma qal allura huwa ragel u lanqas huwa pinnur li jinqeda b'min ikun ikun inkluz l-opposizzjoni meta l-kurrenti ikunu kontra tieghu

Joseph D Borg

Mar 10th 2010, 10:52

What is wrong with what Dr. JP Farrugia? I know Dr. Farrugia as a man of high moral and Christian democratic values and if the Prim Minister and the party are not going to listen to what he is saying, they are going to be very sorry in three years time

Joseph ( Joe) Grima

Mar 10th 2010, 10:49

1. Congrats to the Timesonline editors for scooping the entire Malta Press by quoting Dr Farrugia a minute or two after he expressed himself on INKONTRI . 2. Dr Farrugia is an honest, upright rare breed of a politician who puts people first. .3. The nationalist vultures are already out for him just for speaking his mind and telling the facts as they are. These are the same people who profess to be the defenders of freedom of speech and of democracy. Lanqas jafu fejn jorqdu ahseb u ara kemm se jiddefenduhom. Prosit Dr Farrugia. It is a pleasure to know you, to have hosted you on my show and to have you around the political scene.

W. Azzopardi

Mar 10th 2010, 10:44

Muscat Pat
Who cloned Sant to call Mintoff a traitor?

R.Borg

Mar 10th 2010, 10:33

Mr.Robert Arrigo please note:
Quote" So their loyalty is to the People who voted for them. Doing otherwise would be treason." This is quoted from an idiot on this blog who happens to be a PN elf or idiots of this type can and others cannot talk of treason. We are waiting for you to report this idiot to Mr.Speaker...come on please pick up some courage or are you already busy as a rapporteur?

Muscat.Pat

Mar 10th 2010, 09:45

@MR J Farrugia.
"Voting against their Party is treason" ! Some weired view of what western parliamentary democracy is all about.! Were you cloned with these ideas from Net News?

I. Brincat

Mar 10th 2010, 09:45

Thanks for sharing the code of ethics Dr Farrugia. I for one can consider myself to be one of the 1200 voters who voted for the PN not because I was convinced of the performance of the government up to 2008 but because it was the better choice out of two poor choices. With my vote, I wanted change. A change in attitude, a change in actions and a change in the way of doing things. Unfortunately this has not come about. To a certain extent, you represent what I voted for,

Peter Vella

Mar 10th 2010, 09:25

To all the PL "hopeful" supporters, read this and understand it well: "Dr Farrugia stressed, however, that this was a stable government and he would not vote against it."

He has every right not to accept the post, but then he must accept that some people will consider this as an easy way out. It is easier to sit on the outside and be an armchair critic rather than be part of the team and do your bit. Personally, I think this decision will harm his popularity and will probably cost him his parliamentary seat next time round.

J Farrugia

Mar 10th 2010, 09:10

Those people who thought that the government will crumble because of a protest march or cat calls by the MLP and the GWU tandem, were truly disappointed. This is not the Labour Government which crumbled with internal dissent after just 22 months in office. This is a nationalist government - a democratic government which allows itself to be criticised by its own MPs. In years gone by, the only democratic opposition which the Nationalist party in government had, came from its own backbenchers. Since the Labour party were just there to throw spokes in the wheels. These MPs know that they were elected on the MLP Ticket. otherwise they would have been goners. So their loyalty is to the People who voted for them. Doing otherwise would be treason.

M.G.Farrugia

Mar 10th 2010, 09:01

Jidher li Jean Pierre Farrugia jaf sewwa il-posizzjoni tieghu fid-distrett li minnu huwa ġie elett. Jaf li c-cansijiet li jerga ikun membru fil-parlament f'elezzjoni oħra huma zghar hafna minhabba il-mod kif qieghed igib ruhu, u li jista ikun nhemm kandiati aktar validi minnu. Jista ikun li irrifjuta minhabba ix-xoghol professjonali tieghu. Parliamentary rapporteur go ministeru huwa xoghol intensiv u jirrikjedi hafna xoghol u mhux sempliciment kritika valid jew le.

Jean-pierre Farrugia

Mar 10th 2010, 08:57

This is the code of ethics: "they should avoid associating themselves with recommendations critical of, or embarrassing to the Government. They should also exercise discretion in any speeches or broadcasts outside Parliament. " I prefer to speak my mind in full respect of Christian Democratic PN principles rather than 'play doctor'!

Lawrence Fenech

Mar 10th 2010, 08:55

I go one better an MP with more than a backboner.

Joe Farrugia

Mar 10th 2010, 08:52

What one notices out of this situation is this :
The PN backbenchers want a say in the running of the country and they are not content with being left where they are until they are needed for the all important vote.
They don't want to put pressure on themselves from their own party by speaking out ,so silence reigns.One of them has the courage and he emails out his ailings to his PN leader (after all we ain't ruled by a dictatorship here).
Obviously he then gets to feel the sqeeze with the pressure he has attracted.
Now,the other saintly silent backbenchers suddenly wake up and move forward to embrace the new(paid)positions that Dr JPF's action has made the PM create.
That's local politics for you voters.

Well,just to put this on paper,some oh you guys(both sides)make me SICK.

Enjoy your hard earned promotions !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Henry Fenech Azzopardi

Mar 10th 2010, 08:47

To all the prons and cons. I tend to appreciate that everyone has a right for his own opinion. This also applies to Dr. Farrugia and so long as he decided to refuse the role given by the Dr. Gonzi, but still cherish the PN beliefs I have no grudge. On the contrary this is exactly democracy at its best.

Dr. Gonzi has gone through the worst of the recession and his decisions are now bearing fruit for everyone to particpate. One false move would have ended our country into the gloom of Greece, Spain Portugal etc.

We have started seeing vacancies in the media, new investments increasing, existing investments enlarging, tourisim increasing. This is the pulse of our country which differs very much from the doom and gloom of neighbouring countries.

It is okay with me Dr. Farrugia if you so decided, but please do not give way for our adversaries to blow their trumpet. I respect your decision and hope that your consituents will do the same because your family contribution to the party is very much respected.

Keep up the good work Dr. Gonzi and people will judge you by your achievements.

God bless you

Jeremy J Camilleri

Mar 10th 2010, 08:07

It seems that every MP who criticises the workings of the PN is labelled as doing so for personal reasons by party supporters.....and yet, Tonio Borg says that the party welcomes criticism....

Putting on a brave face I wonder?

C.camilleri

Mar 10th 2010, 07:17

Jean Pierre Farrugia did not swallow the bait prepared by the Prime Minister to eliminate further dissent from the backbenchers.
One only ask why has the Prime Minister not thought of such "promotions" earlier.
First we boost that a lean cabinet is the best way to run the government, and now we have almost everyone onboard.
It appears that the Prime Minister is spending more time mending his party than his country.

Ray Buttigieg

Mar 10th 2010, 06:11

I do not know why one would praise such actions. Definitely a true nationalist will find no praise for Dr Jean-Pierre's behaviour. He sits on the government benches and should he want to be free to critise the government of which he forms part he should resign his position in Parlament. It is clear that his agenda is different than that of the PN parlamentary gruop. IT seems all he wants to do is create spokes in the wheels of government. What true politician worth his while will turn down a position that can influance policy just for the sake of critizing his own colleagues and team. Dr Farrugia might be a fantastic family doctor but has no political tact at all.

Lawrence Cardona

Mar 10th 2010, 00:43

Today we heared an MP that is really feeling the peoples cry but i can understand that if he would do something against the nationalist party he will be watched followed and when he will talk he will be shown the red card so thanks DR Farrugia but this time it's up to people todo something thanks again for what ever you can do with all those sharks around but i know you your father and all your family and i can say that your not that type of people that could be fooled so goodluck and you have people around you that suport you as well

Stephen Borg Cardona

Mar 10th 2010, 00:07

I`m afraid that Dr Farrugia is trying a bit too hard to impress and not succeeding . Possibly he would have lost too much private practice , not really worth while unless one is going to be made a Minister.......................

Emanuel Busuttil

Mar 9th 2010, 22:31

I don't consider other MPs who are going to accept less courageous, only more available to serve the Government which they form part of. This is why they were elected.

Joe E Galea

Mar 9th 2010, 22:12

He just said he doesn't want to be in an awkwardposition. He lost his chance to show that he is a true MP for the people when voting against the PL motion on the W & E tariffs.

Dr. Etienne A. Calleja

Mar 9th 2010, 22:00

Fine. But this isn't the House of Commons, and it doesn't appear that the rule applies here. So frankly, in the absence of this rule, MP Farrugia's refusal to take up the appointment is unclear.

Emanuel Farrugia

Mar 9th 2010, 21:29

It takes courage to do what MP Jean Pierre Farrugia is doing, probably at a personal cost. ALL MP's on both sides of the Parliamentary House please note.

John Schembri

Mar 9th 2010, 21:23

Bless you. An MP with a backbone. We'll be hearing more of this man.