Austin Sammut
Return to the rabble?
Last week's "protest" marches organised and dominated by (no less, whatever the "moderates" may say), the Labour rabble par excellence, led by no other than the "moderate and progressive" leader Joseph Muscat, brought back nasty memories to those of my age who witnessed the Labour rabble in the 1970s and 1980s. They want to rule from the pjazzez (squares) just as our old, well rid of compatriot Dom Mintoff wanted to do. At least, I believe that shops in Republic Street remained open. In the past, they would all close and many would board up their glass façades. The blood-thirsty rabble would be keen to destroy and beat and without restraint from Labour politicians and the police.
Those were times of violence, torture and even political killings. It was significant to see Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici at the "protest"; the man who "presided" over the Tal-Balal and Rabat episodes as Prime Minister. Oh my God! Does the GWU want to take us back to that? It was a bitter memory, sealed and stamped by Tony Zarb's pathetic performance on Bondiplus. There is a man who shows utter disrespect for democracy by not only ignoring but criticising the vote of 35 government MPs. A man who lives in the past. A man who has lost every crusade he has undertaken. A man who has lost all his credibility time and time again. He should have been thrown out ages ago.
But what is sadder is the figure of John Bencini, who is more than a decent man, yet, he has been drawn fully into the GWU trap. There he was ranting on the GWU platform on Sunday. It is not his style.
He provided a sort of credible platform for the Labour Party. I am so glad he was disgusted by the typical Labour rabble's insults on Monday and went home to follow the Parliamentary debate at home. I believe Mr Bencini has time to redeem himself and regain the confidence of so many teachers who have lost faith in a man who seemed so fickle and so weak under the GWU's thumb. But he must hurry or else resign. He must say "mea culpa", I made a mistake and I apologise. I am sure the members of the MUT will forgive him. After all, he is a good man.
But back to Dr Muscat. His dismal performance on TVM's Dissett a couple of weeks ago must go on record for all times. If ever there was a man who was as slippery as an eel it was him. No commitment. Sweet talk. Total irresponsibility in facing the problems the country has. No concrete solutions. Mind you, a nice smile and a firm pair of hands gripping the side of his chair in a nervous state.
Is this the man to lead our country? He has no idea what he will do in the face of adversity if and when he is in government. He says, proverbially, that "the proof of the pudding is in the eating". But his problem is that he has no pudding in the first place (no concrete policies), so how can he eat it? It is simply a case of empty words.
But now onto the Prime Minister and a comparison with Dr Muscat, can we not? The Prime Minister seems to have got his house somewhat in order recently. He seems (and I stress "seems") to have rallied his troops. He seems to have placated his backbenchers by offering some sort of pairing with ministers. Mind you, it has been reported that some ministers, at least, are not terribly pleased with this proposed arrangement. But then we must remember that, rightly or wrongly, the prerogative to assign ministerial responsibilities in any democratic country lies with the Prime Minister.
Yet, I for one, am not totally convinced with Dr Gonzi's strategy (and it would be interesting to know who has advised him - we have heard of a foreigner; totally unnecessary in my opinion). All MPs must learn that they are there as elected representatives of the people but are subject to the control and designation of the leader of the majority in the House of Representatives, the primus inter pares (first among equals) of both the Cabinet and the Parliamentary Group. Their loyalty is obviously to their constituents but also to the party on whose ticket they were elected. And that party is led by its leader who is also the Prime Minister. It is he who decides! Having said all that, I feel that, following the Prime Minister's move vis-a-vis his backbench and Dr Muscat's hopeless performance on Dissett the scales must be weighing differently. I would dare think that the Prime Minister and, indeed, PN, have gained ground in the polls.
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Emanuel Farrugia
Mar 9th 2010, 19:50
If bigger European Countries like Greece can hold street protests, then we can have them in Malta too, no matter and whatever Austin Sammut thinks or scribbles.
What is galling is that Austin Sammut in his efforts to try to keep up the morale of nationalist party supporters, is allowed to call Labour Party supporters " rabble " when he knows damn well that ONLY a small section of the crowd were involved. I do not need to boo and whistle at the Hon. Prime Minister or anybody else to get my message across. In a democratic country, my vote is the best means of persuasion.
No matter how much he tries to slam Tony Zarb and John Bencini and the other Trade Union Officials, we hold them in high esteem and their efforts regarding the excessively high Water & Electricity tariffs are much appreciated and supported. Now when all has been said and done, everybody can sit back and enjoy paying them.
Charles J. Buttigieg
Mar 9th 2010, 19:26
The two mass demonstrations were a huge success, professionally organised, civil and without a single scuffle. There was the booing and jeering by some who got carried away that tarnished an otherwise exceptional civil protest being the kind of stuff which we are accustomed to during religious feasts. Santa Katarina,tal Karmnu, San Gorg,San Bastian and other patron Saints had been the beneficiaries of worst insults than those tossed to Gonzi by the ‘rabble’(Sic) and nobody complains. Nor did the righteous and the elite complain when, in 1997, MUT was a part of a mass demonstration and the participants chanted ‘ Le le le lill Sant marriduhx,assassin tal Maltin’ not to mention the infamous mass cry ‘Salbu Salbu’ during PN mass events of the 80’s.
If you stop your hypocrisies, and compare our mass protest to others that take place in the USA, Canada, Britain, Italy, Germany and the rest of Europe you would appreciate what a civilised country we are living in. Calling your opponents ‘rabble’ when they misbehave a little or get over enthusiastic is puerile more so when your lot are not different.
Joe Busuttil
Mar 9th 2010, 19:16
Don't know why you are calling who took part in the protest march rabble Mr Lawyer. Looks like you weren't there were you?.You must be doing well under Gonzi PN otherwise you would have done like we did. But before calling us rabble and associating yourself with the PN take a look at its history,from the Terinu period to the present day and you will find out what highly educated and well bred members the PN was always blessed with. But then you may be still be in the doldrums from the beating your beloved Gonzi PN suffered in the EP elections,and more personally from the drumming you got from Marlene Mizzi in reply to your last article in the times.
laurence schembri
Mar 9th 2010, 18:10
How does the saying go..."It takes one to see one"....over to you Austin.
victor caruana
Mar 9th 2010, 17:33
PN apologists still assume that the large majority of teachers are PN idiots on a string.
Lawrence Fenech
Mar 9th 2010, 17:15
What a shame a maltese citizen calling maltese citizens "rabble". When are we going to learn to face the present rather than live in the past.
G.Schembri
Mar 9th 2010, 15:21
PN supporters including Austin Sammut, seem to be believe that only PN has the right for protest marches. So the PN could hold marches in the 80s to rule from the streets. I even remember the leader of the opposition giving us a day off work, and inviting us to Mellieha, I even remember PN activists making sure all the shops closed on that day. If you really believe the 80s was onesided you must really have blinkers.
If we are turly democratic we should give the right to others to protest, and forget about calling them "rabble par excellence" Let us not forget that that protest represented the MAJORITY OF THE ELECTORATE. Very convineintly PN never mentions AD, who when added to one of the large parties makes up the majority. PN including Dr Gonzi and Austin Sammut are forgetting what they so fervently preached in the 80s that the majority is not the seats in parliament but the votes. HYPOCRITES!
T Camilleri
Mar 9th 2010, 15:18
How about the rabble who used to protest with borom and va***iet durign MLP Government?
How about the rabble who protested when Dr Sant was going to increase the water and electricity tariffs?
How about the rabble at the Alma Mater who hurled insults at Dr Sant?
How about the rabble at the Alma Mater who not only insulted Dr Sant but also Evarist Bartolo including their demonstration to Valletta and stamping on their photos?
Some of them are now high government employees including in Castille.
J Martinelli
Mar 9th 2010, 14:25
"But what is sadder is the figure of John Bencini, who is more than a decent man, yet, he has been drawn fully into the GWU trap. There he was ranting on the GWU platform on Sunday. It is not his style".
Tony Zarb addressed the crowd with voluminous, though somewhat repetitive phrases and he has many of them and their number can easily be accommodated in his persona, while John Bencini delivered his rhetoric from notes he held and referred to quite often.
I wonder who jotted the notes for him? The man and his utterings somehow came across as not a perfect match!
Austin Sammut's suggestion makes sense, either resign immediately or at the very minimum, admit his mistake of being drawn so hopelessly into the GWU / Labour Party web and embarrassing many members of the union he heads. His leadership has become suspect to say the least.
Charles J. Buttigieg
Mar 9th 2010, 14:16
@ James Grima
You are in fact suggesting a one party state, like the former USSR, Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. Maybe you were thinking of something else when you declared that. It is true however that the PL is harming you, since Joseph Muscat has became its leader your 53% power base dwindled down to 40% and still diminishing.
Deo Micallef
Mar 9th 2010, 14:06
@ james grima
I will tell you in a few words who will harm the Maltese society, those in power who during the last 20 years made a mountain of public debt ( 4 Billion euros and counting) and this does not include the 450 million euros or so debt which Enemalta accumulated under p.n. administration and Airmalta's debt of many millions and heavy losses, thanks to the p.n.'s mismanagement. All this debt despite the sale of government assets like Mid-Med, maltacom, enemalta's gas division and many others. Also note that our wages are the lowest in Europe, while taxes, utility bills and price of everyday goods are among the highest!! Our infrastructure ( especially the roads) compare to a third world country and the level of education is amongst the worst when compared to European standards according to E.U. surveys.
"For this reason PL has to be swept away from our Maltese Politics." .......so much for the p.n.'s democratic and CHRISTIANdemocrat credentials.!!!
laurence schembri
Mar 9th 2010, 13:53
Let us put this in another frame. James Dimech is saying, that learned men amd woman like Mawell Mallia, the Lawyer and Marlene Mizzi, a business woman in her own right (just these two, idon`t want to take more space) are backward people. Pinky and Perky, the two Jamses.
C.camilleri
Mar 9th 2010, 13:15
@ James Grima
Qoute. The PL has to be swept out of maltese politics.
Prosit. Democracy PN style. People like you sitting safely on the gravy train feels threatened by a change in government.
If you want Malta to be run by a Dictator just have the courage and say so.
Shame on you.
P. Schembri
Mar 9th 2010, 12:29
Isn't Malta a democracy? So, why is it that where the PL is concerned, it's as if we're going back to the past? Isn't the present party in Government doing it already? Rabble? If the people's right to protest is taken away from them, what then will happen? Be slaves and under a dictatorship? Because that's what you're proposing. And James Grima, what you're asking, through your arrogance, is a dictatorship under your loving Party! May God deliver us from such an event! As to Dr. Michael Falzon representing the hunters (which I'm totally against), isn't it the right of the minority to have a representative to move their petition to parliament? I wonder who's backwards, because PL is looking forward, and you PN apologists, are all the time harking to the past. Not talking to Franco Farrugia here, because i following his writings, but to the likes of James Grima et al.
laurence schembri
Mar 9th 2010, 11:59
The only thing that is harming this little Island are people with a frame of mind like James Grima.
Franco Farrugia
Mar 9th 2010, 11:53
@ James Grima - And if we 'sweep' away the PL and the Opposition, ... what then? Happy with having the PN in govt forever, are we? And you probably call yourself a democrat! U halluna!
Franco Farrugia
Mar 9th 2010, 11:04
I, too, do not like Austin Sammut's usual sermons in favour of the PN. However, he has a point in what he writes, today. Particularly that the PL, in spite of its presenting itself as a partit tal-moderati u tal-progressivi, is nothing but a remnant of the past as much as the PN is. Notice that hunters and trappers could find nobody to present their petition to Parliament, in favour of trapping, other than the MLP's former heavyweight and Deputy Leader Michael Falzon, himself a hunter, so he says. I am sure that there are hunters and pro-hunters in the PN ranks but at least, they did not stoop so low as to bear the responsibility of presenting this petition by some 8000+ people to Parliament. Michael Falzon ... pro-hunting and pro-fireworks .... that is progress u moderazzjoni for you!
James Grima
Mar 9th 2010, 10:59
@James Dimech
For this reason PL has to be swept away from our Maltese Politics. Its presence will continue to harm us all, even when it is "safely" kept in opposition.
James Dimech
Mar 9th 2010, 10:33
I do not like Dr Sammut's articles as I feel he is clearly one sided. However it is true that PL is still a backward party which seeks to please backward people as long as it gets elected.
Their election will result in Malta becoming a backward country.
laurence schembri
Mar 9th 2010, 10:24
Back to the 70`s and 80`s. Even learned figures like the Lawyer can not get away from that period. Witnessing the crowd in the streets of the City, I`ll be right in saying that Malta is well loaded with Rabble. Incidentally the four companions I was with weren`t, they voted Nationalist.