Christian Peregin
Sandro Chetcuti organised 'some meals' for Labour
Labour leader Joseph Muscat yesterday admitted that trade lobbyist Sandro Chetcuti, currently in court over the attempted murder of his colleague Vince Farrugia, helped organise a number of business dinners for the Labour party last year.
"The meals were conducted with prominent people in business to show them that in government Labour would not stifle business," he said, adding that he condemned the violence against Mr Farrugia.
Interviewed on Bondiplus, Dr Muscat defended the setting up of a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgeneder section in his party to give these people an opportunity of "advocacy".
This had been done in a number of parties around the world and showed the LGBT community that the party did not just want to use them for elections.
"Our commitment is genuine," he said, just before adding that he was committed to civil partnerships but only if they did not allow adoptions.
He criticised Dr Gonzi for never actually doing anything on cohabitation in seven years.
He said that as Prime Minister he would seek a genuine bipartisan debate on divorce in the hope that, by giving a free vote in Parliament, divorce would be approved.
When asked why divorce would not be the party's official proposal he said that voters knew that, with Dr Gonzi, there was no chance of divorce being introduced.
Asked if as Prime Minister would nominate a President from the Nationalist Party to reciprocate Lawrence Gonzi's gesture of appointing George Abela, he said he did not long for a "tit for tat" situation.
He added that he did not think a President even needed to come from a political background and implied he would prefer nominating someone from the arts.
Regarding his proposal on the setting up of a second University, he said that Mcast could be turned into this new institution which would compete with the current one and provide more choice to students.
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Henry S Pace
Mar 30th 2010, 17:40
'This had been done in a number of parties around the world and showed the LGBT community that the party did not just want to use them for elections.
"Our commitment is genuine," he said, just before adding that he was committed to civil partnerships but only if they did not allow adoptions.'
Convincened catholics cannot agree with what Dr Muscat is pronouncing himself in favour such trends. Come next election and beware of him
s fenech
Mar 30th 2010, 16:44
joseph muscat mentioned the labour press code of conduct. i presume that is why, they are the ones who have collected the largest number of libel suits in malta. pity muscat didn't expand of what malta would have been like following the recent global economic and financial meltdown had we followed his advice and stayed out of the eurozone!
J Martinelli
Mar 30th 2010, 14:15
Lou Bondi did not 'constantly' interrupt Joseph Muscat. On the other hand Lou needed to repeat the same question several times because Joseph, as usual, could not come out with one single answer outright. He was evasive, oblique and not very businesslike.
With regard to Chetcuti 'flirting with most political parties', one wonders how successful he was with the 'others'. Had he been with the NP and AD, he would not have found it necessary to organize dinners with Joseph. In any case, he put himself in conflict with the executive position he had with the GRTU. As rightly pointed out, and one would believe Joseph's statement that surely he did not motivate Chetcuti to attack Mr. Farrugia. However, backing someone's candidacy, especially a fellow member of the same organization is different from Chetcuti's efforts to direct businessmen towards Joseph and the LP.
Sandro Chetcuti's encounters with Dr. Gonzi were professional in nature as briefly discussed on Bondi+ last night. They were not NP related.
lgalea
Mar 30th 2010, 17:50
Pull the other one Martinelli.
How could you possible know when you live comfortably in far-away Canada?
How about concerning yourself with Canadian affairs and not our affairs Martinelli?
M.Fleri
Mar 30th 2010, 11:28
With regards to the Bondiplus interview; the interview skills of Lou Bondi have a lot to be desired. The interview was more like an interrogation / attack. Mr. Bondi kept on interrupting at every available opportunity not allowing Dr. Muscat to finish what he was stating, was rude, was clearly frustrated and made himself look rather foolish and ignorant. I would like to see Mr. Bondi treat Dr. Gonzi (in an interview) in the same manner in which he treated Dr. Muscat.
On the contrary, Dr. Muscat was calm, collective, well spoken and showed himself to be the superior of the two. I kept on waiting for Dr. Muscat to just get up and walk out of the interview but he never did. The only thing Lou Bondi managed to do during that interview was shoot himself and the Nationalist party in the foot. Well done on a good interview, you have my vote.
Alfred Agius
Mar 30th 2010, 11:05
It would be interesting to know if the PN has ever received any donations from Sandro Chetcuti in the past as Mr. Chetcuti seems to have flirted with most of the poliyical parties on the Island.
As to the nomination of Dr Abela as President of the Republic there may have been more reasons than we know in Gonzi`s mind that prompted the nomination.
I, for one, firmly believe that Gonzi knew about Abela`s ponderings on presenting himself as a n MEP candidate on Labour`s ticket. And that sent chills up Gonzi`s spin as he feared that Labour would win the 4th MEP seat. That`s why he sidestepped nationalist pretenders to the presidential role and all the euros that come with it. So much for gonzi`s president li jghaqqad in-nazzjon! Labour still went on to win the 4th MEP seat...
M.Gauci
Mar 30th 2010, 12:56
Alfred Agius
I just happen to love conspiracy theories like the ones you invent. Such a fertile, Labourite imagination needs encouragement and mentoring by the higher popinjays at Hamrun.
You never know, one day you could even publish fiction books like some Labourites do.
Umm, don’t forget the last piece though, it would help your integrity somewhat; the presidency was not forced down President Abela’s throat but rather he ceremoniously accepted it.
Had he wanted to mix with Labour and be one of their (oops, I voted wrongly again!) MEPs – he would’ve rejected the Presidency offer and worked with the ekks regime and their leader.
ADebono
Mar 30th 2010, 10:32
Very well said Mr Cassar.....also I think is healthy for the GRTU to have a balance of both Blu & Red eyed boys to represent their members afterall !!, altough in principle a union must never tint into political colours.
........heqq but this malta full of lackeys and opportunists, I don't know all this fuss!!
L.Caruana
Mar 30th 2010, 10:22
He also said that Sandro also met Dr.Gonzi several times.Why not mention it?Is it another type of censorship? Or a hidden agenda?
P.Cassar
Mar 30th 2010, 09:34
I simply cannot understand why all this bla-bla about Sandro Chetcuti links to Labour when he actually, openly and vociferously supported Vince Farrugia's attempt at Europe AS A CANDIDATE OF THE PN.
M.Gauci
Mar 30th 2010, 10:19
The people at the pyrex building however understood well, and are doing their best at damage control.
lgalea
Mar 30th 2010, 12:47
The interviewer on behalf of pyrex building number two was no match for Dr Muscat. Constant interruption and not allowing your guest not to reply or interrupt him in the middle of his argument is total lack of basic ethics, education and respect.