PM jokingly tells Pope he hopes ash cloud would delay his departure
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi this evening jokingly told Pope Benedict that he hoped that the ash cloud currently causing air traffic chaos in Europe would delay his departure tomorrow, thus giving him the time to go to Gozo.
The joke was made during a private meeting at the Palace in Valletta before an exchange of gifts.
The Pope smiled, but did not reply.
The cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights over North and Central Europe. As the cloud drifted southward, the airspace in northern Italy was closed.
The Papal flight, however, took off as scheduled since it was heading south and not into the cloud.
The Pope made reference to Gozo in his address when he arrived in Malta and urged the Maltese to pray to Our Lady Ta' Pinu.
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Robert Lewis
Apr 19th 2010, 12:35
L-anqas jekk jigu mitt Papa ohra ghax ma nimbidlux. Mela l-anqas cajta certu nies ma jiehdu. Prosit and well done to the organizers. Everything was well organized except for the Big Screen on the Floriana Granaries during the Papal Mass. It was wrongly placed because firstly to close to the main Tribuna and secondly placed too low. No one could see anything from the back. A Big Screen is usually placed at the back and a bit away from the main attraction so that it could be watched by people who couldnt be in the front seating. Also a lot of the center space on the Granaries were wasted as can be seen from various videos.The scaffolding used in during Carnival at Pjazza Helsien should have been mounted at Floriana at the back without the seating, but at least gives the opportunity for people to be able to watch something, otherwise thumbs up and very well done.
r ferriggi
Apr 19th 2010, 11:42
dear Pm.. back to the country's problems now please. where did the tarmacing and cleaning people strung out of during the pope's visit?? why dont we see them regularly out in full force?? where are they normally hiding and who and how much are they being paid??
Mark Scerri
Apr 19th 2010, 09:37
Veru hawn skoss nies hlief imaqdru u jinsulentaw ma' jafux jaghmlu! Ma kienetx xi battuta ta' Jack Black jew John Cleese . . . . . . imma ghallinqas tghallmu tbissmu!
Joss Galea
Apr 19th 2010, 08:08
OMG!!! With these comments I am reading, I realized that the Maltese have no sense of humour!!!!! Ma tafux tiehdu cajta....fejn tridu!!!!
Charlie
Apr 19th 2010, 13:32
Ax poplu tad dwejjaq. Xeba hassle u tejatrini anka fuq cajta.
re bel
Apr 20th 2010, 13:03
i'm sorry but thats not the way to joke!
why do you think ''The Pope smiled, but did not reply'' ?
Joseph Arpa
Apr 19th 2010, 07:51
I dont think he was joking. the Pope's visit made us all forget all the major problems we have in this country........thanks to bad decisions!!!
Joe Fenech
Apr 19th 2010, 00:03
That's hilarious. Never had discovered this side to Gonzi!
E. Azzopardi
Apr 18th 2010, 22:34
Vella V
Yes, It 's a pity that you are stranded in London and you missed the Pope's visit. You would have had completely different opinion of His and the Germans' sense of humour.
Good luck.
Peter Shaw
Apr 18th 2010, 20:55
Ahna kellna shaba sewda milux mahluqa mill Enemalta ghaziz taghna
Claire Busuttil
Apr 18th 2010, 19:49
Dan bis serjeta????
Christian Sciberras
Apr 18th 2010, 17:07
And how do you suppose he would get to Gozo? The ferry is obviously not an option given the huge inadequacies in hygiene.
My guess would be either a chopper or a private yacht (cruise ship more likely).
Joe Scicluna
Apr 18th 2010, 15:11
I wonder if propeller aircraft are better adapted to fly in this volcanic ash crisis.
Certainly they fly at lower altitude and their engines do not suck through them such copious amounts of air, unlike jet engines damaging their components, so I would expect them to have a new lease of life if these volcanic eruptions persist in the long term!
Are they all just vintage craft now?
ray sacco
Apr 18th 2010, 13:21
yeah! that would be fantastic! just dream how these islands would look like if mr. ratzinger would care to stay for another two weeks!
Eric Gahn
Apr 18th 2010, 13:16
Ohhhh how sweet. Gonzi can joke. Pity that We The People only get bills and the cold shoulder from him.
D Mifsud
Apr 18th 2010, 12:49
Hahaha this is not the first time that our PM showed his sense of humor
A Agius
Apr 18th 2010, 12:09
Selling pre-packed rations of "Sense of Humour" - amazing prices.
Apparently many readers here are in dire need of some.
g.c.Forte
Apr 18th 2010, 11:46
What a lovely P.M we have. He really likes to joke. I just received the W/E bill, which I do not mind to pay. The most stupid thing is that the bill is issued on the 13 April and I have received it on the 17 April and I have to pay it till the 28 April. Means I have to pay it in 7 working days, and not 45 working days. Am I the only one ?
c camilleri
Apr 18th 2010, 11:33
is-skiet risposta jghidu u l-papa ma naqasx juriha lil Prim Gonzi "taghna". Kienet tkun xi haga sabiha kieku l-papa baqa hawn, xejn xejn forsi t-toroq kolla kienu jigu rrangati u d-dawl ma jinqatax kull gurnata! Il-papa kien ukollu c-cans jara l-wicc tal-maltin vera! u mhux il-qdusija li nuru meta naraw lil papa u wara qisu ma gara xejn!
Bhal dak li qallu li jekk nikkonvincu lil-papa li ahna nies kristjani, il-genna garantita. Mela ma tafux li inutli naghmluha tal-qaddisin, Alla mhux kollox jaf x qed naghmlu?
U haga ohra, jekk xi hadd ried jghatti l-monument ta l-imhabba gewwa Hal Luqa, ghaliex meta jkun hawn il-papa biss? Mela Alla ma jarahx dak is-sabih monument mis-sema? jew hsibna li Alla jhares lejn Malta biss meta l-papa jinzerta hawn?
S.Vella
Apr 18th 2010, 09:52
I'm in stitches!
Sandro Galea
Apr 18th 2010, 07:45
I guess the PM was also politely sharing with our Pope his desire that the Pope would have visited Gozo while on this trip, something the Vatican Authorities did not accept.
a caruana
Apr 18th 2010, 12:16
Although I am not able to answer for the Vatican, I find it hard to believe that the Vatican Authorities did not accept to have His Holiness visit Gozo simply because they didn't want to. As we may all see, his very short visit was packed with activities and it would have been impossible to have him visit Gozo as well. (and all other places) However, it is worth noting that after all many people were eager to receive the Pope in their community and some felt 'offended' that he did not visit. So it's not exactly that he wasn't wanted here like some people want to imply. May God bless our Pope and all of us.
joseph azzopardi
Apr 18th 2010, 06:56
HA HA!!! our prime minister always shares a joke from time to time,especially in the budget......its always full of jokes!!!
L Vella
Apr 18th 2010, 06:50
HAHAHA.... Ma intix iddahakna sur Prim ta.... Anha l-Ghawdxin ninsabu mweggajn talli l-Papa ma huwiex gej Ghawdex...
c.camilleri
Apr 18th 2010, 18:13
Jien ma ninsabx imwegga. Mhux kemm taqbad ghoxrin minuta vapur u tmur tarah int jew? Ma stennejtux jigi jiehu t-te ghandek ukoll hux? Kemm ingibu d-dinja fit-tarf...
Anthony Pace Gouder
Apr 18th 2010, 03:14
Qed taraw jahasra kemm il-Prim ghandu ghall-QALBU Ghawdex u l-Ghawdxin , anki f'mumenti daqstant ECITANTI jkun qed jahseb fijhom . Hallija li din kienet parti minn CAJTA !
IVA , issa rnexxilu jhalli sahansitra lill-Qdusija Tieghu il-PAPA bla-kliem !!!!!!!
vella V
Apr 18th 2010, 01:16
@ Carmel Pace & V Camilleri
I too am stranded in London. pity I missed the Pope's visit to our beutifull country but what make the most of it and enjoy it .Prosit Dr Gonzi the only problem you had was that the pope is German and they are not renowned for thier sense of humour
colin stanley
Apr 17th 2010, 23:37
I bet a lot of people would like the pope to spend a bit more time with us. he seems to be a nice person, God bless him.
jason Attard
Apr 17th 2010, 23:23
I think it would be great so the fix more roads
Steve Borg
Apr 17th 2010, 22:20
B'daqshekk ma qal xejn hazin. Nahseb li naqra sens ta' umorizmu jghina hafna bhala poplu.
Imma nahseb li kieku l-Papa ghandu jzur ix-Xlokk ta' Malta...hawn aktar nies milli Ghawdex. Anki Gwanni Pawlu ma kienux gabuh fix-Xlokk ta' Malta. Imma Alla jbierek il-parti taghna dejjem minsija meta jkun hawn xi avveniment nazzjonali.
Ara biex isir xi progett industrijali li ma jridu hadd ghaliex ihalli impatt negattiv fuq il-livell ta' ghaxjien - hemmhekk iva, nigu l-ewwel mhemmx ghax tahseb.
Alan Caruana
Apr 17th 2010, 21:47
I think its good the prime minister jokes! After all I'm sure he was just trying to see the brighter side of things ! And mr V.Camilleri look a bit on the bright side yourself , Your stranded but alive and all you have to do is wait a bit ! Better than to have been in the air at a time like this not knowing if you're gonna make it back !
Danny Apap
Apr 17th 2010, 21:36
Get a life people!! It was only a joke! You miserable lot!!!!
T. Cauchi
Apr 17th 2010, 22:42
I am really sorry Mr.Apap for speaking freely my mind and not having the same sense of humor as you. At the end of the day we all laughed apart from Mr.Camilleri, who honestly i don't blame for being a little upset!
P.S. thanks for the compliments dear new PRO of the PM!!!
Joseph Cauchi
Apr 17th 2010, 21:30
Have we lost our sense of humour?
Cheer up and enjoy it!
Viva 'l-Papa!
JC.
Carmen V Gauci
Apr 18th 2010, 10:51
Must we always find fault in everything that is said and done. Turn a new leaf and enjoy the Papal visit.
b.busuttil
Apr 17th 2010, 21:23
hahahahah!! proset, proset !!
V.Camilleri
Apr 17th 2010, 21:15
how very funny Hon PM. that s how much you are concerned for us Maltese stranded abroad at the moment. Thank you.
Robert Scullion
Apr 18th 2010, 00:11
and what do you expect the PM to do about it about all the stranded people?
It was just a light-hearted comment, get a grip.
r curmi
Apr 18th 2010, 07:30
xi dwejjaq ghandek! biehom tqum kul filghodu? anke fuq cajta ha tfittex? ara kieku qala Joseph Muscat xlont taghmel, taqsam qalbek bid dahk? Ikber daqxejn siehbi
victor pulis
Apr 18th 2010, 08:52
Iva anke fuq din ha naqilghu polemika? U l-Germanizi ghandhom sense of humour ukoll ghalkemm forsi mhux stil mediterranju imma smajthom jidhqu u meta jidhqu ha nghidilkom TISMAGHHOM ta!
C.Scerri
Apr 18th 2010, 09:13
Maybe you expect the PM to blow as hard as possible, maybe the cloud would disperse. And while at it, we migth get all the leader of the opposition and all the members of parlament, to give a hand!
Come on, it is a problem (and might be a big one) but the only two things that one can do is either to take it astride and use the time to enjoy oneself or else start on a land, train and ship voyage back.
Juanita Cassar
Apr 17th 2010, 21:00
Tajba Gonz!
T. Cauchi
Apr 17th 2010, 21:00
Hahaha. See what a nice sense of humor our dear prime minister have!! Pity that the pope said nothing back, just because he don't understand Maltese humor. Bet if this really happens we will hit the international media again! Oh how much we laugh then! loool
C.Busuttil
Apr 17th 2010, 22:51
Wara tkaxkira bhal dik tal-llum kif ma tifilhux tifthu halqkom l-anqas sens ta' umorizmu ma fadalkom, il-poplu Malti kuntent bil-migja tal-Papa f'dawn il-gzejjer, kienu eluf kbar li nizlu fit-toroq biex jarawh u jiccelebrawh, ghalhekk jekk jaghmel gurnata ohra tant ahjar, kellu bzonn dak li qal il-Prim ghal darba jigri.
carmel pace
Apr 17th 2010, 20:56
after being stranded with no idea how and when i will get home i am sure the HON PM will understand if i do not find that funny.