Updated: PL more interested in taxpayers' funding of parties, than transparency - PM
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said this morning that in the issue of state funding of political parties, the Labour Party was more interested in how much of taxpayers' money would go to the parties, rather than transparency.
Giving his reaction to an article written in The Times last week by Nationalist MP Franco Debono, who called for action on party funding legislation, Dr Gonzi said this was 'a very good article'.
He recalled that early in this legislature, he wrote to the Opposition proposing a number of measures to strengthen democracy. The proposals included party funding and transparency.
It was subsequently agreed that the issue would be discussed in a parliamentary select committee.
It had resulted, Dr Gonzi said, that rather than transparency the emphasis of the PL was on how much of the people’s taxes would go to the political parties.
Dr Gonzi said the PL preached a lot, but the people should not forget how, soon after the Smart City project was announced, the PL took a queue of Maltese contractors to Dubai. Did they make a donation to the party?
Dr Gonzi said he would have liked to see more progress on the issue of party funding, but cooperation was needed from the PL. In the two years since Joseph Muscat became Labour leader, he had found no cooperation on any initiative, including the presidency, Dr Gonzi said.
What he had seen was 'no' to everything and doubts cast everywhere.
PL REACTION
The PL in a reaction said the PN was only interested in continuing to receive donations from contractors, especially those who won government contracts.
Ultimately it was taxpayers who were paying, even through corruption.
The PL said it was the only major political party which published its financial results. The PN never did so.
The PL also noted that Joseph Muscat had offered the hand of friendship with regard to ST, the dockyard and parliamentary democracy and made proposals on jobs, the fight against corruption, and inflation.
But Dr Gonzi had refused these offers.
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Anthony Pace Gouder
Sep 12th 2010, 20:42
Is-Sincerita u l-Verita tohrog meta taraw kif u kemm Kuntratti Pubblici intrebhu (?) u minn MIN !
C.Camilleri
Sep 12th 2010, 15:32
Why dont both parties makes public the names of their benefactors and the amounts of money they received from them? Only then we will take you seriously dear Prime Minister.
George Azzopardi
Sep 12th 2010, 15:11
On the other hand, I wonder what Mr.Gonzi is more interested in and why the PN is always opposing this or finding excuses to hinder this process. More likely one should look at what Mr.Gonzi is more disinterested in! Disinterested in accepting to be more transparent and go through with 'funding of parties' legislation.
On no!! better not!!! eh Mr. Gonzi PN .. this would be legislating the process of keeping big funds NOT coming in to the PN from well know people who are always first to get big government contracts.
J.Zammit
Sep 12th 2010, 14:41
Dr Gonzi should tell us which contractors donated how much money to his party. He should also tell us who really gave money to the PN when a certain person used to bring out thousands of pounds from different pockets as donations by people he met in the street. This was done on NET TV in the presence of Dr Gonzi.
David Caruana
Sep 12th 2010, 14:41
"...PL took a queue of Maltese contractors to Dubai. Did they make a donation to the party?"
Is that the reason why you go so often to Dubai as well?
http://www.ameinfo.com/132090.html
Raymond Camilleri
Sep 12th 2010, 14:09
it is obvious that transparecy includes funding e.g. according to number of votes, like in most democratic countries, coupled with strict rules of private donations from strong lobbies who nowadays pull the PN's strings (substitute with PL when in govt.)... but Gonzi chooses to rivialise the issue...SHAME! lanqas tisthi
Emmanuel Marmara'
Sep 12th 2010, 13:58
True, who's talking???? Besides no tax payer wants to fund any political party. You derive more than enough from business men and contractors.. Why don't you fund our taxes and the electricity bills and the miserable pensions we get?? how about this eh????????
J. Borg
Sep 12th 2010, 13:33
AD have been exposing this abuse by the PNPL duopoly for ages.....
GonziPN stop beating about the bush and have AD chair a committee entrusted with enacting a thorough legistaltion, which will effectively address the current blantant abuse by those who are supposed to manage our country and resources.
lgalea
Sep 12th 2010, 13:04
Look who's talking!!!!!!!
peter agius
Sep 12th 2010, 14:03
Whether you like it or not...the democratically elected Prime Minister of Malta is talking.
NO to party-funding. I would definitely NOT give 1c to fund the PL.
lgalea
Sep 12th 2010, 18:21
peter agius there's talking and there's talking. Why doesn't Gonzi want parties funded like in other countries? Is it because the PN will no longer be able to hide those thousands from different pockets at collection time? As I said there's talk and talk. How about keeping hjs word on so many promises made before the general election? How about the pre-electoral promises which were not kept agius? How about the sharks being caught and not sacrificing the small fry so that the sharks continue with their eating frenzy?
lgalea
Sep 12th 2010, 18:22
ps peter agius whether you like it or not if the parties get public funding you will also be contributing to the PL.
peter agius
Sep 13th 2010, 00:49
galea, with or without public funding, the two main parties still can rely on funds from different sources. So you...and me will have to contribute for something I do not believe in, if political parties public funding ever comes to age. If it does it will be the last time I voted and Franco Debono and all politicians can then go to hell.
lgalea
Sep 13th 2010, 10:40
peter agius that's the way it works. Hopefully the parties will then be in a position not to accept certain amounts of money which will have to be made good when in office.