Christian Peregin
Apology accepted
The Labour Party has accepted the Prime Minister’s apology for describing Labour as a “disastrous disease” about two weeks ago.
Lawrence Gonzi made his apology in Parliament on Wednesday night in his reaction to the Opposition Leader’s speech on the Budget.
Dr Gonzi said his comments may have been misrepresented and he never meant to link Labour with disease. His apology was applauded in Parliament.
“We accept the apology and will not hold it against the Prime Minister, despite the fact that he reminded us of old style politics,” a party spokesman said yesterday when contacted.
The spokesman added that back in 2008, shadow finance minister Charles Mangion had apologised for saying that Nationalists had something wrong with their political DNA, “but Dr Gonzi’s party kept on repeating it”.
“It is a matter of style,” the spokesman concluded.
Dr Gonzi had made his disease comment when interviewed by a friendly journalist on the party’s radio station.
He said the Labour Party presented itself as the “miraculous cure” of the country but was always its “disastrous disease”.
Interestingly, when the Labour Youth Forum condemned the comments as “insensitive and shameful”, the Nationalist Party released a statement denying the comments, adding that the Prime Minister was simply arguing the Labour Party had implemented a “damaging” policy for the country, giving people bad advice when they had to make important choices.
While the forum said Dr Gonzi’s comments aimed at sowing hatred and division, contrasting with the Labour leader’s appeal for unity and inclusivity, the PN said people were still suffering consequences of Labour’s bad policies which had greatly harmed the country.
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11 Comments
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l fenech
Nov 6th 2010, 08:37
We have a prime minister of a thousand apologies.
D. Micallef
Nov 5th 2010, 17:18
well done for your observation. this is a previous post in another article which I posted:
Forum Zghazagh Laburisti issued a press release to condemn the PM's comments. The PN was quick to reply to the statement, saying the PM was refering to Labour policies.
Yesterday the PM apologised, so there was something to apologise about!
In the same speech yesterday, the PM boasted about our country having free education, free healthcare, children's allowance, free medicine... ALL OF THESE WERE A DIRECT RESULT OF LABOUR POLICIES.
So either way, this comment was a demostration of Gonzi's arrogance. Yesterday's apology was the result of the pressure Gonzi had from his close advisors. An convenient apology, rather than a sincere one
mariopandolfino
Nov 5th 2010, 14:53
dak min kien jghid fiz-zmien Gvern Nazjonalista li Malta marida medicina Mintoff? Insejt ta
Pat Hobson
Nov 5th 2010, 15:33
If you remember correctly, it was never said that the PN was the disease. But as an answer to:
Malta
Marida
Medicina
Mintoff
the PN came out with:
Malta
Marida
Mikrobu
Mintoff.
As a labourite I won't accept any apology from the PN for the transfers me and my dad had for not agreeing with independence.
Steven Camilleri
Nov 5th 2010, 16:29
Good Mr.Hobson, i wouldn't forgive labour for tal-barrani for hitting my dad cause he was a nationalist !
Pat Hobson
Nov 5th 2010, 19:07
@Steven Camilleri. That's nothing compared to my uncle for being sent to prison in 1958 and a friend of mine buried in the Mizbla! All this because he was a labourite. Don't you think that both sides are pure! Don't you think that your father was used as a pawn in the Tal-Barrani incident? Just stop and think! Your father was an innocent victim of a political game played by EFA and his company. Pity all those victims of the Tal-Barrani for having fallen into the PN's trap fight and lust for power. They should set up a monument those victims and as an inscription etch "For All Those Gullible Victims who followed Us!"
M.Sammut
Nov 5th 2010, 14:17
Well said Mr.Peregin. I'm glad that you noticed this fact and shared it with everyone in a very neutral way. Keep up the good work!
Godfrey Grima
Nov 5th 2010, 12:51
Actually Charles Mangion may not have been far off the mark. Scientists in California have just discovered a gene that determines how we vote -whether Left, Right or Liberal. It's called the 7R variant of the dopamine receptor D4 gene. Fancy that.
Anthony Castillo
Nov 5th 2010, 11:58
Thats the way how a person could be judged as regards his ONESTY and CREDIBILITY which I onestly thing that the Prime minister got.
Pat Hobson
Nov 5th 2010, 13:40
I don't doubt the PM's honesty. All he has to do is apologize to the Maltese people for the downright lie of a promise he made prior to the 2008 elections. Maybe then we can call our PM honest! Till then.....
Michael Seychell
Nov 5th 2010, 17:57
@Patricia or Patrick - Ploease note that you contradicted yourself in you comment - first saying that you do not doubt the PM's honesty and than stating "Maybe then we can call our PM honest! Till then....."
Michael Seychell
Tal-Pieta