Absence of MPs was 'bad example,' unions say

a.spiteri

Feb 5th 2011, 21:30

I have so much to say to these people on their home visits before the election. Yippy

a. spiteri

Feb 5th 2011, 21:19

X'jitmelhu mil poplu

M Gatt

Feb 5th 2011, 18:22

"... this had happened at the same time as the negotiators in talks on a new civil service collective agreement were being told that electronic systems needed to be installed to ensure that civil servants reported for work on time."

The FORUM seems to be out of touch with reality here. The tax departments definitely already use a punch-clock to monitor employees' attendance. The VAT Department's system directly links up to a wages calculation with deductions being made for unaccounted-for time not worked. I wonder how many Government employees worked their hours to the full or had to take leave on New Year's Eve, for example, like their colleagues in the VAT Department did? The sooner the situation is streamlined across the Civil Service the better, I'd say - and that includes our parliamentarians too. After all, what's good for the goose is good for the gander u "jekk tiskongra trid tkun pur", mhux hekk?

VICTOR VELLA

Feb 5th 2011, 10:35

IF THE UNIONS HAVE THE NERVE THEY COULD SEND OUT PEOPLE ON THE STREETS AND TOPLE OUR OPRRESSORS WHO ARE LIVING IN RICHES AND THE PEOPLE IN RAGS.

C.R. Taliana

Feb 5th 2011, 08:54

Setting a good example is surely not an item on their agenda!

john muscat

Feb 5th 2011, 08:16

How about considering a decrease in the MPs salary rather than an increase.

Michael Walter

Feb 4th 2011, 17:21

Must have been an unusualy large number of wedding reception to be attended.15 full time mps would be enough for Malta's population,The country would save all those wasted salaries,and shed a good portion of the other hangers on.

Ramon Mizzi

Feb 4th 2011, 11:39

Would MPs get disciplined from not attend to work like every other worker in Malta? Have to ask this question in this two weights two measure mentality of this island. Dear MPs, stop toying with those who voted you in, or do you want more money to actually do what you promised you? Since you claim that politics are a service to the country, this is surely a dis-service that doesn't reflect the fat increase in your salaries.

MARK MIFSUD BONNICI

Feb 4th 2011, 10:48

"It hoped there would not be a repetition."

How about a punch clock at the entrance of parliament!!

Carmel Cilia

Feb 4th 2011, 09:43

What about the speaker. Is this guy no the one responsible for what happens in parliament. May be he is just there to rubber stamp anything on the government 's side. This institution is fast becoming the most ridiculous collection of members in the whole of the E.U. To add insult to injury these people give themselves hectic rises and the No. One guy says that they deserve it. They also gave themselves a hectic increase in their pension which by the way is not a fixed one but is always issued at par with the adjusted wage. Poor worker, poor voter, poor citizen.

l fenech

Feb 4th 2011, 09:39

Ma'ttendewx ghax kienu busy jonqfu is-600 Euro mit-2008. Ara jien mal-lewell infaqthom il- 1Euro 16 cents malli xtrajt l-ewwel cilindru tal-gas.

stephen zammit

Feb 4th 2011, 09:20

Hey...go easy on them!!! Maybe they need a wage increase to motivate them!!!!

GRay

Feb 4th 2011, 08:29

Our representatives disgust me. They should not get paid for when they are absent, then you'll see they'll attend. No work, no pay, no vote.

J Farrugia

Feb 4th 2011, 07:46

Dawn l-unions taf meta messhom fethu halqhom ? Meta fi zmien il-Labour il-parlament kien sar teatrin bil-kriminali jassistu u joffendu lill-opposizzjoni ta' dak iz-zmien, meta fil-parlament kien hemm il-vjolenza kontra n-Nazzjonalisti? Meta fil-parlament kienu ghoddhom qatlu lil Hector Bruno li kien qed jadi dmirhu bhala gurnalista? U MHUX ILLUM meta taht in-Nazzjonalisti hawn demokrazija shiha u minghajr skossi. Hemm messu tkellem dan il-forum tac-cekcik mhux illum. Hemm messhom tkellmu meta Deputati laburisti kienu jheddu lid-deputati nazzjonalisti, sahansitra lil mibki Gorg Bonellu DuPuis, kien hemm bully MP Laburista li tajjarlu snienu ta' quddiem b'daqqa ta' ponn. Mela ghax ma kienux fil-kamra?? Din kollha Ipokrizija prima ta' dan il-forum ruman.

Joe Borg

Feb 4th 2011, 00:50

Their dedication to their work certainly merits a HUGE PAY RISE!

Joseph C Gauci

Feb 3rd 2011, 23:17

The action by parliamentarieans of failing to attend yesterday's sitting is not only dishusting but an insult to the electorate. And this after the gave themselves a hety increase in their pay and honoraria. When are they going to stop treating the electorate with such shameful behaviour. I have no doubt that come next election the percentage of people going to vote will drop drastically. What a shame!

Alberto Mollicone

Feb 3rd 2011, 22:48

Good excuse by the unions; so along with the 69 MPs we'll have an additional 30,000 civil servants roaming around and chatting in cafes.

J.Tonna

Feb 3rd 2011, 20:43

What many have missed is that MP's from both sides of the House were absent. it was not the first time that before a member of the opposition calls "No Quorum" he waits for his friends to retreat from the House.

gxuereb

Feb 3rd 2011, 20:42

Parliamentary sittings should be transmitted on television. This could easily be done through Channel 22 (Education Channel). The public demands to view these sittings and to observe and hear the debates of their representatives. It's a shame how voters are being treated by the highest institution of the country. Mr. Speaker, please take note!

S. Cassar

Feb 3rd 2011, 20:39

And we are spending millions to build a new parliament for......5 MPs to turn up???

C Ellul

Feb 3rd 2011, 20:34

No wonder , our MP do not want to have parliamentary sittings transmitted live of the internet.

MBorg

Feb 3rd 2011, 20:34

Their insensitiveness in pocketing a huge increase, when we are living in this economic situation ,pales after what they did yesterday. It is a shame that they treat parliament in this way. If what some are writing is true , that is that it is not the first time that this happened , how do they have the courage to think that they are worthy of this uncalled for rise ?

I hope that who ever has to decide about this rise takes note of the wishes of the population .

J Oatmon

Feb 3rd 2011, 20:06

A stunning example of a complete lack of professionalism by those supposed to lead in Malta!

Francis Farrugia

Feb 3rd 2011, 19:19

f`gieh is-sewwa u l-verita ejjew nghamlu monument lill-John Bundy ghax veru ghandna pajjiz tal-MICKEY MOUSE.

Mario Gatt

Feb 3rd 2011, 19:19

Tghid fuq din il-performance hadmuha l-onoraria? Ghalhekk forsi qatt ma baqghetx tissemma l-kelma accountability ?? Misshom jisthu. X'ezempju qed jaghtuna!!!!!

G. Camilleri

Feb 3rd 2011, 18:58

Some food for thought! Are GWU and UHM following FORUM UNIONS MALTIN's footsteps and issue a similar Press Release?

Alexander Pace Gouder.

Feb 3rd 2011, 18:29

@ Phil Pryce. - Mela ,they owe the Kaxxa ta' Malta much more. This I have still to check from records but according to what I was told today there are many times when almost if not more then half the members of Parlament are not present for Parlament sittings. This from both sides of the house. Many also enter when the sittings have already started and even half sitting is already over This time we got to know as they have been caught on the wrong foot and the Speaker had to put of the sitting. What a shame.

m. borg (slm)

Feb 3rd 2011, 18:23

I never was interest in going for politics and to run for elections but knowing that if elected I'll get a job which keeps me cosy at home and still get paid with occassional magnificent pay rises I am having second thoughts.
Think I'll form a new party and contest, I'll promise Heaven on earth and guaranteed a place in real Heaven to all those who vote for me.
Now I know why elected politicians are called MPs which stands for Mangia Passigia for some of them.
gonz €500 per/week raise is not enough for you and your cabinet you are working too darn hard €5000/week is more like it , you deserve every penny or should I say eurocent.
Way to go gonz keep giving us reasons to kick you out of Kastilia and the party.

A. Mizzi

Feb 3rd 2011, 18:03

More absenteeism and yet millions are going to be "invested " in a new parliament building ...when sittings are not even attended in the existing one!


Has the fountain in St. George's Square losing its appeal and not proving to be an incentive to MPs to attend parliament?


Maybe they went off too look for a part-time job after their salary increase was reduced from €600 to €500 a week..

It's tough out there and with the recent increases in gas, fuel and cost of living they need a pat-time job.

Monica Tabone

Feb 3rd 2011, 17:53

U DAWN L-AFFARIJIET JIBQU JSIRU.............GHAX IL-POPLU MALTIN IGERGER BISS U IKOLLU JACCETTA KOLLOX!

Tony Mangion

Feb 3rd 2011, 17:48

Mr De Martino, on previous occasion, confessed that he wouln't mind criticising his Government when there will be enough reason to do so. Yet he condemns JPF who went all out against the honoraria which the P.M. approved to give to his Ministers and other M.Ps. Has this absence of M.P.s from the House confirmed how right were the stands taken by JPF and the L.P.?,

J. Grima

Feb 3rd 2011, 17:40

Tella lil-gvern il-poplu, jhallashom il-poplu u DAK RISPETT MIL-MINISTRI.

U bil-wicc tost kollu irduppjaw il-paga. Li kien pajjiz iehor NINI-NINI..

Issa ftit cejca qabel l-elezzjoni u nergaw koppi. Hu ja poplu.

S. Farrugia

Feb 3rd 2011, 17:29

Ara ghal min qed inhallsu l-Onoraria. Imsieken jaghmlu zewg xoghlijiet. Insomma, forsi kienu leave jew bis-sick, jew bit-time in lieu. Heqq!!!!

J Sammut

Feb 3rd 2011, 17:27

Kemm qisa ghamluha bi sfida, ezatt wara l-kontroversja tal-paga doppja!! Ma jisthux?

Mario Farrugia

Feb 3rd 2011, 17:26

Oxxenita' wahda wara l-ohra....
Zieda bhal dik... u lanqas biss imorru ghal xogholhom!
Kif tista' taghti tort lill-poplu talli jgorr??

Sandra Farrugia

Feb 3rd 2011, 17:19

They were too busy threatening the PM with resigning, and the PM was too busy trying to make compromises with them!!

toni gatt

Feb 3rd 2011, 17:14

Ghandna parliamentari tad-dahk u zufjett u mbaghad iridu z-zieda u jridu l-haddiem ikun serju. Jien laburist imma nistenna aktar serjeta mill-laburisti ghax qisna qed nitnikkru minnhom. Mhux ta' b'xejn z-zghazaghn jghidu li m'hemmx differenza bejn blu u ahmar. Il-UNIONS ghandhom jinghaqdu u jinhallu mill-partiti rispettivi u jigbdu lejn il-haddiem. Nghid lill-Gonzi li meta semma li skala ghaxra mal-gvern kien qed jinkludi professjonisti u li ma' qalx kien li dawn ghandhom 900euro paga fix-xahar. Ara x'motivazzjoni jkollok biex tahdem.

Phil Pryce

Feb 3rd 2011, 17:07

Perhaps they were too busy counting their money. So let's see, 600 Euros a week extra, assuming Monday to Friday, divided by 5 = 120. By my reckoning they each owe us, the tax payers, 120 Euros for their day off.

Vincent Galea

Feb 3rd 2011, 17:05

Perhaps they all had diarrhea and their shoes leaked.They are humans after all. : ))

Charles Micallef

Feb 3rd 2011, 16:55

HONORARIA...HONORARIA,,,HONORARIA

......................and do they deserve it??????

gcForte

Feb 3rd 2011, 16:55

.....................Kieku jien il President ta Malta l-ewwel nohrog ` charge ` lil kull membru tal parlament li kienu assenti bla raguni soda.It tieni nordnalkhom li tmorru tghatu spjegazzjoni cara lil poplu wiehed wara l-iehor fuq it T.V ta l-istat, ghaliex ma mortux tghamlu xogholkhom. Ghalhekk hafna cittadini, mod specjali iz zaghzagh qeghdin jitilfu il fiducja fil politikant, ghax qeghed jinduna li mhux ghax ihobbu lil pajjizhom dak li jghamlu, imma ghal buthom.

A Tanti

Feb 3rd 2011, 16:53

We heard yesterday that Evarist Bartolo could not ask his Parliementary Question because there wasn't a minister present.
Well well well.....they are paid as MPs and as Ministers, and they don't even attend Parliament!!

Next thing we'll hear is that though they weren't present, they were listening to the sitting, from their radios!!

This is sick!

J Farrugia

Feb 3rd 2011, 16:51

Dan minn meta' dan il-forum qed jindahal f'affarijiet li mhumiex kompetenza taghhom? L-ewwel bdew b'tad-divorzju u issa b'tal-Parlament! Dak hemm il-poplu li jiddeciedi ghandhux igeddilhom il-fiducja tieghu f'dawn il-MPs. Mhux ahjar dawn tal-forums jaraw li l-haddiema kollha membri taghhom jaqdu d-doveri kollha taghhom, bla ifs and buts? Biex tiskongra trid tkun PUR anzi PURISSIMU.

R Cassar

Feb 3rd 2011, 16:49

The opposition was there to put the question. The government was absent to answer. It is government’s duty to make sure there is a quorum

Stephen Koludrovic

Feb 3rd 2011, 16:48

This surely could be a world record to be mentioned in the Guinness book.

G. Camilleri

Feb 3rd 2011, 16:48

Dear Mr. Lawrence Caruana. They " are sticking their nose in" because they represent thousands of workers who are expected to report on time and give a day's work. If not discipinary actions are taken against them. Ok Sir!!

Lawrence Caruana

Feb 3rd 2011, 16:41

Agree 100% that this should not happen,but how come the Forum group are sticking their nose in?

m vella

Feb 3rd 2011, 16:38

incredible but true.

peter gee

Feb 3rd 2011, 16:25

Perhaps if they were better paid they would be more motivated to attend.

r ferriggi

Feb 3rd 2011, 16:21

ormai......... i doubt if there is 50% of malta and gozo who trusts these guys ( all of them) after all that we have been witnessing.