BY HIS PRAISE
Everyone and her brother is getting in on the "let's comment on Franco Debono" act, so I suppose I shouldn't be any different. There's a concurrent comedy playing, it's called the "let's bash Lou Bondi" show, where it seems that a great swathe of citizens have become unable to distinguish between the message and the messenger, finding it easier to shoot the messenger than argue the message.
But Lou is a big boy and he can take care of himself.
The most telling line in the reports about Dr Franco Debono's speech in the House, to my mind, was the one telling us that the Labour MPs applauded him. I didn't hear his speech myself, preferring to celebrate my wife's thirty-second wedding anniversary with a delectable snack at Mo's in Victoria, but from all accounts, he touched on a plethora of subjects, not all of which were immediately clear as to the extent to which they were germane to the issue under discussion.
Which leads me to the inescapable conclusion that the Opposition were not applauding his oratorial skills but simply the fact that he was dumping on his own Government. I am fortified in this conclusion by the fact that Labour were so transparently eager to let him have as much time as he wanted, a concession I doubt they would have made had they thought he was going to sing the Government's praises.
On the subject of praises, when Debono looks down the comments board, as one does, I'd suggest that he applies some moderation when assessing the level of praise he's getting. When some of those characters praise you, you know you're doing something wrong.
Debono's little arrangement about length of time to speak let him have a swing at everyone who seems to have irritated him. The PM, the Minister for Justice and the whole PN Exec were lined up in his sights at some point or other, by all accounts, but the crack that had me in stitches, even at second-hand, was the one about how public broadcasting has become worse than it was in the Eighties.
This was particularly amusing because the Hon. Gent was no but twelve, I'm told, when his party was elected in 1987, so the extent to which he has the slightest idea what was what in those days is, if you'll forgive me, insignificant.
But then, this is someone who, on his FaceBook page, before he rendered it inaccessible, said that he has suffered equally under the PN as he had under the MLP. You know, being an elected member of parliament, a Parliamentary Assistant, a well-known lawyer, this is such a terrible burden to bear.
It's almost as bad as being a European Commissioner.
I suspect the PN side didn't kick up a fuss about him speaking for so long for a pretty good reason, when you think about it.
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G Schembri
Nov 5th 2011, 18:50
Franco Debono is right PBS is getting as bad as Dardir Malta of the 80s. They might not be as bad as Xandir Malta was on the eve of the election but they are fast getting there. Yesterday a number of youths organised a protest march. There was a large crowd of more than 300 hundred persons. PBS said less than 200 persons were present. RTK said that only a hundred of persons were present. Who do they think they are fooling. They can continue in this way, but they should know that this behaviour will backfire - it will only anger the participants and harden them against PBS and RTK both having a diehard PN supporter as news manager.
d. attard
Nov 5th 2011, 08:44
Hands at the pumps in all circumstances...what a sad sight quote 'I didn't hear his speech myself' to be followed by a bashing of anything-that-moves-in-the-face-of-thePN...from commissioner to lawyer et all...What fun it is to read such a piece of pathos
Henry Mifsud
Nov 5th 2011, 17:32
What do you expect?
ABC is chanting the same song as his old friend Lou Bondi. And then he got offended when someone accused him of being in collusion with Bondi and DCG. Why do you think that he is evoking a feeling of pity?
B Ellul
Nov 4th 2011, 22:56
@Ivan Grech Mintoff: You'll never change... dark ages! int fejn tghix fil-qamar! you're trying to compare all this to the 80s or to Syria. mur orqod.
ara sewwa jighdu, hanzir taqtalu denbu hanzir jibqa or better L-ispizjar mil li jkollu jtik!
Joseph Camilleri
Nov 4th 2011, 17:41
@Ivan Grech Mintoff: The Speaker is obliged to vote against the motion if there is a parity in vote.
Perfect Coelho quote! Is that a Freudian?
Ivan Grech Mintoff
Nov 4th 2011, 17:14
Ah!
Just read:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111104/local/dalli-asks-ba-to-take-action-against-lou-bondi.392200
So much internal fighting and dirty tricks are suddenly being exposed for all to see how the PN has been working for decades....
This is why, I guess any rank breaking is frowned upon and attacked so viciously.
Malta seems more akin to Syria right now.
Back to the "dark ages" (nudge, nudge, wink wink, bocc) , I see.
Still, it'll all be over by this eveing I guess and we can go back to "Par idejn sodi", financial stability and free lunches for all ...
Joseph Camilleri
Nov 5th 2011, 02:09
Malta more akin to Syria? How many people have been killed in Malta?
Don't you think it might be a good idea to keep things in perspective?
Ivan Grech Mintoff
Nov 4th 2011, 17:01
Amazing... simply amazing!
il-bocca, I GENUINELY feel sorry for the (understandable) desperation that comes through in your blog(sic!).
Why so many bullets fired at so many shadows?
(A certain European commissioner (that is threatening the status quo), the opposition, anyone who attacks your best buddy (all of a sudden), reverting back to (shock horror) the past, etc etc...)
Relax will you? Frendo will save the day for you!
Again.
I could offer you a stronger prescription to those rumbles but in reality, the only thing that springs to mind right now is:
"Don't waste your time with explanations: people only hear what they want to hear" - Paulo Coelho
Oh yes and whatever you do, do NOT read what nationalists are writing in
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111104/local/franco-debono.392203
either....
And DO sleep well tonight.
Stay up until you hear how (impartial) Frendo voted... then you can get a good night's rest as recommended by none other than the Hon minister himself!
Angus Black
Nov 5th 2011, 18:16
"Oh yes and whatever you do, do NOT read what nationalists are writing in(The Times)..."
And why not? We are sometimes forced to read/listen to all the garbage the Labour Party throws at us. Is this the kind of censorship your Party is contemplating of in case they ever return to govern? Is this your kind of "free speech"?
You seem to be pis**d off because you and Franco got exactly nowhere and following Dr Gonzi's request for a vote of confidence, it is very obvious that the Labour Party and allies have been out-foxed unlike what happened in 1998 to Alfred Sant. Then, it was a government back-bencher who outfoxed his own prime minister.
I suppose you must be spending many a sleepless night yourself!