SNAPPY LITTLE ANNOYANCES
A few blogs ago, I floated the idea that the Nationalist Party should embrace its Young Turks and turn them into the Republic's Loyal Opposition, because the ones who are supposed to be doing this job just aren't. To be fair, the Young Turks' loyalty, for all Labour's whistling in the dark, is no longer in question and GonziPN is set fair for quite a few more months of trying to avoid the shoals of the international situation, which is pretty lucky for us, because if the other bunch get their hands on the tiller, it will be time to head for the hills, if you'll forgive the topographical blooper.
Why do I say this? You mean, apart from Deputy Leader Anglu Farrugia's failure to convince even the cat that he is Cabinet material? Or Karmenu Vella's somewhat "long past sell-by date" attributes? Or the fact that Labour's MPs seem more intent on playing with their smartphones in the House than listening to the debate? In connection with this, incidentally, what price Parliament being the highest institution in the land now, as their Whip constantly barks?
If you look at the media reports about the Budget, with Tony Zarb's facile " 1/10", you can see it plain as day: Labour and its weasels had their prepared gripes and whines, but the rest of us got it.
And what we got is that Labour are simply not fit to govern because they have no policies and they have no plans.
At eighteen-odd months from the elections, you'd think they were raring to go. Well, they are, but that's as far as it gets, because at the first Cabinet meeting, they're going to look a lot like that dog that runs after cars, without having a plan as to what to do if it actually catches one.
You want more evidence? OK, here you are. For the Leader of the Opposition, the Budget ignored important problems. The problems which were ignored, he said, included the €80m growth in government debt and the water and electricity bills.
That was it: eighty paltry million and those flipping water and electricity bills, the ones he knows how to reduce, because Citizen John Dalli told him/didn't tell him.
Precisely how – or the extent to which – the bills are going to go down, Joseph Muscat is keeping to himself, leading to the inescapable conclusion that either he doesn't really know what he's going to do, or he does and he's not telling and doesn't care about "families" suffering. I tend towards the first alternative, because the second one is too cynical even for an ex-Super One hack.
Popular Stories
In Discussion
20 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Victor Laiviera
Nov 16th 2011, 17:50
This continuous sniping at Karmenu Vella is born of an unsavoury combination of jealousy and sour grapes. Lawrence Gonzi would give his right arm for someone halfway as capable as Vella in his team.
He wouldn't have to go whining to the US Ambassador that he does not have enough talent to form a decent cabinet.
Ivan Grech Mintoff
Nov 17th 2011, 09:58
I disagree, Vic.
It is obvious to anyone with two brain cells to rub that to even have a very minimal chance of getting re-elected, the PN strategy has embarked on a simple one:
Since the people are fed up to the teeth with the present administration's (real or otherwise):
- incompetence,
- corruption,
- lack of any idea that will get us out of the 'money-no-problem' mess we are in
- lack of accountability especially when it comes to throwing money away
- self proclaimed lack of talent
- crass behaviour and lack of sensibility towards the population's dire needs
- did I mention throwing money away on indulgent and unnecessary projects?
- etc
and since this present admin does not have a real hope in hell in being re- elected if things stay the same then the ONLY viable tactic left is to paint JM as immature, lacking ideas etc etc so as to persuade the electorate that LP is not competent to govern.
Ergo, by default they should vote for this merry bunch again. At least that is the latest tactic.
Read through the "independents" stuff churned out week in week out. You will see this theme running through all of their "independent" thinking.
They STILL wish to treat the people out there (voters) as utter morons hoping that by repeating over and over, the message will be believed.
Then again, what real alternative tactic do they have left in the arsenal of the (very) light brigade...? !
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Nov 15th 2011, 20:56
You seem to have already elected the PL to governmment. Despair has long set in within the PN ranks. In politics, they often say that governments lose elections, oppositions don't win them. Why should Labour publicise its policies at this stage? To deflect attention from the incompetence of this government and give the PN the opportunity to go on the attack? Release them a few weeks before the election when the PN is further down the s**thole.
Andrew Borg-Cardona
Nov 15th 2011, 22:45
Thank you for your erudite analysis. Clearly you have a grasp of politics that is second to none.
Mr Joe Micallef
Nov 16th 2011, 09:18
Wow Chetcuti your reasoning is flawless, that is, in terms of extreme sadism.
So you mean to tell me that you will vote for a party who says it has a solution to save you a couple hundred Euros in utility bills from now until the next general election but it will not explain because it wants the PN "further down the s*** hole" - and that is ignoring the fact that me and you pay Joey to speak up.
Angus Black
Nov 16th 2011, 16:40
"...incompetence of this government...'?
Is, not presenting plans and policies, the competence of the Opposition?
Is the Labour Party afraid that the NP will 'steal' any of their ideas, even if they would enhance the lives of their own supporters? The plain fact is, the LP does not have any - bankrupt of ideas, period.
Ivan Grech Mintoff
Nov 16th 2011, 17:38
@Angus Borg Cardona
>Is, not presenting plans and policies, the competence of the Opposition?
Emphatically not. That is the singular role of the government although going by the present record it would seem to be more playing role of instructing apologists to defend its record...
The role of the opposition is to oppose constructively. Hence the name.
>Is the Labour Party afraid that the NP will 'steal' any of their ideas, even if they would enhance the lives of their own supporters? The plain fact is, the LP does not have any - bankrupt of ideas, period.
Then you have nothing to worry about do you?
So.. why ARE you so worried that it merits blogging(sic!) space that could be better utilised in constructive comment instead of the negative one that even PN higher echelons are directly calling it destructive?
Do I wish you to stop? Am I complaining about it?
Absolutely not! Please do carry on!!
:)
Ivan Grech Mintoff
Nov 15th 2011, 18:03
While Il-bocca plays coventry like silly children will do...
history is being made:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/palestine_freedom_riders/?cl=1388785657&v=11131
Henry Mifsud
Nov 15th 2011, 17:40
ABC why am I getting the impression that you are somewhat uneasy (you are 56 aren't you?) when you mentioned Karmenu Vella's somewhat "long past sell-by date" attributes? For a 61 year old he certainly looks much better than some who are younger than he is. One of the most loved politicians, especially by the fairer sex, he adds to Parliament a wealth of experience. Anyone who is remotely connected to the Tourism industry, including PN sympathizers, will tell you that Malta never had a Tourism Minister better than Karmenu who understood what this sector is all about. He is a doer and that is why Dr. Muscat entrusted him with what can be considered as a very delicate task. His pre-budget presentation, ably assisted by Prof. Edward Scicluna and Dr. Charles Mangion was more than proof that the PL is raring to go, much sooner than you think. GonziPN were taken unawares so much so that even the slogan they chose for this year, they had to copy. It seems that their consultants were busy consulting someone else.
"Ghaqal" indeed; if they only knew the meaning of it!
Andrew Borg-Cardona
Nov 15th 2011, 19:03
You're wrong by just under a month. As for the rest, there's a country mile and more involved, but hey, what's that for a Lil'Elf?
Henry Mifsud
Nov 16th 2011, 17:34
OK granted, I got your age wrong by a mere 26 days! But then what does one expect from you when you have nothing else to say. Keep on chasing windmills .....
Antoine Vella
Nov 17th 2011, 20:09
Henry, Karmenu Vella is generally considered to be "past his sell-by date", not because of his age but because of the political skeletons in his cupboard.
He was already an MP and a minister in Mintoff's regime, his most notable achievement being his cruising into Għadira Bay "by mistake" on his luxury yacht.
Of course, the PL is "raring to go". We want them to go too. Away.
They won't but, who said that life is perfect?
Mr Joe Micallef
Nov 15th 2011, 15:48
One reads Laiviera and realises that the promised PL earthquake has materialised in an implosion that went wrong, very wrong!
d. attard
Nov 15th 2011, 14:15
Quote A few blogs ago, I floated the idea that the Nationalist Party should embrace its Young Turks and turn them into the Republic's Loyal Opposition, because the ones who are supposed to be doing this job just aren't Unquote
Could this bit of brainwaive have come out of the Ben Ali Mubarak et all's hand book in organising their own opposition?
Victor Laiviera
Nov 15th 2011, 11:26
Pretty clear that this piece was prepared before Tonio Fenech even opened his mouth.
Andrew Borg-Cardona
Nov 15th 2011, 12:53
Pretty clear that it's time I started ignoring you. You have been relegated to the level of that Mintoff person - you are the weakest link, goodbye.
Julian Borg
Nov 15th 2011, 16:29
You mistake ABC for Joseph Muscat - if ever there was a pre-prepared speech in response to a budget that had not been heard that was it. I feel sorry for you folk - just a sad lot really. Like basing the economic policy of the country around electricity tariffs!!!
André Xuereb
Nov 16th 2011, 09:13
@ Victor Laiviera: I don't usually feed trolls, but are you by any chance referring to the GWU statement, which was released before the budget speech was over?
Victor Laiviera
Nov 16th 2011, 16:24
@ Andrew Borg Cardona.
Like Austin Gatt, I won't need any sleeping-pills because if what you wrote.
Julian Borg
Nov 15th 2011, 10:49
This John Dalli 'proposal' to the PL is bordering on the farcical. Last night on TVM the Minister of Finance explained that the JD Proposal was being evaluated by the experts. He also stated that the proposal involved that nasty pollutant - COAL. What was Karmenu Vella's reaction? "Mhux hekk qalli Johnny!" - someone reel out the tape!
It beggars belief that the Labour Party are basing their entire economic/political strategy on a non technical proposal from one, John Dalli, "li qalli hekk u mhux hekk". For goodness sake do they realise we are talking about a nation here and even with the best of intentions the price of electricity is not going to budge significantly.
What is scary is that the best the Opposition can do, with all the time on their hands to dream up visions and proposals, is to quote a disgruntled PN leadership challenger who describes his exceedingly well paid and challenging position as a prison sentence!