Updated - Sceberras Trigona in sharp exchanges with interviewer in PBS programme
Interviewer reacts after former minister's 'insults'
Parts of an interview with PL international secretary Alex Sceberras Trigona on Radio Malta this morning degenerated after the former foreign minister objected to questions asked by interviewer Chris Scicluna on l-istampa kollha.
The temperature started to rise when the interviewer noted that Dr Sceberras Trigona had built strong relations with various leaders, such as Col Gaddafi.
He asked Dr Sceberras Trigona how he felt when he saw Col Gaddafi captured and killed. Dr Sceberras Trigona said he never had a personal relationship and he objected to be questioned in this way. He had worked as a foreign minister or international secretary in the interests of the country. The PN, he said had been waging a disgusting, slanderous campaign where it tried to imply that PL officials had a personal relationship.
The interviewer insisted that he had not asked about a 'personal' relationship.
Dr Sceberras Trigona said he had been asked about relationships. He agreed that medals to people such as Col Gaddafi and (former Tunisian President) Tunisian President Ben Ali were withdrawn, but had Eddie Fenech Adami returned the Al Fatah medal which Col Gaddafi sent him?
Amid arguments with the interviewer, who wanted to move on, Dr Sceberras Trigona insisted he had a duty to explain on the question he had been asked.
He asked how, during the Hannibal Gaddafi controversy between Libya and Switzerland, the PN government had defended Hannibal Gaddafi. The PN in government stuck out its neck for Col Gaddafi's son. Why therefore, did the PN try to imply that it was PL officials who had personal relationships with Libya?
As Mr Scicluna tried to turn to other questions, Dr Sceberras Trigona asked him why he wanted his personal views on Gaddafi when he had not asked the same questions to PN International Secretary John Bonello (who, he said, had not turned up for a previous programme). This was not fair, Dr Sceberras Trigona said.
This was a shame, this was disgusting and approaching the filth seen elsewhere he said - which later resulted to be a reference to BondiPlus. This interview, he warned, was approaching partisanship and filth because it was being held on PBS and the programme should be balanced. This line of questioning was not. He warned Mr Scicluna to be careful as he was on state radio and had to maintain a balance.
Mr Scicluna then played a recording of comments by Beppe Fnech Adami where he said that Dr Sceberras Trigona should resign from his post in the PL because of the relations he had built with Libya and had even organised Dr Muscat's first visit to Libya.
Dr Sceberras Trigona said the interviewer was Dr Fenech Adami's puppet and this was obscene and there was no balance.
Mr Scicluna said he was giving Dr Sceberras Trigona a full 50 minutes to reply.
Dr Sceberras Trigona asked Mr Scicluna why had he not had the guts to get Dr Bonello, the PN international secretary to the programme? This was obscene imbalance which the Broadcasting Authority should see. Why hadn't Mr Scicluna produced a recording of what Mr Bonello would have said?
Mr Scicluna told Dr Sceberras Trigona repeatedly that he had every chance to reply, but he was refusing.
Dr Sceberras Trigona retorted that Mr Scicluna was being arrogant, like the government. He said, however that he would reply, despite the tricks.
Mr Scicluna said there were no tricks. Dr Sceberras Trigona said these were tricks as these questions were not asked to John Bonello.
However, he added, Dr Fenech Adami had no right to demand any Labour official's resignation because he was not a member of the party. He should ask why his father had not returned the medal, how Gonzi had been the last prime minister to meet Col Gaddafi and how median line talks had failed.
Relations should be judged by what was achieved. The Labour governments got the Jerma and Mista village through Libyan investment and financial protocols from Italy. There was nothing under the PN governments. Only words.
Asked about reports of funds having been transferred from Libya to the Labour Party, Dr Sceberras Trigona retorted that the same source also claimed that Malta under the PN was a base for terrorists. 'How would you comment to that?' he asked Mr Scicluna, pointing out that he was a former secretary of then foreign minister Michael Frendo and a government 'puppet'...
'We told you, we issued an official statement, but if you want to stick to that source, tell me how Malta was a terrorist state," Dr Sceberras Trigona said.
Mr Scicluna objected to being called a puppet.
"I am asking you, I have before me the international secretary of the PL and foreign minister at the time..." Mr Scicluna said.
"And I have before be a puppet of the PN government," Dr Sceberras Trigona replied.
He also pointed out he was not foreign minister at the time...
Mr Scicluna said he had not said that he (Sceberras Trigona) had been responsible for the funds.
Dr Sceberras Trigona warned him to therefore hold his tongue about such innuendoes aimed at hiding what was taking place now.
Asked whether the PL had received funds, Dr Sceberras Trigona told Mr Scicluna to ask his source. This was the source that had said the PN was a terrorist state for year. The government had not commented, seemingly ignoring this source. So why should he reply?
He did not know what happened after his term, but, Dr Sceberras Trigona pointed out, this was subject to a libel case.
When Mr Scicluna moved to another clip by Beppe Fenech Adami, Dr Sceberras Trigona again protested loudly of imbalance and said Mr Scicluna should have invited the PN international secretary.
In the clip, Dr Fenech Adami spoke of CIA claims of Libyan funding to the PL, saying the PL had remained silent.
Dr Sceberras Trigona said remarks were made by Joseph Muscat on February 27 and April 13. Other statement were made by other PN officials. And Dr Fenech Adami had not even quoted correctly from the CIA report and made it sound like Libya was funding the Labour Party now. All these were lies. But all this was filth not befitting state radio. This was more suitable for Net. This was total filth.
When he was asked for his views on the situation in the EU, Dr Sceberras Trigona again said he would address his interviewer as a PN puppet.
He insisted that the success or otherwise of Malta's foreign affairs had to be judged by the results for Malta and not what was taking place in the EU or elsewhere. In the case of the EU, one had to see whether it was necessary for Malta to have such financial exposure to the countries facing problems, such as Greece.
And was the government defended Malta's financial services sector amid efforts to introduce a financial transaction tax? The government was not saying anything. The UK had taken a stand when its financial sector was some 7% of its GDP. The Maltese financial sector accounted for 12% of Malta's GDP but was the government defending Malta's corner?
Similarly, in Libya's case, was the government seeking compensation for those Maltese who had lost business?
Asked if Malta was better off in or out of the EU, Dr Sceberras Trigona said some promises had not been realised, like the Lm100 cash injection. However the issue was now final. Malta was in the EU. But there had been a lot of hype about what Malta was to get from the EU but this had not been realised. This was what should be presented to the people to consider.
ALFRED SANT
Earlier, replying to questions about his relationship with Alfred Sant, Dr Scerras Trigona said the breaking point was the fact that Dr Sant had linked confidence in his government to a simple resolution in the House. That, he insisted, had not been a motion of no confidence and the President himself had had the authority not to call the election. That the President - Ugo Mifsud Bonnici - called the election was an exaggeration.
Asked to make comparisons between the party leaders, Dr Sceberras Trigona said that taking a position against Mintoff was like punching a rock, with Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici was like punching water, creating a splash but then things returned to normal.
DOM MINTOFF
Comparisons, he said, were odious. But if he could say something about Dr Muscat, it was that he checked matters well and sometimes repeatedly, like Mintoff did. H was a careful man, and this was very commendable in a man who could be a future prime minister.
Dr Sceberras Trigona said he remained in contact with Mr Mintoff, who sometimes visited him at home and they enjoyed discussing the past and the present.
Dr Sceberras Trigona said it was interesting how the PL now had a whole profile of generations within it.
This contrasted with the PN where Louis Galea was no longer there, Guido de Marco had passed away, that was no one's fault, and Eddie Fenech Adami seemed to be trying to make a return but this was discordant since he was a former President and he was taking a position in favour of a small part of the PN against the others, possibly to help his son. John Dalli was also out. Thus the stratum of age in the PL which represented a wide cross-section of the people did not exist in the PN.
The PN had a limited age bracket and people like Gonzi and Gatt had no one above them whose experience they could call on. At the same time, the Gonzi-Gatt age bracket was holding the younger ones from advancement.
Asked whether the PL would win the next election, Dr Sceberras Trigona said one could not say. Were it to be held today, he felt the PL would win, but things could change in many ways.
As to whether he would be an election candidate, he said that in terms of party rules, he could not be a candidate because party officials had to step down from their role two years before an election was due.
INTERVIEWER'S REACTION
In a reaction after the programme, interviewer Chris Scicluna said: "Alex Sciberras Trigona today had 50 whole minutes to express his views freely, without a sparring partner from the PN side. Alex Sciberras Trigona opted to throw a flurry of insults and unfounded allegations at me, as presenter of the show, instead of answering questions about his stance on Libya.
"I am sure that our listeners expected Dr. Sciberras Trigona to show more respect when debating in a civil environment and that his outburst clearly showed he felt uncomfortable when faced with legitimate questions about his past.
"As a presenter, my role is to ask and I leave it to listeners to decide about his reaction when questioned about Libya.
"There was absolutely no need for any of his aggressive outbursts. No amount of insults, bullying, outbursts, condescending adjectives and warnings will stop me from continuing to ask legitimate questions to anyone who holds answers," Mr Scicluna said.
The programme can be access on http://snd.sc/sy6BJa
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103 Comments
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Lawrence Fenech
Dec 20th 2011, 13:01
AST should be reminded of the vendicative transfers even to Gozo to mothers and fathers who went on strike in sympathy of teachers strike who in turn did their duty in garages all over the island.
A. Schembri
Dec 20th 2011, 12:34
Irrevelevant of one's political views, I cannot understand how such a person can be trusted to be a minister should he be elected and PL win the coming election. God spare us. He has not changed since the dark days of old. I truly hope that Joseph Muscat has more sence not to place such a person in power if he wins the coming election.
Angus Black
Dec 20th 2011, 00:11
Such class!
When truth hurts, a class act is to eat some humble pie, not attack an interviewer just doing his job. If AST had nothing to hide he would have answered a simple question and not talk about 'dirt' and try desperately to change the subject.
The LP is so paranoid about people questioning their past and present policies that they automatically go on the defensive every time. AST is so familiar with the old Labour Party saying; "Min mhux maghna, kontra taghna" that every time he is questioned about any of his past actions, he goes ballistic.
Joseph is not much better when he cannot answer the PM's 10 questions but instead he scribbles 51 fantasies but when asked (again) about how he proposes to finance some of them he retorts "Elect me first, and I'll show you later"!
Let's all say together now, "In Joseph we trust". Zinnnn
Richard Borg
Dec 20th 2011, 10:11
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20111118/local/12-questions-that-still-need-to-be-answered.394436
Aaron Vella
Dec 19th 2011, 21:34
X'arroganza ta' ragel. Missu jisthi.
Victor Laiviera
Dec 20th 2011, 11:25
How true, Mr Vella. PBS should be much more careful about who it engages to run its programs. Third-rate party hacks masquerading as journalists have no place on Public Broadcasting. But then what do you expect? Even Jeffrey Pullicino Orland suddenly acquired a press-card when it suited the PN.
Ms.D. Galea
Dec 20th 2011, 16:59
@Mr Laiviera;
""Third-rate party hacks masquerading as journalists have no place on Public Broadcasting."
True. Their place is on the newspaper blogs carrying out instructions from ONE Media.
Tonio Farrugia
Dec 19th 2011, 17:32
Are you serious mr brincat?
does it boil down to that??... this is an issue of substance over form, i'm sorry to say!....
pat muscat
Dec 19th 2011, 14:00
The Labour Party should have learned the lesson by now: Nationalists apparatchicks are malicious and stop at nothing to provoke Labour officials to then quickly play the victim. Its not in PN's electoral interest to have a quite election campaign and the reason is obvious!
j brincat
Dec 19th 2011, 13:07
'Ladies & Gentlemen more will come your way as the impending election comes nearer and nearer'.
Much of the same.
The assassination of characters has started.
Could MBA intervene and confirm that the line of question by a PBS journalist (paid from taxes) was appropriate?
If the same interviewer has Dr Gonzi in front of him will he ask him "What are your feelings when you remember that you were the last European dignitary to hug the Colonel and then saw the way he was brutally killed?"
(jb)
W Cassar
Dec 19th 2011, 12:53
Great Propaganda for the PN!
If any of you think that the election campaign has not started think again. The PN are not new to using physiological weaknesses of its opponents to gain political mileage. Same happened to Dr.Sant vs JPO.
Dr. Sciberras Trigona should know better than reacting to emotional cues about his past.
As for myself I made my mind up about who I will be voting for last year and the campaign from both sides will not change that now.
Marco Meli
Dec 19th 2011, 11:34
il futur min rah?? ejja nharsu lejn il passat u nighdu x gara 30 sena ilu!!!!! x ma jmurx lura l pajjiz!!!!
M Farrugia
Dec 19th 2011, 13:15
il-passat jekk jinbidel il-gvern jista ikun il-mera tal-futur u ghalhekk kulhadd ghandu jixtar dak li jintqal u dak li ridu jippruvaw inessu.
charles tabone
Dec 19th 2011, 15:04
Jekk trid naqilghulek il=passat tal-PN hemm hafna xi xxommu taht abtkom. Habib, min ma jharisx lejn il-futur b'VIZJONI u bi pjanijiet zgur li bhan-naghma ghandu rasu mdahhla fir-ramel. Ahna li kuljum mikulin mill-prezent ta' gvern sterili infittxu l-futur b'qalbna qawwija li s-sewwa jirbah (mhux hekk qal il-kap tieghek?)
Lina Caruana
Dec 19th 2011, 10:34
This is not the Maltese spring but the seventies winter!
Ms Rudi Mcbeal
Dec 19th 2011, 10:18
New labour my foot. Seems like the LP is never going to change after all.
George Azzopardi
Dec 19th 2011, 12:56
that is may some PN bloggers here's wish .. including yours it seems. Keep it up using this strategy!
Ms Rudi Mcbeal
Dec 19th 2011, 17:33
That is just the plain truth, Mr Azzopardi, whether you like it or not. I assure you that I have no ties or anything to do whatsover with the NP - I am simply stating a fact, that's all. Just to put your mind at rest.
d. attard
Dec 19th 2011, 09:55
The role of pBS is obviously clear even to the untrained eye.Their political output compliments that of incumbent and is therefore,in my opinion, a key element in trying to return this government to power. The leaders at PBS should clearly state their links to Government and NP structures. Many know exactly the score, others do not. Malta needs to move on from this state of affairs so that finally we can enjoy Maltese Television through intellegent debate and the rest. As it is, I see the PBS as having reached a dangerous depth that does not make one hope for better things to come.
E Gatt
Dec 19th 2011, 09:52
This morning the death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il was announced.
It is not difficult to imagine how Dr Alex Sceberras Trigona would have reacted if the interviewer had asked him about the notorious agreement between the socialist regimes of Malta and North Korea.
Anthony Busuttil
Dec 19th 2011, 09:40
This is part of the negative electoral campaign which the PN are mounting. We are already seeing these on NET Tv. I am eager to wait for the programme Related to Karin Grech, As re Gaddafi the last Head of Goverment visiting the dictator was Lawrence Gonzi. We all saw it hagging like old friends. We all remember Eddie being greeted by Gaddafi and hugging him like blood brothers. We all remember the medals Eddie gave to Gaddaffi. No I am not mentioning what the Mintoff did to Gaddaffi. They were good friends so much so that once Gaddafi was sick and Mintoff got him Chinese medicine.
This Negative campaign is not going to get the PN now where. People wants more substance. If the PL wants to mount a negative campaign they could use Karin Grech, citizens burred
in unconsecrated cemetary, ban on MLP newspapers in hospital, Dnub il Mejjet. etc. This is clear indication that the PL has changed and it is a great challenge for the goverment.
Kevin Cauchi
Dec 19th 2011, 09:29
Alex Sciberras Trigona outburst on Radju Malta : http://youtu.be/g2Pn3i3qsvQ
Victor Laiviera
Dec 19th 2011, 09:10
Further proof (as if any proof was needed) that Franco Debono was 100% right when he said that the imbalance in PBS is worse that it has ever been in its whole history.
r spiteri
Dec 19th 2011, 11:36
So no PBS journalist can ask about Sciberras Trigona's past?
Victor Laiviera
Dec 19th 2011, 11:50
There is a difference between putting hard questions to every side in politics and ambushing those who are on the other side. Especially on national broadcasting.
Surely you can see that?
Mr Peter Barbara
Dec 19th 2011, 12:01
NOTHING but NOTHING can be more imbalanced than Xandir Malta was in the past - it is useless haranguing that it took place 25 years ago, and we should move on -yes we should move on, but please respect all those who remember those times and do not act the goody goody!!
Victor Laiviera
Dec 19th 2011, 13:16
@ Mr Barbara
In those days, it is true, there were some individuals (some of them now prominently active in PN ranks) who had too much power and abused the system. But it was an individual effort.
Nowadays it is much worse because it is organised from the very top - look at the way all the top posts in PBS are packed with hand-picked nationalists from the Gonzi faction of the PN.
John Scerri
Dec 19th 2011, 13:49
Alas i must say that Dr.Franco Debono was still too young to understand the shear brainwashing technique used during the Labour regime in order to create a socialist race of youngsters singing political songs during young childrens programmes depficting the opposition as some inferior race .
History is there , it will stay there , no one will change it , all the disgusting news issued on the media public licence paid TV ...which was the one and only at that time was with the aim of eliminating any opposition.
But........... everyone knows that 'Is- Sewwa rebah u jirbah dejjem.' no matter how long it will take and those who reject the known truth will one day find out how wrong they were , as has already happened.
Those who never learn are those who are so selfish to say sorry and apologize publicly for insulting their fellow countrymen's intelligence during the Labour regime .
Mr Joe Micallef
Dec 19th 2011, 09:01
Hmar taqtalu dembu hmar jibqa!
Pat Hobson
Dec 19th 2011, 15:29
Much like your master!
mark borg
Dec 19th 2011, 20:17
Are you referring to Dr Sciberras Trigona as being the Hmar ??
Joe... You wish you could accomplish one hundredth of what this gentlemen has during his 16 years serving the country as a minister and also at his capacity as a Notary.......before opening your mouth and calling names others make sure you are of a better category....which I am sure .....You are not even worth to tie the laces of Dr Sciberras Trigona !!!
Mr Joe Micallef
Dec 20th 2011, 16:22
mark borg
"Joe... You wish you could accomplish one hundredth of what this gentlemen has during his 16 years serving the country as a minister and also at his capacity as a Notary"
NOT IN MY WORST NIGHTMARES!
Pat Hobson
Dec 19th 2011, 08:59
@F.Pisani. As usual the PN's electoral motto "LET THE SCAREMONGERING BEGIN!"
F. Pisani
Dec 19th 2011, 08:36
this was an aswer to all those who is some way say that the new PL is new. its back to the 80's than. yes i can see that that in the PN haven't changed musch neither, but you know why? becuase they are people to truste. who take critic, and you answer to questions and who are non violante. in 25 Year they had all the time change and see where they went wrong but still things didn't change.
has any body forgot the old saying Gonzi PN? not PN? did any body notice Dr. Siberras Trigone Mantion and i am Quoting"a man who could be a future prime minister." we all know that in his answer to the badget he mentioned 25 time he wanted to be the new prime minister, and know we are hearing from his commrads to. talk among yourself......
last but not least. gaddafi in a metter of 9 months has become from a great leader to a criminal of mass distruction. why? in 40 years everybody around used to lick his bottom and in metter of weeks he was requested to resine did any body noticed? again why? is there a sort of conflict of interest from a greater power? in any case people used to defend him today and next week they shout that he was a merderer. so this was not somthing the PN did but everybody did. the only difference hre is something more serous. the PL said and where linked to Gaddafi Before the war starded and said nothing after the regime ended. again and again WHY?
so really on our hands we have a biggest problem here fo the next election. the PN who have been in power for 25 years, who you know how they act and the PL who in 25 years have not changed. Dr. Muscat and all the PL and Hungry for power and that is a big problem, and this whole situation is not healthy becuase in good democracy we need some changes now and than, but we have no options.
Mr Kevin Zammit
Dec 19th 2011, 08:35
Does it take a genius to figure out that it is illegal for the publicly funded PUBLIC broadcasting authority to be used by a party in government in this way?
The only message I received from this is that the government is abusing the laws and all other ethical considerations with complete impunity.
Sebastian Hawks
Dec 19th 2011, 14:20
Are you refering to this government of the one of the 70's and 80's?
What is obvious to me is that to the PL, anything that can embarass them is interpreted as biased against them.
This is just paranoia but at the same time i do not blame them for bieng paranoid with so much in their past to be embarassed about.
It can't be easy to ask them anything without pressing a sensitive button.
Pat Hobson
Dec 19th 2011, 08:12
From what can be seen here, the program was a trap from start to finish. This program was meant to be some form of entrapment of the interviewee, and pasted here to depict the PL as a party that hasn't changed, or a party that worked against the interests of our country. We've seen it on Bondi+, on Xtarabank and now on PBS by a NEUTRAL (SIC) PN lackey pretending to be a neutral journalist at the service of the people. As was said for the nth time, the PN was and is always against the country's interest. This has been shown since as early as 1900's. Wherever there was some question between a foreign country and Malta, the PN always sided with the foreigner. And still remains to this day!
Mark. Galea
Dec 19th 2011, 09:23
@Pat Hobson
If PL fields the same mintoffian candidates of the 70's and 80's, how can it change? You know the saying about the pig and it's tail?
Pat Hobson
Dec 19th 2011, 11:02
@Mark Galea. At least the candidates, which you refer to as Mintoffian, are better than the whole lot than the Gonzi has to contend with. It's by his own admission when he said that the talent pool he's got is limited. On the PL side, the talent pool has become a lake, and it's sending shivers down the PN's spine, now that the elections are on the horizon! This piece of news, here, is nothing short of bullying. Yes, bullying the voters by cornering the PL representatives in such a way as to have no way out, and hence the outbursts. It's a malignant way of doings politics, and the PN are masters in subterfuge. We've had good examples in the past, and now we're sampling them again!
Mark. Galea
Dec 19th 2011, 11:35
@ Pat Hobson
from where does PL get this lake ot talent? Please remember that PL has been keeping the opposition benches warm for 25 years ... PL may have become an expert in opposition, but governing without experience may prove a bit too hard (as in the 22 month stunt).
A year ago I would have thought it was impossible for PN to get another turn ... today, I say PN have a good chance to win next elections ... PL proved itself a myth when it had the best candidate around for leader and left him out - you see, Gonzi saw him and managed to get him out of the way ...
Pat Hobson
Dec 19th 2011, 12:39
@Mark Galea. Continue with your daydreaming! If you think that the PL hasn't got a chance to win the next elections, than I'm really sorry for you. If you see the surveys going on, especially by a local english paper, and it's not pro-labour, has Joseph Muscat's trust ratings at percentage point above Lawrence Gonzi's. And that's not all, at the present chances of the PL of winning the elections, are all the time increasing, thanks to your sorry lot of PN parliamentarians (not the whole lot anyway)!
John Buhagiar
Dec 19th 2011, 08:08
Anthony, aren't you a PL candidate?
Where in the comment above have you declared your bias?
Veru kaz LI kullhadd jaghtik milli jkollu
John Buhagiar
Dec 19th 2011, 07:57
Typical Labour myopia and character assisination on harmless individuals.
Is Labour aware that former Super One journalist Maria Muscat is a co-presenter and co-producer of this program?
I follow this program regularly and I know what I'm saying....
So it's ok for Labour to slam a presenter as Nationalist while conveniently omitting that one of their own is also involved in this program.
Shame. Please note that any attack on any journalist can never be defended as rightful. Whoever the journalist is.
Reinhard Azzopardi
Dec 19th 2011, 07:38
U jridu jghidu li Austin Gatt huwa pastaz u arroganti!
Paul Giordimaina
Dec 19th 2011, 07:24
You talkin about arrogancy you think we forget you when you where a minister.you a champion of arrogancy People do0nt forget to easy and you are part of the old team and thats why the PL never takes power.
Mr Anthony Briffa
Dec 19th 2011, 07:17
This is the preview of how the free press will be treated once the MLP/PL is returned to power. This is arrogance at its best.
Open your eyes Maltese electorate before it is too late. The PL is still full of people who look at Mintoff's times as the golden days for Malta. We who live those terrible seventeen years in fear,and being fed daily socialist/labour propaganda from xandir Malta ,can vouch that we were far from living a golden era.
Further in the interview AST is quoted as saying the following:
"The PN had a limited age bracket and people like Gonzi and Gatt had no one above them whose experience they could call on. At the same time, the Gonzi-Gatt age bracket was holding the younger ones from advancement".
What about himself, Joe Debono Grech, George Vella, Karmenu Vella, Joe Mizzi, Leo Brincat, etc are doing to the young and aspiring progressive and modern members of the PL. Who are those experienced figures in the MLP/PL that the young can call upon for advise. Should I say Mintoff, who built the MLP after breaking of from the founder of the Labour Movement, Sir Paul Boffa, KMB, Alfred Sant?
These Mintoffians are so confused and hungry to regain power that they are forgetting that they have been responsible for the hardships the Maltese people had to endure under their regime with the exception of a few.
Again, open your eyes Maltese electorate before it is too late.
Wenzu Vella
Dec 19th 2011, 07:44
Sur Briffa il poplu Malti ghandu vera bzonn jiftah ghajneh biex jara ID-DEJN LI INTHOM TA PN DAHHALTU IL MALTA FIEH. Infakkrek u tinsija qatt din kull cittadin Malti wahhaltulu dejn ta 17,000 euro. Imhatra li twahhal fil PL ta dan ukoll ..
Mr Anthony Briffa
Dec 19th 2011, 08:35
Sur Vella, you and your ilk in the PL are totally confused about the national debt. I won't blame you because the MLP/PL have nothing to show for the debt with China for example - the white elephant under Corradino Hill with the name of Red China Dock, the Chocolate Factory, the Glass Factory, the Factory of the 1,000, the Carpet factory, etc. By the way repayment of this massive loan was linked to the gold value at time of repayment.
On the contrary the PN since 1987 had to re-build Malta and in the process constructed a new power station in Delimara, New Air Port Terminal, New Hospital, contstructed arteial roads to european standards, etc. You can look around you and you can see how we were under Labour upto 1987, and how we are living now under the PN.
Suffice to say that thanks to the PN you can comment freely, without any intimidation on the online media. Government employees are free to bring in with them any newspaper without intimidiation and scrutiny of the labour hang abouts by the main doors of government departments. I dare you to contradict me on this.
The PL has no one leg to stand on. Yes I repeat, open your eyes Maltese electorate before it is too late.
Wenzu Vella
Dec 19th 2011, 13:05
Sur Briffa insabtek nasba tajba bellajtlek il lixka bis-sunnara u comba bkollox. Aktar ma tharref aktar taqa ghac-cajt u tikxef limbrolji ta gvernijiet ta PN.
17,000 ewro dejn ghal kull ras ta citaddini Maltin din verita ASSOLUTA HARREF SUR BRIFFA.
M. Emmen
Dec 19th 2011, 07:12
Joseph Muscat isma minni. Nehhieh min nofs ghax l-image tieghu jispira dizappunti u dwejjaq. Isma minni. Jien nazzjonalist li fl-elezzjoni li jmiss se nivvota PL sabiex nara lil PN jissahhah billi nehilsu min kocc ministri u MPs skaduti u opportunisti. Franco Debono biss ta' minn jammirah!!
Richard Caruana
Dec 19th 2011, 07:57
Ara ma jmurx jisma' minnek..... l-aqwa arma li ghandu l-PN huma nies bhal dan!
Rachel Galea
Dec 19th 2011, 12:46
Mr. Emmen, You do not have to vote labour to get rid of PN ministers you just have to encourage people to give their vote to the younger and newer PN candidates. With our electoral system you can keep the same party in goverment with the same forward looking ideals and at the same time get rid of those people you think did not do a good job in the last cabinet..... just do not vote for them
David Bezzina
Dec 19th 2011, 17:10
@Rachel Galea - What new candidates ?
John Scerri
Dec 19th 2011, 06:57
NEW LABOUR ?????? !!!!!!
..KEEP IT UP ALL MLP ......AS TRIGONA, M FARRUGIA. J BRINCAT, J D GRECH, K.VELLA, A.FARRUGIA
Prospective ministers from the dark ages...If the people want this ...then so be it ...
As Dr.Sant often said ...'The proof of the pudding is is in the eating'
May those who want to try a taste of what MLP in power means let them do what they did in 1996.
David Bezzina
Dec 19th 2011, 18:30
WELL,WE ARE DEFINETELY NOT GOING TO GET A NEW PN EITHER !
Anthony Mifsud Bonnici Giordani
Dec 19th 2011, 06:52
Declare your political alliance Mr. Chris Scicluna, then the people can judge you too. Honesty is the best policy. Did YOU put the questions to Dr. Trigona or were the questions instigated by some pro government think thank? I agree with Dr. Sciberras Trigona that the interviewer seems to be a PN puppet.
Richard Caruana
Dec 19th 2011, 08:01
We have now come to the point where a journalist must declare his political allegiance. What arrogance!
The more a journalist is politically opposed to his interviewee, the more the latter has to tackle him with kid gloves.
Gone are the days of 'jekk mhux maghna, kontra taghna'. Certainly this is not the way to make political gain.
John Buhagiar
Dec 19th 2011, 08:21
Anthony, aren't you a PL candidate?
Where in the comment above have you declared your bias?
Veru kaz LI kullhadd jaghtik milli jkollu
R. Gauci
Dec 19th 2011, 00:44
Vis a vis Malta-Gaddafi araw l-Ipokrezija, vera tal-PN ma jafhux jisthu. Id-Dinja Gharbija tqum kontra r-regimi, l-hruxijiet ta` Gaddafi bdew hergin fil-berah u Tonio Borg jiddefendi l-istedina li l-gvern ghamel lil Gaddafi biex izur Malta. Din qrajtha Sur Scicluna?
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110213/local/borg-rejects-suggestions-gaddafi-visit-was-ill-timed.349987
Mary Ann Borg
Dec 19th 2011, 00:26
Ezempju carissimu tat terremot li wieghed Joseph. Nohorgu l-iskaletri mill gwardarobba u wahedhom juru x'tip ta' nies kienu fit tmeninijiet u kif ghadhom sal gurnata mqaddsa ta llum.
Joseph N. Attard
Dec 18th 2011, 23:35
Plus ca change......Imagine what would have happened to the journalist with the PL in Government. Also try to imagine PBS then. With friends like these, what need has Dr. Muscat of enemies?
Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO
Dec 18th 2011, 22:47
t is a fact that the way some public media presenters interview PL personalities it looks and sounds more like an interrogation pursuing a political agenda through rather loaded questions. However having said this, once one accepts to be interviewed by these less than balanced presenters one must be ready to keep one's cool, parry the flak and if possible turn the table round to his advantage. The leader of the opposition is a master of this art and should provide master classes to his team for the unique way he handles this sort of presenter is a lesson on how to turn aggresive interviewing into an advantage and gain the upper hand in the voter's eyes.
pat muscat
Dec 18th 2011, 22:35
Even Profs Joe Friggieri said at Azad that the political imbalace at TVM had to be addressed however, the PN people at PBS, think otherwise and day in day out try to insult and provoke PL members and other citizens who support the PL. Indeed the interview of Scicluna is a paste and copy format of a certain vitriolic blogger whose hatred of PL knows no bounds. By the way, is it a great coincidence that Scicluna is a former communications officer for the PN.;?...x.kumbinazzjoni!..u dan irrid jaghmilha ta oggettiv? Halluna nghixu!
Anthony Pace Gouder
Dec 19th 2011, 09:23
Its quitecurious that some commenters here don't realize, or want to overlook the fact. that a good number of ex-Radio101 and Net TV Personalities have gradually MIGRATED to the National Station PBS !
Kevin McBill
Dec 18th 2011, 22:25
Kif dan l-intervistatur 'newtrali' li tant gab kwotazzjonijiet ta' Fenech Adami ma talabx ir-raguni ghala l-istess Fenech Adami zamm ma Gaddafi kontra il-gvern Malti meta nqalghet il-kwistjoni tat-thaffir taz-zejt bejn Malta u l-Libja? Interessanti kif Fenech Adami zamm mal-barrani basta kontra l-Labour.
Henry Mifsud
Dec 18th 2011, 22:24
I've just listened to the interview. I suspect that what AST accused the presenter with was quite legitimate. In fact it was so obvious that Chris Scicluna was drumming up a PN agenda and that he provoked AST on a number of times. Without going into the merits as to how the PBS should recruit its journalists, unfortunately in little Malta, it is a next to impossible task to get acceptance as an independent, non-biased journalist if the said individual had some direct connections with one of the political parties. Perhaps it would not be such a bad idea if PBS takes a stand not to allow any journalist with a past political affiliation to hold such posts. This might also be a good eye opener for a future Labour government.
Joe B Edwards
Dec 18th 2011, 22:05
Ah the facade that Labour have created is slowly starting to erode away and crack.
Victor Laiviera
Dec 18th 2011, 21:48
With the election fast approaching, the PL has to do something about PBS - and fast. I have already suggested, some time ago, that is should request foreign observers to monitor the election and the run-up to it. The need for them is even more clear and pressing with every day that passes.
If we want to remain a democratic state, that is.
victor caruana
Dec 18th 2011, 21:35
Alex, nies bhal dawn ma tridx tehodhom bis-serjeta. Ma kellekx ghalfejn titbaqbaq. Kull ma ridt taghmel hi li tirridokalah. Hemm kemm trid materjal biex tirredikolha r-rizultati tal-pn. Ibda billi tistaqsi dwar liema parti tal-unjoni ewropea qed jistaqsu, beppe ma liema parti tal-partit jappartjieni, ghaliex ghadhom bil-bandiera ta' Mussolini....u idhaq waqt li qed issaqsi....
The pants are getting wetter, election is near....
Kevin Barun
Dec 18th 2011, 21:25
It looks like The General Election really is coming... The Usual PN Tv(m) is working really hard.
Instead of an interview The 'interviewer' tried to hold a debate!
Unacceptable on Public Tv
Emma Grima
Dec 18th 2011, 21:10
Could Dr. Sciberras Trigona's outburst be a case of 'La verita offende'????
Stephen Sultana
Dec 18th 2011, 21:54
No. What offends in this case is the rudeness of Trigona toward the journalist.
G Falzon
Dec 18th 2011, 21:09
Let everybody hear the interview and confirm that it was AST who inserted the word "personal" and qualified relationships as thus! The interviewer clarified this and AST kept qualifying his own relationships with Col. Gaddafi as "personal"! No change from the past!
J Busuttil
Dec 18th 2011, 21:09
Please Please Please Joseph Muscat keep Dr.Alex Sciberras Trigona there next to you you need him and the PN need him more. ( This is after hearing the most interesting parts of the interview)
JESMOND PACE
Dec 18th 2011, 21:09
AST = outdated. This is normal behaviour for him - what do you expect from a Mintoff era dinasaur - well still well in touch with the GaddafiPL. But can the Times be a bit more positive and speak more about Malta's achievements against all odds in a period of world wide turmoil - or has it become a SUN like tabloid ?
Anthony Pace Gouder
Dec 18th 2011, 21:05
Li kont jien flok Dr. Sciberras Trigona lil dan il-GURNALIST kont nirrispondih sempliciment ,. '' hbiberija persona(li din cahadha AST) tieghi qed tara , meta ERBA TIJIEM BISS qabel ma faqqet ir-Revuluzjoni Libjana il -PM ta' Malta kien qed jghannaq u jbus lill- Muammar ! ''
Biex ukoll niccaraw ic-cirkostanzi u nghajdu l-VERITA ,f' dawk iz-zminijiet li AST kien fil-Gvern , Gaddafi kien mahbub, popolarissimu u meqjum mill maggoranza kbira tal-Poplu Libjan mhux bhall fl-ahhar SNIN .
Safrattant il-Gvern ta'Gonzi qatt mad-darras mir-Regim u kien iqisu wiehed mill l-akbar hbieb tieghu . Nghajd ghalija qatt ma rajt lill AST jghannaq u jbus lill-Gaddafi bhal kif ghamel Dr. Gonzi !
S J Grech
Dec 18th 2011, 20:57
Arrogance at it's very best by a senior official of the PL. Is this the attitude that "Gvern Laburista Gdid" will follow??
The more things "change" the more they remain the same.
Victor Laiviera
Dec 18th 2011, 20:41
It is truly shameful how PBS is being used as a PN tool. Scicluna was obviously "a man with a mission" - that of smearing AST and the PL with association with the Gaddafi regime, and make people forget that Lawrence Gonzi was the very lat national Leader to visit and hug the dictators shortly before his own people overthrew him.
Did Scicluna ever ask Gonzi any questions about THAT episode?
Antoine Vella
Dec 18th 2011, 21:20
Laiviera, Sceberras Trigona gave everyone an excellent object lesson in how arrogant, insolent, intolerant and verbally violent Labour still is.
Between Sceberras Trigona and Anglu Farrugia, the PN is getting quite a helping hand in exposing what the PL stands for.
E Zammit
Dec 18th 2011, 21:25
L-arroganza ghada tigri fil-vini u l-kurituri tal-passat. Ta' xejn tippruvaw taghtu l-impressjoni li nbdiltu, Il-PL ghadu ma' nbidilx! Jidher li l-lezzjoni ghadu ma tghallimix!
Hasra hux, ghaliex wara kollox l-alternanza tal-poter hija haga tajba u ta' gid ghal-pajjiz. Kont qed nittama, li l-PL taht Dr.Joseph Muscat seta' jibdel l-vija tal-partit tieghu, izda jewwilla gharrali bil-kbir.
Aktar ma jghaddi zmien, aktar ninduna li sew jghid il-Malti : min jghix bit-tama, jmut bil-piena.
Victor Laiviera
Dec 18th 2011, 21:45
On the other hand we need no help to know what the PN stands for - incompetence and sleaze.
Any idea who is to bear responsibility for the Bickle Debacle?
Mario J Spiteri
Dec 18th 2011, 23:15
What do you expect dear pners? Are you try to teach us how like you did - to borrw €500 increase weekly?
That strategy because the election is round the corner & try to make us afraid of auch old bad stories to make them present? Try to be fair if you know that The PL had paid for that bad things/stories.
The past is past, all we need is to learn & move forward. PN does not be the right preacher to show us "LIKE A VIRGIN"
Jo Camm
Dec 18th 2011, 20:33
Jimxu b'dan il- mod meta qeghdin fl'oppozizzjoni ahseb u ghara jekk XI DARBA jkun fil-gvern.
mario salnitro
Dec 18th 2011, 21:15
Inti bis-serjeta jew?
Stephen Sultana
Dec 18th 2011, 21:55
Ezatt
Arsenio Ellul
Dec 18th 2011, 20:27
This impartial journalist was a former communications coordinator for a PN minister.
Ms.D. Galea
Dec 18th 2011, 22:53
It is the Labour party and its senior members who are in the business of trying to convince us all as to what a fantastic lot they are and why they deserve to be in government in less then twoyears time ,NOT a Mr. journalist trying to do his job.
In the meantime, Dr. AST with his behaviour at the interview continues to be one of the PN's best assets.
Joe Mallia
Dec 18th 2011, 20:14
Mr Sciberras Trigona must have thought he is still in the '80s when journalists could only ask predetermined questions or else face the music. Very progressive Mr Muscat.
John Micallef
Dec 18th 2011, 19:56
While asusmign the right that any self repsecting journalist should be able to work wherever he is fit to do, I still have a small comment to make - isn't this the same Chris Scicluna who usede to work at Radio 101?
What's wrong with that? Absolutely nothing, but this may have already got the discussion off on the wrong footing.
I admire and respect Mr. Sciberras Trigona, however, to my disappointment and that of many others (I beleive) the PL is still far from being in a position to govern in an effective and responsible manner. Mr. AST may not be adding much kudos, either, to the PL plight.
Warren Scicluna Frendo
Dec 18th 2011, 19:53
Somethings never change, and the PL/MLP is one of them.
mario salnitro
Dec 18th 2011, 21:14
You should all wear horse blinkers.
Ara veru ma tisthux.
Ms.D. Galea
Dec 18th 2011, 19:46
New Labour?
What New Labour?
George Attard
Dec 18th 2011, 19:29
"objected to be questioned this way" what kind of a response is that?? answer the questions that are put forward to you, if you got nothing to hide.....politicians regardless of what party they represent are so arrogant...you may represent the people one day.....answer questions when asked and stop being such a prima donna!
Mr Lawrence Calleja
Dec 18th 2011, 19:12
Jien bniedem newtrali u minghajr partit partikolari. Ivvotajt kemm il-darba lil partiti differenti pero illum li qieghed naqra din l-intervista qabadni l-bard. Nitlob lill hanin Alla li Malta ma tkunx taht il-gvern Laburista. F'din l-intervista johrog il-verita ta kif iridu jmexxu l-PL jekk ikunu fil-gvern. Jiddettaw huma u jghaddu minn fuq kulhadd basta li taghhom biss tajjeb. Ratit bhall PL biex ikun fil-gvern irid jehles minn Sciberras Trigona, Debono Grech, Alfred Sant, Cushcieri, Jason, u hafna ohrajn. It-tmexxija ta' Muscat hi wahda artificjali u l-unika ghan li ghandhom il-PL hi li jkunu fil-poter u xejn anqas. B'wicci minn quddiem nghid minn issa li l-vot tieghi ser ikun jew ghall Alternattiva jew ghal PN. Il-partit Laburista baqalu hafna biex jitnaddaf u biex jibda jittiehed bis-serjeta. Inhalli f'idejn Alla biex izomna taht idejh u Malta tibqa mixja fil-progress li qed taghmel avolja saru diversi zbalji.
Deo Catania
Dec 18th 2011, 19:34
tidher kemm int newtrali Lawrence Calleja, imwerwrin kollha kemm intom ghax daqt se jkollkom twarbu minn hemm halli nibdew innadfu l-hmieg minn warajkom u ngibu dal-pajjiz fi stat li jixraqlu.
Paul Caruana
Dec 18th 2011, 19:47
@ Lawrence Calleja
Il-kummenti tieghek gieli rajtom ... u newtrali nikkonferma li m'intiex. Anke meta PL johorgu b'wahda tajba, arak tikteb kontrihom. Tuza kliem helu biex tohrog tal-bravu biss!
J Busuttil
Dec 18th 2011, 19:58
@ Deo Catania
Comments like yours are damaging the PL who are are very preoccupied with comments like yours and others who are regular bloggers on this site
Leonard Brincat
Dec 18th 2011, 20:14
@ Paul Caruana
X'hemm li jipreokkupak fil kumment li kiteb is sur Catania. Mhux veru irridu jaghmlu taqliba shiha jekk jitilaw il PL. L-ewwel mizura tkun li innehu il pastazata ta 500 zieda li taw lilhom infushom
DAVID D. PACE
Dec 18th 2011, 20:29
kieku int bniedem onestament NEWTRALI, ma tiehux decizjoni wara li tisma lis-segretarju internazzjonali ....insomma ghandi dubju kbir kemm smajt il-programm. Probabli qed tikunmenta biex minghalik timpresjonana...
Joseph Micallef
Dec 18th 2011, 20:53
@ J Busuttil. I know this is a bit out of point- but I could not help comment sorry. Your phrase: "bloggers to this site" is total nonsense. People who comment on the times are not called "bloggers" - A blogger is someone who owns a blog and regularly writes articles in it. If The Times of Malta were a blog, (which it is not), then the authors of articles in it would be the bloggers. We are mere commentators here. I am repeating this because this misuse of the term is repeated regularly here and in the media in general. Please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog - for a detailed definition of a blog (hence a blogger).
Leonard Brincat
Dec 18th 2011, 20:53
Il kumment tieghi kien ghas Sur Busuttil u mhux ghas sur Caruana
Anthony Pace Gouder
Dec 18th 2011, 21:44
Jien Newtrali ( bhalissa) ghallhekk nistaqsik. Int f'Malta qed tghaix ?
''Jiddettaw huma u jghaddu minn fuq KULLHADD basta li taghhom biss tajjeb'' Rajna dan isehh u tixraq ferm lill-GONZI-PN fl-ahhar tlett snin ! ....... U FUQ KOLLOX ,mhux obvja li kull Partit ikollu l'ghan li jkun fil-poter ?
Ahna ahna jew mahniex !
Reinhard Azzopardi
Dec 19th 2011, 07:35
@Deo Catania,
Oqghod naqra attent habib. Sewwa qallek J Busuttil. Hemm nies li ghandhom il-mentalita li ghandek inti li qed jaghmlu hsara kbira lil partit laburista. Jien nazzjonalist pero kelli n-Nannu (Alla jaghtih il-Glorja tal-Genna) laburist hardcore u konna niddiskutu fit-tul. Pero d-diskors bejnietna qatt ma ddigenera u grazzi lilu, irrispettajt il-fehmiet tieghu u tal-partit laburista. Pero, f'dawn l-ahhar erba snin hdima ma persuna li hu qrib hafna tal-partit laburista u ghalkemm bhala bniedem fuq livell personali huwa bniedem fantastiku, l-ideali politici tieghu huma bhal ma huma tieghek u kemm domt naghmilha mieghu indunajt li l-mentalitajiet vjolenti u militanti tal-partit laburista ghadhom hemm u ghadhom qawwijin. Issa naf diversi laburisti ohra li huma moderati sew pero l-atteggjament ta nies bhalkom qieghed ibieghed lil certi nies li forsi bhalissa m'humiex decizi mill-partit.
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