Mintoff’s two daughters attend Labour conference
Dom Mintoff paid a surprise visit to PL leader Joseph Muscat in December 2009.
A daughter of former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff has been appointed a special delegate of the Labour Party and will be at this morning’s closing session of the annual conference, The Sunday Times has learnt.
Yana Mintoff Bland, 60, confirmed she was approached by Labour leader Joseph Muscat to become a special delegate.
“I felt very good about it and I’m really impressed by what I saw,” said Dr Mintoff Bland, an economist and school administrator.
Her sister, Anne McKenna, will also be present for today’s closing session, which will be addressed by Labour leader Joseph Muscat.
Changes to the Labour Party statute enacted when Dr Muscat was made leader almost four years ago allow the party to appoint special delegates to the general conference for a one-year period.
A spokesman for the Labour Party said Dr Mintoff Bland, appointed a special delegate for 2012, was approached because of the contribution she could make the party. The presence of Mr Mintoff’s two daughters is significant for a party that has had to close the rift that developed between the party faithful and the former leader when he brought the Labour government down in 1998.
The spokesman said this was part of a “healing” process that has been going on for the past 15 years. Dr Mintoff Bland is currently based in Malta after moving from the US to look after her father, who is 95.
She was full of praise for the Labour Party under Dr Muscat’s leadership.
“There are some brilliant people and a lot of dedication to see a better country, more equality and a higher standard of living,” she said.
Asked about her father, who had to be hospitalised for a period last year, Dr Mintoff Bland said he had just recovered from a cold and described him as a “courageous” man.
“He still reads the newspapers every day; he is a political animal after all,” she said.
In 1978, Dr Mintoff Bland, then a 27-year-old teacher and activist in the UK, got her moment of notoriety when she was fined after throwing a bag of manure in the House of Commons.
She had been part of a protest against Britain’s military presence in Northern Ireland.
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Ivan Mercieca
Jan 22nd 2012, 17:40
Frankly I cannot see an alternative..... an arrogant PN and an old new labour !!!!!!!!
Time to change for both... Cannot imagine a new labour government with that old faces once again.
Emanuel. Vella.
Jan 22nd 2012, 18:16
frankly i can see an alternative.........hm.hm iva it-tifel ta austin,it-tifel ta eddie jew edward,it-tifel ta ugo,u it-tifel ta gwido.
P Bonnici
Jan 22nd 2012, 19:54
The children of former PN politicians were not involved in violence unlike reinstated PL members who turned a blind eye to violence taking place in front of their eyes.
N Chetcuti
Jan 22nd 2012, 21:42
Do we really know the truth? No justice has ever been done to Raymond Caruana's killing and the persons who framed Pietru Pawl Busittil were promoted. Who knows what the truth is?
simon ellul sullivan
Jan 22nd 2012, 17:07
reading some of the below comments one realises that Mintoff's struggle against the education of the masses has truly worked !
even after all this time they have learnt nothing and still believe pretty stories and poor rhetoric
Victor Laiviera
Jan 22nd 2012, 18:25
"Mintoff's struggle against the education of the masses"
Where, but where, do you get these truly bizarre and outlandish notions? It was always the (M)LP that fought for the education of the masses in Malta, often, it has to be said, in the face of opposition from the PN who used to believe that educating the children o the working classes would make them lose their souls.
Gordon Farrugia
Jan 22nd 2012, 20:11
yes it is good to remember that the Roman Catholic Church in Malta was always preaching for:
people to have to have many children or the priest wouldn't give you absolution!! Ridiculous when you consider that many people hardly had enough to support themselves - yet they tell them to create more mouths to make their situation even more difficult.
the Church was also always against the poor educating themselves because again as you correctly said people would stand to lose their souls.
That's why I find it difficult to believe in the Roman Catholic Church
Cecil Herbert Jones
Jan 23rd 2012, 09:24
Are you serious? The best schools in Malta were, are and continue to be Church schools! Its also thanks to the Catholic Church (Jesuits) that we have a University.
If you are doubting what I am writing here, please check the history books!
victor bonello
Jan 23rd 2012, 11:27
because of Mintoff, I manged to attend a privte school even though my father was not a professional. In thse days this is how it worked.. the son of the lawyer would become the lawyer abd the son of the doctor would become a doctor.
Mintoff opend the road to all giving all the chance to go to higher schooling and university even if your partents could not afford.
This move was brilliant! the PL is once again united.
True there are some old faces, but even more true is that PL is a new young party with new young faces, not sons of...
The ony problem Mntoff had, was age.. like Gonzi to day.. at a point he was unable to control the young backbenchers..
Malta neds more intelligent young people like Franco Debono and not the sons of Eddie, Gwido, Ugo etc.. after all we are supposed to be a republc and not a monarchy with princes an dauphins ready to take over thier fathers place in parlament..
Victor Laiviera
Jan 23rd 2012, 16:06
@ Cecil Herbert Jones
Yes, the CVurch (and private schools) are the best (n some ways) - and you know why?
Because they can afford to pick and choose who they accept. State schools have the social obligation to accept everybody.
It's easy top be perfect when you are allowed to pick only the best.
V Borg
Jan 22nd 2012, 15:56
filth his clique threw to discredit, hanging to straws, idiot, abstains, vote against the no convidence vote, Gonzipn, be honest, election, ghalina u ghal uliedna - cioe mhux ghal uliedkom: This is to quench your thirst......
Joseph mercieca
Jan 22nd 2012, 15:45
wow bring the old ones together !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Make your own home work !
70!
Ivan Mercieca
Jan 22nd 2012, 14:54
Back to the 80'ssssssss
with........ Joseph........
Joseph mercieca
Jan 22nd 2012, 15:46
true
Frans Aguis
Jan 22nd 2012, 16:39
In the past 4 years we've seen a very diverse group of people join the PL, a lot of nationalists.Yet you say back to the 80's?
P Bonnici
Jan 22nd 2012, 14:47
Sounds like desperation by the PL to get votes from the staunch Mintoff supporters.
Let's not forget the hatred Mintoff spread in Maltese politics. It is true that the PN have been in power far too long, but I am very concerned by the LP candidates with a history of condoning or failing to condemn violence in the past.
Frans Aguis
Jan 22nd 2012, 16:37
Like the failure by 25 years of PN to discipline the police in the Pietru Pawl frame up??
s grima
Jan 22nd 2012, 19:12
u manel malia, deborah scembri, cyrus engerer dawn ukoll qodma?????
P Bonnici
Jan 22nd 2012, 19:51
Unfortunately the police force was politicised by Mintoff. Some officers recruited under the Mintoff administration are holding senior positions now, these were recruited for their political affiliations and their brutality to intimidate PN supporters.
M Farrugia
Jan 22nd 2012, 14:23
il-labour party qieghed jaghti l-impressjoni ta partit zaghzagh u mimli engergija, u mill-gwardarobi antiki qed johrog l-antikita kollha. Minhabba l-kilba ghal poter li ghandu qed jipprova jagmel allejanza ma kulhadd. Mossi sabiex jingabru voti mitlufa minhabba li fil-passat ceta nies tbedu minhabba li kienu insulentati certa esponenti.
Minflok partit progressiv u zaghzagh kif qed ipenguh sar partit tat-tlaqqit, mimli anzjana li fil-passat falle.
A Cardona
Jan 22nd 2012, 14:01
Dr.Muscat has one particular quality as a leader that i rarely notice in leaders that are coming up around the world...... Charisma...and loads of it. It was not an easy job to repair the past rift but i believe he managed to and possibly will be taking over in the coming election. A much tougher task will then be to fulfill the promises. Here only time will tell.
Audrey Aquilina
Jan 22nd 2012, 13:31
back to the 80s depression. who was hurt in those day will never for get how much hurt was given they would kill with out a knife you have to be the age to remember what happened . Dr muscat should go and wash his face in the morning to really open his eye especially when he has his very good friend Dr Alex sciberas trigona who use to work for sliema and try to get his vote's from us we residents who know him very much know him as Mr OK as he would promise every body (wediet) then he doesn't do any thing( jonqos zejt f'wicu ) miskien . Dr muscat see where you are going to put Mr OK cause we don't want him here . I and my family have been through a lot from 1981 till 1986 the worst years of our life . I lost my dad because of Mr OK with a lot of heart ache I will never forget them days
Gordon Farrugia
Jan 22nd 2012, 20:15
mela insejt Audrey il-bombi li kienu jaghmlu wara l-bibien meta kien hemm il-labour fil-gvern. Nahseb laburisti kienu dawk ux - tghix fil-passat nahseb imma ghandek memory qasira!!! Kemm ghamel weghdiet dal-gvern u aqta kemm wettaq. Issa all jbierek ga fethu l-applications biex jidhlu jahdmu mal-gvern. U trid tara PV kemm qed jigru biex taparsi jirringaw it-triq principali hallija li kollha tifrik bhalissa.
J Busuttil
Jan 22nd 2012, 13:14
On 6 July 1978 Yana Mintoff took part in a demonstration in the House of Commons in London to protest against Britain's military presence in Northern Ireland, three bags of horse manure were hurled from the public gallery during a debate on Scottish devolution. Yana Mintoff and a man were dragged off by police, arrested and later she was fined.
(Wikipedia)
X'akkwist.
James Dimech
Jan 22nd 2012, 13:00
So much for the progressiv and moderat ..! Muscat jipprova jkun kollox ghal kulhadd bhas-soltu
Henry Mifsud
Jan 22nd 2012, 12:46
Dr. Yana Mintoff Bland and her sister Ann McKenna, whom I had the pleasure of working with some years ago, seals the united factor in the PL. I am sure that their presence at this morning’s closing session of the annual conference carried the approval of Il- Perit Dom Mintoff. Prosit Dr. Muscat for your vision of an inclusive movement which is definitely proving to be very real. Otherwise why should people like Dr. Deborah Schembri and Dr. Emmanuel Mallia speak so passionately about how they are considering themselves honoured to be part of the PL?
Richard Caruana
Jan 22nd 2012, 12:41
Tiftakruha l-ligi ta' l-indhil barrani.... kemm hawn minn ghandu memorja qasira, jahasra!
Rocco Camilleri
Jan 22nd 2012, 11:59
Vera pass ghaqli Joseph li ghamilt li stedint li tifla ta' Dom Mintoff fil-konferanza generali ghax biha apprezzajt f'isem il-poplu Malti x-xoghol u l-gustizzja socjali li dejjem hemmen fiha fiha l-PERIT DUMINKU Mintoff fejn kien jghidilna 'L-ewwel Malta u Qabel Kollox'. Ghamlet erba kelmiet li fihom x'tomod. Anke il-kelliema l-ohra fil-konferenza taw messagg car u tond. Qadd niehu gost nisma lil dawk li gew mal-parit ghax jemmnu fih u mhux ghax sfurzati biex jghamlu dan, imma ghax veru jridu jghatu xi haga lura li tahom il-pajjiz kif qal sew Dr.Mallia. Nghid prosett ukoll kbira lilek Joseph li irnexxielek taqqad il-parit u anke ghall kliem li wassalt fil-messagg.Nawguralek Sahha u rebha li jixraq lilek, il-kandidati u lil Maltin. Kif ghidtilna int, m'ghandna qatt inxebhu lilna ma' pajjizi bi'krizijiet, flok ma' dawk li qedien ahjar minnha, ghax dan kollu jgiel lil Malti jemmen li hu inferjuri hdejn haddiehor meta ahna bi ftit eluf ghandna talenti kbar. PROSETT MILL-GDID.
Victor Vella
Jan 22nd 2012, 11:58
Viva Mintoff. Your was not a hypocrite. You created a middle class and this Regime with its par idejn sodi destroyed everything. You built Malta and this Regime in a few years raised everything to the ground. You was truly a democratic idol because when the term comes to move out you changed the constitution to let the PN to govern. Unlike this regime that is glued to the seats of Parliament that they are now making mockery of it, want to remain there when democratically they are no more the representatives of the people. These same PN sample of liars and free-riders parasites wanted you crossed on a crucifix and now they only talk of Mintoff, Mintoff, and Mintoff.
ALBERT FENECH
Jan 22nd 2012, 11:35
A wonderfully rousing conference by the PL, with due recognition to the daughters and heirs of the grand old man "IL-PERIT", but leading speeches by Robert Abela, Evarist Bartolo and the wealth of new PL candidates who will undoubtedly be protagonists in a General Election. A heart winning speech by Dr Joseph Muscat too, personal, intimate and highly professional.
ALBERT FENECH
Cecil Herbert Jones
Jan 22nd 2012, 11:34
Help me get this straight? Dom Mintoff was excommunicated from the Labour Party following a a ceremonially backed majority vote by the Party delegates. He had claimed to have created the MLP and by his own hand he would dismantle it. This he wanted to do, but only managed to bring down the Labour Government, not the Labour Party as he said he would.
And when he was out in the cold, following his expulsion, he failed to convince us his powers were genuine, which he should have easily done by creating another Party or heroically stand as an Independent. But he did neither nor, which could mean that he hadn't infact created the MLP in the first place but merely stepped in and capitalised on a ready-made which Boffa had been the author of.
And then he turned everything around, crossed the line in the sand of the Cold War, joining Malta with Russia, Libya and China, which was not a safe thing to do, nevermind shortsighted. He served Muammar Gaddafi with an orgasm when he kicked out the British Empire and the rest of the West, while turning Malta green in paint alone. This is the father of all Maltese?
No disrespect to his biological daughters, they merit the chance to make their contribution. But surely they or the PL must not pretend that what their father did politically was not creative but inventive, and that that invention is now obsolete except for the scars which wounds remain open and still fresh, thanks to the ignorance of the PN.
John Zammit
Jan 22nd 2012, 18:04
At least he was able to remove poverty from the Island
Cecil Herbert Jones
Jan 23rd 2012, 01:27
@ John Zammit...
Yes he did that by giving you the minimum wage while he took the maximum wage!
Unfortunately this was a ploy that has now seemingly become a tactic by the PN, who learned a lesson by inventing the answers.
This is as straight as it gets.
ALBERT FENECH
Jan 23rd 2012, 08:16
So much for your knowledge of history and events Mr Cecil Herbert Jones. If there is one fact that is UNIVERSALLY known, Dom Mintoff DID NOT court or make any agreements with the USSR. In fact he never trusted the Russians and they didn't like him because of his China connections. To be remembered too that Dom Mintoff was the FIRST European leader to visit China following America's President Nixon. Mintoff was ridiculed at the time for visiting China. Today, the world bows and scrapes at China's feet - including the current Government. Please get your historical facts in perspective. Similarly, Mintoff used Gaddafi to his advantage to gain advantages for Malta; later the rest of Europe and indeed the world, let Gaddafi walk all over them before he became too big for his boots.
ALBERT FENECH
Mr Mario Farrugia
Jan 22nd 2012, 11:09
The only motive is to bring back the Mintoff votes Sabt lost in the last election....nice strategic move Joseph, well done.
Joe Fenech
Jan 22nd 2012, 10:39
Getting the brilliant Mintoff daughters in is brilliant!
David Meilak
Jan 22nd 2012, 15:32
Yes superbly brilliant! It will make us feel like we are back in the good old days, so wonderful!!! I just cant wait to start wearing my sanga sports shoes, red devil jacket, and snack on deserta chocolate while waiting for the water tank at night to MAYBE fill up with water. Great memories........Im getting emotional...........I might just even shed a tear at these fantastic memories.
Paul Portelli
Jan 22nd 2012, 10:27
Joseph should declare the 6th august as the only national day.This great person should always be remembered .its not difficult to note that all Maltese would approve this date.mintoff is the father of all Maltese.
simon ellul sullivan
Jan 22nd 2012, 12:33
hahaha inthom bis serjeta daqshekk ghamja ? all around the world people like him are known as dictators and tyrants and in your little box you call him a father ?
Mr Joseph Apap
Jan 22nd 2012, 12:43
I would not agree with you as the only national day
David Meilak
Jan 22nd 2012, 15:13
Yeah right all Maltese would love to have Dom's birthday as the only national day. On that day we will all remember:
No to independence
Special friendships with North Korea, Roumania, China, Ghaddafi and the rest of the brady bunch
refering to a University Degree as 'Karta strazza' or something in that order
His lack of action when Labour Thugs raided and burnt down the Times Building and attacked the Leader of the Oppositions home
His special hatred to anything modern such as computers
His 'nissikkaw ic-cinturin' attitude and stingyness with the Maltese population
His stubbornness with everyone that went against his ideologies, teachers, doctors, etc.
If he's your father.....then you can keep him for yourself.
Joseph Calleja
Jan 22nd 2012, 15:29
What a joke? " mintoff is the father of all Maltese" I consider that blasphemy. Mintoff is only father to his two daughters. Grow up.
J. Brown
Jan 22nd 2012, 16:56
I guess you have been or have been reading a lot on North Korea lately.....but if you haven't I am not surprised at all.As this is the point of view on politics from the "mintoffjani" and the MLP !
H. Galea
Jan 23rd 2012, 07:30
I know exactly who my late father was ! so, may I kindly ask you to refrain from being so insulting. Thank you.
John Zammit
Jan 22nd 2012, 10:21
Dr Mintoff speaking this morning during the labour party conference send a message that the party is now United as never before.May this unity help the party when in Government to help find a solution to Nation's problems
John Attard
Jan 22nd 2012, 10:19
A Big applaus for dr Robert Abela (son of president Abela) for his great talk at the general conference PL.
VINCENT WILLIAMS
Jan 22nd 2012, 10:16
Yana Mintoff Bland, an economist and a school administrator who may give her assistance so that our country will improve and progress. It is clearly evident that for the coming elections the Labour candidature is far and far best and better than that of GonziPartitNegattiv. Surely the wind of change is blowing in favour of the PL. It is also clear that it is time for the PN to have a long rest in the Opposition. That is how democracy works even though GonziPartitNegattiv does not want to admit.
Joe Calleja
Jan 22nd 2012, 10:12
Nice try Zeppi. Back to the 'good' old days!
Oliver Grech
Jan 22nd 2012, 10:08
Another one to decrease the average age within the labour party.
G Mangion
Jan 22nd 2012, 09:49
The right time for revenge good luck Specail delegate, Never too late even at 60.
G. Mangion.
Mario Farrugia
Jan 22nd 2012, 09:38
let them roll in :)
Paul Giordimaina
Jan 22nd 2012, 10:22
God help Malta if Pl wins the election
Paul Giordimaina
Jan 22nd 2012, 10:24
You wouldnt be the PM its the old gang who tell you what to do and you will be the puppet and we go back to the 80s
Mr Alexander Azzopardi
Jan 22nd 2012, 11:30
@Paul dawn lahhar snin ekk hasejtni jien ezatt kif spjegajt int, taht Gonzi pn
m. borg (slm)
Jan 22nd 2012, 13:15
@Paul Giordimana, get a life, stop being silly and try to make an argument.
Joseph Calleja
Jan 22nd 2012, 15:34
@ Paul Giordimaina
God help Malta with any Goverment PN or PL. We need all the help we can get.
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