Minister may be using his position to put off critical debate in parliament - PL
The deputy leader of the opposition said today that the Leader of the House, Carm Mifsud Bonnici, appeared to be using his position to postpone debate in Parliament on an opposition motion which criticised his actions as (then) minister of justice and home affairs.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici said during a meeting of the House Business Committee yesterday that he could not set a date when the motion would be debated, although he said the government wanted all private members' motions to be debated.
Dr Farrugia, speaking at a press conference this afternoon, said parliament was being run in a disgraceful manner and had been reduced to a farce.
Like he did at yesterday's meeting of the House Business Committee, Dr Farrugia noted that Foreign Minister Tonio Borg, when he was Leader of the House, had promised that the Opposition motion would be debated by the end of January.
Now February was almost past and no date had been set yet.
Labour whip Joe Mizzi said the prime minister was putting the interests of the Nationalist Party before the dignity of Parliament As a result, several Bill were being debated in parliament but the government was ensuring that none came up for a vote.
The debate on the Budget Measures Implementation Bill, despite its urgency, had not even started, Mr Mizzi observed. He noted, however, that this Bill had a three-month deadline.
No vote has been taken in the House since the Speaker used his casting vote in the vote at the end of the no-confidence debate at the end of January.
Mr Mizzi said Dr Mifsud Bonnici's claims that he could not set a date for the debate because MPs needed to go abroad did not hold water and only served to prolong political instability.
Opposition's motions will be debated at some point - government
In a statement, the Ministry responsible for Parliamentary Affairs said that contrary to what Dr Farrugia had claimed, the government had no difficultry to put on the agenda and debate the motions presented by the Opposition at some point.
At no point during yesterday's House Busienss Committee had the minister declared this would not be done, the ministry claimed.
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joseph muscat
Mar 1st 2012, 10:28
Paul Bartolo how do you manage to live in the70s Iwish I could do that i remember building was sprouting everywhere lot of people had 2 or 3 jobs many were given plots to get married and build a house you cannot criticise the LABOUR party like that, can your sons and daughters afford to buy land and build a house now a days with all the bluffing of your goverment today,Of course if you are not one of the KLIKKA.
Jack Attard
Feb 29th 2012, 16:18
Those they have red blood join the mlp, those with blue blood join the dead.
Lawrence Fenech
Feb 28th 2012, 18:19
Tal-PN pezza wahda saru kollha ikkontaggaw.
Joseph Cauchi Senior
Feb 28th 2012, 18:12
Since the (M)LP does not want to play the democratic way as fairly as it should, by deciding not to PAIR; then the (M)LP should understand that it takes two to tango!
No Pairing No…
JC.
Albert Farrugia
Feb 28th 2012, 18:51
Wow mr Senior! What a shining example of True Blue you are! So you mean that the PN is blackmailing? Well I for one am absoultely decided and can say this to the PN...no parliament, no vote..how about that?
robert pace
Feb 28th 2012, 19:44
Who is not democratic dont make us laugh or cry?? Ask gonzi who is democratic?
George Azzopardi
Feb 29th 2012, 16:52
Dik strategija .. prosit ehh .. jigifieri nibqaw ma nadux anqas emmenda mil-parlament!! Hallina ...
m. borg (slm)
Feb 28th 2012, 17:48
Any bets as to when Franco's Debono Private Members Bill about party financing will be discussed in parliament?
Personnally I'll bet it wouldn't be during this legislature.
Carmel Farrugia
Feb 28th 2012, 16:57
What a waste of time and money. This PN Government was elected, albeit by a small majority, to govern for 5 years. Then leave it govern for 5 years then let them go in front of the people for its verdict. These no confidence motions are only a waste of time.
P. Ciantar
Feb 28th 2012, 16:54
gimmick after gimmick by PL means that we will be fed up and will not vote at all
Thomas C. Cassar
Feb 28th 2012, 16:15
Nahseb l-ahjar haga li jista jaghmel il-PL hi ezattament kif kienu ghamlu l-PN fl-80's, BOJKOTT LIL PARLAMENT, hemmekk ikunu zgur qed jibghatu messagg kemm barra u kemm f'Malta li l-Parlament Malti ma jistghax jigi umiljat b'dan il-mod.
Paul Bartolo
Feb 28th 2012, 16:53
Taf meta kien UMILJAT il-PARLAMENT ?
Meta:
(1) Il-Kmandant tal-Forzi Armati dahal fil-Parlament fi zmien Gvern Socjalista tat-80 = haga li ssir biss qabel kolp ta' stat.
(2) Membri tal-Gvern Socjalista resqu fuq il-Kap tal-Opozizzjoni Dr. Eddie Fenech Adami biex iwaqqfuh milli jitkellem fil-Parlament u qattawlu l-karti li kellu quddiemu
(3) Kien hawn Gvern li ggverna ghal 5 snin shah kontra r-rieda tal-maggoranza
(4) Mozzjonijiet tal-Oppozizzjoni Nazzjonalista ma kienux jigu diskussi.
ALBERT FENECH
Feb 28th 2012, 18:15
SOMEONE ANSWER THE QUESTION - WHEN THE FENECH ADAMI PN MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE 1981 GENERAL ELECTION RESULT AND THEN BOYCOTTED PARLIAMENT, DID THEY, OR DID THEY NOT CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE PEOPLE'S MONEY AS SALARY/HONORARIA? If they did continue to pocket the money - which they did - it is like the employee who refuses to work but collects his wages anyway. Any further comments would be superfluous ... money, money, money was top of the agenda!
ALBERT FENECH
twanny borg
Feb 28th 2012, 19:01
@albert fenech. sa fejn naf jien mintoff kien waqqaf is-salarju tal-membri tal-pn ghax haseb bhalek money money was top of the agenda imma mar zmerc ghax kejjel b'xibru.
I. Mercieca
Feb 28th 2012, 19:28
Prosit sur Bartolo dawk kienu l-ghar zminijiet li ghaddejna minnhom imma tal-MLP ma tantx jiedu gost meta xi hadd bhalek ifakkaromna...inzid ukoll li ghad fadal minn dawk responsabbli fil-partit laburista sal-lum ghax il-hmar taqtalu dembu hmar jibqa u l-lupu jibdel sufu izda qatt ghemilu.
Angus Black
Feb 28th 2012, 19:29
@ Albert Fenech
When all fails, engage Labour's brand of logic.
How else can a political party express its revulsion at being refused to govern when it had received an absolute majority of number one votes? Put the shoe on the other foot Albert Fenech, had the Nationalists lost the 1981 election and had been in power then, and stayed on, how would the PL have responded? I hazard to guess but probably, they would have recruited their 'suldati ta l-azzar' and would have seized power using force which they had shown examples of on many previous occasions.
We are still paying millions for Labour's past misdeeds and the last thing that comes to mind is exactly what you rant about!
Give back all the properties your party snatched from their owners and converted to MLP clubs, plus pay them adequate and very much overdue compensation, then talk about the Opposition collecting their Parliamentary honoraria while refusing to attend the kangaroo Parliament.
Besides, who signed their pay cheques? Surely it was not the leader of the Opposition!
Moreover, who paid the then prime minister and ministers who spent considerable time on trucks on their way to burn the Times offices and presses and the Curia? Were they paid overtime as well?
Ghandkom wicckom u l-pett taz-zarbun taghkom haga wahda!
Carmel Grima
Feb 28th 2012, 16:13
Il-pairing ghadu jezisti. Jekk iva, u bhala floater naqbel mieghu li hu pass ta' irgulija min-nahha tal-PL, ghandi jintuza biex hadd ma jghid li l-membri tal-gvern huma imsiefra, jew morda jew jiskartaw!
Richard Caruana
Feb 28th 2012, 17:49
Meta lahaq JM kien qal: "Il-pairing jistghu jinsewh", u hekk kien ghal dawk l-ahhar erba' snin
John Zammit
Feb 28th 2012, 18:06
Without pairing Parliament was functioning Normally as votes were only taken when predetermined and always on Wednesday at Noon.Since Franco Debono started abstaining the government stopped the readings before a minister makes the final speech
Leo Bartolo
Feb 28th 2012, 16:02
Oh what a circus. Oh what a show! All bills are being shelved definitely
Wake up Dr Franco Debono. When is Parliament going to discuss your 'Private Member's Bill' concerning the parites' financing?
anthony bartolo
Feb 28th 2012, 21:59
Ghalxejn tibkulu lil Franco ghax mhux sejjer ipaxxikhom.
Francis Coquelin
Feb 28th 2012, 15:51
The excitement is killing me,
J.C. Borg
Feb 28th 2012, 15:49
"parliament was being run in a disgraceful manner and had been reduced to a farce" An who is reducing Parliament to a farce??????
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Feb 28th 2012, 18:12
Nobody else but the Govt which is now so scared of losing a vote that they are not allowing votes to be taken in palriament. I am surprised the EU has not been informed of this blatant abuse of democracy. In which other EU country does a parliament discuss laws and does not take a vote on them?
Paul Giordimaina
Feb 29th 2012, 08:51
The PL mr Borg
Charles Micallef
Feb 28th 2012, 15:20
Minister may be using his position to put off critical debate in parliament... .......................
....oh no it would have never crossed the PN mind to do something so irresponsible!
everything they do has got a reason and the party's interests always come before the nation's!
Edward Curmi
Feb 28th 2012, 15:39
I am sure the Deputy PL leader knows what it means to use one's position in his own favour!!!
John Scerri
Feb 28th 2012, 15:01
''Minister may be using his position to put off critical debate in parliament - PL.'''...
..........Could be yes ....like any other politician would do knowing that the surface is HOT.
Both Dr.Farrugia and Dr.Mifsud Bonnici are Lawyers ...they know the way how to go around things .
Now seriously ...........Can the public have another round of attendance reports please?
We need to know who we are going to vote for coming next elections....Surely those who took from my taxes for nothing will not get my vote.
Etienne Mallia
Feb 28th 2012, 14:52
Oh look it's a new backdrop...with hints of red too..
Edgar Gatt
Feb 28th 2012, 16:23
Forget the colour RED with PL. It reminds people too much of the GOLDEN YEARS.
Joseph Cauchi Senior
Feb 28th 2012, 14:34
“Dr Farrugia, speaking at a press conference this afternoon, said parliament was being run in a disgraceful manner and had been reduced to a farce”.
Really, Dr. Farrugia; are you being serious or just trying to pull our legs?
May I kindly ask how many from the opposition’s motions were ever debated in parliament during the (M)LP glory days – 16 years to be exact-?
Please provide numbers, numbers…
JC.
Tony Busuttil
Feb 28th 2012, 14:39
Come on JC fejn jaqblilkhom issemmu l-antik insejt li ligi ta l-Indipendenza ghaddiet f'lejl wiehed. Se tibqa mwahla ma l-antik meta jaqblilkhom.you need to change
alfred seguna
Feb 28th 2012, 14:43
You mean when P.N. members boycotted the parliamentary sessions or?????
carmel parnis
Feb 28th 2012, 14:44
Maybe Dr Farrugia will be good enough to tell us when Brigadier Cachia 's c ase was discussed in parliament Surely Dr Farrugia remember the incident Kemm sirna qaddisin u demokratici f daqqa wahda
ALBERT FENECH
Feb 28th 2012, 15:48
Please remind me Mr Seguna because my memory is fading (ha ha!!!!), when the PN MP's boycotted Parliament because they did not agree or accept the General Election result in 1981, did they refuse to accept their honoraria, or maybe send it back - or did they pocket the money anyway, continue to cause as much trouble, strife and harm as possible and still stay away from Parliament? I am curious!
ALBERT FENECH
Please choose the reason of your report below: