SITTING IN MADRID
I'm sitting a Madrid hotel room, the same one where I watched The Match (big grin) and I've just read online the proceedings concerned with Labour's censure motion. I've just got back from an enjoyable day in Chinchon, which I thought I might tell you about, but the account of Dr George Vella's spluttering made me think otherwise.
Suffice it to say, when you go Chinchon (45 minutes by bus) make sure you eat on the balcony of the Iberia in Plaza Mayor.
Back to spluttering George, however.
Apparently, what is exercising this diplomat nonpareil is that the House was kept in the dark by Cachia Caruana when he was doing his diplomatic doings. That the whole thing was just a continuation of the Government's negotiations from years earlier on the subject passes this expert diplomat (George Vella, I mean) completely by. That public servants are not accountable to Parliament but to their Minister, who in his turn is accountable to Parliament, also seems to be a concept that Vella is unable to grasp.
That, to be brutally honest, one doesn't talk about diplomatic negotiations while they are in progress, especially not in the House where everybody and his brother can shoot his mouth off without giving a thought as to the consequences, is another point that goes beyond Vella's IQ.
Oh well, now the Secret Service won't jump on my bones, as Evarist Bartolo thinks it does at RCC's bidding, because I've stuck up for the mentioned RCC. Maria l-Maws should really take a chill pill.
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Evarist Saliba
May 25th 2012, 16:00
Was a bullfight on in the (circular) square of Chinchon when you were enjoying the al fresco meal?
I know what you are writing about, and I agree with you.
Oh, and as for the other matter that you wrote about, I have written enough about the stupidity of the motion and the present hearings have only confirmed my views.
Just for the record. The original motion before parliament provided for the censure of Richard Cachia Caruana by parliament where he could not be present to be "grilled".
Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO
May 23rd 2012, 08:40
"public servants are not accountable to Parliament but to their Minister,
As usual in a denigratory way ABC put forwards an established concept of government parliamentary responsibility which I tend to agree with. However in his usual style of sputtering against the PL between some good advice on eating places one would further observe that:
(i) This has nothing to do with the current parliamentary hearing in which on matters of national concern any person can be asked to testify as is normal procedure in the UK where recently Rupert Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks were given the grilling they deserved.
(ii) As the PM has rightly assumed as per above principle all responsibility for the actions of RCC he should now declare that he considers the vote of no confidence against RCC as a vote of no-confidence in him and his government as Alfred Sant had done.
Guido Farrugia
May 22nd 2012, 16:28
You are obsessed against the PL. Nithassrek!!
Mr Andrew Camilleri
May 22nd 2012, 12:28
"public servants are not accountable to Parliament but to their Minister, who in his turn is accountable to Parliament" - where on earth did you get this notion from? This must be a (convenient) figment of your imagination. Everyone, even judges, are accountable to parliament, so no less civil servants. I tought you would follow what happens in the House of Commons where so many people are brought before parliament, even the most powerful media moguls. As usual, we in Malta are the exception - so long as it suits GonziPN.
Perhaps you should lay your cards on the deck and tell us how close you are to RCC.
Angus Black
May 23rd 2012, 23:56
You are absolutely right Andrew Camilleri.
We should take a page from the Labour Party's book, sign a secret deal with anyone, but preferably Communist N Korea behind Parliament's back but now have the gall to move a motion to censor RCC for trying to find a solution to the PfP problem preventing Malta from sharing information contained in
NATO classified documents! Events of eight years ago and a Wikileaks email of eight months ago! Darn, these people are slow!
Did RCC sign any treaty? The answer is 'NO'. Did Alex Sciberras Trigona sign a treaty? The answer is 'YES'. But hey, Labour can literally screw the Constitution and get away with it. (Mintoff's own words, not mine)
The usual Labour double talk - double standards. If only they could read.
d. attard
May 22nd 2012, 11:52
No matter how much padding the issue is wrapped around, the question remains whether a civil servant worked to side-step Parliament. If he did not, than Parliament will certainly absolve him. It is the Party he serves that has a majority in Parliament and anyway, so why all this continued fuss?
Eric Soames
May 22nd 2012, 01:03
Well counselor, I hope that if I were enjoying a vacation in Spain, replete with food well enjoyed, basking in the sun and in the warmth of a favorite team's victory in a sporting event, I would not give a thought to the doings of people back home. Otherwise it is I who's spluttering.
Mark Scicluna
May 23rd 2012, 06:38
Not when said holidays depend on "consultancies" from the present administration, which, if it loses power, said "consultancies" will be lost.
Eric Soames
May 23rd 2012, 12:02
Mark Scicluna: Ah I see, hence the spluttering.
Reuben Spiteri
May 21st 2012, 21:33
The PL's RCC motion has been well and truly shown up for what it is - misinterpreting a leaked cable and twisting it to give the semblance of high treason. All the Govt's minutes of meetings that corroborate the exact opposite have destroyed the PL motion as soon as it started being 'discussed' in the Foreign Affairs committee.
The shallowness of the PL and its poor grasp of diplomatic matters have been well and truly exposed.
The truth of the matter is that the PL crave power but have no idea what to do with it when they get it. Alfred Sant clearly showed that and Joseph Muscat - being little more than a journalist - is in an even less competent state.
Please choose the reason of your report below: