Blogger says she only met Cachia Caruana in person 12 times since 2008
Blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia said this evening that even though she has known Richard Cachia Caruana for most of her adult life, she only met him in person about 12 times since the 2008 election.
In all but two of those occasions, she said, there were other people, including her husband.
Another two, around April 2009, involved Dr Pullicino Orlando and his consort, Carmen Camilleri Ciantar.
Mrs Caruana Galizia was referring to claims made by Dr Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando in today's The Times, criticising her 'closeness' to Mr Cachia Caruana and saying it was unacceptable for high-ranking PN and government officials to 'cavort' with her when she 'disgustingly' derided Nationalist 'icons' like the late President Emeritus Guido de Marco.
Mrs Caruana Galizia said in a statement that this year, she met Mr Cachia Caruana three times. In the whole of last year, she met him twice, once while greeting each other as he left and she entered a Christmas drinks party at mutual friends.
"I do not think that even Dr Pullicino Orlando would describe this as cavorting. I can only think, therefore, that he is not familiar with the facts and has either been falsely informed or has formed an impression based on inadequate observation and on prejudice."
Mrs Caruana Galizia said she criticised all politicians without fear or favour, wherever she deemed fit, and this included the people Dr Pullicino Orlando described as icons of the Nationalist Party.
"I notice that he failed to mention the prime minister, who I have criticised many times, most notably on divorce and Libya, perhaps because he considers it acceptable for Mr Cachia Caruana to 'cavort', all of three times a year, with somebody who has criticised Lawrence Gonzi.
"It is not up to Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando to decide which politicians are allowed to speak to which journalists, and vice versa. Claiming quite disingenuously that his behaviour in parliament last Monday was based on his moral objection to Richard Cachia Caruana talking to journalists, when those journalists are critical of him and his 'icons', makes it clear that he has freedom of speech issues, of which intolerance of criticism is evident."
Mrs Caruana Galizia said Dr Pullicino Orlando also demonstrated that he did not know his obligations as a member of parliament.
"Those obligations include the duty to vote on the matter in hand – the contents of the motion – rather than for his own, apparently spurious, reasons. Dr Pullicino Orlando also needs to remember that he remains my representative in parliament, for I was one of those who voted for him. While a constituent can and should criticise the actions of her representative in parliament, because she put him there to do represent her, the roles cannot be reversed. A member of parliament cannot and should not use the platform given to him by his constituents to attack one or more of them."
She said she was particularly perplexed at Dr Pullicino Orlando's confused notion that Mr Cachia Caruana deserved the ultimate censure for the reasons he gave to The Times journalist.
"He has given different reasons elsewhere, most notably today on Facebook.
"Using his own yardstick, how much more severely should he be censured for actually cohabiting with a member of the Labour Party and socialising with others, including the Leader of the Opposition? But then, perhaps he does not 'cavort' with them. Also, he belongs, at least nominally, to the liberal party, which would not countenance any such thing."
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46 Comments
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Raphael Dingli
Jun 23rd 2012, 08:01
Village politics. Malta deserves better. Move on please.
Ms.D. Galea
Jun 21st 2012, 17:13
The three gentlemen are MPS.
MPs are accountable to the people who voted them in.Hence. their actions , the people they meet and their public statements are of some national importance..
Can the same criteria be applied to a journalist, any journalist for that matter?
J E Micallef
Jun 21st 2012, 13:59
Lucky her! I only managed to meet my best buddie once this year.
John Zammit
Jun 21st 2012, 13:53
The more this woman is going is to continue in her attacks on other persons the more she is going to a stumbling block for the PN
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Jun 21st 2012, 13:01
Only 12 times in four years, eh? Excatly 12 - no more, no less (never mind contact over the internet, phone, etc). Does DCG keep a record of all her meetings - or are her meetings with RCC something special, worth keeping a note of?
M Cassar
Jun 21st 2012, 08:01
Isn't it time to start concentrating on the economic challenges that the country is facing? Who cares what this lady thinks ? Who cares whom she meets? Stop giving her such importance.
j brincat
Jun 21st 2012, 07:56
Who cares!
(jb)
Peppi Borg
Jun 21st 2012, 05:21
Either this blogger doesn't have much to do and keep a note of who is she meeting or else her circle of friends is so small. "It's not up to Jeffrey Pullicino to decide which journalist are allowed to speak to which politicians and vice versa." Is DCG so paniced that she is calling herself a journalist and RCC a politician????? Does one call him/herself a journalist just because one spends nights on facebook using forged identites? One thing I am sure... DCG is bothering true Nationalists.
Sarah Grech (Zebbug)
Jun 21st 2012, 00:58
For someone who has met Mr. Cachia Caruana 'only about' 12 times since 2008, she sure remembers pretty well the dates and the occasions....
David Scicluna
Jun 21st 2012, 00:19
Who cares?
Mr Marcel Mizzi
Jun 20th 2012, 21:13
This is all part of the country becoming politically mature... sit back and enjoy
mario gellel
Jun 20th 2012, 20:50
WE WILL ROCK YOU
Antoine Vella
Jun 20th 2012, 20:48
For the 'clever' (well, they think they are) persons who are mentioning emails and phone-calls, may i remind them that Pullicino Orlando mentioned "cavorting" which implies meeting in person.
But then you (you know who you are) wouldn't be familiar with such terms would you?
Victor Calleja
Jun 20th 2012, 20:30
There are other ways to pass a message.
Joseph Cauchi Senior
Jun 20th 2012, 19:40
Thanks to Daphne Caruana Galizia’s running commentary, we the readers have another perspective of the local scene.
She is sharp and intelligent and her contributions are spot on.
JC.
Patricia Mifsud
Jun 20th 2012, 19:38
Mrs Caruana Galizia certainly doesn't need me to defend her, but, for the sake of precision:
Would Albert Fenech and Eddy Privitera kindly pick up a good English dictionary and look up the word 'cavort'?
One cannot 'cavort' unless one is physically in the presence of another.
Jeffrey Mallia
Jun 20th 2012, 19:34
So Mrs DCG is telling us that she couldn't even make the right choice when putting her vote in the ballot !! Very interesting considering her intellect !!
P. Zammit
Jun 20th 2012, 20:20
Why ? You never made a wrong choice in your life ? I too believed JPO in the whole Mistra saga before the last general election, but when the truth came out I have no hesitation to state that he should have resigned.
ALBERT FENECH
Jun 20th 2012, 19:20
What a load of self-effacing codswallop from Ms DCG. The political party she supports has remained entrenched somewhere in the 1970s encompassing her in its sinking folds. There are persons I have not actually met for months, sometimes years, but we communicate regularly via e-mails, general communications sites (i.e. facebook etc), sms's, mobile, skype etc. It matters not one hoot we do not meet face-to-face regularly when we have all these communications tools. The GonziPN and Ms DCG have the same philosophy - they believe that everybody else is so stupid they will swallow any old rubbish.
ALBERT FENECH
Adrian Said
Jun 20th 2012, 20:04
Mr. Fenech, don't you think that the other party is trying to make you 'swallow old rubbish' as well, when they say that they are a new progressive party!?!?!?!?!?!
Angus Black
Jun 20th 2012, 20:06
Look who is accusing the NP of being still 'entrenched somewhere in the 70s'! A Labour Party which not only is still entrenched in the 70s and 80s, but is modelling the 'new movement of moderates and progressives' on the repugnant regimes of Mintoff and KMB!
Hold your noses, folks!
Antoine Vella
Jun 20th 2012, 20:41
Albert Fenech, you can agree or disagree with Daphne but calling her statement 'self-effacing' shows you do know the meaning of the word.
Why do people like you insist on using words without even knowing their meaning?
Denis Pace
Jun 20th 2012, 21:43
Rather biased comments, Mr.Fenech.
Very Labour-apologetic.....intolerant of criticism....as usual
A. Mizzi
Jun 20th 2012, 19:13
They just go CYBER / SKYPE/ VIDEO CONFERENCING......
A Dimech
Jun 20th 2012, 19:10
what about phone calls?
Angus Black
Jun 20th 2012, 20:07
What about Joseph's e-mails to moles?
Kenneth Cassar
Jun 21st 2012, 07:09
Yes, what about phone calls? Are these illegal now?
Kevin Marks
Jun 20th 2012, 19:08
We will be very pleased to see a Xarabank full with all these mentioned names on the panel......lol!
Victor Laiviera
Jun 20th 2012, 18:58
"Mrs Caruana Galizia said she criticised all politicians without fear or favour,"
Of course - who could think otherwise?
Eddy Privitera
Jun 20th 2012, 18:16
For one to communicate with someone else, does it have to be 2 in person " ??? Does Daphne believe that all readers are so daft as to believe her ? OR believe that she will ever admit to anything which reveals her connections ?
J Busuttil
Jun 20th 2012, 18:35
@ Eddy Privitera ta' CNI
At least she is always spot unlike your blogs.
Chris Gatt
Jun 20th 2012, 18:35
congratulations. It only took 8 comments before the Conspiracy theorist turned up. Seriously Eddy put a sock in it, you convince no one but yourself.
R. Saliba
Jun 20th 2012, 19:25
Any comments about the times when DCG criticised Dr. Gonzi? Or is this conveniently forgotten?
Mr Joe Micallef
Jun 20th 2012, 19:38
Privitera being himself the consenting victim of the PL hogwash (Privi, remember what they made you believe and write about the EU to then leave you hanging like a hapless idiot whilst they leaped on the gravy train) and a socialist opportunist, selective reading is a profession!
Frans Aguis
Jun 20th 2012, 19:54
R.Saliba
I read her blog. When Dr Gonzi is criticized it is usually with kid gloves, or "criticizing" him for being too good or too nice. In the divorce issue he was treated as wrong but we were constantly reminded of how this was only opportunism by the PL.
scott brown
Jun 20th 2012, 19:55
what is so wrong with a journalist having connections. don't you have any connections yourself mr. privitera. from your contributions you seem to be the PL spokesperson in this blog, inviting contributors to meet your leader (as long as it is in your presence) and rebutting anything against your socialist party sic liberal sic progressive/regressive movement. no, we are not daft. we do not take any of your contributions seriously.
E. Vassallo
Jun 20th 2012, 18:16
DCG is sharp on.....as always
m. borg (slm)
Jun 20th 2012, 18:47
As sharp as a Bar-B-Q plastic knife.
Mr Joe Micallef
Jun 20th 2012, 19:43
Borg you have reached unimaginable lows! Couldn't you have written as sharp as a smile or a razor blade! No, I understand, they made you buy them on ONE and you ruined your first summer BBQ.
Get off ONE and stop digging!
Joseph Brincat
Jun 20th 2012, 18:12
Mrs Caruana Galizia said Dr Pullicino Orlando also needs to remember that he remains my representative in parliament, for I was one of those who voted for him.
Well every one can say that he or she had voted for him ??? so it"s just empty words !!!
Chris Gatt
Jun 20th 2012, 18:36
and your point is?
T.F. Busuttil
Jun 20th 2012, 18:10
So !!!!!
Joseph Mizzi
Jun 20th 2012, 18:10
For heaven's sake, all this hullabaloo would die out if and when one of the targets of Ms Caruana Galizia's pen (ie, Franco Debono, Jeffrey PO and Jesmond Mugliette) decide to call it a day and vote with the Opposition in the next money bill or vote of confidence. This government is in its last throes and all we need to see are the heirs quabbling on its deathbed!
M Grima
Jun 20th 2012, 18:10
What a bore!
GL Calleja
Jun 20th 2012, 18:01
Stop playing games. You are all adults and should act accordingly. We have higher priorities to attend to than name calling and who said what to whom and who said what about whom. Why not take the illegal immigration situation, that should keep you busy for a while and if that is not enough try to solve the court situation, then the prison situation and so on and so forth. Stop. You are all adults and should behave accordingly.
Wenzu Cole
Jun 20th 2012, 17:47
I feel that anyone involved in politics feels sidelined when something far more interesting is on (like football) and they try their best steel back the limelight.
Please choose the reason of your report below: