Mintoff viewed as divisive because conservatives resisted his reforms - KMB
Dom Mintoff's successor at Castille, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, said today that Mr Mintoff was viewed as being a divisive figure because he brought about reforms which were resisted by the conservative forces.
He drew hatred on himself but carried on for the common good and the national interest, he said.
Admittedly, his methods were rough, because he felt that the circumstances of the time so merited in order to push reform through. He brought reform at the expense of personal hatred, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici said Mr Mintoff should be remembered as the person who had lifted the Maltese people, economically and culturally. He had showed the people how they could stand on their own feet and govern themselves without relying on foreigners.
"Mintoff gave the Maltese people an identity which they previously did not have in the eyes of the foreigners," Dr Mifsud Bonnici told timesofmalta.com.
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Gerry Cowie
Aug 22nd 2012, 01:04
I still have no idea why Mintoff's administration allowed the BICAL directors to be incarcerated in the Corradino for all those years for something they never did and in respect of which their names have since been cleared.
And yet people want to have this man made into a saint.
May almighty God have mercy on his immortal soul.
E Zammit
Aug 21st 2012, 21:08
"Mintoff gave the Maltese people an identity which they previously did not have in the eyes of the foreigners,"
Identiy my foot !!! The image he gave of the Maltese with the foreigners is not that important, what is important here is the way he mistreated his opponents. The way he permitted the violent thugs to get away with murder, the way he permitted the police force to be turned into an instrument of torture against the common citizens who supported the PN. The way he 'stole' private property to be turned into PL party clubs. The way he permitted 'The Times' building to be torched to the ground, the violent attack on 'The Curia' and the cowardly attack on the house, family, wife and Dr.E.Fenech Adami's mother. The countless attacks on the Law Courts. The repeated attacks on the PN party clubs. The death of Raymond Caruana and the subsequent frame-up of Pietru Pawl Busuttil. The countless and daily water and electricity cuts in the Country. The suspension of the Constitutional Courts for his own advantage. The forbidden use of the word Malta and Nazzjon. The forbidden freedom to the PN of inviting foreign personalities to their political activities, including making them 'Persona non Grata'. The issuing of an arrest warrant on Mr.Muscat, being the person appointed by the PN to oversee the broadcasting the partys political message from Sicily. AND the list goes on and on and on and on..............!
Still, being a person who belives in the mercy of the Almighty God, I pray for his soul and for God to grant him to Rest in Peace. Condolences goes to his surviving family.
Joseph N. Attard
Aug 21st 2012, 20:13
If I were KMB I would not comment on 'divisive figures', rough methods", (now there's an understatement!), etc. KMB was the zero-votes Prime Minister who called the mob which smashed the Curia and Dr. Fenech's Adami's house "The Aristocracy of the Workers!". I would hang my head in shame instead.
cesco di luigi
Aug 21st 2012, 19:58
KMB grazzi lilek ghax inti kont il-persuna li irnexxielek iggieghel il-knisja taghmel dak li suppost ghamlet min jeddha ....is-skejjel tal-knisja b'xejn... u allavolja hafna nies kienu jghajruk b'l-ikrah dwar din il-kwistjoni, illum 25 sena wara, hekk baqghet!! Prosit tassew.
joe farrugia
Aug 21st 2012, 19:10
Jien nazzjonalist u ma kontx naqbel mal metodu iebes li kien jimxi bih Mintoff li kien johloq hafna ghedewwa u li kieku ried seta jaghmilom minhajr vjolenza pero nammetti ukoll li saru riformi li kien hemm bzonnhom bhal ma kienu saru fi zmien Borg Olivier fiz-zmien Fenech Adami u anke issa fi zmien Gonzi .Ghalhekk jien nghid li kull politiku li kellu parti mill izvillup ta'din il gzira ckejkna taghna ghandu jkollna rikkonoximent lejh u rispett f'cirkostanzi bhal tal lum .Jien qatt ma nhares lejn min ma jaqbilx mighaj bhala ghadu izda bhala habib b'oppinjoni differenti.
Steve Pace
Aug 21st 2012, 19:41
A true gentleman's comment. Well said. Kellhu bzonn hawn iktar bl-istess fehma..
Mr Tony Gatt
Aug 21st 2012, 17:51
In one of Shakespeare's plays a character (Mark Anthony) says "The evil that men do lives after them- the good is oft interred with their bones."
Prescient chap, Shakespeare.
Joe Fenech
Aug 21st 2012, 17:26
Yes, and he used the bullies to get what he wanted which was to enlighten this damned island and drive it away from the middle ages!
Carmel Camenzuli
Aug 21st 2012, 17:10
1973-1974-1975.
Tafu xi jfissru dawn ? Dawn ifissru is-snin li fihom jien personali kont nattendi ghall-Mass Meetings u demostrazzjonijiet organizzati mill-P.N. ghax Mintoff(Alla jahfirlu) kien nehha Jum l-Indipendenza minn btala publika, biex niccelebra flimkien mal-mibki imma qatt minsi Gorg Borgolivier it twelid ta pajjizi.
F'kull sena minn dawn ghandi marka f'gismi. 1973 daqqa ta mus f'idi, 1974 daqqa ta patata bix- xafra tal-lehja fiha f'sebghaj il-kbir ta' jdejja u kienet intefghat mill-kazin tal-Lejber tal-Belt u 1975 daqqa ta tappiera tal-hadid tal-water works li waqghat fuq il-qasba ta sieqi, mitfugha mill- Fuzellu minn fuq il-Bank of Valletta tal belt.
Dak kien il-bidu............
Grazzi ta'KOLLOX Perit !!!!!
Eddy Privitera
Aug 21st 2012, 17:52
Carmel. Jiddispjacini hafna jekk gralek dak kollu li ktibt. Jien ukoll kont issawwat il-Hamrun fin-1966 minn partitarji nazzjonalisti li kienu sejrin lura d-dar wara mass-meeting. Xi hadd gharafni ghax kont nikteb fit-Times, u gew ghalija !
wara , minn 1987 san- 1995 sofrejt ferm aktar vjolenza, din id-darba vjolenza psikologika, ghax baqghu icahhduni mil-promozzjoni ghal-manager minhabba li kont attivist laburista, nikteb fit-Times. Ghandi s-sentenza tat-Tribunal li tghid li sofrejt diskriminazzjoni politika tul dak iz-zmien. Sirt Manager fin-1996 !
Din il-kwalita ta' vjolenza hija ferm aghar minn xi daqqa ta' ponn. Ara d-daqqiet li qlajt fin-1966 ma nghidx li bghathom isawwtuni Borg Olivier !
Carmel Camenzuli
Aug 22nd 2012, 16:43
Proset. qieghed niehu gost tghidli li sirt manager fin 1996.....Great !
Ara jien meta applikajt ghal pulizija 1980 qaluli li m'ghaddejtx mit tul ta :) imma fini 6 piedi ! Xi hadd minn gewwa Alla jahfirlu kien qalli li gejt lewwel dakinhar !
Pero il-vjolenza politika mis- sebghajnijiet sa 1987 baqat sejra Sur Privitera bhal ma taf u anke wara bhal per ez; Il- famuz tieg ta Abdilla taz-Zejtun.
Nispera li il-kaz tieghek tal- Hamrun kien kaz izolat allavolja dakinhar meta Malta kienet qeghda ticcelebra il -kisba ta l-Indipendenza Mintoff ipprova jaqla l-inkwiet imma bhal ma taf De Grey zammlu iebes.
Jiena jiddispjacini imma filwaqt li nirrikonoxxi li Mintoff nahseb li holoq il-Welfare state u ghen lill-batut u lill-fqir, ma kellux ghalfejn jimxi bi kwazi dittatura. Nahseb taf daqsi li Mintoff Alla Jahfirlu ma kienx jittollera lill-min ma jaqbilx mieghu u dan hu stat ta' fatt habib !!!
m. borg (slm)
Aug 21st 2012, 16:38
To all those who could not find a kind word and should have shut up be it known that even Dr Eddy Fenech Adami has finally gave recognition to Mintoff's standing.
Whatever some might say no politician in Malta has done as much as Mintoff did.
Gianninu Saliba
Aug 21st 2012, 17:14
"Whatever some might say, no politician in Malta has done as much DAMAGE as Mintoff did" should have been M. Borg's concluding sentence.
Carmel Camenzuli
Aug 21st 2012, 17:16
Short memory Sur Borg............
Kellek ilma fi zmien Mintoff tas-sliema ghax jien ma kellix.Ezempju 1 tafx !!!!
Eddy Privitera
Aug 21st 2012, 17:43
Gianninu saliba: You will get your answer on Friday and Saturday. Even PN leaders have admitted Mintoff's greatness !
Joseph Mifsud
Aug 21st 2012, 16:20
I fully agree with KMB and say that Mintoff was aggressive because his opponents were much more aggressive than him.
George Cremona
Aug 21st 2012, 15:58
I am all for to respect Dom Mintoff's memory and pray the Lord for the repose of his soul.Though politically I have never been on his or his party's side, I agree that he did a lot of good things for the country and for its people. And he should be remebered for those things. Yet with all due respect I can't agree with Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici's remark that Dom Mintoff "had showed the people how they could stand on their own feet and govern themselves without relying on foreigners." On the contrary history tells us that Dom Mintoff struggled unsuccessfully for integration with Britain and later on sought (secretly) a similar alliance with Italy.
Yet Dom Mintoff merits our respect and prayers both as Maltese citizens and Christians.
Eddy Privitera
Aug 21st 2012, 17:22
George Cremona: The integration with Britain failed because Mintoff wanted guarantees that the standard of living of the Maltese would reach that of the British people within a certain time-frame. The British government did not want to guarantee this. So Mintoff changed course, and called for complete independence !
Mintoff succeeded in getting rid of the British military base and start industrializing Malta, as well as gave tourism life with the setting up of Air Malta. Thiis is why KMB said that Mintoff showed the Maltese how they could stand on their own feet. There were many who were scaring the Maltese about this.
Joseph John Camilleri
Aug 21st 2012, 19:20
Eddie Privitera, this talk of Mintoff getting rid of the British military base is pure fiction. The British were already showing signs, or rather were already leaving military bases for economic reasons. Mintoff gave the impression, and many believed him, that he kicked the British out of Malta and which he named 'Freedom Day'.
stephen mifsud
Aug 21st 2012, 15:02
fantastic explanation KMB thank you
Eugene Sapiano
Aug 21st 2012, 14:53
I recall when in 1972 the Labour government decriminalised adultery and homosexuality and some Labourites who were afraid of the Church were saying, why did he do this, the Church is not going to take this lying down, until I recall a Labour MP saying, did we remove it from a sin?
The same can be said when civil marriage was introduced if I'm not mistaken in 1975, and the answer was are we going to force non Catholics to marry in church?
Peter Bonnici
Aug 21st 2012, 17:48
The Mintoff administration decriminalised sodomy, and not homosexuality.
j brincat
Aug 21st 2012, 14:52
@simon ellul sullivan
"culturally ? dawn in nies bis serjeta ?
Meaning what?
How do you fine a cultural person?
(jb)
j brincat
Aug 21st 2012, 14:49
@ Francis Saliba
"Before MIntoff, Dr George Borg Olivier had already demonstrated the ability of the Maltese to govern themselves. Mintoff's idea was for Malta to continue to depend on defence handouts from a UK government that refused Mr Mintoff's asking pric for extending the stay of its forces in Malta"
And what did Mintoff inherit from GBO, Lord bless the souls of both? Easy - a bankrupt Malta! (Insomma today we are not that far off).
(jb)
Peter Simpson
Aug 21st 2012, 14:15
The real Mintoff-for those who are not parochial and full of cobwebs- can be seen through the eyes and analysis of foreigners; a leader who had a vision to give to the Maltese islands dignity and real independence-, both political and economical- after centuries of colonization. See today's BBC, la Republica.it, The New York Times,obituary. Of course, his local, parochial and insular adversaries see things differently!
Alfred Dimech
Aug 21st 2012, 15:16
I would say the situation is quite the opposite. One can find numerous reports which show that many foreign dignitaries didn't think too highly of the man, besides perhaps a grudging admiration of his stubbornness. Let's face it: he was in over his head when it came to foreign relations and economics. It was his local, parochial supporters who deified him in such a way.
Anyway, the same can be said for many ex-British colony politicians at the time.
Eddy Privitera
Aug 21st 2012, 17:27
Alfred Dimech: You would, wouldn't you ! The reason why a few foreign politicians may not have liked him was because they just couldn't accept, that a man coming from just a tiny rock in the Mediterranean, could stand up to them, AND GET IT HIS OWN WAY - AS HE DID IN HELSINKI, REMEMBER ??????
Alfred Dimech
Aug 21st 2012, 18:54
Oh come on Eddy, we both know "security in the Mediterranean " clause that Mintoff stalled the CSCE was mainly vacuous, with very little implication. The only thing Mintoff achieved was a positive press opportunity as he appeared the victor returning from the conference getting what he demanded for.
His intentions were noble, and he did manage to get Malta on the map, in some sense, but foreign policy was not his strong point. At some point, I remember a Soviet ambassador complaining at one conference that Mintoff (and his group) had very little understanding of what was going on (I'm happy to provide references for this).
C Muscat
Aug 21st 2012, 14:13
Rajt l-ewwel 5 kummenti.....possibli ghadu jmut frisk u xi hadd jikkumenta hekk??? Lanqas li kien l-aghar annimal jew insett!!!
Mr ALBERT LEONE GANADO
Aug 21st 2012, 14:03
Well said Karm. Anyone who has the determination and vision to effect radical transformational changes is bound to find the opposition of those who either as a natural reaction fear change or who form part of a privileged elite who was benefitng at the expense of the long suffering majority. Unfortunately like the side effects of good medicine change will inevitably cause some innocents to suffer. The truth is that as a nation we are all now better off because of the radical social reforms which Dom Mintoff had the courage and steadfastness to implement. Thankfully others on both sides of the political divide followed in the right visionary path he set and lit.
J Martinelli
Aug 21st 2012, 13:54
The older KMB gets, the more sense he makes, doesn't he?
Mintoff was ''rough because he felt that the circumstances of the time so merited in order to push reform through"! Is that so, KMB. or was it because he was being directed by his Korean, Chinese and Libyan friends?
This 'reliable source' is the same man who was never elected, yet became prime minister, has a record of economic success [sic] by employing 8000 on the eve of an election! So transparent, so obviously sinister!
Eddy Privitera
Aug 21st 2012, 17:31
J. Martinelli: Do you really believe that ANYONE could "direct" Mintoff, when he was able to stand up to all the mightiest political leaders at Helsinki, and succeeded in what he demanded of them ???? You read too much "BEANO", aka IN-NAZZJON !
Lawrence Zammit
Aug 21st 2012, 13:53
Ghajn ghal ghajn u sinna ghal sinna. That was Mintoff
James Vella
Aug 21st 2012, 13:43
Hallina Karm. what identity?
Eddy Privitera
Aug 21st 2012, 17:33
James Vella: The identity that the Maltese people are just as proud of their own country as much as those of much bigger countries. And that we should never be afraid to put the interest of our country FIRST AND FOREMOST !!!!!!
B. Cachia
Aug 21st 2012, 13:39
Many of Mintoff's 'reforms' have not stood the test of time, while others have. He is divisive because he was a hard man who smashed those who stood in his way. On this day, however, these political and personal analyses are out of place. This is the day to bury a historical figure with dignity and respect.
vincent Lia
Aug 21st 2012, 13:19
The evil that man do is often interred with their bones so let it be. KMB saying that Mintoff gave the Maltese people and identity is a misnomer. Maltese people had an identity and it was smeared by Mintoff to the detrement of Maltese people living abroad especially those living in the UK. May he rest in peace.
Henry Mifsud
Aug 21st 2012, 13:53
@ vincent Lia: and yet Lord Carrington referred to Mintoff as one of the hardest negotiators he ever encountered. How's that for the smearing (as you put it) of the Maltese people's identity to the detriment of those living abroad especially in the UK.
N Zahra
Aug 21st 2012, 13:16
KMB is perfectly right. You cannot take big decisions without being divisive. The two go together.
Francis Saliba M.D.
Aug 21st 2012, 13:06
Mintoff was a divisive figure because of the violent aggresive methods he employed to bulldoze his reforms by suppressing the fundamental human right of everybody else to hold and to express an opinion different from his. In practice this meant a horrible era of bombs on the doorsteps of dissenters, the burning down of The Times, the sacking of the home of the leader of the opposition, the sacking of the Curia in Floriana, political murders - always with the perpetrators escaping scot free.
He drew hatred to himself - but that did not faze him. He gloried in it.
Before MIntoff, Dr George Borg Olivier had already demonstrated the ability of the Maltese to govern themselves. Mintoff's idea was for Malta to continue to depend on defence handouts from a UK government that refused Mr MIntoff's asking pric for extending the stay of its forces in Malta.
Henry Mifsud
Aug 21st 2012, 13:49
@ Francis Saliba: I have never read a so inaccurate account of the Maltese history as your last paragraph. You must have been living in a different era than most of us in the 1960s and 1970s. Fact remains that Malta got its independence on paper in 1964, became a Republic in 1974 and fully self-governed in 1979.
C Busuttil
Aug 21st 2012, 17:09
Dr. Saliba
As always whenever you write about politics being objective is something alien for you. You always write whats is convenient just to hide the sins of our political side. Borg Olivier was a good man but not even him could resist the temptation to govern although he knew that the 1962 and 1966 elections where not free. the PN was unelectable in those days and if it wasn't for the dispute between labour and the church, Mintoff would have won. Yes Borg Olivier governed but he was a prisioner of the lobby that always dominated the PN, the rich. The low class was never considered by the PN, we always felt superior and that kind of mentality still prevails in some. I know well that kind of mentality I was born and raised in Sliema and since childhood we have always been thaught to look at the people of the south as marmalja jew hamalli. The violence of the 70's and 80's was the fruit of the sixties, had Borg Olivier the guts to tell the church to mind its own business things would have been different. Instead the PN remained silent and therefore an accomplice of the Church. Many fellow maltese suffered but in typical PN manner we gave a hoot about their sufferings because in our eyes they where children of a lesser god.
Mintoff did bulldoze but he had to do so otherwise the rights of the poor would have never been upheld. I recall a businessman telling my father that Mintoff was dangerous because he wanted to give rights to workers and that was not good for his business. Off course people like him resisted these changes it went against his personal interests. The PN was never the working class party it moved in their direction only with Fenech Adami just to discard that path once again with Gonzi. No wonder today the PN is hated as it was in the past, it has reclothed itself as "Il-partit tas-sinjur"
The forces opposing Mintoff depicted him as a devil, they did so because the feared that people would understand his message and join him. According to the propoganda he was a communist and a dictator, well he fought the church but believed in Christ, he governed and could have never changed the electoral law instead he retired on his own free will and made the necessary changes even if meant defeat for his party.
Once I could never understand Mintoff I even hated him but since then my judgement is not impaired any more by political passions I came to realize that he was not the devil depicted by the PN machine. That his social welfare achievements (opposed by us nationalists) did this country a great deal of good. He was a Maltese and not a boot licker to foreigners. had he been in power today he would give the EU a piece of his mind and not bow to their requests without getting any benefits for our country. The immigration problem he would have solved it long ago since he was not afraid to take action when necessary.
You can take for a ride others but I am nationalist that needs no lecture how to be one and especially how to think with convenient distortions of history. Dom Mintoff was a formidable adversary which we could never stomach but many of us have come to see him in a different light, time will come when those blind with politics like you will disappear and Mintoff will be judged in all fairness as he deserves.
Eddy Privitera
Aug 21st 2012, 17:36
How did the Maltese govern themselves during BO's time , when the British still ran the most vital things in our country: the harbour, the airport, telecommunications, broadcasting etc... !!!!
simon ellul sullivan
Aug 21st 2012, 13:05
culturally ? dawn in nies bis serjeta ?
Eddy Privitera
Aug 21st 2012, 17:39
Simon; " culturally" does not mean that you speak in English instead of Maltese because you think that if you speak Maltese, you are considered as belonging to an inferior race !!!!!!!
Please choose the reason of your report below: