‘Secretive, ruthless... unpredictable tyrant’
World media’s take on the death of Dom Mintoff
The New York Times described Dom Mintoff as “secretive, unpredictable and, to enemies, a ruthless tyrant. But to admirers, he was the father of modern Malta.”
“In an often-conquered land... Mr Mintoff fiercely sought an end to Malta’s exploitation by foreign powers, a revival of national dignity and economic and diplomatic ties with nations that could underwrite Maltese neutrality,” according to the 1,200-word article in The New York Times.
The former Prime Minister’s death elicited wide coverage in the world media, with many recalling his unpredictable nature of negotiating, especially on the international stage.
The New York Times article highlighted how his efforts to “play foreign rivals against one another” would often work, but his domestic politics were “fair game for critics, who charged that he corrupted democracy by using patronage, gerrymandering, legislation of doubtful constitutionality, even goon squads at the polls and physical bullying”.
By the time he resigned as Prime Minister in 1984, Mr Mintoff had “set his nation on a road to self-sufficiency with a welfare state, socialised medicine, diversified industries and most of its trade and tourism coming from the West,” The New York Times concluded.
The BBC called Mr Mintoff: “a skilful and confident administrator and a tough negotiator; short in physical stature and fond of pipe-smoking and horse-riding, but with an enormous capacity for hard work.”
The 1976 election that returned Mr Mintoff to power for a third term “brought a considerable increase in political violence”, the BBC wrote.
Nationalist clubs were “attacked and wrecked by faceless men who seemed to be above the law”.
For the Financial Times, Mr Mintoff was “one of those nationalist leaders whom the British media loved to hate, in the generation which saw the end of the British empire”.
He had traits in common with Mohammed Mossadeq of Iran, Archbishop Makarios of Cyprus and Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt, “but perhaps more resembled those Commonwealth leaders who, like him, had been to Britain for higher education, married British wives, and came away with a deeply ambivalent attitude to the ‘mother country’”.
Mr Mintoff’s talents as a politician and administrator, and even his personal charm, were widely acknowledged, the Financial Times wrote.
But he “will be remembered mainly as the leader of a very small country who too often felt obliged to assert himself by rude and quarrelsome behaviour. This made him many enemies.”
The London Evening Standard, meanwhile, wrote that Mr Mintoff’s daughter Yana, who is expected to be a candidate for the Labour Party at the next Maltese election, was “as active and confrontational a politician as her father”, recalling her incident in the House of Commons in 1978.
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William Wallace
Aug 25th 2012, 19:49
New York Times? who is behind it? The Republican Party , what do u expect, when they had an American Pres elected, Malta was for them adjoined to Libya!, hell with the NYT
victor caruana
Aug 22nd 2012, 16:12
His greatness and uniqueness has been proved by the wide international coverage even if he left the political scene 20 years ago.
No maltese, past and future will ever attract such attention and respect.
Alex Buds
Aug 23rd 2012, 00:53
"No maltese, past and future will ever attract such attention and respect."
...little bit of a broad sweeping stroke of pessimism there...
victor bonello
Aug 22nd 2012, 16:02
Americans will be Americans- I wonder if he New York times reports the atrocities carried out by American troops where ever they set foot.
I also wonder who their reporter in Malta is.
There are always two sides to a story, the fact remains that it was Mintoff to pull the working class out of the open drains in the roads, educate them, give them the power to vote, and give them some dignity.. no one else..no matter what a few have to say.. God Bless Malta and rest in peace dear Mintoff..
Eric Soames
Aug 22nd 2012, 21:17
' ... I wonder if he New York times reports the atrocities carried out by American troops ...': You obviously don't know the New York Times!
GL Calleja
Aug 22nd 2012, 15:20
Excellent article and an excellent description of Dom Mintoff.
Eric Soames
Aug 22nd 2012, 14:47
Far be it for me, etc ... but change rarely comes without some noses put out of joint. One needs to look at the bigger picture, both over time and in a world view. Seems like he was something of a giant killer.
Gerry Cowie
Aug 22nd 2012, 14:30
I wonder why the Mintoff administration allowed the imprisonment of the Pace brothers, directors of BICAL, depriving them of family life for many years, despite their innocence which was later proven beyond doubt?
Was this one of the Mintoff administrations good acts to help the people?
Mr Kevin Zammit
Aug 22nd 2012, 13:48
The statement is taken out of context. These were the qualities needed to get rid of the British ifluence. If one wants to read the NYT properly one should do it in light to the reserve Americans have against British Colonialism for obvious reasons ... they too had to have leaders that were ruthless and tyrants to force the colonialists out.
In my opinion that was actually a complement to Mintoff by the NYT :)
Hossam Helwani
Aug 22nd 2012, 12:53
as we say in old books of wisdom
it takes one to know one!
Reginald Borg
Aug 22nd 2012, 11:46
What BBC news forgot to state:
that Dom Mintoff sent back Lord Carrington, the British Foreign Minister, to London on the same plane he flew to Malta;
that Dom Mintoff gave the honour GIEH IR-REPUBBLIKA to Ceaucescu and Gaddafi, both recently deposed from their thrones by the people hungry and thirsty for liberty and democracy;
that Dom Mintoff wrote the rudest of letters to various Heads of State he could not accept to dialogue with;
that Dom Mintoff knew quite well what it means to visit an insipid country like North Korea;
that it was Dom Mintoff who was able to select as his successor the incompetent KMB who made a mess of maltese politics.
BBC, let us call a spade a spade.
Reuben Micallef
Aug 22nd 2012, 14:01
Lord Carrington sent back on the same plane ... cool :) never had heard of that ... Anyways I am a non voter but it's not rocket science to realise that nobody is perfect and that you cannot please everybody ... one thing is for sure though, we gained our independence thanks to this individual along many other good things ... so let's not point fingers ...
Joseph Grech Attard
Aug 22nd 2012, 11:19
Dear New York Times,
How about Guantanamo Bay and Cuba in general, to mention but one?
GL Calleja
Aug 22nd 2012, 15:22
Joseph, I think you are mixing apples with tomatoes. One has nothing to do with the other.
Norman E Grech
Aug 22nd 2012, 11:17
What do expect from the BBC?
Weren't they, in addition, fed by the usual PN propaganda machine! Duh!
Mintoff is by far the greatest Maltese politician! His unprecedentd contribution to Malta and the Maltese, particularly the workers by far exceeds his short-comings! The very fact that he managed to rid Malta from the imperialist monarchy, who made us suffer during the war as we were used as amilitary base, once and for all, is, in my books, enough to respect this man forever
Gianninu Saliba
Aug 22nd 2012, 11:14
There you are, this is history being written, not by Mintoffian fanatics, but by unbiased commentators. However as a Christian I pray "May God give him eternal rest" and I really mean it. As a true patriot, I say: "Let history gudge the man".
Frans Aguis
Aug 22nd 2012, 11:05
I read the article it was far more balanced than the attention grabbing headline the timesofmalta decided to post.
j brincat
Aug 22nd 2012, 11:00
The New York Times described Dom Mintoff as “secretive, unpredictable and, to enemies, a ruthless tyrant. But to admirers, he was the father of modern Malta.”
And who says so? Someone from the country which thinks it is the mother of ALL democracies?
How do the yanks treat their enemies? With silken gloves and flowers? We have seen too many documentaries not to know how they treat them!
(jb)
Emanuel Curmi
Aug 22nd 2012, 11:39
Actually I find that there is more than just a hint of grudging admiration in such a summation. After all, most of the world dictators were actually nurtured by the USA and most turned out to be monsters and yet the USA cannot claim to have ever influenced Mintoff in anyway, who while being ruthless with his opponents, he was first and foremost the reformer who paved the way for democracy and well being for tiny Malta. As far as being the mother of democracies, the USA has always been a legend in its own mind and are, themselves, immensely shocked when other nations accuse them as being biased in their foreign policies. I would take such comments with a pinch of salt as the Americans have always adored strong leaders and they do not come any stronger than Dom Mintoff.
John Azzopoardi
Aug 22nd 2012, 12:31
Mr Brincat, what the NY Times write is her business. THere isn't anything that was not true except that some considered the father of Modern Malta. ONly MLP supporters use to consider mintoff as father of Malta. Many of us didn't.. Regardless of what you may think, YES, the US is the major democracy in the world and although its interest are always in the forefront, it does keep democracies thriving in the world. THe democratic method has been in place for over hundred of years, but it is with it zeal that the US has a huge impact on democracies thriving world wild. I don't think it's little Malta that is having an impact on democracy worldwide. So keep your anti US semitism out of your thinking.
Charles Grixti
Aug 22nd 2012, 15:38
There is no democracy in the US or anywhere for that matter. What there is is a two-headed one party system (the party of the top 1%) who get a chance to switch roles every 4/5 years. And bringing "Democracy' or safeguarding it around the world is a euphemism for the excuse to invade countries and destablised them so that multi-national corporations can get access to cheap resources. In fact, many 'democratic' countries are amongst the world's poorest nations.
JOSEPH MUSCAT
Aug 22nd 2012, 10:38
Maltese, People dont expect the BBC to praise DOM MINTOFF,the British never like anybody who is better than them,specially coming from a small island with no resources, and Censu Figolli,dont TRY to intrepid "ruthless tyrant" that was against his ENEMIES,but still to MALTA he was the SAVIOUR,Mr figolli,if you the man you thing you are you would have stopped all the SOCIAL SERVICES you was entitled for,that DOM MINTOFF brought to Malta,remember Mr Figolli.
binni roberts
Aug 22nd 2012, 18:17
i,m not maltese,.,.,.however i admired mintoff for what he did for malta .,.,.,not wanting foreign influence for example removing the brits ,.,..,was he not married to one and adopted the british welfare /health system ?.,.,
Patrick Zammit
Aug 22nd 2012, 10:37
Secretive? Ruthless?
The Americans are the experts on these two fronts...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Northwoods
Charles Grixti
Aug 22nd 2012, 14:58
Yes I agree, it is the pot calling the kettle black. And the fact that he introduced the welfare state, neutrality and socialised medicine cannot have endeared him to them either.
Austin grech
Aug 22nd 2012, 10:33
the foreign press should have mentioned the building of infrastructure and the control of our ports and communications. He gave Malta the industrial revolution it needed to enter into the 21st century. I may not agree on the tactics he used, but, he did the job and more. I may have never voted for him, but I know he was the best prime minister Malta has ever had.
Richard Caruana
Aug 22nd 2012, 11:42
What infrastructure?
Strouger telephone systems everyone had scrapped? With which you could hear seven conversations at once?
A coal-firing power station that turned Marsa into a dump?
Water in the taps once a week?
Industrial revolution: The Chinese factories none of which lasted more than a couple of years? Cheap labour? Ban on IT?
Please, be serious.
Reinhard Azzopardi
Aug 22nd 2012, 14:51
@Richard Caruana,
The "listening to 7 conversations at once" was hilarious. I miss them :)
Justin Borg Saywell
Aug 22nd 2012, 10:23
The New York Times also described Mintoff as a vociferous, gadfly backbencher - now there's a new word for us - gadfly.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/21/world/europe/dom-mintoff-proponent-of-maltese-independence-dies-at-96.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
V Vella
Aug 22nd 2012, 12:25
xidja bil-Malti.
Anthony Arpa
Aug 22nd 2012, 10:22
F'ull bniedem insibbu dak li hu tajjeb u dak li hu hazin ... u ma niftarx lil xi hadd perfett .. Tnejn min nies li vera kienu mahbubha u li kellhom wisq tajjeb go fijhom ukoll hawn min sab xi haga zajra hazina fijhom huma Mother Theresa u il Papa Gwanni Pawlu II.
Wara kollox anki f'Gesu sabu il hazin tant li waslu sa Salbuh.
Hossam Helwani
Aug 22nd 2012, 10:31
@ anthony arpa
li tasal tqabbel lill mintoff ma Gesu nahseb li qed tohlom wahda sew. Gesu kien bniedem li jisma u jaghder. Mintoff kien terribli u jew hu biss jew hadd . Min waqaflu kien juza il forza tal marmalja. Dan Gesu Qatt ma ghamlu. Gesu qatt ma ha kumpens ta lm360 000 fuq id dar ta dellimara!
Ara vera il partigjanizzmu ghama dan il pajjiz.
Joseph Pavia
Aug 22nd 2012, 11:24
sur Helwani
Li m'ghamilx Kristu ghamluh is-segwagi tieghu u Mintoff u familtu tghidx kemm batew minhabba fihom dawn in-nies twajba. Jekk ma tafx l-istejjaer titkellimx qabel tkun tafhom. Veru illum ma ghadhomx jaharquk haj imma fiz- zmien li nibet Mintoff kienu saru esperti kif jaharqulek l-ispirtu tieghek... u kif. Haga ohra, hemm miktub biex is-segwagi ta' Kristu, illum il- Kattolici, suppost jimitawh lil Kristu. Voldieri ma jkun jaghmel xejn hazin li wiehed iqabblek ma Kristu jekk tkun ghamilt il-gid.
U hallik mill partigjanizmu ghami specjalment jekk tkun partigjan ghami int ukoll!
Norman E Grech
Aug 22nd 2012, 11:25
@ Helwani!
Ara vera il partigjanizzmu ghama dan il pajjiez. Ikkonfermajtu dan kif qrat xi ktibt int!!!
John Zammit
Aug 22nd 2012, 13:48
@ Hossam Helwani Speaking about Mintoff for you seems to be like an outcast Remember that even Jesus got feed up and angry with what was being done outside the temple and he used violence to kicked them away
Stephen Lock
Aug 22nd 2012, 10:19
Without the British Empire there would be no Mintoff !!!!! Now that is irony !!!!
Anthony Scicluna
Aug 22nd 2012, 10:59
Haa haa haa! Good one
Joseph Pavia
Aug 22nd 2012, 11:32
@ Mr. Lock , when in darkness you would need light. Do you agree, Mr. Scicluna?
Peter Simpson
Aug 22nd 2012, 10:17
To those who have time and patience, read the whole New York Times obituary; it is talking about a political leader,a visionary and a man of action, father of modern Malta: not a saint.
Christian Sciberras
Aug 22nd 2012, 10:29
Could you explain to me how stifling progress by outlawing technology makes one a "visionary"??
"Father of Modern Malta" - a well deserved title, considering Malta today is just as bad as it has ever been. Thanks to this "man of action", by the way.
pat muscat
Aug 22nd 2012, 11:16
@Christian Sciberras: Mintoff brought the most modern electronic components factory ever in Malta: SGS,...... and it is spewing 50%+ of Malta's export after 25 years.
Where is the Nationalist equivalent of this factory ?
There is none, zero!
Your idea of a technologically savvy government (PN) must be very clouded given that after 25 years we are still enduring black outs, with a power station at Delimara that is already obsolete and, like every PN project not a single cent has been paid out of its bill!
Mr Kevin Zammit
Aug 22nd 2012, 13:53
@Christian
How did Mintoff exactly "outlaw" Technology?
The perit at the time took over the leadership of a country that he himself his plan A was to integrate with the UK. The church and GBO spoilt that .. Plan B was nothing short of a miracle. The balancing of a budget for an island nation that had nothing ... no industry no tourism ... nothing.
The only way that could be achieved was by a controlled command economy no more no less and whoever says any different just has to see the bad state our public accounts are in ... not to mention Greece, Ireland and Cyprus!!!!
Charles Grixti
Aug 22nd 2012, 15:08
@Christian Sciberras
It is true he did outlaw technology and all other things that had to be imported and great costs from outside - perhaps he understood the financial system and how it is used to indebt nations. He kept a very careful eye on the deficit and the Central Bank was totally under Malta's control. I guess recent events in the world of economics and finance proved how right he was.
Malta could have done very well for itself both in economic and environmental departments had it been blessed with prudent leaders who had a vision for Malta that did not include going back to grovelling at the feet of some super-State or power.
Charles Micallef
Aug 22nd 2012, 10:10
The New York Times described Dom Mintoff as “secretive, unpredictable and, to enemies, a ruthless tyrant. But to admirers, he was the father of modern Malta.”
We know that you would have preferred not to deal with what you call secretive, unpredictable and a ruthless tyrant, and you would have carried on to patronize and walk all over us while describing us as a “nice” and friendly nation!
Dom Mintoff will go down in history is as the father of modern Malta, and he did not shy away from taking on the might of NATO and UK and won hands down and that is what you could not stomach, so please leave the father of modern Malta to REST IN PEACE!
Stephen Lock
Aug 22nd 2012, 10:28
The UK left of their own accord, look at Cyprus !!! Had the UK wanted to stay it would have at all costs and Mintoff would have not stopped them. The fact was Mintoff was in power at the time when the British ended the Med fleet and that of the Far East as it no longer sought a Naval Presence in these area due to the Nuclear Sea Deterrent. The far east was picked up by the Australian and New Zealand Royal Navy and the Med was deemed non strategic any more. Why all the political proprganda, why can't we all just say RIP
Charles Micallef
Aug 22nd 2012, 12:33
Stephen Lock
I am not sure where you were at the time? but some of us live through those years and the recollection of events differ totally from yours, If NATO and UK did not need Malta as a base why did Mintoff had to take them on to raise the money paid for occupying the best sites in Malta from the peanuts of 2Million to over 13Million, this was in 1970's when the difference of 11million would have made a very big difference to Malta's economy. If they did pay what was due then Mintoff would not have been labelled as a Tyrant by the NYT....! and would have called "a nice man"........ Mintoff fought for Malta and the Maltese and won!
Joseph John Camilleri
Aug 22nd 2012, 14:59
The father of modern Mlata. You must be joking. Bil-hniena television tal-kulur u kollox tas-second hand ibda' mis-sistema tat-telephone.
Lina Caruana
Aug 22nd 2012, 09:52
Accepting or rejecting, the person is Malta made in Malta.
J. Abela
Aug 22nd 2012, 09:43
Fitting description. Far from being described as 'father of the nation'.
Mark. Galea
Aug 22nd 2012, 09:25
Good description from the International Media - at least here one cannot say that they are blue or red.
Hope that people that do not like these descriptions do not start building conspiracy theories.
Lawrence Zammit
Aug 22nd 2012, 09:51
Foreign media see mintoff in his true perspective. We judge him according to our political believes- Saviour by one side, arrogant and an instigator of violence by the other side. After all a coin has two faces. You select the side you want to see.
Please choose the reason of your report below: