‘Mintoff’s economics meant no chocolate, toothpaste’
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi addressing his Nationalist supporters in Birżebbuġa, yesterday.
Dom Mintoff’s economic policies forced the Maltese to travel to Sicily to buy chocolate and toothpaste, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi recalled yesterday, as he warned voters not to forget the past.
“Open your eyes. The past is a mirror of the future,” he told dozens of supporters who gathered at Birżebbuġa.
He referred to an article penned late last month by Labour MEP Edward Scicluna – a Finance Minister “contender” – who argued that some elements of “Mintoffianomics” could be applied today.
Dr Gonzi said Mr Mintoff’s economic policies also resulted in “second hand” telephone lines, where people could listen in to the conversations of others.
Speaking just over a week after the funeral of Mr Mintoff, Dr Gonzi did not shy away from discussing the former Prime Minister’s controversial politics.
Answering questions fielded by PBS journalist Maria Muscat, Dr Gonzi said the PN was proud of the results it achieved in education which contrasted dramatically with the policies spearheaded by Mr Mintoff and, more recently, Alfred Sant.
“We never closed a school,” he said emphatically to loud applause.
Dr Gonzi said the PN always strived to give families the freedom to take their own decisions on jobs, education and health. The PN’s aim was to create choice, he said, referring to the current slogan “mychoice.pn”.
Speaking in the district from which rebel MP Franco Debono got elected, Dr Gonzi was also asked about the instability that has characterised the government.
He said the government had spent four-and-a-half years being accused of instability but it had continued to perform. “If we were so unstable we should have been worse off than the countries around us. Instead, we are better,” he said.
Dr Gonzi said the stability of a government depended on parliamentary votes and the PN in government had successfully presented several Bills and budgets.
He admitted there were “internal difficulties” that must be dealt with democratically.
The party’s decisions must be centred on the national interest and must be taken “seriously, strongly and with certainty”, he said.
Politicians, he stressed, must be of service to the country.
Dr Gonzi criticised Labour leader Joseph Muscat for remaining silent about his party’s policies for the past four-and-a-half years.
He made specific reference to the eight-month Libyan crisis, where Labour did not “stick its neck out” the way the government did.
Although Labour did not put spokes in the government’s wheels, Dr Gonzi said, it held back and “played safe” until one side emerged victorious.
Dr Gonzi said that the few proposals that Labour uttered, usually unwittingly, showed how “disastrous” Dr Muscat and his team would be for the country, such as when he spoke about immigration and urged Malta to do as Italy had done and therefore refuse to rescue migrants in distress.
Meanwhile, Dr Gonzi also mentioned the upcoming Independence Day celebrations, which he referred to as the “best” national feast.
He reminded supporters that Labour opposed national independence – a sign of lack of faith in the people.
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James Grima
Sep 29th 2012, 10:51
The chocolate joke is getting quite old now Mr Gonzi, the way Mintoff thought was not what luxuries your kind can afford but what help can the working class get to live a normal live like others. Trust me I'd rather the people had their pensions, their free health etc... What good use is chocolate if you can't afford it?
Mary Borg
Sep 4th 2012, 12:13
Wasn't Dr. Gonzi lauding the late Mintoff for his overall good policies and attributes only a week ago? Why is he using him for a scaremongering propaganda? Why does PN only mention PL management and tactics as if the 1996-1998 period never existed? What I know for sure is, that one can criticise Dr. Sant's leadership on all aspects but there was one thing that he achieved, stopping his followers' violent attitudes on the streets. So why erase such a big achievement and keep on pointing to the 80s?
George Camilleri
Sep 4th 2012, 10:22
i answer this man with a simple metaphor: what good is a choice of a hundred brands of chocolate when, in reality, you can't really afford chocolate because you have bills and taxes to pay with a measly wage?
and why the hell does Gonzi always resort to the past when the real problems are in the present and more are looming in the future?
it's getting a bit pathetic now.
nuff said
Charles.C. Brown
Sep 3rd 2012, 21:30
Ahh here we go again,no chockies no toothpaste no colour TV. Dr Gonzi those who are 60 and over remember quite vividly that when Mintoff took office in 1971 all he found was a "hofra" of £44million , long ques at customs house of skilled workmen emigrating to Australia because your PN didn't have a clue how to create work for them he found beggars on every corner of Valletta, men walking the streets barefooted wearing patchy clothing,mothers prostituting themselves with British soldiers and sailors to feed their kids. ration books to buy bread .sugar etc., CRS food parcels sent from America to Malta and other impoverished countries in Africa and men being made redundant in their hundreds by the British services....you cannot deny this because people who are still around they still remember. Labour under Dom Mintoff and those that the PN like to call dinosaurs like karmenu Vella and SiberrasTrigona and debono Grech had to start from nothing and top priority was to create jobs and help the most needy, and so they did , not only that but in the first 5 years in office they created projects that people both labourists and nationalists including EFA and yourself never dreamed of ,the "asfur tac-comb" for starters....remember? Those where priorities at the time and not choclate, toothpaste etc., those things could wait and come in later, When EFA went into castille he found a bed ready to lay in plus £m 400,000,000 to spend. What have your government did in the last 25 years, failed in foreign policy and god knows how many billions of euro in debt that the people, aca., the poor workers,their children and their children have to pay back.
Gerry Cowie
Sep 3rd 2012, 16:51
What a pity that all the Mintoffians are so blind and deaf to the negative aspects of their great leader's administation.
Nobody doubts that Mintoff's administrations did good things.
But it is important to admit also to errors.
Given that Malta is roughly divided 50/50 into PN and PL supporters this probably explains things.
Michael Magri
Sep 3rd 2012, 18:15
Gerry just read..
Dom Mintoff’s methods and style were unacceptable but, all in all, history will judge him positively, according to former President Eddie Fenech Adami who was Mr Mintoff’s main political adversary in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Considering everything, I think his political contribution was more positive than negative
- Eddie Fenech Adami.. “I have no doubt that he left his mark on our country’s history and if we consider everything I think his contribution in political development was more positive than negative, though many of us remember the negative side of his politics,” he said.
“I think that he made a positive impact on Malta’s development particularly in the social area,” Dr Fenech Adami said.
victor caruana
Sep 3rd 2012, 15:48
Mintoff economics meant free education, free health to all (not selective like today), change from fortress economy to productive economy, investment in companies still active today, two major banks, sea malta, air malta, medavia...imsomma all there is today except debt.
But most importantly Mintoff economics meant freedom of thought and believes, freedom of the soul.....
I Mercieca
Sep 3rd 2012, 17:05
Should we take you seriously Mr.Caruana ????
David Buttigieg
Sep 3rd 2012, 19:05
"Mintoff economics meant free education" - You mean like locking me out of school?
"free health to all " - It was already free, Mintoff just took away the opportunity to pay for it for those who chose to!
"But most importantly Mintoff economics meant freedom of thought and believes, freedom of the soul " - Congratulations, 1st prize for joke of the millennium!
Martin Formosa
Sep 3rd 2012, 15:11
Comparing the past to the present, sia the PL's past or even the PN's present is not going to help the ongoing problems we face on the island today. Comparing Malta to other EU countries this I can vouch for as just recently we have lived in Italy for 2 years and if you think we have it bad on this island I urge anybody to go spend and actually live in Italy for a period of months.
We have serious things to tackle in Malta which I find the PN being too soft to address, such as illegal immigration, high cost of electricity, the overdeveloped buildings and the ruination of our beautiful countryside what's left of it, insomma and other issues. I hope that whoever is elected can and will put these issues as a priority, hence to the benefit of all of us.
Ms Donna Degaetano
Sep 3rd 2012, 14:25
Nowadays we have all the chocolate and toothpaste we want but, after buying the real necessaties and paying bills, lack enough money to buy as much as we want!
anthony dimech
Nov 3rd 2012, 08:12
sorry to say but what about when you have the money to buy things and you are not allowed to buy them ,then money means nothing , you could only buy expired things that other countries did not want.
Joseph Mifsud
Sep 3rd 2012, 14:22
History is repeating itself now. People are travelling to Sicily to buy medicine amongst other things because they are cheaper than Malta.
At least under the Mintof administration pooer became Middle Class and under Gonzi pn Middle class is being erased.
silvano vassallo
Sep 3rd 2012, 14:22
Well Gonzi warns us not to forget the past
At face value this statement is correct as he who forgets his past is condemned to repeat it
If he stopped there it would have been a great statement and it would have made the people think and the
element of fear would have worked to his advantage.
He broke a fundamental law in the game of power
Conceal your intentions.
Mentioning chocolate and toothpaste gave it all away and made him look ordinary.
Now let us for the sake of the argument agree that he is 100% right.
with the same flawless reasoning, the Maltese should change their religion because the past of the Roman catholic empire is soaked with blood, torture and genocide, headed by the Spanish inquisition.
silvano vassallo
Sep 3rd 2012, 14:17
Well Gonzi warns us not to forget the past
At face value this statement is correct as he who forgets his past is condemned to repeat it
If he stopped there it would have been a great statement and it would have made the people think and the
element of fear would have worked to his advantage.
He broke a fundamental law in the game of power
Conceal your intentions.
Mentioning chocolate and toothpaste gave it all away and made him look ordinary.
Now let us for the sake of the argument agree that he is 100% right.
with the same flawless reasoning, the Maltese should change their religion because the past of the Roman catholic empire is soaked with blood, torture and genocide, headed by the Spanish inquisition.
silvano vassallo
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:59
Well Gonzi warns us not to forget the past
At face value this statement is correct as he who forgets his past is condemned to repeat it
If he stopped there it would have been a great statement and it would have made the people think and the
element of fear would have worked to his advantage.
He broke a fundamental law in the game of power
Conceal your intentions.
Mentioning chocolate and toothpaste gave it all away and made him look ordinary.
Now let us for the sake of the argument agree that he is 100% right.
with the same flawless reasoning the Maltese should change their religion because the past of the Roman catholic empire is soaked with blood, torture and genocide headed by the Spanish inquisition.
D Borg
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:58
oh come on GonziPN
stop taking us back a quarter of a century, when germany was divided, iron curtain, dictatorship in spain, brigate rosse in Italy, ussr at its peak, cypriots shooting each other.....
focus on what you did over last last few years, mention the good points and demonstrate that you acknowledge and learnt from the mistakes - above all be transparent about what realistically you are planning for the future (in both short and longer term).
Moreover, explain why you have dragged your feet to revise the Electoral Law and Transparent Party Financing, which are factually undermining democracy.
Mr J Xerri
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:50
"He reminded supporters that Labour opposed national independence." Dr Lawrence Gonzi
"Minn hawn 'il quddiem (1959) l-MLP u l-PN kienu kommessi g]all-Indipendenza ta' Malta."(p.95) ,"l-Indipendenza Issir il-Mira taz-Zewg Partiti l-Kbar," (p.98); "Fil-bidu ta' Jannar (1959) Laycock (il-Gvernatur) informa lill-poplu li t-tahdidiet f'Londra kienu fallew principalment minhabba t-talba ghall-Indipendenza mressqa mill-MLP...(p.103) Profs Joseph Pirotta, 'L-Istorja Kostituzzjonali u l-Isfond Storiku (1942-2004), Pubblikazzjoni PIN.
And Dr Gonzi some days ago stated that his party was not going to allow anybody to twist history.
Mr J Xerri
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:48
"He reminded supporters that Labour opposed national independence." Dr Lawrence Gonzi
"Minn hawn 'il quddiem (1959) l-MLP u l-PN kienu kommessi g]all-Indipendenza ta' Malta."(p.95) ,"l-Indipendenza Issir il-Mira taz-Zewg Partiti l-Kbar," (p.98); "Fil-bidu ta' Jannar (1959) Laycock (il-Gvernatur) informa lill-poplu li t-tahdidiet f'Londra kienu fallew principalment minhabba t-talba ghall-Indipendenza mressqa mill-MLP...(p.103) Profs Joseph Pirotta, 'L-Istorja Kostituzzjonali u l-Isfond Storiku (1942-2004), Pubblikazzjoni PIN.
And Dr Gonzi some days ago stated that his party was not going to allow anybody to twist history.
Robert Lewis
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:34
Politicians, he stressed, must be of service to the country. Dr Gonzi what you said yesterday is gospel truth, but you forgot to mention that what you are doing is completely the opposite. L-ewwel jien, imbaghad jien, u jekk jibqa ghalija ukoll, qieghed s'intendi nirreferi ghal tal-klikka u mela miskin ghac cittadin il komuni. One of the hangar owners you visited told you that he won a tender in making iron gates for the interconnector tunnel. What did the fifth owner who was playing Mary Spiteri's song from Gensna tell you. Which tender did he win.
Victor Calleja
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:21
Yes I agree with you prime minister but Mintoff's economic meant,
Factories which are still running to this day.
Children allowance
Free health care
Houses and flats for the people
Vote for the eighteen year old
Free medicines to all
etc etc
When one compares all this to the present administration I prefer no chocolate and no toothpaste.
anthony dimech
Nov 3rd 2012, 08:22
its not just chocolate & toothpaste , there wher a lot of more things that even if you had the money you still couldnt buy the ,you forgot about hundreds of people waiting to buy coloured tv a nd videos at that time with the money to buy those you could b uy a brend new car,and you only could work in the piooner corp and then another three more corps thats as far as lobour can go.
M. Bezzina
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:21
Malta l ewwel u qabel kollox dak kien il motto tieghu u mhux nilaqu l ewropa bhall tomorru tghamlu intom biex jigu jihdu 4 refugjati biss!!! Min qijed igawdi tahtek ovvja li mhux ser jghid kontrik..jin la ghandi min wihed u laqqas mill iehor avolja forsi nider li nissajdja mal PL jekk ikun fil gvern il PL xorta kapaci nikkritikah b mod apert!!Fl ahhar min lahhar taht it 2 irrid immur nahdem hadd mhu ser igibli il paga id dar!!Niftah halqi ghax minix nara il pajjiz mixi fit triq it tajba bhall ma wieghed il gvern u kif qal FD ic cirku ta gewwa biss qijed igawdi!!
anthony dimech
Nov 3rd 2012, 08:25
mr bezzina you are right but from 2 bad you choose the better one not someone that has no idea if they are elected
Charles Muscat
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:19
Very well said PM.
David Buttigieg
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:09
@Pat Hobson
"Now your politics has gone down the route of chocolate and toothpaste. Which is a total lie. There was chocolate and toothpaste in Malta. But they were manufactured locally. Desserta and Sensodyne. Today Sensodyne is widely acclaimed all over the world by dentists. But you PN, as long as it was done by the MLP is bad, as you're still claiming now!"
Now I've heard it all, Sensodyne is a Maltese product? I WISH it where available in Malta at the time!
As for desserta, hah! That wasn't chocolate, I don't know what it was, but it wasn't chocolate! Probably cow droppings or similar.
And it's not about chocolates, or toothpaste, (or pasta, tea,decent clothes, or shoes, computers, ANY quality goods, etc etc etc), it was the fact that Mintoff tried to decide what we could eat, drink and wear besides other things. He did not allow us the freedom to decide for ourselves!
That is the whole point! Is it THAT hard to understand?
I remember watching Italian TV as a child, envious of everything available to people abroad! I also remember my dad literally having to smuggle in a remote control car for my brother's birthday present. Remote controlled anything was a big 'No No', and yes, my dad was a civil servant, so you can easily imagine how much sacrifice went into these tastes of freedom.
So yes, people who traveled abroad, and everybody used to save every last cent to do so and get a short taste of life in a free country, and did stock up on chocolates (real ones), pasta (edible) and so on. Despite Mintoff only allowing us to take LM140, including hotel, (we all took more of course, there was nothing else to save for).
As for the 'mythical kaxxa ta Malta' of course there was no debt, but there was nothing else either, as if that miser would spend any money on decent equipment, being without electricity was an almost daily occurrence for us, we dreaded the idea of needing to go to hospital, and if one felt lonely they only needed to pick the phone up to be connected to about 20 others at one go!
And for all that. he left the country in shambles, and thank God we had Eddie Fenech Adami to pick up the pieces and transform Malta!
Pat Hobson
Sep 3rd 2012, 15:37
Warping history to suit your arguments won't help. Desserta was not a jaqq, and there were many types of Desserta, mint for one! Yes Sensodyne was manufactured in Malta. Believe it or not. But of course if you want to believe the PN's spin that's your own affair.
As for the money involved to go abroad, that's another thing. I didn't agree with Mintoff's policy here. But if you look at the circumstances, I think you would agree (I'm sure you won't anyway). Mintoff was doing best to keep the Malta Lira afloat in difficult times. Did you know that during the MLP's administrations, there were 3 recessions and 2 oil crises? If not then you should look it up! But we, as a whole country managed to do it alone.
As for the mythical kaxxa ta' Malta, why not ask EFA what he did with it? Why not ask him what happened to our gold reserves which at that time stood at about Lm130 million? Why not ask EFA what happened to the country's finances, after he became PM? You're right it is now mythical for it doesn't exist anymore. Instead of the Kaxxa ta' Malta there now is an of about Euro 5 billion debt and about Euro 350 million deficit. Of course that's the tip of the iceberg. We have to put into account the amount owed on Mater Dei, Enemalta, and other Parastatal bodies such as AirMalta.
As for the remote control cars. It seems that you're too young to remember. Have you forgotten that in 1977. an innocent girl was called because of a letter bomb? Have you forgotten that the Mediterranean was in the middle of the Middle East conflict and there was terrorism all around us? Yes, I didn't agree with Mintoff's police on this one too, but you have to see the whole picture.
Being without electricity was a daily occurrence. Come on. I'm older than you, but I don't remember this catastrophic statement. There were time when electricity cut off. This was done during the Middle East Conflict and the oil crises. At that time oil was more precious than gold. And why you dreaded the idea of going to hospital? Because of the PN's spin of course. I worked in the hospital. My wife delivered our kids in St. Luke's Hospital. I was operated four times in St. Luke's hospital and there weren't any mishaps.
As for Mintoff leaving the country in shambles. That is the cherry on the cake. Mintoff inherited the country in shambles from the previous PN administration. The mythical kaxxa ta' Malta literally sfrundata, without finances to pay the workers. Mintoff had to start from scratch to build an economy from one based on the British Services' kindness to one built on work and tourism. Mintoff carried a massive programme on the building of new roads, new polices, new factories,STS Thomson one of them and various industrial estates. Mintoff started new home schemes, where workers could build their homes. Mintoff strengthened the education and health systems. Increased the social welfare while introducing new social benefits.
Where I didn't agree with Mintoff is that if he could he could have done the things yesterday not the day after. He was always in a hurry to introduce new reforms and that left the PN opposition wondering what hit them. There were many things to do but too little time, and many a spanner in the works thrown in by the opposition, especially after the 1976 elections. But as they say in the movies: "That's Another Story!"
I see the fear factor had gotten the best of you. Good luck to you.
I lived those times, and one thing is for sure they weren't the best, but sure they weren't the worst either as some pn apologists would like to picture them.
And to close this off I'm no PL sympathiser either. I have a mind of my own. I like to call black where is black and white where is white.
David Buttigieg
Sep 3rd 2012, 19:21
@Pat Hobson,
You crack me up !
". Desserta was not a jaqq, and there were many types of Desserta, mint for one! " - True, it tasted like mint with cow droppings!
"Yes Sensodyne was manufactured in Malta. Believe it or not. But of course if you want to believe the PN's spin that's your own affair." - Nothing to believe - I happened to live here!
"Mintoff was doing best to keep the Malta Lira afloat in difficult times" Not at all, Mintoff just trying to spite people as usual!
" Did you know that during the MLP's administrations, there were 3 recessions and 2 oil crises?" How would I know? The conditions were no better then an iron curtain country throughout his reign!
"As for the mythical kaxxa ta' Malta, why not ask EFA what he did with it?" He invested it, to bring us out of the third world!
"As for the remote control cars. It seems that you're too young to remember. Have you forgotten that in 1977. an innocent girl was called because of a letter bomb? Have you forgotten that the Mediterranean was in the middle of the Middle East conflict and there was terrorism all around us? "
You're our customs officers were too dim to know the difference between a toy and a bomb? There's Mintoff for you :)
"Being without electricity was a daily occurrence. Come on. I'm older than you, but I don't remember this catastrophic statement." Obviously not, you don't remember many things!
"And why you dreaded the idea of going to hospital?" Because it was run by second rate doctors since Mintoff kicked out Maltese doctors, and what's more closed down hospitals like the Blue Sisters! I did go there once, for a broken arm, God what a disaster!
". Mintoff strengthened the education and health systems. " Ha ha ha, good one, health care was a disaster with third world doctors, and Mintoff locked me and hundreds of children out of school forcing us to study in hiding!
" Mintoff started new home schemes, where workers could build their homes. " Often on land stolen from other people!
"I see the fear factor had gotten the best of you!" - Not at all dear fellow, it's just that my memory serves me well :)
"I lived those times, and one thing is for sure they weren't the best, but sure they weren't the worst either as some pn apologists would like to picture them." - Well, I agree with you, the early 40's were probably even worse, out of curiosity, when would you say the best was?
M. Bezzina
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:58
Mintoff economics meant to help the poor not like yr government!!!
David Buttigieg
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:16
Yes, by bringing everybody down so that nobody would feel left out!
M. Bezzina
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:58
Everyone is eating chocolate nowadays because food is getting more expenisve that we have to get energy from somewhere....Dont make us laugh pls with chocolates and toothpastes we are living why dont you tell us that you did not manage to control the cost of living and yr own government!!!
mario scerri
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:57
Missek tisthi Dr Gonzi. Lil-Perit Mintoff hallih jistrieh fil-paci. Taf x hemm tajjeb li l-Perit Mintoff qatt ma ha zieda baxx baxx. Ta Lm214 fil-gimgha ekwivalenti ghal 500 ewro. Bhal ma hadt int u il-klikka tieghek.
David Buttigieg
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:22
" li l-Perit Mintoff qatt ma ha zieda baxx baxx. Ta Lm214 fil-gimgha ekwivalenti ghal 500 ewro. Bhal ma hadt int u il-klikka tieghek."
So one wonders how Mintoff, Lorry Sant etc became so rich on a miserly minister's salary!
Joe Muscat
Sep 3rd 2012, 15:25
David Buttigieg...don't even go there when this country is being run by a few NEW Millionaires....Everyone seems to be mentioning the past that conveniently does not cover the 60s. And todays shameful situation is being forgotten.... How honest... always a PN strategy.... GAME OVER!
C Muscat
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:37
Dom Mintoff’s economic policies forced the Maltese…..
As a citizen:
To own their houses;
To work decently;
To be proud to be Maltese;
As a country
To own airmalta seamalta bov midmed radios housing schemes dockyards kalafrana port etc and still with pockets full….
….that some elements of “Mintoffianomics” could be applied today.
If the country spends more than it earns; the deficits will become loans and the loans will be with interests and the interests will eat first and foremost of what we earn….
May I ask if we manage to use mintoffian principle not to spend more than we can afford;
Mat I ask if we manage to use mintoffian principle not to pay for what is not due…
David Buttigieg
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:21
"To own their houses;" - Usually stolen from other people!
"To work decently;" Iva, fid-dejma l-iktar! Women also had to resign once married!
"To be proud to be Maltese;" Under Mintoff? That's a good one!
"As a country
To own airmalta seamalta bov midmed radios housing schemes dockyards kalafrana port etc and still with pockets ful"
BOV - Stolen
Housing schemes, - for his fans
Dockyards - No comment on the disaster that was!
Pat Hobson
Sep 3rd 2012, 18:20
@David Buttigieg.
Usually stolen property. How wrong you are! The land given to the workers was government land. Ok there were requisitioned houses, but not as much and in number as the PN spin implies.
To work decently Dejma l-iktar. Women had to resign once married. Another of the PN spins. Yes women had to resign after they got married, but then they could have got back to work. But this amended and later women did continue to work after they got married. At that time, women who left work because of marriage, had to go to work under a new contract. This had been rectified. As for the Dejma or Labour Corps. If you were one of the unemployed what would you choose Dejma or any other labour scheme, or stay on the dole? When the labour corps were introduced, was because as the British services tenure was coming to an end, and there were about 3000 to be laid of, these corps were set up temporarily to absorb the impact. Later these same workers were distributed to factories and employed somewhere else. This continued until all workers who were with the British services were absorbed back into the Maltese economy. Is that a wrong too?
Yes, Mintoff made us proud to be Maltese. Malta became known all over the due to Mintoff and no one else. Mintoff was no foreigner's lackey. And this was uttered by none other than Lord Carrington. Mintoff put Malta where it belonged, on the political map and respected.
Bov stolen. That's a good one! I really laughed at this one.
Housing schemes for fans. Oh really! I'm wondering from where do you get all this false information. I know literally hundreds of PN followers who fell under the housing scheme and have their own homes. I won't name names, but one of them was even a PN candidate.
Dockyards. Well, I think this is the icing on the cake. Who pumped millions of Maltese Liri in the Dockyards knowing full well that they won't be recovered? Lm800 million to be exact? If you don't know it was EFA. EFA did what any honourable chinese wouldn 't do. Instead of giving the workers the tools to work and get work for the dockyards, EFA gave them the fish (money) to buy calm in the islands. And when the dockyards were going to have a break in their finances, they were saddled the Fairmount contract and ended up on the losing side and that was the last straw that broke the camel's back!
David Buttigieg
Sep 3rd 2012, 19:30
@Pat Hobson
"Usually stolen property. How wrong you are! The land given to the workers was government land. "
I know MANY people who would beg to differ!
"Bov stolen. That's a good one! I really laughed at this one." - National Bank anyone? My uncle had his shares in the National Bank, and his life, stolen by Mintoff! And no, no excuses for not rectifying the situation under PN!
"Housing schemes for fans. Oh really! " Yes, really!
"Oh really! I'm wondering from where do you get all this false information." Uhm, perhaps because I lived through those terrible times!
"Who pumped millions of Maltese Liri in the Dockyards knowing full well that they won't be recovered?" I give you credit there, EFA should have pursued justice BEFORE pursuing reconciliation!
", EFA gave them the fish (money) " That has to be a joke, it is still PL mentality to get fish rather then learning how to catch their own fish, that's why the obsession with subsidies!
Paul Gauci
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:34
No chocolate, no toothpaste...but it meant that we didn't have to get a 100,000 euro loan to buy a 2 bedroom flat and to work 2 jobs to repay it!!!
Dave Alan Caruana
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:32
Does anyone remember the locally made 'Catch' chocolates? you can get imported ones today, and they're not half as a good .. and then we had Chalet and the infamous Deserta .. hehe those were the days! (u il-pepsodent li jikollok il-hanek)
Victor Laiviera
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:30
Another pic, another thousand words ...
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/217840_10151067143943127_1768211914_n.jpg
Pat Hobson
Sep 3rd 2012, 14:00
Mr. Laiviera. That picture tells the whole story and debunks whatever the PN says about who really wanted and called for Independence in the first place. If I'm not mistaken that pic was taken in 1957 soon after the Integration referendum.
victor bonello
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:21
I feel sorry for DR. Gonzi trying to clutch to a straw by trying to instill fear on people.
What he should have done if he were a leader was to control the few within his party who out of greed managed not only to destroy the PN but also brought Malta on its knees.
But then with a meager 1 seat majority, his own people took advantage of him and I am not referring to the famous 3, but to his Ministers.
Michael Magri
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:18
Dr. Gonzi.. The `Mintoff Econimics`, as you called it, was tailor-made for the days after the Labour Party took over from the `Borg Olivier`s economics.
Meaning.. A disaster in our financial and economic situation, so much so that when the GREAT Mintoff took the helm in 1971, he did not even find enough money to pay the wages of the Civil Servants. Malta`s most strategic points and services, like telecommunications, sea ports, airport, Nato Head Quarters, Police, Marsa grounds, etc.. etc , inspite of being `Independent`, so to speak, were STILL actually run by the British Empire, under a British Governor. Corruption galore was the rule of the day. The Middle Class did not exist. Beggars all over the streets of Malta & Gozo. No stable foreign or local policy, etc.. etc. etc..
So you see Dr Gonzi.. The Unforgetable Dom Mintoff did not only have a political policy to implement but more so A MISSION of Great Political Courage and Determination to lift up not only the standard of living of those mostly in need by introducing many Social Policies etc.. etc.., but also to realy put Malta on the International map through many International Financial and Political Agreements..
Re your childish and silly comment on chocolate and toothpaste..... Dr. Gonzi, do you realy know what some Maltese are having to go to Sicily too today..? TO BUY CHEAPER MEDICINES Sir...!!!
Also, Dr. Gonzi, do you know what we have today with your `GonziPN` Economics.. !! The Greatest DISASTER of Political, Economical and Financial situation this Country EVER HAD, leading it to a Bankrupt Country... With the consequence that you have Dismantled Completely the very important economical sector of every economy.. THE MIDDLE CLASS..!!
However, let me assure you and the Maltese in general, that a future `Muscat`s` economics, with a lot of hard work and correct decissions from his team of internationaly renowned financial & economical experts, will give back to the Maltese and Gozitans, a lift to be able again to live a decent living, by giving Malta a stronger and more Sustainable, Financial and Economical STABILITY..
Hallina Gonz...!! Tghidx cucati izjed please..
Robert Lewis
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:11
“Open your eyes. The past is a mirror of the future,” he told dozens. You are 100% correct for once.
Nazzareno Cortis
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:29
Robert---he means the past last four years-------
Victor Laiviera
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:09
"He reminded supporters that Labour opposed national independence – a sign of lack of faith in the people."
Really? One picture is worth a thousand words, they say:
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/431005_10150590333393127_287513999_n.jpg
Victor Laiviera
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:06
So we have as PM who measures success on the availabity - or otherwise - of imported chocolate?
How old is he? 5?
Tania Farrugia
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:23
i just love this comment :-)
R. Azzopardi
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:02
It wasn't just chocolate Mr. Laiviera. Tohrogx b'aktar skuzi please. It was the lack of availability of almost everything. Do you know what I think is pathetic? The fact that your party's TV station hosts some excellent cooking programmes. I can bet my bottom dollar that most of the delicious recipes cooked up by some of the chefs on One TV would be impossible to prepare due to the unavailability of most ingredients. I also know a huge number of labourite youngsters who work in IT. Had the Labour party remained in power throughout the 90s, KIENU ISAFFRU MHUX JAHDMU FL-I.T.!
Mr Joe Micallef
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:19
Oh how stupid of you laiviera! The issue isn't availability but rather "prohibition" that went as far a simple consumable such as chocolate.
In essence it explains the difference between freedom and opportunities (PN)
and the dictatorial oppression of the party you support!
victor bonello
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:59
I tend to agree that the past is a mirror of the future. It took MLP 25 years to regenerate after Toni Abela and Wnzu Mintoff stood up to their own party in 1987 - same as is happening to day with Franco Debono.
As for the toothpaste and chocolates, yes true, but we managed to build Malta with these sacrifices. The Government then managed to open Air Malta, Sea Malta, PBS etc etc etc etc.. whilst the attitude of Dr Gonzi and Co, after having sold all our assets to throw the money to the dogs, has reduced us to a an almost bankrupt country with 5 billion debts.
Each Maltese person is burdened to pay an average of euro1.500 per day of interest, when we do not produce this.
It is easy to squander money, increase the debt and then boast of the wealth generated.
GonziPN is in dire straits and yet goes on clinging to power, even when his Government is illegal once JPO has moved away.
it is time they call it a day and stop their greedy pursuit of power and money and give Malta a chance to rehabilitate if this is still possible.
Michael borg
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:35
I totally agree with you, Malta under Gonzi and his henchmen has become a third world country and Gonzi did not mention that Mr Mintoff was the only leader capable of defying the foreign tyrants who used it only as a military training camp not bothering to take into consideration of the safety of the Maltese population. Gonzi has to admit that he lived in a comfortable life unlike his other Maltese fellows. I saw nothing special happening during these 4 and a half years
S.M. Cuschieri
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:51
Dom Mintoff’s economic policies forced the Maltese to travel to Sicily to buy chocolate and toothpaste, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi recalled yesterday, as he warned voters not to forget the past.
“Open your eyes. The past is a mirror of the future,” he told dozens of supporters who gathered at Birżebbuġa.
You cannot be more correct Dr. Gonzi. Those nightmarish days of the disgusting deserta chocolate are still embedded in my mind......I can never bear to be like that again.
Victor Laiviera
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:14
If you are so addicted to chocolate you should get help. Try SEDQA.
R. Azzopardi
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:10
Dahhaktna sur Laiviera. Zomma ta because i've just wet my pants with laughter.
Speaking of chocolate. Let me mention one particular episode. Back in the early 80s, a close relative of mine was an importer of a certain commodity (it wasn't food). In order to save on truckers' fees, he would drive the truck off the ship and to his warehouse himself. He had been given a special concession by Lorry Sant to unload the cargo at his warehouse (obviously accompanied by a customs officer, rather than unload by the dock side, have the goods inspected (and, of course, stolen), reload onto the truck, etc etc etc. Anyway, as soon as he drove up the hill from Xatt ir-rizq, the customs officer started to ask him whether he had a mars bar because he had 3 children (jigifieri l-laburisti ukoll kienu ghatxana ghal bicca cikkulata sura). My relative had no chocolate, even though he invited the customs officer to have a look round the truck's cabin just in case the sicilian driver left a bar of chocolate somewhere.
When the truck arrived at the warehouse, a client pulled the importer to one side and asked him whether the customs officer had asked him for chocolate. Apparently, a friend of the client had just had his truck seized by the police just because a few bars of chocolate were found. The truck was literally dismantled (to the point where the tyres were taken off the wheel rims!) and the hapless bugger was charged with contraband!
Mario Camilleri
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:48
“Open your eyes. The past is a mirror of the future,” he told dozens of supporters who gathered at Birżebbuġa.
Dear PM, so if there is PL in office we will definitely have the surplus (public coffers) you once promised this nation, to the contrary that till now your GonziPN have put this nation in a €5 billion debt. As you saidPM, "the past is the mirror for the future"!
Joanne Micallef
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:46
Dan bis-Serjeta????????? dak kien zmien fejn Malta kienet qed tibni l-ekonomija taghha, infatti Mintoff sinjura hallija lil Malta mhux b'4 biljun + dejn, avolja beda bil-minus.
Kliem bhal tieghek Dr Gonzi ghandna ghalfejn nibzghu minnu, ghax il-ba baw ielna la waqafna nemmnu fieh ahseb u ara kemm nibzghu minnu. Dan il-kliem kien xi darba jitwemmen meta n-nies kienu njoranti ghax skola ftit li xejn kienu jmorru, mela ssa fl 2012
Martin Formosa
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:42
Chocolate, toothpaste etc., How quick people forget. The water shortages, waiting for the bowser to fill up your tank on the roof, flushing the toilet with sea water or spraying that foam chemical to hide the smell, empty shelves at the grocery stores, LM350 for a colour TV when it was your turn to get one, waiting months even years for a telephone line, lack of fresh fruit and vegs, then when one fruit or veg was in, I remember my neighbours telling one another that the vegetable truck has bananas today to hurry up and buy some before it was gone, insomma the list goes on and on.
Mary Borg
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:29
True Mr. Formosa, but how quickly do people avoid to see what's around them. Malta went through all that hardship and left an overflowing treasury which the PN enjoyed, only a bit too much, that much to immerse us in debt and interest. And at the end of it all what do we have? We still have power cuts, an old polluting power station still in use, a large network of roads that still look like post-WW2, a horrible wastage of water in valleys like B'Kara, a disastrous bus system, a laughable justice system, a government that refuses to extend its employees collective agreement that has expired two years ago yet finds enough money to give its Parliament a Eur. 500 raise. Not to mention the media manipulation and the internal rifts within the party. Shall I continue? Or are you happy enough that you can nibble a Mars or Bounty every now and then?
Pat Hobson
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:29
Water shortages were only in tourist areas but not spread all over the island as you're implying. After 1979, and after terrorism subsided, there was an explosion in tourism, and some years of drought. Our infrastructure couldn't take the influx of the number of tourists coming to Malta. Add to that there was an explosion in home ownership, where workers were given the means to buy their homes. So the MLP government imported water and built 2 reverse osmosis plants. They're still there today. As for vegs and fresh fruit, I don't know from where did you get this. I always had fruit on my table. Never went missing. As for Colour tv, Lm350 well, it was expensive for that time, but Mintoff always wanted that if the upper classes could afford colour tvs so would the lower classes.
As for waiting for telephone lines for months. All I can say about this is pull the other one.
Pat Hobson
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:32
Water shortages were only in tourist areas but not spread all over the island as you're implying. After 1979, and after terrorism subsided, there was an explosion in tourism, and some years of drought. Our infrastructure couldn't take the influx of the number of tourists coming to Malta. Add to that there was an explosion in home ownership, where workers were given the means to buy their homes. So the MLP government imported water and built 2 reverse osmosis plants. They're still there today. As for vegs and fresh fruit, I don't know from where did you get this. I always had fruit on my table. Never went missing. As for Colour tv, Lm350 well, it was expensive for that time, but Mintoff always wanted that if the upper classes could afford colour tvs so would the lower classes.
As for waiting for telephone lines for months. All I can say about this is pull the other one.
R. Azzopardi
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:18
@Pat Hobson,
Let me try to answer a few of your points.
Water shortages only in tourist areas? I lived in Kappara in the mid-80s. Surely not a tourist area. We would have a dribble of water at night (pressure wasn't strong enough to reach the water tanks) so we would try fill the well from a water hose so that we could pump some water up to the tanks during the day. My partner's originally from Santa Lucija (a labour stronghold). Not a tourist area either. She too, confirms that water shortages in Santa Lucija were common.
Explosion of home ownership eh. Who the hell was the land on which these homes were built, taken from?
Reverse osmosis plants? Yes they were one hell of a good idea and I believe 3 were built not 2. I'll give Labour the credit for it.
Fruit and veg? Yes it was hellishly scarce.
I cannot understand your point about colour tv's. what do you mean that mintoff wanted the lower classes to enjoy them. how the hell could the "lower classes" (as you insist on calling them) afford lm350? It was lm350 for everyone, no matter how much money one earned. (I believe that it was more than lm350 but that's beyond the point).
Waiting for telephone lines for months? Totally untrue. It's because in some cases it took YEARS. The only way to get it within a month or 2 was if you already had a telephone line and you wanted to transfer it to a new address.
Martin Formosa
Sep 3rd 2012, 14:32
Mrs. Borg this is beyond nibbling a Mars or a Bounty as you so put it. The fact that we had no choice in purchasing what we wanted, is the issue here. As for you Mrs Hobson regards the water shortages, only in tourist areas as you so put it, well we lived in Msida at the time and we were hit by water shortages numerous times especially Sliema. I guess you 2 ladies must have been privileged at the time.
Mary Borg
Sep 4th 2012, 14:36
@ Mr. Formosa: Yes, in fact, at the time, I was regularly invited to the royal palace to have afternoon tea with Lizzie followed by a stroll along her gardens filled with roses and chirping birds where her corgis used to run freely.
Brian Farrugia
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:24
Atually if you don`t have chocholate
you don`t need toothpaste to wash your teeth.!
Ms Xaxa Caruana
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:22
@Gonzi.
Mintoff’s economics meant no chocolate, toothpaste...your economics means, no cash in hands......
R. Azzopardi
Sep 3rd 2012, 13:19
I don't have any cash in hand becuase i can SPEND IT ON WHATEVER THE HECK I WANT! Leee, naghmel bhalkom. Nghix fqir biex immut sinjur. Hallina Xaxa trid?
Brian Farrugia
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:21
Have just seen "The Hunger Games"
There is a scene where the president was saying to one of his followers that
the the only thing that can defeat FEAR is HOPE.
Lucienne Dimech
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:17
We may have lots of choice when it comes to toothpastes and chocolates, our communication system is almost fine but there is far more to our economic situation.
R Axisa
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:06
Better go to Sicily to buy chocolates and toothpaste than to buy medicine which costs much less than in Malta. Bla cikkulata tghaddi, imma bla medicini ma tghaddix!
David Spiteri
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:01
No chocolate and no toothpaste - what horror!
Mintoff built up the economy in a sustainable way. He got money, and used it wisely: some of it he spent, some of it he invested, and some he saved. PN governments may have given us more chocolate varieties, or a better telephone system, but their ways are unsustainable. Their expenditure is consistently more than their income, so they eroded all our reserves, and built up a huge national debt. They say it is an investment, but after 25 years of PN administration, budgets still have a high deficit. No wonder, with investments like the bridge to nowhere. Dr. Gonzi could promise that the chocolate feast will continue, but I wouldn't bet on it.
clive bartolo
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:01
so people could afford the luxury of travelling all the way to sicily just to buy chocolate...!!. well then... thank you Mintoff for all the surplus cash which you had put in peoples pockets then .... no one can deny that it is indeed a great luxury to afford to go to sicily to buy chocolate.... after all chocolate is a luxury in itself.....and then going to sicily to get it... well well well!!
Karl Consiglio
Sep 3rd 2012, 10:59
Maybe he thought that without the chocolate you won't need the toothpaste.
Pat Hobson
Sep 3rd 2012, 10:55
Dear PM. It was Mintoff who called first for Independence after the Integration referendum wasn't accepted by the British. This can be see seen from a Time of Malta caricature of the time. Borg Olivier only wanted partial Independence, or Quasi-Dominion Status. Mintoff didn't accept Borg Olivier's Independence because it was a humiliation brought upon us when 75% of the islands were under the control of the British Services, all important departments and arteries under British rule. Even our foreign policy was subject to British inspection. But most of all Malta was given alms for being a servant to the British and Nato. A measly Stg3.5 million were lent to the government and an equally measly grant of Stg 1.5 million as grants. To top that, when the British had seen fit, they didn't even give us the money for 2 years. And another thing that Mintoff didn't like about the Defense Treaty was, that in 1974, after the British leave, Malta was to remain under Nato. But after being elected in 1971, Mintoff saw to that, and worked for the real Independence that Malta really wanted. Malta became a sovereign state free from all colonial shackles in 1979.
victor bonello
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:11
Brave, well said..
C Muscat
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:39
Agree
C Falzon
Sep 3rd 2012, 10:32
Dr Gonzi filwaqt li l passat mhux garanzija tal futur nixtieq nerga nghidlek li Gonzi's economics are....go to Sicily to buy your medicine. U xi haga ohra....xi haga kbira ghax l oppozizzjoni opponiet ghal indipendenza.....intom opponejtu ghal airmalta, pensjoni, childrens allowance, leave u kull haga ohra. Hallina Dr Gonzi.
S. Attard
Sep 3rd 2012, 10:28
"People used to go to Sicily to buy chocolate. TO-DAY PEOPLE GO TO SICILY TO BUY MEDICINE.
A Trapani
Sep 3rd 2012, 10:40
politics apart, i personally never did and know of nobody that does as you state. Can you enlighten us on this? What medicine are you talking about?
S.M. Cuschieri
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:56
I totally agree Mr. Trapani.
Michelle Galea
Sep 3rd 2012, 10:03
"Dom Mintoff’s economic policies forced the Maltese to travel to Sicily to buy chocolate and toothpaste, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi recalled yesterday, as he warned voters not to forget the past." - So we should not forget how the NP used the church to boycott the LP
silvano vassallo
Sep 3rd 2012, 09:34
this is how you want to control the population, by fear, If your ideas are so great you needn't mention that.
Mr Joe Micallef
Sep 3rd 2012, 09:54
Truth hurts!
As for ideas all you need to do is look around you!
In the meantime, should you become aware of one idea from your master, do keep us posted!
C Cassar
Sep 3rd 2012, 10:00
Well, the truth usually hurts. The choice is a stable economy as Malta has now (especially when compared to the rest of Europe) or back to communist days and alliances with north african countries? I know what most Maltese would like and that is the former.
silvano vassallo
Sep 3rd 2012, 10:08
I hold no man in this univerese as my master .
Pat Hobson
Sep 3rd 2012, 10:47
@C.Cassar. Let's just hope that if the PL is elected in the coming elections, the PN won't resort to the same tactics used in 1977-1987 and 1996-1998. If not, then we'll have stability for sure.
Mr Joe Micallef
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:08
Pat Hobson like what, maybe using extreme physical and moral personal violence, like trampling over basic human rights and freedoms, like getting help from oppressive nations to supress other Maltese or maybe like burning down various buildings!
Isthi jekk taf
R Axisa
Sep 3rd 2012, 11:15
C Cassar - the alliance with north african countries were continued even by the PN. Remember Dr Gonzi visiting Col Gaddafi just a couple of days before the rise-up??
victor bonello
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:08
@ Joe Micallef; yes exactly like " using extreme physical and moral personal violence, like trampling over basic human rights and freedoms, like getting help from oppressive nations to supress other Maltese or maybe like burning down various buildings!" this is what happened under the Labour Government but it was never quite clear who did what.
At least 27 Mlp clubs were destroyed burnt etc.. and please do not forget, that whilst 2 country bumpkins were always mentioned to be the main trouble makers, the PN had he Gakketa Blue an organized paramilitary body under the command of ex police officers. So it is better we put a stone on the past and not try throwing mud.
Pat Hobson
Sep 3rd 2012, 12:21
@Mr. Joe Micallef. Isthu intom jekk tafu kif! Fejn gab pajjizi barranin il-MLP biex ikisser il-poplu? Tiflah tharref milli qieghed taghmel issa.
Burning of various buildings. I know of only one building burnt, and not totally gutted, but a room or too, it was more smoke than fire. And I know you're talking about the Times building.
Talking about trampling of human rights. I see only one PM who was found guilty of trampling human rights And he tried to "resign" for it!
Scaremongering won't do you any good and the surverys are showing it!
Now your politics has gone down the route of chocolate and toothpaste. Which is a total lie. There was chocolate and toothpaste in Malta. But they were manufactured locally. Desserta and Sensodyne. Today Sensodyne is widely acclaimed all over the world by dentists. But you PN, as long as it was done by the MLP is bad, as you're still claiming now!
And I stand by what I said. If the PN doesn't resort to what it did between 1977-1987 and 1996-1998, there will be stability in the country. The PN had been in power for 25 years and nowhere did Labour do what the PN did when the PL was in government. The PL did and is doing what any responsible opposition would do, oppose and criticize! It is its constitutional duty.
Mr Joe Micallef
Sep 3rd 2012, 14:37
It is well documented that such a value is beyond the reach of violent politicians and their followers. Ample proof is all around, from the glorification of Pol Pot by the Khmer Rouge, to the negation of the Holocaust by Ahmadinejad, from the glorification of the Eternal Leader in North Korea (does that ring an awful bell) to the massive media indoctrination of Ceausescu (most of whom close friends of you party). It is simply beyond you.
Disgusting attempts to rewrite history only strengthens the resolve of individuals like me who lived those times, to keep members of that violent administration away from the seats of power.
Your pitifulness is completed by your claim that "The PL did and is doing what any responsible opposition would do". Evidently it is not only an attempt to rewrite history but to change the damning realities of the present.
Please choose the reason of your report below: