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Monday, September 3, 2012, 19:31

PN Executive confirms its decisions against Franco Debono

Franco Debono has left PN headquarters, where the party's Executive Committee was meeting to consider a request to restore his position to how it was before he was censured and banned from seeking re-election under the party banner.

He made no comment.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the committee had not changed its position. What Dr Debono had done was politically unacceptable and the Executive therefore had a right and a duty to express itself, Dr Gonzi said.

He said the committee had heard Dr Debono's arguments on procedure but stuck to its decision.

Informed sources no motion was moved and no vote was taken.

The committee had censured and banned Dr Debono - along with Jesmond Mugliett and Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando - because they voted in parliament against the party whip. 

Dr Debono is insisting that the committee's decisions were in breach of the principles of natural justice because he was not been given the opportunity to defend himself and because the committee - part of the Nationalist Party, could not be judge and jury.

Both Dr Pullicino Orlando and Mr Mugliett had declared, before the committee's decisions, that they would not intend to seek re-election. Dr Pullicino Orlando had resigned from the PN but kept his seat in Parliament as an independent MP in coalition with the Nationalist Party.

Dr Debono has already warned he is not prepared to support the government in the Budget unless his position within the PN is restored.

He has not said how he is planning his political future, but, tellingly, in his blog today he complained how difficult it is for an individual to get elected when he is not part of a party that can field candidates in all districts.

"I am informed that some people, especially disgruntled Nationalists feel the need and there is the will to start a new political party : the Maltese People's Party (Partit Demokratiku Nazzjonalista), and its first campaign would be constitutional reform and the reform of the electoral laws," he said.

Soon after the meeting started this evening, four fire-engines turned up to pump water from the basement of PN headquarters, which had flooded.

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MALCOLM SEYCHELL

Sep 4th 2012, 21:02

Henry I think you a spinless person since you seem to always vote to the same party and not on what he delivers or not.

I do not live in north Korea till now. So I am not loyal to any party since I never asked for any favours. I vote according who I believe is best to lead the country.

Gonzi has been a total failure for the country and especially the party.

My principles are to the right and I do not hide it.

I am sure that if tomorrow the PN will be lead by Joseph Muscat you will still vote PN. I repeat it again. I am loyal to my principles and not any party.

Joseph Aquilina

Sep 4th 2012, 11:08

At least I hope Franco is able to see that the only ones encouraging him are those who support lejber.

vincent a galea

Sep 4th 2012, 09:44

But in the meantime the Islands have been going on with a safe economy, job opportunities increasing, and a stable atmosphere all round....

What's the complain ??!!

M. Spiteri

Sep 4th 2012, 09:56

Vincent, we are in a recession which means on average the Maltese people lost their income during last year. I suggest you move away from watching always the same station on tv

J Busuttil

Sep 4th 2012, 10:50

@ M.Spiteri

I totally agree with you, as I have always been saying that One is all gloom and doom.

Emmanuel Caruana

Sep 4th 2012, 09:19

Who knows what you will be writing about Franco Debono today if the situation was the other way round he was a PL member ?

Anthony Falzon

Sep 4th 2012, 09:30

Franco mhux se jirnexxilu jaqsam lil partit nazjonalista, dak il partit laburista biss kienu qasmuh darbtejn, u id darbtejn mintoff kien qasmu.

Mr Andrew Camilleri

Sep 4th 2012, 15:31

Mr Falzon: the PN has never been as divided as it is today. Perhaps its time people started asking why has this happened. Is it because of the leadership style of Dr Gonzi, who I believe rules the with the slogan ' jew maghna jew kontra taghna'. Perhaps you should ask why this government has so many dissenters in its ranks in parliament. Why there are so many nationalists who feel they are emarginated from the PN. I will certainly not be voting for the PN while Gonzi remains leader. Of course, you and otherd will reply that I have never voted for the PN - how wrong you are!

W Cassar

Sep 4th 2012, 07:56

Actually Richard, Alternattiva would have if it was not for the electoral law change that came into place before the last election.

You need to dig a little and start asking why... all is not as it seems in this country.

Joseph Aquilina

Sep 4th 2012, 08:25

Unlike lejber PN never afraid to call an election. The fact is that so far the government has not lost a single vote of confidence!!

Lawrence Fenech

Sep 4th 2012, 09:29

@Aquilina.

Patience patience my friend.

Joseph Aquilina

Sep 4th 2012, 08:28

Do you even realise that what you say does not make sense!! If Gonzi was hungry for power like your dear Joseph then the outcome of the meeting would have been different. However unlike lejber, PN has always been country first ... and that is why they remain the ONLY alternative for MALTA.

Andre Grech

Sep 4th 2012, 09:05

How Walter with 1.7% of the vote. This is less than one quota. Check the records right before saying something.

mark borg

Sep 4th 2012, 08:14

u mhux hekk ...ghax ma tejdilniex qabel ma tela mintoff kemm stajt tiftah halqek ? biex tindifen fil mizbla jew idoqu il qniepel u sfafar fil meeting ? jew il labour ikollu jxandar fuq stazzjon tar radio egizzjan ?
dik id demokrazija tal pn qabel salva malta mintoff

Tommy Vella

Sep 4th 2012, 09:11

@ mark borg

Tant salvaha Mintoff lil Malta li ....

ħa nuża kliemek ...

(idoqu il qniepel u sfafar fil) ma jħallux lill-PN jagħmel meeting fejn irid.

Tommy Vella

Sep 4th 2012, 13:44

@ mark borg

Tant salvaha Mintoff lil Malta li ....

ħa nuża kliemek ...

jew il (labour) PN ikollu jxandar fuq stazzjon tar (radio) TV (egizzjan) Sqalli?

David Caruana

Sep 4th 2012, 08:14

Hahahaha mela issa oqghod capcaplu lill-PN meta jkun fuq il-bankijiet tal-oppozizzjoni!

Franco jirraprezenta HAFNA eks-Nazzjonalisti li minhabba l-amministrazzjoni prezenti qattghu l-karti minn mal-partit.

Joseph Aquilina

Sep 4th 2012, 08:31

@David
it is better to have done the right thing and be in opposition rather then having lied and promised anything to anyone just to become Prime Minister. The country needs PN since clearly lejber is only interested in power!

Andre Grech

Sep 4th 2012, 09:11

5 years in the opposition won't do us any harm. Now it will be our time to stay complaining :) I'm dying to see Joseph run this country. But I'm sure he has no idea how to do so.

Tony Camilleri

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:42

He cannot present any budget because the country is BANKRUPT and he has the EU breathing down his neck. It ordered him to cuts off so many things that they butchered his budget which was already s disastrous budget because the country is BANKRUPT like it was in 1996, only this time it is much much worse.

Joseph Aquilina

Sep 3rd 2012, 23:07

Or maybe they will ... and it will be Franco which will have to decide what is more important ... MALTA or his ego!!

J Martinelli

Sep 4th 2012, 13:43

@ Tony Camilleri

Oh, then that is why Greece, Portugal, Italy, Spain and others did not present a Budget! So, what are people there protesting against? I heard that they were protesting loss of jobs, higher taxes, reduced wages, new fees, hiring freezes etc. and none have declared bankruptcy and most have debts amounting to close to and some indeed higher than their GDP! Is this not after new EU imposed Budgets were presented to the respective taxpayers?
Which of the above pertains to Malta? With record employment and fifth lowest unemployment, Malta is far from being bankrupt while students continue to receive free education and those seeking third level education being paid to stay at school! Where else does this happen? When in England tertiary education has doubled the cost to students? When everyplace else graduates leave university/college owing a few hundred thousand euros? Are we heading towards student stipends turned to loans (again)? You know when Malta will be bankrupt? When its own citizens and domestic companies stop sopping up every government Bond issue instead of oversubscribing them all the time. That is when Malta as had happened before, looks at aligning itself with the likes of Gaddafi and Kim il Sung.
If Franco prevents a Budget from being presented or helps bring down the government, the first people he will be accountable to, are his own constituents especially since those who want to occupy Castille are chicken and will not present their plans ahead of an election writ, lest the public has a chance to scrutinize them and determine how many of them are doable and at what cost and how many are just smoke.
Franco Debono will be judged (as he already has) as being a pain, a huge ego, narcissistic and up-to-no-good excuse for a politician.

M Farrugia

Sep 4th 2012, 04:54

Brian jiena niddejjaq nuza espressjonijiet tas-South, tac-Centru jew tan-North min juzhom ghaxikollu skop li juzhom.Illum lil Franco Debono gabuh kwazi fuq livell tas-salvatur ghal kostitwenti tieghu mod specjali, bhal ma dejjem ghamlu minn Mintoff. NIspera li ghada bitghada ma jkunx hawn min jghmillu l-istess bhal ma ghamlu lil MIntoff jekk ma jaqbilx mieghu u jibda jghid li huwa it-tradixx lil poplu meta jekk idawwar ir-rota li qabad, biex iwegguh. Ktibt hekk"Jigri x'jigri hekk se nibqghu niftakruk ghal gid li qed tipprova taghmel, u nispera li xi hadd minnhom allanqas ihossu daqsxejn ta kuxjenza, ghax dawk li qed tghum maghhom m'huma xejn hlief egoisti." Kliem simili kin jintqal ghal Perit Mintoff imma mallikellu ftit inkwiet mal-partit laborista tad-90ijiet got-Tarzna l-bennina tieghu tnehha sahansitra ismu minn fuq il-lapidi ta tifkira ta xoghol li sr mis-sahha tieghu -ir-red China dock morru u taraw ghax ghadhom hekk. Daqshekk thobbhom lil min ikun ghamel il-gid. Tinqdew bihom u wara tarmuhom.

Joseph Aquilina

Sep 3rd 2012, 23:09

He was too focused on becoming a Minister ... which at the end of the day is what all this is about!! Now it will be in his own hands to determine what is more important; his own personal glory for a month or two, or MALTA!!

Joseph Aquilina

Sep 3rd 2012, 23:20

Gonzi as Prime Minister of Malta took many unpopular decisions which at the end resulted as what was best for Malta. Unlike some else named Joseph, he did not say what the people WANT to hear, but what the people HAD to hear!! He spoke the truth rather then promise heaven on earth to anyone who came infront of him. So we all know which is the real party hungry for power ... lejber and their leader Joseph!!

M Attard

Sep 4th 2012, 00:09

Maybe that's why AD should be given a chance.

Mr Andrew Camilleri

Sep 4th 2012, 15:37

Mr Aquilina: what 'difficult' decisions? Can you mention just one difficult decision which Dr Gonzi took?

Mr Clayton Mangion

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:23

Nice One =)

Tony Camilleri

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:44

Thunderstorms before the meeting and basement flooded.
The Gonzi Titanic is sure going down under.

Joanna Cassar

Sep 4th 2012, 07:16

somebody must have cried heartily.......

Joseph Farrugia

Sep 3rd 2012, 22:12

Prosit. Same here!

Joseph Aquilina

Sep 3rd 2012, 23:13

Your comment does not even make sense!!

Mary Ann Borg

Sep 3rd 2012, 23:39

Oh what a surprise Mr Seychell!

Finally, PN showed its true mettle and stood firm to Franco and his antics. That's the way and PN should have done this perhaps even earlier. Now its for Franco to vote against the government. The ball is firmly in his court. Let's see what he does. The earlier the better so we'll get to know what Lejber's plans are for the country, and then the real fun will start. The 3 whiners will end up toothless and it will be strictly PN's policies against Lejber's modern and progressive policies. Except for the lowering of taxes, this PN administration kept all its promises and more. While the tax promise was not kept for known reasons, the economy, employment and social services continued to improve, while other nations experienced a down turn in the economy, higher unemployment and cutbacks on social services. Here, of course, the talk of the town for almost these last 4 years has been Franco, Franco and more Franco, with JPOS and Mugliette entering the fray at a later stage. The strength of PN is in holding fast to its principles as shown over the last over 100 years. Standing firm to PN-elected MPs who simply dont want to be part of the team is simply one other example of what makes PN the party of the past, the present and the future. PN always chose to keep to its principles even when faced with huge challenges. It always chose the track that eventually did the country a lot of good. This move with Franco and the other 2 is the difficult but surest way of PN's true character of battling the odds and coming out the best.

M Farrugia

Sep 4th 2012, 04:58

Kumment vojt ifred u saltan forsi dan il-partit fil-manifest elettorali johrog kontra l-emigranti illegali habib.

J Martinelli

Sep 4th 2012, 13:20

@ Malcolm Seychell

You would vote Labour anyway, Malcolm Seychell because your comment mirrors Labour's tactics of shifting principles as expedient. A wind-vane which points the direction from which the wind blows, dictates PL's policies (if they exist at all) for the day/hour.!

Joseph Bugeja

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:16

The fire engine was to pump out water from a sinking ship (the party's basement) Mr Galea! Now that's clairvoyance!!!
By the way I know some people who had their basement flooded but were not as 'lucky' as the Nationalist party. But I learned that justice is blind and that I am the next king of Siam!

M Farrugia

Sep 4th 2012, 05:00

ma kellux ghalfejn ikun mahruq ghax kien jaf li bil-mod li mexxa ma kellu ebda cans li jerga johrog mal-P>N> kulma qed jaghmel huwa vendikazzjoni mhux mal-PN imma issamal-poplu Malti kollu. Min irid jifhem jifhem

Joseph Bugeja

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:22

Service to whom? The Party? You won't say it but you'd believe it as long as it is the party you support. You'd call it service to the country for correctness's sake.
'and not for personal gain' you ended. Forgotten the €500 or €600 weekly personal gain already? But again...the Party is always right! Extreme right if you like!

Donna Parnis

Sep 3rd 2012, 23:09

So then if this is true we need to get rid of Gonzi and his crew because they are all in it for personal gain, ie 600 euro a week into their pockets.

D. Xerri

Sep 3rd 2012, 23:50

Id-decizzjonijiet li ttiehdu ma nbidlux - bhall ma mintix ser tbiddel id-decizzjoni tal-Poplu Malti meta jasal zmienha Sur Prim Ministru !

Silvan Said

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:07

Its not Franco Debono that will doom the PN. Its JPO with his pressure on the party to introduce spineless liberalism which was never part of the PN's electoral manifesto.

J Martinelli

Sep 3rd 2012, 23:09

Franco is OUT and the Executive should have the power to ban him from the Party for LIFE.

Mintoff served a 14 year sentence for bringing down the Sant's government and generally kept his mouth shut afterwards.
On the other hand Franco voted against the government, attacked ministers, caused the resignation of one, unjustly and unwarranted, and kept all summer attacking every minister in a variety of portfolios. He was being egged on by obvious Labourites who will slowly disappear from his Blog and elsewhere having achieved their aim of causing an early election (not by much), since, no doubt, he will vote with the Opposition on any 'vote of no confidence' which is surely in the Opposition's pipeline.
Thank you Executive for sticking to your guns and ridding the Nationalist Party of mischievous characters who wish no good for the Party under whose banner they were elected.
Why do I keep thinking of Benedict Arnold? Good riddance, Franco.
Let Franco form his own 'party of one' since he would most probably not share the spotlight with anyone else.

Joseph Aquilina

Sep 3rd 2012, 23:15

As its history shows, PN have always put country first!! They would never give in to Franco threats!

carmel muscat

Sep 3rd 2012, 22:04

kemm togobni il kitba tijjek sur privitera

N Azzopardi

Sep 3rd 2012, 22:34

Nahseb izjed jista jkun FrancoPL, ghax bhalissa il-PL qed jigbru r-racanc kollu !!!!!

M Fava

Sep 3rd 2012, 23:58

Kieku f'dak il-kaz, DebonoPN. Pero' lili ma tantx iddoqqli.

M Farrugia

Sep 4th 2012, 05:08

Xejn ma nihu bi kbir ghax ftit tax-xhur ilu meta bed iberraq bil-kbir bejn Fanco, JPO u xi membri ohra tal-PN kien ex-membru tal-PN li beda jiltaqa ma certa nies tal-KUmmerc f'lukanda ewlenija go San Giljan u jistaqsi jekk jkun hemm partit gdid hux lesti li jghinu finanzjarment. Forsiil-pjan li kien qeda issa inhema. Li ma nafux jekk l-cake hux tajjeb jew baqa nofs nej.

Mr Clayton Mangion

Sep 3rd 2012, 21:26

There NEW Headquarters Will Be In Msida Soon !

A Trapani

Sep 3rd 2012, 22:28

jekk skond int qed jeghreq, almenu kien fil wicc.... l-MLP, taht l-ilma kien, hemm baqa u mid dehra hemm irid jibqa

D. Xerri

Sep 3rd 2012, 23:55

Tidher cara l-Qasma Interna fi hdan il-P.N.

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