JPO to present petition against car parks' privatisation
Independent MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said today that he will today be presenting to Parliament a petition against the privatisation of car parks in Rabat. The petition has been signed by 2,375 constituents. Dr Pullicino Orlando said the petition has the unanimous backing of the Rabat, Dingli and Mtarfa local councils.
"The Transport Malta plan to privatise car parks all over the country has been widely criticised. I am pleased to note that plans have been suspended by government, pending a parliamentary debate, following widespread opposition to a process that has been justifiably described as 'at best defective and at worst bizarre', he said. (Dr Pullicino Orlando was quoting an editorial on The Times.)
The Speaker, Michael Frendo, is due to rule today on an Opposition motion for its motion about the privatisation plans to be debated with urgency. The government argues that there is no urgency once the plans have been suspended until the issue is debated in the House.
Dr Pullicino Orlando and Franco Debono are backing the urgency request.
MP Franco Debono had said he would move an amendment to the Opposition's motion, turning it into a vote of no confidence in Transport Minister Austin Gatt. He subsequently presented his own motion of no confidence in the minister and is also requesting urgent debate.
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Joseph Borg
Oct 8th 2012, 23:40
WELL DONE JPO! Thank you once again!
jOSEPH Sant
Oct 8th 2012, 17:31
I agree with Mr Attard.
S. Attard
Oct 8th 2012, 17:19
When I said 'False Report" I meant 'AN INCORRECT REPORT". wHICH MEANS THAT THE DECISION TO BUILT THE SANT'ANTNIN RECYCLING PLANT AT MARSASKALA AT THE SANT'ATNIN SITE WAS TAKEN ON AN INCORRECT REPORT. The footprint needed was 47,500 m2 but the report stated the footprint needed was just 1.800 m2. That mistake was never corrected and the Board knew that it was mistaken. And yet, the Board decided in favour of the Sant'Antnin site. Addio l-petition!!!!!!!!
B. Farrugia
Oct 8th 2012, 15:16
God, and I though he was all alone!
Peter Dimech
Oct 8th 2012, 14:28
And would you believe it the Marsascala local council, a PL majority council, wanted to eradicate all the protected trees in Gnien Sant’ Anna to build instead an underground car park and multi shopping complex against the residents wishes. A ‘letter of interest’ was being pushed forward by the Mayor. The intention was to hand this valuable space to the private sector by means of the Private Public Partnership. This meant that parking would have been at a fee. The residents won the battle and up to now the idea has been withdrawn. Another serious threat for the locality of Marsascala again with the council’s consent is that some known tycoon has his greedy eyes on the Marsascala National Swimming Sports Complex at Zonqor Point. The idea is to turn the complex into a hotel and as a concession to transform Marsascala bay into a yacht marina. A planning application has been submitted before Mepa. The majority of residents in Marsascala are against the yacht marina and if need be a petition will be collected and presented in Parliament. All political parities should before hand state their intention pior to the general election. In return residents will vote accordingly. We need guarantees that Marsascala bay will remain natural enjoyed by all.
A Tonna
Oct 8th 2012, 13:45
Altough I don't agree about the way the car parks were going to be given away to the private sector. However some thing must be done. We are still paying money to park the car in a public (state) land. Some parkers are getting mpore than 1000 euros a DAY!! It is true that this is on a donation basis but everyone knows what happens if a parker is not given 'enough' money.
Why should we pay to park our cars in a public place? Isn't it the same as in the street? The government should put adequate parking lines, CCTV and that's it. A warden passing by once in a while should also do. Most of the current parkers do not care about our cars and they are not responsible for anything. Something should be done ! But not give our land to the private. May all parties have people like Franco and JPO that put the arrogance in its place.
Joseph John Camilleri
Oct 8th 2012, 14:57
Everybody knows that car parks abroad, be they at a supermarket, a shopping complex or any other public
place are made use of against a fee. Don't we also pay the parkers at every car park, even near the sea like Paradise bay. We pretend that verything on this island comes for free.
pat muscat
Oct 8th 2012, 15:48
I never pay more than a euro for the public car parks; however I do pay 5, 6 or 7 euros for 'private' car parks! This privatization is nothing but a scheme to make a few good fellas richer; I suppose that is why parking spaces are being reduced by the minute in every village and town. Prop up demand, and you will have more demand than the supply: elementary Mr Watson!
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Oct 8th 2012, 12:47
Why did not one MP present in Parliament the petition signed by over 25,000 Maltese citizens objecting to the builidng permit considered by MEPA in Wied Il-Ghasel? These Maltese citizens were totally ignored by MEPA and all of our MPs. Shame on them all!
ANTHONY PAVIA
Oct 8th 2012, 14:49
Andrew, who was the fortunate permit holder at Wied il-Ghasel? Do you remember?
Karl Brincat
Oct 8th 2012, 12:40
Franco and JPO ... booooring !! move on sweethearts let us be ... water under the bridge... get over it !
Oh by the way this goes to our super commissioner too !
Paul Cassar
Oct 8th 2012, 12:21
EXPIRY DATE WRITTEN ALL OVER GONZIPN..................and yet the pm ignores it.............................................what
a great leader !!!!!!!!!!!!!.................WORSE ..........................what the nation has to endure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
joseph borg st john
Oct 8th 2012, 14:05
@ Paul Cassar GONZI and only GONZI will tell the likes of you when its time in the mean time you have to wait patiently and let him continue with his good work.
Carmel Grima
Oct 8th 2012, 11:30
Franco has now gone over the top. I agree that governments ought to be criticised even from members within the party but what Franco is doing is none less than Shadenfreude. Please Franco, do us all a favour and go and take a walk !
Ing Carmel Grima
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Oct 8th 2012, 12:48
So you are happy with government trampling all over us to hand over public owned property to private concerns? I suggest in the next election that you vote for the Communist Party.
Philip Hili
Oct 8th 2012, 14:18
@ Mr Andrew Camilleri
"So you are happy with government trampling all over us to hand over public owned property to private concerns?"
It seems that you forgot when in the not distant past, "Muscat Labour Party" issued requisition orders to grab private property in order to be handed to "Muscat Labour Party" to be used as a Muscat Labour Party club. One of these properties is in Santa Venera.
You forgot the vast land in "Ghajn Tuffieha" near the Golden Sands Hotel which was handed to "Brigata Laburista"?
You forgot the property in St. Andrews - like the "Australia Hall" handed to the Grimas!!
Lawrence Attard
Oct 8th 2012, 11:24
Thank God for Franco Debono to fight for us common citizens. Even thought I don't agree with all he does and says we need MPs like him to argue against big brother's accesses whoever is in government. A nation-wide petetion against privitising parking space and having to pay for parking should be mobilised. An ex Finance minister has just declared that peoples money is being syphoned off to enrich a few. He verbalised what a lot of people think. I only hope that when Labour is elected this is not repeated by the new guard!
George Calleja
Oct 8th 2012, 12:55
He 's definitely not fighting for us common citizens...he's simply showing how much he's frustrated because Gonzi is ignoring him. His days are numbered and as much as he's clamouring for an early election , he's forgetting that would mean his end to the charade he's been making of parliament! All those disgrunted rebels are spiteful of Gonzi because he's the PM . Dalli, Pullicino Orlando, Debono and Mugliette will soon end up their antogonism against a person who's been leading the nation for the last years!
D Axisa
Oct 8th 2012, 11:06
I cannot understand why the PN and its apologists are criticising the PL about this issue, mainly saying that the PL doesn't care about the IVF and Cohabitation laws. The PL stated more than once that the laws can still be discussed and the motions will be discussed when parlament doesn't normaly meet that is thursdday, friday and saturday this week. But the Pn doesn't seem to like this idea because they want to discuss the motions after they have presented the budget.
H Stafrace
Oct 8th 2012, 10:59
Why doesn't JPO present a petition about Mistra Discotheques.
Joseph Sant
Oct 8th 2012, 10:28
JPO to present in Parliament a petition with 2370 signatures. O.K. that's good. A position action. But ssurely that's not enough. I recall how Marsascala residents had presented in Parliament a similar petition with more than 4000 signatures on the demolishing of the Sant'Antnin recycling Plant and the new building of 4 plants in one on the same site. The petition deealt with the undemocratic and illegal decision of the MEPA Board in June, 2004 when the MEPA Board based its decision in favour of Sant'Antnin site on a FALSE REPORT when the Board was cognisace of the fact that the report was false and was even warned that it was a false report. Later residents of Marsascala had also presented to the Authorities another petition with more than 8,000 signatures requesting the Authorities to appoint an independent body to study all potential sites in Malta and Gozo, including Marsascala and to hold a proper and effective consultation process witht he residents. The Authorities ignored competely both petitions,even when they knew that the process that followed was full of irregularities. More than that a number of provisions as established in the Development Planning Act were breached. Both petitions fell on deaf ears. . .
Lawrence Fenech
Oct 8th 2012, 10:24
You are right Jeffrey, Gonzi cannot cancel motions at his whim without consulting any of the parliament members, besides the cancellation of the motion should have been discussed and cancelled in parliament.
Moreover, why not tender or is it friends before tenders?
Tony Abela
Oct 8th 2012, 10:03
Tghid jekk ikun hemm petizzjoni mill kostitwenti biex jrrizenja u ma jibqax 'jirraprezentahom', jisma minnhom?
joseph borg st john
Oct 8th 2012, 09:37
Franco Franco Franco its all about pompous little Franco roll on time we ll be happy to see the back of him.
C Muscat
Oct 8th 2012, 09:21
against the privatisation of car parks in Rabat....
qisu m ilhomx li trid thallas....
ahjar wiehed jara kemm; mhux meta tmur f toilet itik ircevuta u dawn kollox fil-but... u issa gejjin aqwa!!!
C Cassar
Oct 8th 2012, 10:18
Explain to me who is funding the car parks now please? Is it the government? If so then it's tax payers who include those who don't have a car and never use these facilities. If it's someone else funding it then please enlighten us?
Victor Vella
Oct 8th 2012, 09:17
Well done DR JPO. You are really a true Maltese and a man that people can pin your hopes on. Keep working for the good of the people even if now that GonziPN kicked you out. From outside parliament that your former party reduced to a farce like that of a tea shop, you can do much more good for your follow brethren. Keep going working for those who have no voice that GonziPN want to stifle their voice by arrogance using the highhandedness of power and corruption.Keep the good work. GonziPN oligarchy of evil have to blush and their time will come. Very neat. The wind of change is blowing. Blowing to get rid of this GonziPN terror and get back to democracy and peace of mind. Well done JPO.
A Trapani
Oct 8th 2012, 10:14
Lol, hypocrisy at its best. JPO hero Issa and Gonzi evil,terrorist and undemocratic... Agius the new bin laden.. U hallina nghixu.
Matt S
Oct 8th 2012, 10:43
Very well said!
bryan sullivan
Oct 8th 2012, 10:53
Victor, I really have no idea how old you are but to know the real meaning of terror you had to live the good old days where showing any antagonism towards the party in power might have resulted in serious injury. my face bears witness to what I am saying. franco debono in the 'good old days' would have been reduced to ashes by now and not allowed the mayhem which he is causing. granted that many mistakes have been committed but saying that we are living in terror is farcical. you are actually saying well done and showing admiration towards a person who lied through his teeth to try and achieve what he wanted. true or not ?
Pat Hobson
Oct 8th 2012, 13:16
@Bryan Sullivan. Why not give examples and proof of those "days of terror"?
Philip Hili
Oct 8th 2012, 14:45
@ Victor Vella
Issa qieghed timliegh bix-xehma lil dan l-Onorevoli?
Min jaf kemm qlajtlu fil-kaz tal-Mistra!! X'kont tahseb meta inqala' l-kaz tal-Mistra fejn dan l-Onorevoli gie mbiccer mill-PL? Hemm ghidilna fejn kont! Zgur ma kontx b'sieq wahda l'hawn u l-ohra l'hemm.
Joseph John Camilleri
Oct 8th 2012, 15:01
What hypocrasy. Have you forgotten the 80's. Can you please oblige us and say that this is a sick joke?
Fran Abela
Oct 8th 2012, 09:09
More waste of parliament time - and on and on it goes until one finally brings the government down - which is really the main aim.
G. Abela
Oct 8th 2012, 11:41
Why not tell the Government to act democratically and stop postponing the evident.
victor bonello
Oct 8th 2012, 11:42
@ F.Abela - Governenemnt has just paid 3.2 million for 100 parking slots according to this paper to day. In the car park tender, Gatt was caught out trying to monopolize this lucrative business. Another fiasco ! It is the PN shooting itself in the leg, time after time.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Oct 8th 2012, 12:52
Fran Abela: if the government (which does not have majority support in parliament) does not go, than yes it should be pushed out by all legitimate means. After all, GOnziPN is using all legitiamte means to stay on in power.
joseph borg st john
Oct 9th 2012, 00:45
@ Pat Hobson Mostly they were nights of terror when armed gangs on jeeps use to roam the streets in the 80 s.
C Cassar
Oct 8th 2012, 09:06
Car parking must be made chargeable. It's a service and is currently totally subsidised by the tax payer whether they have a car or not. Car parks should use a Pay & Display system as found all over Europe which is a fair way to charge for the service. This should also be introduced for parking bays in many streets in built up areas.
Michael Borg
Oct 8th 2012, 10:13
well we already pay our licience to be able to park in the street , the mentioned CAR PARK is just a strecth of road nothing else !!!
C Cassar
Oct 8th 2012, 15:15
The license does not include any parking anywhere, not even on the street. The reason you can park on the street right now is because the government hasn't brought in any parking charges yet.
Please choose the reason of your report below: