PM should come clean on Brazilian company - PL MPs
Video: Mark Zammit Cordina
The Labour Party today called on the Prime Minister to come clean about 'the Brazilian company' and make available all information about it.
Gino Cauchi and Chris Cardona said the Prime Minister first announced the company in February, during a debate organised by The Times.
He had said that a large Brazilian company was coming to Malta.
After that, he did not reply to parliamentary questions asking about the company but last Friday, he said out of the blue that the company had moved its headquarters from Brazil to Malta.
This Brazilian company, the two MPs said, already had two sister companies registered in Malta on September 5, 2007 - Odebrecht Construction Malta Ltd and Odebrecht Engineering and Construction Ltd.
Odebrecht Solutions Malta Ltd was registered in Malta last May and had an office at the Plaza Complex in Sliema.
They said that while the Prime Minister was saying the company had moved its headquarters to Malta, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech was saying it had moved its back office here. The prime minister, the two MPs said, should come clean about the situation.
They said that the Prime Minister's credibility was at stake because when he mentioned the company last Friday, he knew that it had already closed its operations and had laid off its four employees.
This, they said, reminded one of Smart City.
They called on Dr Gonzi to confirm whether this company was Odebrecht, if it was true that it had laid off its workers and why.
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52 Comments
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Anthony Scicluna
Nov 9th 2012, 12:40
Labour is showing an intense misunderstanding of free market economics. Why make an issue of this firm when so many others closed down? More importantly, why doesn't Labour sing praises of investment that has come to Malta and generated direct AND indirect employment and spillovers. The financial services industry and the betting industry are only two examples. What is the Labour policy? Tell us.
Angelo Vassallo
Nov 9th 2012, 10:24
Gino Cauchi u Chris Cardona fi zmien ta' mintoff it-tnejn kienu ghadhom zghar hafna, Madanakollu nahseb li xi darba semghu li darba mintoff kien ser jiftah fabbrika TAL-KAPPAR li thaddem hafna nies.
DIN IL-FABBRIKA l-ANAQAS BISS TWAQQFET JEW FETHET, AHSEB U ARA KEMM KIENET IMPJEGAT HAFNA NIES.
Gino u Chris, kull min jgholli idejh ghandu xi jxomm, fosthom l-partit lejburista.
Eddy Privitera
Nov 9th 2012, 10:22
Prosit lil PL ghal-Billboard li hargu llum b'Gonzi liebes il-flok tal-Brazil !
Francis Saliba M.D.
Nov 9th 2012, 09:17
Foreign investors come, go and are replaced. The important thing is that after Mintoff/KMB companies are attracted to come and boost employment. We no longer depend on forced labour under military discipline to mop up the unemployed. Our prime minister does not need to go abroad cup in hand begging for donations. We attract industries. Mintoff himself complained that he could not do it.
Ramon Casha
Nov 9th 2012, 07:22
I'd like to dedicate the following song to Gonzi & co:
"THE BRAZILIAN", from the album...
wait for it....
"INVISIBLE TOUCH"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gjI67KBbRg
Paul Gauci
Nov 9th 2012, 00:57
One sentence sums up the whole brazilian company issue:
Lawrence Gonzi inflated it and it ended bursting in his face along with his credibility.
Joseph Aquilina
Nov 9th 2012, 00:35
And lejber should come clean on what they plan for the future of our country. What we have is a leader of the opposition that is full of promises but then does not want to share his ideas because like a five year old child he is afraid that others will steal them!! Joseph Muscat and with all his talk that makes no sense and has managed to turn politics in Malta into a circus!!
Joseph Brincat
Nov 9th 2012, 00:07
@ Tommy Vella Yesterday, 21:49 >> Why Dom Mintoff?
Agatha Barbara She served as education minister of Malta in the Labour Party government of
Dom Mintoff from 1955 to 1958 and instituted compulsory full-time education in Malta for children,
leading to the hiring of hundreds of new teachers.
vincent Lia
Nov 8th 2012, 22:16
Why so much importance to this guess work. Has the labour party anything to do or do they want to find something to ease the hammering that their leader got on Friday.
K CASSAR
Nov 9th 2012, 09:13
@ Mr. Lia, at face value, Dr. Muscat might have got a hammering. In truth Dr. Gonzi buried himself, and the last of his credibility! If you can believe a word he says, you'll believe that Fidel Castro is father Christmas!!!
A Mercieca
Nov 8th 2012, 21:52
Labour should be really careful when attacking Gonzi with lack of credibility. The electorate knows perfectly well who was working on a full time basis to make sure that we stay out of EU. People know that Muscat should not even utter that word.
Michael Sammut
Nov 8th 2012, 20:59
The point is moot, and far more serious than many are ready to think. During the final Clinton Administration the President was successfully impeached, not for having sex, as many would think, but for lying to the people. How many lies have we been fed through high ranking politicians and nobody ever resigns, nothing ever happens. All that happens is that half the people clap like idiots and
Joseph Brincat
Nov 8th 2012, 19:42
Karl Abela
Today, 17:28
Thats all it matters to me.!!
IF life treated you good thanks ( to Dear Dr Gonzi pn )
the rest are not like YOU !!
Life did not treated ME so bad either (give away the ups and downs)
BUT IT MATTERS TO ME ABOUT THE REST THAT THEY ARE
NOT SO LAKEY THE WAY YOU ARE !!!
Peter Shaw
Nov 8th 2012, 19:42
Yes pls Mr PM, come clean, I want to sleep tonight !!!
Edward Mallia
Nov 8th 2012, 19:36
In a normal republic a PM who uses palpably wrong "facts" to put down the leader of the Opposition, would resign instantly. Apparently there are two exceptions to that rule: Sig. Silvio Berlusconi (Mubarak's niece) and Dr. L.Gonzi (that large Brazilian company employing 4 people and closing down). SB lost his parliamentary majority and left; LG also lost his but stays. High time he re-thinks.
Jimmy Ventura
Nov 8th 2012, 19:32
Milli jidher ghal GonziPN dan kien l-uniku nvestiment ta' nota matul din is-sena..... u sfuma fix-xejn tant li l-qaghad baqa jizdied ghal dawn l-ahhar 7 xhur. Jekk GonziPN hass li kellu jidhaq bina fuq haga 'trivjali' kif nista' nserrah rasi li ma jidhaqx bija fuq affarijiet aktar serji. Jien m'hinix cuc Malti.
David Borg
Nov 8th 2012, 19:20
Clueless. Foreign investors looking to restructure operations for tax efficiency love being the subject of enquiries by dumb politicians...
B. Cachia
Nov 8th 2012, 21:00
Actually, if you recall, it was the PM who threw the spotlight on them originally. Joseph Muscat, and the two young Labour MPs are merely following up the matter.
David Borg
Nov 9th 2012, 01:49
Sure. See the third video on the right to get some perspective: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120208/local/live-gonzi-muscat-debate.405768
Mr Peter Vella
Nov 8th 2012, 19:13
No amount of hot air can deny the fact that Joseph Muscat was unprepared for the Xarabank debate and made a gaffe by getting his facts totally wrong.
It also seems that the PL does not understand that we have moved on from the seventies and that service companies may not employ hundreds of people but still put a lot into our economy in the form of taxes and fees for services received.
George Cutajar
Nov 8th 2012, 17:46
Much ado about nothing from the PL. The PN's track record in attracting foreign investment is there for all to see. Just look at the aviation service industry and the number of students literally flying off the school benches at MCAST and landing jobs, just look at the I gaming sector, just look at the IT sector.
Very definitely the PN holds records for job creation and investment.
John Attard
Nov 8th 2012, 18:46
Totally agree but what is white is white and what is black remains black.......you agree George!
Noel Abela
Nov 8th 2012, 21:04
Mur ara kieku Gonzi gab xi SGS Thompson kemm kont iddoq trumbettu George. Imma le dik giet fi'zmien il-Labour George imma inti forsi insejt. Dik zgur kient bomba ta'veru u mhux xi trikitraka bhal kumpanija tal-Brazil. Daqs kemm hadmet nies issa ser ikolna budget tajjeb. U hallina Dottore!!!!.
Paul Zammit
Nov 8th 2012, 17:45
Gino, for god's sake ... can u and PL stop toying with trivia and propose something decent?? I mean ... what do we care if there's a brazilian company or not?? Can't u see u are simply digging a deeper pit for you own selves? All we wanna know is what PL will do if/when elected in gov... that's all .. otherwise, how am I supposed to vote PL?!? for what reason? we're practically blind this way ...
B. Cachia
Nov 8th 2012, 18:34
Paul, I think that the question of whether the PM deliberately misled the public or not is rather important. As for PL not having yet issued their manifesto, neither have PN. One could ask exactly the same questions you ask about the governing party: what do you plan for the next five years if/when re-elected in gov? Otherwise, how am I supposed to vote PN?!? for what reason?
Joseph Brincat
Nov 8th 2012, 17:01
Dear Gonzi pn
NO majority in Parliament
Smart City the 7000 ?
Power station more millions
Brazilian company ??
what's next ?
YOU HAVE LOST YOUR CREDIBILITY
Karl Abela
Nov 8th 2012, 17:28
Dear Dr Gonzi pn
You gave me free education
I worked hard and made a career for myself
I advanced and now I earn an attractive salary
I bought a decent house and a (very) nice car.
I go abroad and reasonably afford to enjoy life.
I meet foreigners and they tell me they are jealous about Malta.
Thats all it matters to me.
YOU HAVE OUR CREDIBILITY!! THANK YOU!!
mark borg
Nov 8th 2012, 18:59
@karl abela
karl re your free education thank nobody but dom mintoff....re the rest especially your house, probably most of it belongs to the bank,unlike the lucky generation from mintoff days that were the real owners with very little mortgages and low percentage rate.
Joseph Brincat
Nov 8th 2012, 19:04
Karl Abela
You gave me free education !! is for everyone from our taxes
made a career
attractive salary
decent house
very nice car.
afford to enjoy life.
Thats what matters to you , >>> AND HOW ABOUT THE REST ???
SORRY I have LOST my CREDIBILITY in you
Tommy Vella
Nov 8th 2012, 21:49
@ mark borg
Why Dom Mintoff?
Compulsory Education: 1947, Sir Paul Boffa
Secondary Education for all: 1970 George Borg Olivier.
University expansion and stipends: Nationalist Administration
Mintoff's contribution to education:
Free text books; abolition of exams (caused shambles), fight against church schools
Joseph Brincat
Nov 8th 2012, 22:35
Tommy Vella
free education for all READ THIS >>>>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Barbara
Joseph Brincat
Nov 9th 2012, 07:51
@ Tommy Vella Yesterday, 21:49 & >>> Why Dom Mintoff ?
Agatha Barbara She served as education minister of Malta in the Labour Party government of
Dom Mintoff from 1955 to 1958 and instituted compulsory full-time education in Malta for children,
leading to the hiring of hundreds of new teachers. GONZI PN FOUND IT READY !!!!!
Mr Anthony Briffa
Nov 8th 2012, 16:51
Dear Mr. Cauchi and Dr.Cardona do not continue to tell the whole country that the MLP is still the party 'tal-gallerija' whilst at the same time confirming how puerile you all are at the MLP. What we need to know is how you and your leader intend to attract investment to Malta that can create jobs, and jobs that pay well.
Don't wait till the election, we want to know, not at election time.
Charles Massa
Nov 8th 2012, 17:06
@Anthony Briffa
xI ippretendejt li jaghmel il PL. Joqod cicci beqqi u ihalli lil Gonzi ihawwad. L ewwel bi Smart City u 6000 impieg u issa bil kumpanija Braziljana. Kull elezjoni kumbinazzjoni dejjem jigi xi progett gdid u ftit wara jisparixxi mix xena. Taf x jaghmel il PL, igib investiment bhal SGS, METHODE, BRANDT, TOLY PRODUCTS u hafna ohrajn li gabhom il PL u li ghadhom joperaw sal lum
anthony vella
Nov 8th 2012, 17:09
Tghid mhux sejjer tivvota labour billi we want to know now.
Mr Anthony Briffa
Nov 8th 2012, 18:10
Ifrah sur Massa, maybe you can sugar coat the failure of the MLP in the field of employment. I cannot give you a list of what the PN achieved in the field of employment because I would need more than the limited number of characters allowed but to mention a few here they are: financial and IT sector, gaming, tourism. The companies you mentioned were saved by the PM in the 2009 crisis,
Michael Magri
Nov 9th 2012, 08:22
Sur Briffa.. Imma kemm qedin tbaghtu bill-kurzit.. HUDU PACENZJA.. L-agenda tal PL jaghmilha HU u meta jrid HU, mhux meta tridu inthom... F`himtu issa...!!
Pwerili huma dawk bhalek li jirreptu bhall pappagal dak li jisimghu minn `his-masters-voice`.. Imma possibbli ghadkom tahsbu li b`daqshekk qed tikkonvincu xi haga lill xi hadd..!!
Halluna Ton...
Lawrence Fenech
Nov 8th 2012, 16:47
It would take a washing machine for GonziPN to come clean on anything.
Austin grech
Nov 8th 2012, 16:33
and here I was planing to learn the portuguese language. After smart city and Brazil what's next ?
Joe Busuttil
Nov 8th 2012, 20:45
Smart City,The Brazil what's its name company (I 'm a Maltese cuc),White Rocks ,Marsa Sports project---where are they? Time to call Ghost Busters (maybe Gonzipn will have another company to add to his list). I wonder what he would say if he were to bring a company like SGS, Playmobil, create Air Malta etc . And don't be surprised if some time before the election he will try to get credit for them.
Anthony Scicluna
Nov 8th 2012, 16:33
Two things, first: there are confidentiality clauses that preclude anyone from revealing anything. Is Labour implying that government is above the law? Second, what does government have to do with a company closing down? Do the Labourites know anything about market economies?
A Galea
Nov 8th 2012, 16:55
Of course Anthony it is as you say, had the PM not mentioned anything about this company. But as things stand, the PM apparently hailed this as another success, bringing in foreign investment and providing employment for the Maltese people. So it's rather obvious that the PM will be attacked on this issue, once he put himself in it. I trust this answers your questions, partisan as they are
m. borg (slm)
Nov 8th 2012, 16:57
Mr Scicluna business confidentiality does not forbid one to disclose the name of the company, the sort of business it indulges in and the number of employees.
It is obvious gonzi was misleading the viewers on Xarabank and continued to do so when caught with his pants down.
Can't understand why you keep defending the indefensable
J.C. Borg
Nov 8th 2012, 16:59
Yes Mr. Scicluna, PL wants to know the details as soon as possible so that they will start throwing mud (as is their habit).
Now suppose that they were mistaken to mention the Odebrecht company, and the PM will eventually publish the true name, what will the PL do?? Go hiding?? No their face is tarmaced.
R Axisa
Nov 8th 2012, 17:01
Li kieku kien hemm klawzoli ta' kunfidenzjalita' imissu qal mill-ewwel, mhux gie jiftahar bl-investiment kbir u li ilha sena topera u li se thaddem hafna nies ecc ecc biex minghalih iwaqqa' lil JM ghac-cajt. Sa fejn naf jien meta jkun hemm investiment il-gvern jiftahar bih mhux jahbih!
Michael Magri
Nov 8th 2012, 17:15
Mr Scicluna. ".confidentiality clauses." my foot.
(1).Just go into the MFSA Registration of Companies site and you will know first hand information. There is NOTHING confidential in what the `Labourites` are asking for Sur Scicluna. As i`m sure you know, even the abridged accounts are published of limited liability co`s. (2)GonziPN should NOT have mentioned it AT ALL. (3) OMG are you kidding.!
Anthony Scicluna
Nov 9th 2012, 17:43
Yes there are confidentiality clauses with respect to shareholders. It is called a fiduciary.
Paul Azzopardi
Nov 8th 2012, 16:22
This is not a good thing for the GONZIPN spin doctors...we could give this a big OUCH! rating, for quite a messed up publicity stunt. This clearly shows that he is'' told'' what to say and doesn't know about what he was talking about, cause if it was his business to know he would know better than to bring this debacle up in the discussion.
Paul Azzopardi
Nov 8th 2012, 16:10
This is not a good thing for the GONZIPN spin doctors...we could give this a big OUCH! rating, for quite a messed up publicity stunt. This clearly shows that he is'' told'' what to say and doesn't know about what he was talking about, cause if it was his business to know he would know better than to bring this debacle up in the discussion.
Gorg Sciberras
Nov 8th 2012, 16:09
Oh yes, please do, this is really the most pressing economic issue in Malta right now.
m. borg (slm)
Nov 8th 2012, 16:58
Try to down play the issue will get you nowhere except make you all look like fools.
David Borg
Nov 8th 2012, 20:01
@ m. borg - Once PL are at it, on average 3,000 companies are registered per year and around 120 liquidated in Malta... we demand to know details on all of them... Give me a break. With this crusade (a) PL are showing how immature they are when it comes to our own economy and the financial sector, and (b) are trying to make up for Muscat's "waqqa ghan-nejk". Discuss in less than 400 words
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