Updated: PN deputy leadership election: Two is company, three’s a crowd, de Marco
Video: Mark Zammit Cordina
As the nomination period for the PN deputy leadership election closes today Ministers Mario de Marco and Chris Said reiterated this morning they preferred to continue working on their ministry.
Dr Said said he wanted to continue working in his ministry on the electoral campaign.
Dr de Marco said “two’s company, three’s a crowd.”
The election, he said, was being contested by two very valid candidates (MEP Simon Busuttil and Finance Minister Tonio Fenech) who both had excellent qualities.
Regardless of who was chosen, he said, voters would not be making a mistake.
As for himself, he said, he believed he could contribute more by focusing on his ministry and the electorate to keep convincing the people that the PN should continue to be in government.
Dr de Marco and Dr Said were speaking at the launch of a new PN billboard saying “Muscat’s promises equals new taxes”.
Nominations for the election closed at noon. The only candidates were Dr Busuttil and Dr Fenech. Voting will take place on November 30. Those who could not vote on this day for a valid reason may vote on November 24, the PN said.
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Emanuel. Vella.
Nov 15th 2012, 08:43
' Muscat bl-istess ucuh ', ' Muscat weghdi = Taxxi Godda ',Partit laburista = 15 il-sena fil-gvern minn 1971 sa 1987 ' jahdem ghal poplu Malti u Ghawdxi kollhu ' = ihalli 20% dejn nazzjonali.Issa il-partit nazzjonalista 25 sena fil-gvern minn 1987 sa 2012,din id-darba il-poplu Malti u Ghawdxi jahdem ghal gvern ihalli 75% dejn nazzjonali,dik hija id-differenza bejn il-PL u il-PN.
Emanuel. Vella.
Nov 14th 2012, 21:12
'Enjoy it while it lasts'.
j brincat
Nov 14th 2012, 20:33
@Karl consiglio
Financial guru, you said?
Have you forgotten that we have a record public debt now reaching €5 billion (5,000,000,000) and this excludes government guarantees!
And do you know under whom most of this was incurred?
(jb)
Karl Consiglio
Nov 15th 2012, 10:33
The way Malta surfed the tsunami of an economic crises was exemplary.
Joe Grech
Nov 14th 2012, 20:07
Roll on general election day!
Karl Consiglio
Nov 14th 2012, 19:41
I like them both, Tonio is a financial guru, but too conservative when it comes to other issues, if I remember well he was against divorce for example, so given the choice I'll vote for Simon.
George Mangion
Nov 14th 2012, 18:55
Well said Pippo de Marco regarding the billboards. Neither party is capable of producing a single billboard promoting its fresh ideas and incentives if it gains power after the coming elections. They just seem to convince us that we should choose the lesser of two evils. Pity there's no third party that can seriously challenge.
Mario Scicluna
Nov 14th 2012, 17:34
So there is a contradiction here Dr Demarco, as it was your leader Lawrence Gonzi who urged 'the more the merrier!' So which statement is credible, yours or the PM's ?
'Gonzi insisted with his party executive members that the upcoming deputy leadership election should be contested by the largest number of candidates possible to show the PN is alive and a catalyst for change'
Henry S Pace
Nov 14th 2012, 17:33
@ Pippo de Marco
It looks quite infantile if the electorate is influenced to vote once they see billboards around the island.
I do think that the electorate is more mature to decide.
Eddy Privitera
Nov 14th 2012, 19:08
Henry S.Pace Quite agree with you. So much so that GonziPN billboards have not had any effect at all on opinion polls .
Reuben D. Spiteri
Nov 14th 2012, 19:33
Both parties need to STOP attacking each others like a pair of babies and highlight their strong points, rather than the opponent's weaknesses.
Honestly, it's scary having to choose between two such negative parties and a clueless party (the AD). I'm frankly at a loss to whom I should give my vote!
Pippo de Marco
Nov 14th 2012, 19:37
I would like to agree with you Henry, but too many people still vote Blue or Red for no other reason than their family voted Blue or Red. - One only has to read TOM's on-line threads to see how little importance some people attach to the issues and how much time and effort goes into partisan rhetoric and banter.
Sadly, both major parties seem intent on dumbing-down the issues.
Tarcisio Mifsud
Nov 14th 2012, 17:24
Look who is speaking. Gonzipn which since 2008 has collected no less than €8billion from taxes and still did not manage to end in any year with a surplus. All of us know who made taxes, have a look at collections from VAT, which was started by you at 15% and some years later raised to 18%. Do you have a face??????
Toni Borg
Nov 14th 2012, 18:21
You seem to have forgotten personal income tax at 65% brought down to 35% decades ago!!!
Anthony Pace Gouder
Nov 14th 2012, 19:14
What's baffling is that all this hefty amount was/is collected while/when MALTA is supposed to be benefiting from THE hundreds of MILLIONS pouring down ON US from the European Union !
Just imagine how heavier the tax burden would have been , had there not been this bountyful EU funding, with such an incompetent ,incapable administration .
Reuben D. Spiteri
Nov 14th 2012, 19:31
@Anthony Pace Gouder
Image where we would be if we did as Dr Sant suggested (and Joseph Muscat approving) and we DIDN'T get in the EU. Then it would be either that nothing would have been made whatsoever, or that the taxes would be even higher.
Please weigh everything before blabbing on an article.
Willie Grech
Nov 14th 2012, 17:15
Demarco and Said both agreed they should keep working within their ministries. Maybe they prefer to bind their time for after the election.
As for the new billboard: Why is it that they waste their money on attacking the adversary when they should be telling us what they are going to do if re-elected? Isn't this what they want the PL to tell them, after all?
Pippo de Marco
Nov 14th 2012, 17:03
I was hoping that Drs de Marco and Said would inject some political maturity into these proceedings and stop this childish, tit-for-tat billboard campaigning that is proving counter-productive for PN. So far, their party's efforts have been far less amusing than PL's and to have even a chance of retaining power, PN should refrain from continually highlighting its weaknesses, AND DROP GONZI !
D Borg
Nov 14th 2012, 16:53
Aren’t these two supposedly beacons of the renewed PN, being paid out of our taxes to fulfill their duties as Ministers?
So why are they wasting their public office time, to put a different face on the PN electoral gimmicks? This is PBO, Paula MB, Karol Aquilina and other PN’s council members job?
John B. Borg
Nov 14th 2012, 16:49
Show me a country in Europe or in the developed world where two government ministers waste precious time at the taxpayer's expense to launch a partisan political billboard.
We have really lost all sense of shame and hit rock bottom
A. MICALLEF
Nov 14th 2012, 16:00
Demarco, Said, Fenech Adami, Tonio Fenech = all GONZIPN = Ser jkun pjan FALLUT !
Dawn huma parti mill-gvern u responsabbli ghal-istat tal-PN kief huwa llum. Dawn jghamlu
parti mill-falliment ta dan il-gvern u huma responsabbli u parti mit-telfa tal-PN. Dawn huma
klikka GONZIPN.
Saviour Cachia
Nov 14th 2012, 15:10
Thank you Dr. Mario de Marco for your advice : convincing the people that the PN should continue to be in government". I beg to disagree. I have had enough of Gonzi Pn oligarchy. I will vote for a change, then the survival of the fittest, always respecting the concept of fair play, democracy and majority.
Paula Rascal
Nov 14th 2012, 15:01
We agree entirely with Dr Demarco. Still we would have felt better were the race between Simon and Mario himself. Both are amongst the most valid. As for Tonio, sweet chap when it comes to voting and very available - but is untouchable when objective is achieved and is in office. So our vote goes to Simon.
C Falzon
Nov 14th 2012, 14:27
Emm sorry...so what are YOUR promises exactly??
Anthony A. Mifsud
Nov 14th 2012, 13:42
I recommend that Dr. Marthese Portelli should submit her candidacy too, as she is a good driver! Why not start having a women on the leadership?
The way I look at it the second contestant is / was just a smoke screen just to say' there's two competing , and not a mono race like a few months back....
Ninu
P Muscat
Nov 14th 2012, 21:24
Ha! Ha! Joke of the century. That would be the day when I will start voting for chickens. I agree with women but not ANY woman. I beg you PN stick to Simon, Tonio, Mario and the likes.
Anthony Paul Naudi
Nov 14th 2012, 13:20
Jigri x'jigri hadd ma huwa ser jaghmel miralki. Mela if two is a company and three is a crowd bl-istess argument one is lonesome
A.P.Naudi
Tim Vella
Nov 14th 2012, 13:19
So, what's it gonna be?
More taxes, a Bailout or both?
One thing that Sajmint forgot to mention is that even if PN is elected once again, the Bailout is guaranteed! That obviously mean higher taxes. Cheers!
Reuben D. Spiteri
Nov 14th 2012, 19:26
Can you kindly link where you got that information? As far as we know Malta is doing quite well, especially when compared to other EU countries. I hope you're not confusing yourself with the EU funds we get for projects and such cos it ain't the same at all.
Joseph Micallef
Nov 14th 2012, 13:14
Muscat taxxi ġodda? Jien infqajt bit-taxxi taht GonziPN. Kellu jrahhas it-taxxi ukoll GonziPN. Fejnha il-weghda li torhos it-taxxa fuq id-dhul? Qatt ma giet immaterjalizzata din il-weghda!!
GonziPN weghdi = thallas int!!!
Michelle Pirotta
Nov 14th 2012, 13:13
I think it would have been a pity to have Tonio Fenech and Mario De Marco despite both their qualities at the same time.
They offer similar things in a way: strong family values, strong experience in Cabinet, they came through the PN grassroots.
This is what Tonio Fenech can offer to the Party and for which I think that he should be elected as Deputy Leader
Eddy Privitera
Nov 14th 2012, 12:53
But Mario Demarco and Chris Said both are supporting Tonio Fenech's nomination, not that of Simon Busuttil !
Eddy Privitera
Nov 14th 2012, 12:50
It-taxxi jigu jekk jibqa tiela d-dejn ta' pajjizna kif tiela taht GonziPN !
H. Psaila
Nov 14th 2012, 16:11
Jigifieri jekk jilta JM mhux sejrin ikun hawn taxxi???? Mela kemm sejjer zball habib, mur ohlom.
Mary Ann Borg
Nov 14th 2012, 16:35
Tinkwetax Privitera, issa la jitla' l-Lejber u jrahhas il-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma id-dejn jibda niezel minnufih. Mhux hekk Eddy?
Eddy Privitera
Nov 14th 2012, 16:47
Mary Ann Borg: Li hu zgur hu li l-korruzzjoni u t-tberbieq ta' mijit ta' miljuni, JIBDA NIEZEL!
Martin Borg
Nov 14th 2012, 16:55
Hemm hu. waqa l-ass. Mela malli jitilghu l-PL ha jghidu li sabu l-kaxxa mifqugha u jdahhlu aktar taxxi.
A sense of Deja Vu anyone ?
Eddy Privitera
Nov 14th 2012, 17:15
Martin Borg: Jekk it-tberbieq ta' miljuni jigi mwaqqaf, ANZI ma jkunx hemm ghalfejn isiru taxxi godda. Qed tiirraguna minn saqajk mhux b'mohhok !
Reuben D. Spiteri
Nov 14th 2012, 19:23
You're telling me that no one in the Labour side is corruptible? Pull the other one!
I'm not saying that the PN is clean, and I don't like to take sides as both parties have serious faults, but right now, although times are indeed hard, I'm glad to have a good job and that we didn't end up like Greece or Spain. Can you even comprehend what a 25+% unemployment means?
j brincat
Nov 14th 2012, 12:44
And doesn't GonziPN think that its high time that he reveals his proposals for the next five years or does he expect to vote in a vacuum?
Do these plans entail the rising again of the already too high W & E bills or else him taking back the fantastic €600 a WEEK whilst we would be again be given crumbs!
(jb)
Reuben D. Spiteri
Nov 14th 2012, 19:18
I'm not trying to defend the raise as I think it was a VERY bad decision and every person with a brain within the party should have realized that the people would hate them for it, but the raise was €500, not €600.
It's clear to me you see pure crimson and, worse than that, you're trying to throw mud at the opponent. Also, don't try and pull off the typo on us. One checks BEFORE he posts
William Caligari
Nov 14th 2012, 12:40
Dr. de Marco said, "two's company, three's a crowd"
Dr de Marco what you call when Dr Lawrence Gonzi "tellaq wahdu"
for the leadership of PN in Febuary 2012?
j brincat
Nov 14th 2012, 12:26
"Muscat’s promises equals more taxes”
Is the pot calling the kettle black?
Has GonziPN forgotten that we are paying a record price for car fuel and W & E bills on which we pay tax and VAT respectively AND this apart the fact that he promised us drastic tax reductions (w.e.f. 1/1/2009) BUT which promise never materialised.
(jb)
H. Psaila
Nov 14th 2012, 16:08
Insejt meta Mintoff ghamel il-petrol LM1 il-gallun, insejt meta Fredu Sant ghamel l'ilma u id-dawl ghola minn kemm huwa issa, dawn saru meta iz-zejt kien jiswa peanuts. So, who is calling the kettle black here?
Eddy Privitera
Nov 14th 2012, 17:36
H.Psaila. Tiftakar meta Mintoff kien gholla l-prezz tal-petrol, KEM KIEN ZIED IL-PAGI biex ipatti ?
I Bugeja
Nov 14th 2012, 12:16
One of these politicians seem to shine brighter and its not Busuttil or Fenech whom I am talking about
Gervais M. Cishahayo
Nov 14th 2012, 12:13
Two who understand that the politics of divisive acrimony and confrontation are politically counter-productive at best and suicidal at worse! A lesson from the last USA presidential contest : the winning or losing votes are amongst the overlooked neglected bona fide faithful or potential sympathisers beyond the die-hard cores!
connie sullivan
Nov 14th 2012, 12:01
I agree that both candidates have excellent qualities or any other candidate that would contest this election. However enabling the PN to move forward and stand a chance in the general election,the right person would be Dr Busuttil. The majority of PN voters trust him and would like to see a fresh face within the party so we hope that those eligable to vote for Vici Kap take this in consideration
Paul Micallef
Nov 14th 2012, 11:51
Well Dr demarco you are a wise man, i think that after the Election you will go for PN leader as GONZI is in for another DEFEAT. As for deputy leader i think that Busutill is the better man.
Reuben D. Spiteri
Nov 14th 2012, 19:11
I just would like to point out that Dr Gonzi has never suffered a defeat at the general election polls. Still, I honestly think he's heading for one.
On the other hand, the PL doesn't inspire me at all either. Right now it's like watching a fight between two overgrown kids (billboards).
j brincat
Nov 14th 2012, 11:51
"Dr de Marco and Dr Said were speaking at the launch of a new PN billboard saying “Muscat’s promises equals more taxes”
And GonziPN's promises equal promises made BUT not kept!
(jb)
A. MICALLEF
Nov 14th 2012, 11:50
A new Labopur government will uncover the real financial disaster of our country. We shall
soon know what Tonio Fenech stands for, only after the election when PL takes over.
R. Borg
Nov 14th 2012, 11:46
Both of them are intelligent enough to realize who is being pushed for deputy leader.
victor bonello
Nov 14th 2012, 11:45
as if this position is going to change anything within the PN. Simon will be elected just to try to give the image there is going to be a change, but as long as the old guys are there, nothing will change. I am awaiting the day Dr. Demarco will be at the helm and only then shall I consider to return to the fold.
H. Psaila
Nov 14th 2012, 16:10
So you are telling us the the Labour has got new faces and what about Debono Grech, Marielouise Coleiro, Leo Brincat and othes, are those new faces for you?????
Joseph Borg
Nov 14th 2012, 11:44
If Dr. Muscat did not publish his electoral promises and strategy yet, how come Dr de Marco and Dr Said are aware of such new taxes? Can they please provide more information?
Lucienne Dimech
Nov 14th 2012, 15:48
You just wait who knows they might tell us
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