Sunday Times publishes conversation between Mintoff and former British PM
The Sunday Times (print version) today published a transcript of a candid telephone conversation between Dom Mintoff and then British Prime Minister James Callaghan in the run-up to the Freedom Day ceremony of 1979.
In the telephone call, Mr Callaghan turns down the Maltese Prime Minister’s invitation to attend the ceremony of March 31, which marked the British forces leaving the island for the last time.
Mr Mintoff urges Mr Callaghan to visit before he loses office: “We don’t want you when you are not Prime Minister.” The phone call took place two months before Mr Callaghan lost the election to Margaret Thatcher.
Most of the declassified notes are part of a briefing document given to Lord President Michael Foot who attended the Freedom Day ceremonies on behalf of the British Government.
These include a rather unflattering “personality note” about then President Anton Buttigieg who is described as an “ineffectual” person who drank too much and hated being ordered around by Mr Mintoff.
The briefing also includes speaking notes and background about Malta and its economy which is described as “generally healthy and well-prepared for the British departure”.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Marsa murder - Police looking...
Update 2: Three arrests after flamingo...
Former Judge Ray Pace found dead
Where’s Everybody staff is given notice
Revealed...the face of a Maltese woman...
Update 4 - Eddie Fenech Adami stable...
Update 3 - Woman trapped as car crashes...
Updated - Two bodies, capsized boat,...
Franco Mercieca doing routine eye ops at...
In Discussion
Update 2: Three arrests after flamingo...
Enemalta seeking minimum five year gas...
Mario de Marco, Zammit Dimech concede,...
Chinese company to study Malta-Gozo...
Franco Mercieca doing routine eye ops at...
Updated - PM reacts to Labour anger on...
No appeals board for first part of power...
Updated - PM comments as Franco Mercieca...
BBC site highlights illegal hunting in Malta
91 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Giov DeMartino
Dec 31st 2012, 07:43
See! Mintoff is the Father of Integration with the UK/Italy. So far not even Eddy has had the courage to deny this fact.
George Borg Olivier is the Father Of Independent Malta. ANOTHER FACT.
Charles Massa
Dec 30th 2012, 20:01
Economy generally healthy. Dak iz zmien ma kelniex dejn. Matul 1971/87 twaqqfu l Air Malta, Sea Malta, Telemalta, BOV, Mid Med, Tug Malta u ohrajn li haddmu partita impjegati. Il PL introduca sahha u edukazzjoni f xejn, childrens allowance, penzjoni tal irtirar, maternity leave,equal work/equal pay, gimgha ta 40 siegha. Il lum taht PN tlifna l assi tal pajjiz u Malta mobbija bid dejn.
Joseph Camilleri
Dec 30th 2012, 22:50
There was no debt, but there were only places of work for the priviledged, work only was offered on military condtitions " korpi tax xoghol" no freedom of speech, destruction of political clubs and burning of the times of Malta. Scarcity of essential foods and medicines. Lock out of doctors and others brought over from pakistan without any proper qualifications. That was Malta. I prefer now!
Mr Lawrence Calleja
Dec 30th 2012, 18:25
Fl-aqwa ta' Mintoff ma rridux ninsew l-edukazzjoni. Fejn il-poplu nzamm f'injoranza ghax hekk kien jaqbillu Mintoff. Ma ninsewx lill Anton Buttigieg meta fuq it-TVM tkellem waqt li kien f'sakra ma jarax art, u indaqq l-innu Socjalista, u d-diska 'Run Rabbit Run' fit-TV. Meta tizen it-tajjeb u l-hazin ta' Mintoff issib distakk favur il-hazin fejn il-pajjiz kien meqjuz bhall wiehed tat tielet dinja
Terry COURTNADGE
Dec 30th 2012, 18:13
Any differences Mr. Mintoff had with Britain or the British was entirely political, he was too much his own man to judge an individual on where they were born. I could never dislike Mr. Mintoff personally if I tried, I will always believe he gave Malta a national integrity it couldn't fully attain until the British armed forces had left.
pat muscat
Dec 30th 2012, 18:09
A telephone conversation between mutual friends who both knew that an era has ended and a new one was going to begin. Malta's economy healthy and prepared for the British departure.
Giov DeMartino
Dec 31st 2012, 10:55
Sinjura Pat while you expect perfection from PN politicians, don't you have enough courage to admit that what you wrote on Simon Busuttil was either a lie or an error on your part. Either the one or the other. KURAGG
I Mercieca
Dec 30th 2012, 17:40
Ghall-ezattezza, sabiex hadd ma jipprova jghawweg il-fatti....
Malta kienet biss Mikrija lill-Imperu Ingliz wara l-Indipendenza. Il-ftehim tal-Kirja kellu jiskadi fl-1974. Mintoff geddu sal-1979. Ghalhekk hadd ma kecca l-hadd.
Joe M Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 18:01
Prosit, well said. And if Mintoff had it HIS way back in 1957, the British forces would STILL be here, and Maltese soldiers would have fought AND DIED in Falklands, Iraq, and other British wars. I wonder what CNI would be saying today!
Trevor Lee
Dec 30th 2012, 18:15
That was because The Maltese loved The British so much over 80% of them voted in a referendum to join the UK. Have you all forgot?
Joseph Vassallo
Dec 30th 2012, 18:16
On Youtube you can see a clip of Mintoff at Downing Street asking the British Government for three seats at Westminster in exchange for a permanent base in Malta! Malta Hielsa!
I Mercieca
Dec 30th 2012, 17:35
Kien zmien li l-Maltin konna gejna mgharufa bhala t-tallaba tal-Ewropa.
Mela darba wahda l-artist Taljan Pippo Franco, f'wiehed mix-shows fuq ir-RAI, fejn kien jikkritika lill-Politici, kien ghamel cajta fuq Mintoff, fejn iddiskrevieh bhala t-tallab tal-karawett.
Fuq din, ir-Regim Socjalista Malti immexxi minn Mintoff ghamlu Persona non Grata. Bhall-ma ghamel lill-Flaminio Piccoli u bosta ohrajn.
Paul Caruana
Dec 30th 2012, 16:20
Oh, what a surprise.....the relationship between successive Mintoff and British adminstrations was always built on pragmatism: their was no love lost between the two!
Trevor Lee
Dec 30th 2012, 16:08
Your country was left with a very healthy bank balance by The British who also gave you an annual sum more than the equivalent you get from the EU. Your present demise with your almost 5 billion debt is of your own making. Please dont criticise The British but pray that they return.
m. borg (slm)
Dec 30th 2012, 17:24
Mr Lee the British were made to fork out the money and only with a share of it coming out of NATO by the most able negotiating PM we ever had.
The British paid 11 and not 21 milljon Liri a year as rent the rest of NATO making up the other 10 million. PLus Mintoff negotiated a protocol with the Italian government that was still inforce before Malta entered the EU.
Let's not forget the Libyan aid.
CHARLIE GRECH
Dec 30th 2012, 17:25
That's true
Vincent Bezzina
Dec 30th 2012, 15:50
It's always from other countries disclosure that we find out what goes on in our country. left to our own devices - its back to lies, deceit and obfuscation.
Maybe someone can dig up the agreement the Maltese church made with the British when they saved us from the French - with all their nonsense of liberty, equality and education.
150 Years of being liberated - 'Yippee-ki-yay'
Mrs c. Lazzari Portelli
Dec 30th 2012, 15:10
Mintoff the only Politician that made history, still finds those who "hate" idiots do so even when someone passes away which shows the cruelty of some people who deep down know all the good IL- PERIT did for our lovely Malta!
@@@ G. TONNA you can dream of Mintoff to be forgotten! He will be always remembered as the Greatest Maltese Leader EVER!! Mintoff made BIG HISTORY!
God Bless HIM ALWAYS!
Joe M Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 17:36
'Malta l-ewwel u qabel kollox.' And he really believed it, as long as Malta was MLP! The PN part of Malta could be beaten, fired on, insulted, discremenated..... Some of the benefits during his time, or under his successor's time, include: tal-Barrani, 'refurbishment' by MLP 'volunteers' of the Curia, Law Courts, Eddie's home and family, The Times, PN Clubs. Some Mintoff benefits.
Peter Agius
Dec 30th 2012, 14:34
A beggar after all.
Cecil Herbert Jones
Dec 30th 2012, 13:54
Thanks to The Times Mintoff remains the PN's strongest ally!
It baffles to think that candid phone conversations between two representative heads of State were being recorded back in 1979.
True or false?
Robert Calafato
Dec 30th 2012, 12:59
All things are subject to interpretation whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Kurt Waschnig
Dec 30th 2012, 12:29
3.He was the father of modern Malta, a charismatic Labour Party fixture for 35 years who was prime minister from 1955 to 1958, when Malta had limited self-rule as a British colony, and from 1971 to 1984, when his vision of a non-aligned, self-sufficient republic was substantially realized.
G Tonna
Dec 30th 2012, 12:57
He was a lurid socialist who ruled despotically these islands in an obnoxious manner. The sooner we forget about him the better.
Raymond Sammut
Dec 30th 2012, 13:29
"Labour Party fixture for 35 years." Wow. That's just about how long that party has now been in opposition.
Mr Waschnig, what would you know about Mintoff and the labour movement in Malta?
There was once a genuine workers' party in Malta, led by Dr Boffa. Mintoff seized and wrecked that party, and did well for himself while in power. Labour in Malta never henceforth saw the light of day.
Eddy Privitera
Dec 30th 2012, 14:06
G. Tonna Dom Mintoff made history, especially with the way he stood up to the most powerful states in Helsinki. His creation of the Welfare Stae. And his closing down of the military base thus finally making Malta a truly independeny and sovereign state ! Hence Dom CAN NEVER BE FORGOTTEN !
Joe M Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 17:40
Eddie.You keep forgetting 'other' Mintoff histories. Violence, 'referbishment' by MLP 'volunteers' of the Curia (so far away from Police HQ (!); Law Courts, The Times, Eddie's home; PN clubs; tal-Barrani;
Obviously, you forget these, as you were on HIS side, and safe. Those who disagreed with your hero, paid the price, often with blood.
Kurt Waschnig
Dec 30th 2012, 12:29
2. He was one of Europe’s longest-serving heads of government, Mr. Mintoff had eliminated foreign military bases in Malta, signed pacts for economic cooperation with the United States, China and other countries, and set his nation on a road to self-sufficiency with a welfare state, socialized medicine, diversified industries and most of its trade and tourism coming from the West.
Kurt Waschnig
Dec 30th 2012, 12:28
1.There is no doubt Mr. Dom Mintoff is Malta´s greatest son and he should be taken as an example in our globalised world.
He did so much for Malta.
Mr Joe Micallef
Dec 30th 2012, 12:46
Waschnig your baloney is top brass!
Joe M Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 17:47
Kurt, why don't you ask those who have the scars inflicted by Mintoff's 'volunteers'? Why don't you ask Alfred Sant's opinion about mintoff being the greatest son of Malta. For many years, ONLY half of Malta treated him as their saviour. Then, in 1998, the OTHER half considered him so, as he rid us (for 15 years) from MLP's regime.
Mr Lawrence Calleja
Dec 30th 2012, 12:15
L-ghar zminijiet ta' Malta bdew mill-1971 u baqaw sejrin sa l-1987. Eluf ta' persuni Maltin gew imsawta u ddiskriminati fejn uhud kellhom jemigraw minhabba biza ta' vjolenza fuq hajjithom u persekuzzjoni; biex ikomplu jistudjaw minhabba l-istat hazin ta' edukazzjoni f'Malta u nuqqas ta' xoghol. Id-definizzjoni ta' Dom Mintoff tfisser biss Negattivita totali. Pero ta' gewwa ghax homor gawdew.
J. Vella
Dec 30th 2012, 13:27
nahseb trid tkun nieqes mill-inteligenza biex isemmi l-hazin biss. L-hazin jibqa hazin pero ta min isemmi l-edukazjoni fis 60's u 80's u mhux 70's u 2000's! it-tieni haga, Children allowance, bonuses, social welfare, fabbriki li fethu, airmalta, malta international airport, freeport, telemalta, enemalta, bov, mid med, gozo channel, drittijiet civili , l-vot lil kulhadd mhux lis-sinjuri biss etc.
Marion Storace
Dec 30th 2012, 13:45
@ Lawrence Calleja - l-ghar zminijiet ta' Malta kienu is-sittinijiet meta nies kienu jindiffnu fil-mizbla, meta de Gray hareg ordni biex in-nies jigu msawta biul-lembubu, l-interdett, meta tistax taqra certu gazzetti, ma tistax titqarben jekk kien ikollok simpatija lejn partit politiku, ecc, ecc.
Mill 1971 sal 1987 Malta hadet ir-ruh, spicca il-faqar, servizzi socjali, edukazzjoni b'xejn,ecc.ecc
Joe M Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 17:51
J Vella. Naqbel mieghek li m'ghandniex insemmu BISS il-hazin, imma anki t-tajjeb. L-iktar haga tajba li ghamel Mintoff kienet meta helisna mill-MLP, ghal 15 il sena shah. Fil-lista tieghek, insejt issemmi progetti ohrajn li saru fi zmienu, jew taht il-patrocinju tieghu: 'ristrutturar' tal-Kurja; tal-Qorti; dar ta' Eddie, the Times; street party tal-Barrani; Rabat fireworks display....
Joe M Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 17:52
Marion. Tal-Barrani, l-SMU fir-Rabat, tkissir tal-Kurja, tal-Qorti, dar ta' Addie, Times, ecc, MA SARX FIS-60's!
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 12:10
Tiftakru lill Libjani jigru ma'malta kollha qiesha tahhom? jidhlu malta bl-ID card biss? Suldati armati nisa iduru is suq tal belt? Il jerma zbarazzata mit turisti kull meta jigi gaddafi?
RE Simon Cutajar.
Il kumment tiegh ima kienx jekk konniex nies jew le taht l-inglizi. L-inglizi ma keccejnihomx imma ghalqilhom ic cens u telqu. M'ghandi xejn kontra li nkunu hielsa minn KULHADD.
Eddy Privitera
Dec 30th 2012, 14:12
Victor Pulis:Mela meta xi had jigu Malta jista jigi mizmum fejn imur ??? Li zgur qed naraw jigru ma Malta kollha huma l-IMMIGRANTI ILLEGALI , ELUF !
Joe M Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 17:55
Eddie. Il-Libjani SETGHU jigru ma Malta kollha, IMMA MALTIN ma setghux imorru ghal Mass meeting iz-Zejtun. Fhimt? Anki r-Rabat, ma kienx miftuh ghall-Maltin kollha, ghax lin-Nazzjonalisti sparaw fuqhom. Fhimt?
Lanqas Eddie, (mhux inti, imma l-iehor) u l-familja tieghu ma kellhom dritt jghixu fil-kwiet ta' darhom. Fhimt?
Tal-Lejber setghu jmorru fejn riedu: Kurja, Qorti, Times, U JKISSRU!
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 12:05
Il fatt li malta talbet l-ghajnuna minghand pajjiz iehor ifisser li ma konniex b'sahhitna bizzejjed biex nimxu wahedna.Fejn Hallasna qares? insejtu l-kaz tas saipem II? Mintoff stess iddikjara l-kaz bhala att tal akbar ghadu. Minn wara li telqu l-inglizi gaddafi beda jistmana ta' zibel.Il -fatt li l-PN baqghu hbieb m'ghandux x'jaqsam mal argument tieghi. miniex hawn naqbez ghall ebada partit. cont
Willie Grech
Dec 30th 2012, 11:29
@ Victor Pulis.
Ma nafx qrajtx l-artiklu sa l-ahhar. Dan jispicca jghid “generally healthy and well-prepared for the British departure”. Jekk din l-ahhar sentenza qrajtha ghax qed tghid li, "Malta ma kienetx ekonomikament b'sahhitha biex nimxu wehidna."
Hallasna qares? Ghaliex? X'hallasna?
Mr Joe Micallef
Dec 30th 2012, 12:35
You obviously need to be spoon fed on why the British made that cynical calculated observation. The fact is that for the best part of the last 25 years, the Maltese have banished that politically criminal administration and the blood and violence laden coffers money to the opposition.
DD Galea
Dec 30th 2012, 11:26
Mintoff jibqa dejjem fl ahbarijiet
A Camilleri
Dec 30th 2012, 12:42
Utter shame on Mintoff. So humiliating for us Maltese to have its Prime Minister begging and grovelling to the British Prime Minister to visit Malta on such an inconsequential day..... the end of a lease contract!!!! And we thought he was the strongman of the Mediterranean sea at the time. What a farce.
Simon Cutajar
Dec 30th 2012, 10:33
Naqbel mija fil mija mas-sur Pulis! ahna konna ingawdu taht l-inglizi u dejjem stmawna u ghandhom sal lum. imma ahna pruzuntuwzi u keccejnihom l-hemm u issa irridu ingorru l-izball warajna. din it-tbatija li hawn kollu minhabba f'hekk . u jekk hawn xi hadd jajd li kienu jikmandawna ghalura issa minn jeq jikmandana ? inzlu sal Marsa u taraw minn qed jikmanda . L-inglizi ghalmuna niklu !
J. Vella
Dec 30th 2012, 13:30
simon nahseb kellhom ghalfejn jigu l-inglizi biex jghalmuna 'nieklu'!! ridt li nibqghu kolonja? le, qatt! kapaci imexxu bhal haddiehor!
Joe M Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 17:58
J Vella. Ghid dak l-istess kliem lill-eluf ta' Maltin li sabu mpieg mal-Inglizi, fis-servizzi, tarzna, u stabbilimenti ohra. Qed TINSULTA wkoll lil eluf ta' MALTIN li ghazlu li jizzewgu Ingliz jew Ingliza. Ikber ftit.
G. Bugeja
Dec 30th 2012, 10:29
Dak kien zmien fejn il-poplu Maloti kien kburi li hu Malti. Fejn il-Poplu Malti kien ihossu daqs haddiehor u mhux inferjuri ghalih. Dak k ien zmien fejn Malta kellha Leader veru. Illum il-Leaders f'malta huma neqsien. Jippruvaw ikunu, izda ma humniex.
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 10:12
m. borg (slm)
Today, 09:51
Ghajnuna li gawdew in-nazzjonalisti ukoll u li qatt ma garrew kontrih u marru jitghalbu ghandu ukoll sa xahrejn qabel tnehha.
Kemm tiffielhu tkunu pwerili.
Il punt tieghi kien li Malta ma kienetx 'ekonomikament b'sahhitha biex nimxu wehidna.'
kellna bzonn l-ghajnuna.U hallasna qares taghha.
m. borg (slm)
Dec 30th 2012, 10:36
Biss ma semmejtx li 25 sena wara gonzi kien ghadu jittannaq ma l-istess Gadaffi.
Taht Mintoff ghamilna 15-il sena hbieb taht il-PN/gonzipn ghamilna 23 sena. Qatt garrejt dwar dan ?
Joe M Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 12:08
M Borg. During the uprising, Gonzi was one of the FIRST to side with the rebels. Your KMB was STILL defending Gaddafi. I wonder why! When Joseph/PL visited Libya later, he FORGOT to take KMB with him, and present recordings of KMB's messages.
m. borg (slm)
Dec 30th 2012, 09:50
The briefing also includes speaking notes and background about Malta and its economy which is described as “generally healthy and well-prepared for the British departure”.
That isMintoff's legacy in fact in 1087 when PN took power the Maltese economy boasted a Lm470 million in its coffers unlike the €4.6 billion debt we have today after 23 years of PN/gonzipn administration.
m. borg (slm)
Dec 30th 2012, 09:56
Should read 1987
Charles J. Buttigieg
Dec 30th 2012, 09:03
A monument for Mintoff and George Borg-Olivier should be erected outside our new Parliament. Both Men are worthy to be remembered and recognized as the Fathers of our New Nation.
Pippo de Marco
Dec 30th 2012, 11:05
The only monument you are likely to see outside that monstrosity is a statue of our esteemed PM.
But who would commission such a thing ? ...... Who else ?
Giov DeMartino
Dec 30th 2012, 11:17
Father of Integration with the UK or Italy?
Giov DeMartino
Dec 30th 2012, 11:18
father of Integration with the UK or Italy.
A Abela
Dec 30th 2012, 13:56
@giov de martino
L-integration ma l italja reda il Partit nazzjonlista meta ried jibdel lill malta mal eritrea. Jigifieri ahna nigu taht it taljani u l eritrea tmur taht l ingillterra. U d djari ta Ciano jikkonfermaw dan.
Eddy Privitera
Dec 30th 2012, 14:14
Giovann: Gib xi prova li Mintoff ried l-integration mal-Italja ! Taf min xtaq "integration " mal-Italja ? Enrico Mizzi u l-PN !
Giov DeMartino
Dec 30th 2012, 17:50
At long last Eddy Privitera has swallowed the bait. This time he has not ignored me because he thought that he could score a goal. He has failed miserably. Yes, Mintoff wanted integration not only with the UK, but also with Italy. Bec of lack of space I limit myself to one proof: Giovanni Bonello, Vol 2, Histories of Malta page 242. Continued.
Giov DeMartino
Dec 30th 2012, 17:56
I quote: "The furtive plans for Malta's integration with Italy, which Mr Mintoff fell back on when negotiations for independence were in full swing, had been revealed before, but Frendo goes a long way to substantiate in minute detail that political paradox. And more paradoxical it could not have been" Cont.
Giov DeMartino
Dec 30th 2012, 18:02
In simple words: When George Borg Olivier, Father of Independent Malta, was negotiating independnce, Mintoff I quote again " Mintoff had inherited the bulk of the defunct Constitutionals....they derived great pleasure and pol mileage...branding the PN as pro-Ital traitors and here was the leader of the anti*Italian movement formally, but secretly, negotiating integration w/ Italy. More.
Maria Xuereb
Dec 30th 2012, 06:22
"geneally healthy and well-prepared for the British departure" x'differenza ghal-lum hux, dakinhar ma kellniex habba dejn u konna ekonomikament b'sahhitna biex nimxu wehidna u llum bil-kontra 5 biljun Euro dejn. Tal-misthija hekk gabuna tal-PN u dak li nafu bih ghax nahseb taht it-tapit hemm hafna u hafna iktar mohbi li johrog wara l-elezzjoni. Gvern Laburista biss jista jsalvana mid-dizastru.
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 09:45
Qed tinsa 'l-ghajnuna (!) li tana gaddafi!
m. borg (slm)
Dec 30th 2012, 09:51
Ghajnuna li gawdew in-nazzjonalisti ukoll u li qatt ma garrew kontrih u marru jitghalbu ghandu ukoll sa xahrejn qabel tnehha.
Kemm tiffielhu tkunu pwerili.
Victor Laiviera
Dec 30th 2012, 11:21
@ Victor Pulis
I'm glad you mentioned the Libyan help. It is on record that when Labour took over in 1971, there were not even enough funds to pay the civil service salaries and, it it had not been for a loan from Libya, they would have had to wait to be paid.
Joe M Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 12:06
Laiviera. Did Gaddafi help ONLY Malta? Or were some of the funds directed towards a political party? Do you recall KMB, during the uprising, was the ONLY 'voice in the desert' STILL defending Gaddafi? It's a pity that when Joseph Muscat went to visit Libya after the revolution, he didn't take KMB with him, and presented recording of his messages.
Giov DeMartino
Dec 30th 2012, 12:54
Who cares about the "5B dejn" as long as we have never had it so good.
Eddy Privitera
Dec 30th 2012, 14:16
Giovann: La d-dejn jidher li lilek ma jdejjqekx, ghax ma taghmilx bhal Gonzi u TIBDA TIDDEJJEN BLA RAZAN ?????
R. Cilia
Dec 30th 2012, 14:19
Who cares about the "5B dejn" as long as we have never had it so good. Speak for yourself DeMartino because you must be one of the 'hbieb tal-hbieb'. Not everyone is so lucky.
Giov DeMartino
Dec 30th 2012, 18:12
M'ghandix bzonn niddejjen jien Ed Gonzi ghamilni u hallieni sinjur zghir. M'ghandix vilel, imma ghall-grazzja tal-hanin Alla u ta' gvernijiet nazzjonalisti ma jonqosni xejn. Jekk Gonzi qed jiddejjen bla razan tant l-ahjar ha jkompli jxerred u jqassam il-gid. L-Amerka ghandha tant dejn, tistghageb bid-dejn taghna?
Evarist Saliba
Dec 31st 2012, 10:26
@ V Lairiera yesterday 11.21
It is not true that there was no money to pay civil servants when Mintoff took over. Mintoff did not keep to the terms of the defence agreement with UK and Britain stopped the grants under the same agreement. That is why Mintoff had to rely on Gaddafi. Do not corrupt the truth.
Raymond Sammut
Dec 30th 2012, 01:20
Will Malta ever stop hearing about this political dinosaur.
What the Maltese tax-paying public really needs -and is entitled to- is an inquiry into how the Ghajn-Tuffieha hotel ever got to be built on public land only a few metres from the water and carving out one third of the beach, and who benefited from it. And the same applies to all other similar structures that followed.
Renato Balzan
Dec 30th 2012, 09:42
Dinosaur? Imagine someone called a member of your family who died as a dinosaur? Would you like it? Can you let him rest in peace please?
m. borg (slm)
Dec 30th 2012, 09:53
Will we ever stop hearing about Napoleon or any other figure that made history.
No we will never stop hearing about Mintoff unlike others who simply left an insignificant mark and the wrong reasons to be remebered by
Eddy Privitera
Dec 30th 2012, 10:21
Raymond Sammut: Ghandkhom habta kif id-DINOSAWRI f' daqqa wahda taghmluhom QADDISIN ! Hekk kontu ghamiltu meta Mintoff hadha kontra Dr. Sant u waqqa l-gvern laburista fin 1998. U l-istess qed tippruvaw taghmlu llum dwar Dr. Anglu Farrugia !!!!!!
Franco Farrugia
Dec 30th 2012, 11:02
@ Renato Balzan: That is EXACTLY what many want him to do: rest in peace.
Victor Laiviera
Dec 30th 2012, 11:18
Not for along, long time, Mr Sammut.
Giants are slow to die.
Joe M Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 12:03
Eddie, EZATT kif gabu ruhhom PL ma' Franco.
Laiviera. Yes, some personalities are slow to die. The world STILL remembers Nero, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Barbarossa, Napoleon, Ghandi, Mother Teresa...... Not ALL are remembered for their good!
George Attard
Dec 30th 2012, 01:11
should be an interesting read! I've recently seen footage of Dan Rather's interview with Mintoff at Castille just after the forces left in '79 with Mintoff being his defiant self as usual. great interview and specially like the part when Rather asks Mintoff if the harbour will be used as a Soviet base instead!
Eddy Privitera
Dec 30th 2012, 11:04
George: U r-risposta ta' Mintoff kienet, li ghamilna dan kollu biex nehilsu lill-pajjizna minn bazi militari, biex int tahseb li ghamilna dan biex nertgghu naghmulha bazi ta' haddiehor ???? Risposta li halliet lil-intervistatur bla kliem !
Joe M Borg
Dec 30th 2012, 11:59
Eddie, kieku Mintoff ghaddiet tieghu fl-1957, illum Malta GHADHA parti mill-Imperu Ngliz. Kieku llum, suldati Maltin GHADHOM fl-armata Ngliza, kien ikollhom jiggieldu fil-Falklands, Iraq, ecc. Hal-Luqa, barra Airmalta, kien ikun hemm RAF, u fil-Port, minbarra Palumbo, kien ikun hemm il-flotta. Kieku illum ghandna lic-CNI???? Hafna Maltin ma jiftakrux xi jfissru CNI! Gieli jdahhquna fuq Smash
Shawn Borg
Dec 29th 2012, 22:43
MINTOFF was a great man. He was the right man in the right time of the Maltese History.There should be a monument in every town and village of Malta so future generations can remember this statesman.
Denis Pace
Dec 30th 2012, 08:33
Tghaggibiex.
Mela dan bhal Ceaucescu.." every town and village"....
X'pajjiz hsibtu dan!
Franco Farrugia
Dec 30th 2012, 08:53
Is that right? Actually, there is already such a monument that befits him only too well, in every town and village of Malta.
J Pavia
Dec 30th 2012, 09:13
mela qed tahsibna li ahna xi pajjiz kommunista kif ried igibna Mintoff u spicca gabna kwazi f'dittatura. Tidher sew li ma ghixt fiz-zmien il-hakma ta' Mintoff u shabu.
Pippo de Marco
Dec 30th 2012, 09:30
Yes, he should be remembered. Not necessarily for his statesmanship, but for everything he did. And that wasn't always good.
M Attard
Dec 30th 2012, 09:47
@Shawn Borg: Tridx naghmlu artal f'kull dar ukoll?!?! lol
m. borg (slm)
Dec 30th 2012, 09:56
Pippo even some popes are remebered for awful things they did, like having mistresses or becoming popes in their teenage years or even starting the inquisition, but that does not erase the fact that more good came out of the church than mistakes.
In the USA and some other democratic countries bishops are remembered for child abuse.
Victor Pulis
Dec 30th 2012, 10:14
Nahseb qed tahseb li qeghdin fil Korea ta'fuq!
stephen mifsud
Dec 30th 2012, 17:08
Shawn its ok for they dont know what they do please forgive them the silly lot dont know who got them here ....Mintoff Mintoff Mintoff !!!!!
Please choose the reason of your report below: