Gonzi oozing arrogance
There were somewhat contrasting descriptions of the EU funding deal secured for Malta (subject to EU parliamentary approval). The Prime Minister spoke in absolute terms and preened his tired wings once he left the negotiation table, the last one to do so, we were told rather dramatically.
In contrast, the official who heads Malta’s representation in the EU Commission, had a different nuance to describe the deal.
“It was not the budget we wanted,” he said more broadly. “We wanted more investment in economic growth initiatives, although several innovative proposals made it through,” he said (The Sunday Times, February 10).
There is also some uncertainty about what funds would be available for the Malta-Sicily gas pipeline during the underlying budget period, 2014-2200. More details will be unravelled in due course but give credit where credit is due.
The Prime Minister and his team, which included Richard Cachia Caruana in an advisory capacity, were faced with the strong threat of bringing home the news that the financial allocation had been drastically reduced below the current one to under €700 million. Instead, the amount agreed at this stage approximates €1.3 billion.
There will be political reconstruction in Malta about the meaning of the amount. But it is easy to understand why the Prime Minister was so pleased with his team’s handiwork.
The coming seven years are crucial to Malta in terms of overall spending and the chunk provided for a number of projects by the EU. That applies whoever will be in government, which might change by the time the European Parliament gets through mauling the deal struck by the heads of States and of government.
Yet, it will be Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi who fathered Malta’s deal.
Bully for him, even if not without a little help from his colleagues. That is where the positiveness stops. For, hardly back in Malta, Gonzi once again demonstrated how arrogance seems to have taken over his whole psyche. It simply consumes him.
The Labour Party would make a mess of the €1.28 billion of EU funds, which Malta secured until 2020, and cannot be trusted with managing the amount, he said on Saturday. Whom will you trust to manage these funds? “They (Labour) will surely make a mess of the EU funds,” stressed Gonzi during an interview on his party’s radio.
This is an obnoxious attitude which goes way beyond the usual cut and trust of politics. It shows a Gonzi piling himself under a mountain of hubris, forgetting that self praise is no recommendation and that pride precedes the fall.
Worse than that, he displays disturbing psychological traits with his growing me-ism, so steadfast in his belief that he is the irreplaceable salt of the earth.
To be proud of one’s achievement is natural enough. To insist that they are beyond anybody else’s reach is sheer uppity, which does not become a man who, in addition to leading his partisans, also leads the nation.
This attitude is spreading through the top echelons of the Nationalist Party and will reach a crescendo by the election date in a few weeks’ time. It demonstrates that too long a time in office leads to ugly arrogance and kills the degree of humility that all leaders must possess if they are to lead well.
Gonzi, with ‘arrogance’ blazoned on his body, no longer knows what basic humility means. He would do well to remember that no man achieves without becoming perfect.
His record, which includes a lot of pluses, also contains enough negatives to demonstrate that. To be confident is one thing. To ooze arrogance is something else.
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Jonathan Camilleri
Mar 17th, 08:45
I think Gonzi is being paranoid about PL, how does he know they will make a mess just because of his trust issues?
J Martinelli
Feb 13th, 15:38
@ Micallef & Borg
Are you serious? It took Joseph 4 years after becoming leader of the Moviment to acknowledge that joining the EU was good for Malta.
He never endorsed it even after collecting a hefty salary from the EU for 2 years or so.
At every opportunity the LP finds an angle to criticize the EU as folks like you do and always mention how much Malta contributes and not what it receives.
m. borg (slm)
Feb 13th, 11:45
Whilst 22million were added to previous sum one must note that Malta's contribution increased by 149 million.
Where as funds can be lost if not used within the allocated time contributions are paid regularly and not 1 euro less.
Going by gonzipn's competence in using EU funds from the last agreement were only 37% were used and 63% to be used by next 22 months one cannot see this happening.
TONY FORMOSA
Feb 12th, 16:26
Att Eddie Privitera:'
Did you ever mention that €250,000,000 was received from the EU? £M1.5m is never €250,000,000 much
to your disgust!!!
TONY FORMOSA
TONY FORMOSA
joe micallef
Feb 13th, 07:31
Malta is in the EU the PN got us there, the PL is pro EU- issue closed
Harping the PL was anti EU is like saying do not go to Rome as christians were persecuted there in AD40
What is all the fuss with money from brussels? we are now net contributors and that translates in 500million going back to brussels!
The 1.5million? Gonzi stated 49million are a drop in the ocean-2012 surplus boy wizard!
m. borg (slm)
Feb 13th, 11:51
St Paul should not be considered a Christian Saint with your reasoning as he persecuted christians before his conversion.
Labour has always been faithful to its word and when the EU matter was settled Labour kept its promise, that of respecting the people's choice and working within the EU to get the best deals for the Islands. So much so that the people twice gave Labour a majority of MEPs.
A. Vella
Feb 13th, 18:33
Mr m.borg, respecting peoples' choice= il-partnerxipp rebah ir-referendum?
Joe Genovese
Feb 12th, 15:57
Mr Spiteri, for long now, long after having notched the highest umemployment rate since Malta's Independence (remember that Budget Speech ...."Is-Sena tal-Impjiegi"?, in the anni piombi of the '80's) there has always been a thick atmosphere of condescension whenever your photogenic image graced our screens or your mellifluous tones rode the airwaves.
Have you never noticed?
Would you ever?
Joe Genovese
Feb 12th, 15:43
"In contrast, the official who heads Malta’s representation in the EU Commission, ....."
Mr Spiteri, you seem to be referring to Mr Bugelli.
In that case, you've got it upside down, back to front and inside out.
He's the EC Representative in Malta.
Unless you mean Tonio Borg, which even then is way off beam.
Louis Muscat
Feb 12th, 15:13
Look who is talking about arrogance. It seems that he has forgotten when he was a minister in a government that was more than arrogant.
m. borg (slm)
Feb 13th, 11:52
Can you give examples of Lino's arrogance.
As regards gonzi we can give tens if not hundreds of example.
Justin Spiteri
Feb 12th, 13:32
2014-2200. ... a two hundred year budget plan... wow... well this won't get published as usual...
Joe Genovese
Feb 12th, 16:09
Little wonder, then, that he can lay claim to fame as Malta's Finance Minister who scored her highest unemployment rate since Independence.
James Grech
Feb 12th, 12:46
A realistic piece depicting a PM who takes opportunity to boast and trumpet about achievements but otherwise digs his head in deep holes to avoid hearing that reality is far removed from the perfect world he makes of Malta. Granted, there were positives, but this arrogance, which infiltrated deep into the PN, and this us and them mentality are the downfall of Gonzi and his clique of minions.
Mr Joe Micallef
Feb 12th, 11:21
Rich coming from a key figure in an administration that has its conscience (if any in those quarters) stained with Maltese blood!
Eddy Privitera
Feb 12th, 12:43
Joe Micallef: Are you referring to Karin Grech's blood too, by any chance ?
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Feb 12th, 14:38
Rich but true. Can you deny any of it instead of twisting the argument beyond recognition?
Mr Joe Micallef
Feb 12th, 17:47
Yes privitera as far as I am concerned that of Karen Grech too! Deny what Camilleri, that the PM and his negotiating team obtained 1028 million - like Spiteri you are pathetic!
joe micallef
Feb 13th, 07:37
Seems that old habits die hard on both side of the fence.
This island of ours need a new direction as power has got to the head and a point that it verges on the dangerous!
We are treating political democracy and freedom of speech to vomit hatred and reopen wounds
Steer clear while there is ample time guys!
Joe Micallef SPB
m. borg (slm)
Feb 13th, 11:57
To one and all 1.3billion over 5 years are a far cry from the LM100million each year Simon, Guido and Eddy promised during the EU referendum campaign.
And as regards using the funds only 37% were used by gonzi with a good part of the reamining 63% being lost.
A. Vella
Feb 13th, 18:39
Mr m borg, 100 millionLM= €233 millionX 5 years= €1.16 billion.
€1.3 billion huma iktar ta, gej bil far cry.
John Zarb
Feb 12th, 11:15
I think two important things are missing in Mr. Spiteri's article.
1) Out of the 1.3 billion we have to fork out to EU 501 million
2) Considering the track record of the PN in government, the most we can make use of these funds is ONLY one third of 1.3 billion because on many occasions we lost the target dates to apply for these funds. Dolores Cristina and her son should know better.
Nicholas Borg
Feb 12th, 11:03
Truly a leopard never changes it spots. This comment coming from someone who was a cabinet member during the worst times in Malta's political history, he should know very well what true arrogance is.
edward vella
Feb 12th, 10:40
Labour win seems fading fast!!! Hekk qal is sur Martinelli!! Ibqa ohlom u mbad fil-10 ta Marzu tigi f'sensik zgur!!! Imbaghad tkun taf kemm sejjer zbaljat fil pronostiku tieghek!!!Iz-zmien jaghtina parir!!Keep on dreaming Mr Martinelli knows it all!!!!
TONY FORMOSA
Feb 12th, 10:29
Spiteri may remember that his leader Sant and the LP had predicted Malta's share from the EU as being
€1.5m. They had also mentioned 'makku and all that'.. Thanks to the PN in Government Malta will be
receiving €1,128,000,000 for the period 2014-2020 alone. which ,according to my maths is something
different to €1.5m.
TONY FORMOSA
Eddy Privitera
Feb 12th, 12:48
Tony Formosa: You keep repeating the LIE about the " Just LM1.5 Million ( not €1.5 million euroa )". I have explained this and much much more in The Times, but you had NEVER replied to my letters I challenge you to check what I wrote by writing The Times-: Eddy Privitera on EU funding , October 2011. Then reply and deny what I wrote ! Come on Tony , DON'T RUN AWAY !
J Martinelli
Feb 12th, 00:07
Mr Spiteri, you are to be pitied for your skewed judgment on the 1.128 billion euro deal struck by the Prime Minister.
You seem stung by the PM's comment about the 1.128 billion risk being squandered by a Labour government. Why are you so surprised? Labour didn't have to break any sweat securing the deal & are as ungrateful as typical Laburisti can be - such as you.
Labour win seems fading fast.
Mr Andrew Camilleri
Feb 12th, 14:42
Far from being ungrateful, I think the LP is very happy to have all this money to spend within the next five years that they are in government. The money will come in handy for the power of incumbency and will help the LP win the next election after this one - all thanks to Gonzi!
J Martinelli
Feb 12th, 20:23
Andrew tridu tgawdu minn fuq dahar il-biezel!
No wonder the LP is not worried about costing their half-baked proposals!
Imma bejn issa w l-elezzjoni ta wara din, hemm id-9 ta Marzu 2013.
There may be 'many a slip twixt the cup and the lip'.
With relics of the 70s & 80s how can the LP go wrong?
Some are already thinking about life after Joseph!
Maybe the second coming of Anglu?
Been there done dat?
Carmel Serracino-inglott
Feb 11th, 20:52
I have expected LS to comment in this way .The key word is arrogance. I have heard many people say the PN is arrogant when they do not really know its meaning safe LS . Usually I read LS comment to learn but I am afraid not when elections are near. His comments became stale and full of hatered to his inteligent opponents, He tries to focus on Gonzi when it is the PN that really matters led by LG
Mr leo attard
Feb 11th, 20:08
mr Spiteri, I think you meant 'gushing', not 'oozing'.
Saviour Cachia
Feb 11th, 20:06
His record, which includes a lot of pluses, also contains enough negatives to demonstrate that. To be confident is one thing. To ooze arrogance is something else....yeah, yeah, well said Lino, a very balanced view about Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.
Victor Laiviera
Feb 12th, 13:37
Truth.
J Martinelli
Feb 12th, 16:17
'Truth' according to one confirmed stinking Laburist is not worth a hill of beans.
Please choose the reason of your report below: