[attach id=260794 size="medium"]Lou Bondi.[/attach]
The partisan celebration of Independence and Freedom days may become a thing of the past next year following the setting up of the national festivities’ committee, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said.
“Let’s be clear. The Nationalists feel that Freedom Day is a second class feast and the Labourites feel that Independence Day does not mark the true independence. Next year there is a chance this might change,” Dr Muscat said yesterday.
The Government recently set up a committee to organise a series of anniversaries coming up next year. They include the 50th anniversary of Malta’s independence, the 40th anniversary since Malta became a republic, the 35th anniversary of Freedom Day and 10 years since EU accession.
This is a new chapter in Maltese politics
The 11-member committee includes TV presenter Lou Bondi, whose appointment has provoked anger among Labour activists, including high ranking party officials. MEP Joseph Cuschieri described it as a “shameful decision” while former Labour minister Joe Grima asked who came up with the idea and referred to Mr Bondi as “scrap”.
These comments led to an animated online debate on timesofmalta.com. Speaking to journalists yesterday, Dr Muscat reiterated he had been the subject of personal attacks by Mr Bondi, but the fact remained that the TV show host possessed experience in organising large-scale events and this should not go to waste because of his political beliefs.
“We mean what we say and this is a new chapter in Maltese politics,” Dr Muscat said. National days, including Independence and Freedom day, have always been a controversial issue. In March, while speaking during the Freedom Day celebrations, Dr Muscat said he would like to see the number of national days reduced to two from the current five.
He did not specify which days he was referring to but said he wanted Labourites to love Independence Day as much as they loved Freedom Day, and vice versa.
His words echoed those of President George Abela who, in a strongly-worded speech at the Republic Day award ceremony in December, said Malta should have two national days.
He picked Independence and Republic day based on the fact that both occasions have a particular significance in the constitutional development of the country.
Prior to 1987, March 31, Freedom Day, the day the British forces had left Malta for good, was the national day but this was considered divisive by many due to its significance for the Labour Party.
In an effort to stamp out national day polarity, Eddie Fenech Adami, then Prime Minister, added another four days in 1987: June 7 (Sette Guigno), September 8 (Victory Day), September 21 (Independence Day) and December 13 (Republic Day).
The Prime Minister was yesterday also asked about the appointment of former European Commissioner John Dalli to head the reform body within the administration of Mater Dei Hospital.
He said the reform document that Mr Dalli had started working on as former health minister would be the starting point of this reform. However, he said much had changed since then so the relevance of the document would have to be evaluated.
Speaking during a radio interview on Sunday, Dr Muscat said involving Mr Dalli in the health sector was Health Minister’s idea following comments that the move was a vote of no confidence in Godfrey Farrugia .
Reform of the administration of Mater Dei was a challenge which Mr Dalli set himself when he was appointed Social Policy Minister in 2008.
Mr Dalli was forced to resign as European Health Commissioner last October following an EU anti-fraud agency investigation which concluded there was “unambiguous” circumstantial evidence showing he had knowledge of a bribery attempt aimed at influencing EU tobacco legislation.
However, the new Police Commissioner concluded there was insufficient evidence for criminal proceedings to be taken.