Tuesday, 3rd February 2009
Mismanagement
The ongoing political controversy about the exorbitant energy tariffs has centred very much on the price of oil, the process of its purchase, etc. This is only part of the broader picture which simply boils down to the fact that Enemalta operates in an unacceptably inefficient way and this is part, albeit a very important one, of the reason why it is incurring huge financial losses. What the general public would like to know is who, at the end of the day, is responsible for this situation. Is it a case of blatant mismanagement at Enemalta and, if so, to what extent is the Government responsible for the present situation?
The same applies to the controversy over unacceptable Mater Dei Hospital waiting-lists for certain operations. Blame has been put on specialists who monopolize access to their lists of patients awaiting operations under their supervision. The lack of enough beds at the hospital has also been mentioned. Once again, it all boils down to a question of mismanagement. How much is the Government to blame for such a situation?
The ordinary citizen expects clear answers.
STMicroelectronics
It is sad to hear about the present situation at STMicroelectronics. Whenever the jobs of workers are threatened, one cannot but feel preoccupied. I do hope, however, that such an important issue will not be turned into a political football. The Labour Opposition has, to date, acted quite responsibly in the interests of safeguarding the workers’ jobs. The Nationalist Minister Tonio Fenech seems to have made a fool of himself through a statement of his that clearly showed that he was not even aware of the real situation at STMicroelectronics. A serious defect in a country’s Finance Minister! I will not enter into the argument over whether he should resign or not but I sincerely augur that all Maltese political parties will work towards a satisfactory solution of such a troublesome issue. Where there are jobs at stake as well as the future of several Maltese families, partisan politics should take a back seat.
PL General Conference
I attended all the sessions of the Labour Party’s Annual General Conference and was impressed with the quality of some of the speeches. Joseph Muscat showed once again that not only does he have the analytical skills to pinpoint the country’s problems but he also possesses the ability to provide sensible and workable solutions for them.
Personally, I am not fond of General Conferences as I believe that they are, more often than not, a case of preaching to the converted and feeling good about ourselves as Labourites. Furthermore, the senseless ongoing clapping, unwarranted standing ovations and emotional overdrive of many of those who attend are alien to my way of doing things. Leaving a General Conference feeling how good we are will win no General Elections. Icy-cold, rational evaluations of the way the man/woman in the street sees the Labour Party is needed to win, not futile emotional overdrive.
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Comments
Seems some people are quite angry with the delegates issue in PL. And they should be. [SIC] it is not a question of delegates holding on to their seat and not relinquishing it unless forced to. If a delegate has held his/her post for a long time, that means that he/she is regarded as being very efficient by the members who elect him/her to be a delegate
Come on DZM. I am a socialist like you and know the party well. Delegates do not relinquish seats. What happened to the delegates of the old foundations in PL? What happened to delegates of the brigata? Did not all went to fight to keep their numbers. You deny it?
As for [ SIC ] one need only examine the way in which the Nationalist Party won the last three General Elections - Stop accusing. Prove it. Whether we like it or not PL is in opposition. No one to blame but the party itself.
Its true that the pn rode the church's wagon in the 1960 but the dispute was between the mlp and the church,as the italians say' fra i due litiganti il terzo gode' and thats what the pn did.
This is similar to roads patchwork. After the first rain, it will soon disintegrate returning to square one. Unless it is completely resurfaced properly the problem will remain.
Unless there is a complete overhaul of all personel in both institutions in one hundred years time DZM will be writing the same article and i giving him the same reply.
It is important to keep in mind that delegates are elected. Therefore, it is not a question of delegates holding on to their seat and not relinquishing it unless forced to. If a delegate has held his/her post for a long time, that means that he/she is regarded as being very efficient by the members who elect him/her to be a delegate. Furthermore, there are now quite a number of new delegates in the Labour Party (PL). These include many who are still youths and a substantial number of them are females. There is even a female member of the PL National Executive who is still in her teens.
As for the question of whether Machiavellian cunning wins General Elections, one need only examine the way in which the Nationalist Party won the last three General Elections to conclude that, yes, this is the case in Malta.
How can one ever say 'General Elections are won by Machiavellian cunning'? Ok we know elections are not the purest and cleanest activities on earth but in 2009 for a socialist in the 'Generazzjoni Rebbieha' to state so is confusing. You should know why labour lost the last election. It had no vision. It was without a vision since 1998. No big deal.
Sometimes people wonder why labour always ends in opposition. Such comments may be the answer. One wonders - is labour really making the required change? Then there is the other comment on the 'wise delegate'. If you consider delegates who have been there for ages and do not want to relinquish post for younger ones then can one say that is wise. Are you DZM one of them? This happens in both parties agreed. But I think one should not try to act all saintly. The truth is that delegates like their post and they will never never relinquish it unless forced to. Do you agree DZM?
It takes two to tango. And no we are not afraid of our past. I think you want us to make us believe so because the fingers in the pie were not just labourite fingers! Believe me, time will tell. You will see how much we are not afraid of the past.
“Il-Passat IWAHHAXKOM. U bir-ragun!’
How right you are! These are but a few Fascist slogans that were used by your PN acolytes of the 1960’s their memory still sends shivers down my spine.
Referring to Sir Michael Gonzi, “Il-harsa tieghu soda lejn il-lemin taghmlilna kuragg fil-glieda kontra x-xellug” Elections 1962.
“ Tivvotawx ghall min irid gwerra lill knisja,qrati tal–poplu,ghajnuna komunista”
“ Trid tmur l-infern?
1. Ilbes dizonest.
2. Ara films hziena.
3. Aqra l-Helsien.
Notice boardSt.Paul’s Church,Birkirkara “Mintoff qattiel ta’ l-erwieh.
Ex Voto
“IN-NAXXAR F'PELLEGRINAGG SOLENNI JIRRINGRAZZJA L-MADONNA (tal-Mellieha) GHAR-REBHA TAL-KNISJA FL-ELEZZJONI TA' FRAR 1962”
Maaaaa x’wahx!
Simple. Because you made fools of yourselves when you did.
Malta needs concrete action, not stupid, out-fashioned rallying cries.
General Elections are won by Machiavellian cunning. Labour lost the last General Election for various reasons, over-confidence being one of them. Delegates have a great influence over other party members. The wise delegate is not the one who gets carried away by emotion but the one who realizes how much hard work still remains to be done to ensure electoral victory. For me, a sober, calculated approach is preferable, any day, to exuberance based solely on emotion. That is why I find certain aspects of General Conferences highly artificial and alien to me.
[SIC]
Personally, I am not fond of General Conferences as I believe that they are, more often than not, a case of preaching to the converted and feeling good about ourselves as Labourites.
Funny that people that are party delegates are all saintly stating that they hate 'party general conferences'. If they really do they should resign from delegates.... but they never do. Why attend if you are not fond of it? Delegate membership is what is hurting many in the PL right now (and not just those who were delegates and will no longer be but also new blood who wish to have a chance some day). Is it true that many are still clinging to their delegate seat or not? Ask the poor old guys in the brigata......
Dear DZM you are not preaching to the converted... wish for the sake of true socialism on the island that you are. But unfortunately you are not.
@ Denis Catania
When you will be a PN supporter I will probably be pope :)
how one can harbour so much hate is beyond belief.
The general conference also serves as a morale booster; standing ovations, clapping and singing, garnering a good feeling of assertiveness and strong emotional feelings are the ingredients that make a left wing organisation truly organic and passionately militant. And I feel very comfortable in such an ambience.
Red is our colour, democracy, progressiveness and social justice are our goals. Red is the colour of public pomp and ceremony, the colour of prosperity, power and strength, the colour of vibrancy and vitality
We are Latin, more extroverted than introverted, we are noisy and sentimental and these are our strengths, trying to suppress or denying them would be foolhardy.
Joseph Muscat is doing a fine job, what is lacking in the PL is more standing ovations, the required courage to hit the streets to protest against the bad governance as well as more demonstrative enthusiasm. Clapping and singing helps too.
Why should we be shy to yell ‘Viva l-Labour hey-hey-hey”.