Pigs do Fly

The Times of Malta



Our August peace was again destroyed by the political games of whoever thought it prudent to give credibility to a story that pigs do fly. Increasing popular discontent forced the Nationalist Party to clutch to the silly argument that Labour had to disprove that pigs do fly.

One may have unreasonable but genuine reservation about the autonomy of the Vigilance Board and one is even free to be illogical and disagree with its conclusions.` However one cannot fairly disregard the matter of fact under oath evidence of all those involved in the election process of the MLP Leader in 1992.` Their single and collective evidence conclusively seals the argument that the election process was conducted transparently under effective control systems leaving no room for any irregularities, let alone the stuffing 150 votes under the glaring eyes of the electoral commission and representatives of the contestants.

That the evidence includes that of at least one person who was specifically in charge of protecting the interest of the unelected candidate seals the point beyond further scope for suspicion.

The Nationalist Party having been caught red-handed trying again to de-stabilise their opposition could only reply by confusing arguments. What`s the relevance to the Vigilance Board as to whether or not Pawlu Muscat in the years after the election reproduced copies of his personal vote. The Vigilance Board was not investigating what someone else did after the election but was investigating the integrity of the electoral process. No matter how many votes anybody could have reproduced after the event, that cannot have any effect on the event itself. The important thing is that the event process was controlled in such a way that no duplicate or unauthorised voting documents could find their way to the ballot box.

That five documents failed to be returned, including that of Pawlu Muscat, was a natural exercise of the right to abstain just as much as eight voters exercised their right to invalidate their vote. As to the credibility of Pawlu Muscat for me he scores low on whatever version. My conclusion is based on the integrity of the other thirteen persons who gave evidence under oath in a totally logical, comprehensive and corroborating manner.

The onus of proof that pigs do fly is now clearly and squarely upon those who continue to maintain so.

The moral of the story is that the same group that de-stabilised a validly elected Labour Government in 1998 have now even attempted to de-stabilise Labour from carrying out their function to oppose.

They continue with this tack even after the Vigilance Report.` For the The Times (editorial Surprise, Surprise! - 30 August 2000) only a long winded court procedure can categorically disprove that pigs do fly. Joe Grima insists that Alfred Sant`s entourage is so powerful that they can make fourteen persons, including those who were involved in the process to guard the interest of the unsuccessful candidate, to lie under oath before the Vigilance Board.` This is telling us to believe that Dumbo really flies!

What citizens are really concerned about is how politics have been allowed to fall to this incredible gutter level which is making them feel cheated and unprotected. Citizens demand from their government true account for election promises and of the performance of this administration as it approaches its mid-term mark.

Citizens want to know why they are being made to cough up through additional taxes the Lm100 million which they were promised would annually flow effortlessly from the EU as soon as the PN is re-elected. They want to have solutions to the massive cash flow constraints being built up in the private sector through such massive transfer of resources to the public sector.

Citizens want to know why is it their small businesses have to struggle (and quite unavoidably and rightly so!) to get financial support from the bank whilst an organisation run by a single person managed to squeeze Lm9 million for a rather small car importation business.

Citizens want to know who is going to make good for the doubling of the fuel import bill in the first six months of the year through the off-handed decision of the Minister of Economic Affairs not to renew the oil price hedging agreement beyond Dec 1999 when he had a recommendation to do so in` late in 1998/ early 1999 right when oil was hitting bottom prices. The Minister was then busy criticising his predecessors for making such hedging arrangements which eventually left a profit and peace of mind to Enemalta till Dec 1999.

Small wonder that the Minister of Finance and the Minister for Economic Affairs, who have much to answer for the above, were very imprudently in their writings and press releases parrying criticism by arguing that as a matter of fact pigs do fly.

Nohlom

Il-Kullhadd Nohlom

Fit-telqa tas-shana t`Awissu ghandi habta nintrefa` mill-agha u l-kakfonija ta` kuljum u nohlom fuq l-affairijet kif nixtieqhom.

Nohlom li f`Malta tibda tirrenja demokarizija vera fejn iz-zewg partiti l-kbar jikkompetu ghall-popolarita ma` l-elettorat fuq pjattorma ugwali. Nohlom li l-Partiti jibdew jaghtu rendikont lill-poplu tal-finanzjament taghhom lill-pubbliku biex tinqata` is-sitwazzjoni anti-demokratika ta` bhalissa li l-Partit Laburista irid jaghraq l-gharaq tad-demm biex jigbor bizzejjed flus bla rbit halli jiffinanzja l-operat tieghu waqt li l-Partit Nazzjonalista huwa sostnut b`mod paxxut mil-flus qawwija ta` minn jahseb li jista` jixtri l-poter.

Nohlom li f`pajjizi nista` nesprimi fehmti bil-liberta` bla ma nigi vitinizzat politikament minn min jahseb li ghandu dritt jikkmanda l-imhuh ta` kulhadd.

Nohlom li dan il-poplu jibqa` dejjem kburi u prottettiv tas-sovranita` u l-helsien tieghu u jahsibha mitt darba qabel ma jippregudika dak li nkiseb b`tant tbatija` ghal xi promessa ta` titjib ekonomiku li bil-ghaqal xorta jkun jista jinkiseb bla ma jigi pregudikat xejn.

Nohlom li pajjizi jqum mir-raqda kiefra li dahhlitu fiha l-mentalita` ta` money no problem li issa qed tikkankra gisimna u na fux kif nistghu infejquha.` Mentalita` li kullhadd jahseb li l-gvern ghandu xi portafoll ma jispicca qatt u li nistghu inkomplu nahlu l-flus taghna stess li nigbru mit-taxxi u mid-djun billi nsostnu sussidji u nfiq li mhux sostenibbli.

Nohlom li pajjizi jerga` jibqa` jghozz il-valuri tax-xoghol, tal-bzulija u tal-efficjenza u nifhmu li biex nghozzu is-sovranita` u l-liberta irridu l-ghaqal li naqtghu il-hela u t-tberbiq.

Nohlom li l-poplu Malti jifhem li l-gid qabel ma tqassmu l-ewwel irid jinholoq u ghalhekk is-servizzi socjali, il-pensjonijiet, u servizz ta` edukazzjoni u sahha pubblika jibqghu biss sostenibbli jekk dal-pajjiz iseddaq il-kompettivita` tieghu fis-swieq tal-esportazzjoni halli jigbed investiment produttiv voluminuz li jippermetti tkabbir rejali ta` l-ekonomija ta` mhux anqas minn 6% kull sena.

Nohlom li pajjizna bil-ghaqal jista` jiffranka hafna flus li llum qed jigu sparpaljati u minflok dawn jigi nvestiti fl-infrastruttura, fis-servizzi socjali u f`incentivi ghall-investiment produttiv tas-settur privat.

Nohlom li ma jibqax jihmarli wicci mal-barranin li jigu fostna meta` jkolli bilfors nurihom it-toroq lunari taghna u l-hmieg kullimkien li donnu l-Ministri taghna tant ghamew li qed jahsbuh ornament.

Nohlom li ma nibqax nhewden li meta daqs tlettax il-sena ohra nasal k`allajrid ghal pensjoni ma nsib xejn mill-flus tas-sigurta` socjali li ga ili nhallas wiehed u tletin sena.

Nohlom li s-servizzi ta` l-edukazzjoni u s-sahha pubblika, bla nfiq zejjed, b`immaniggjar efficjenti u b`rieda tajba, isiru l-aqwa fost servizzi simili biex il-poplu malti, specjalment dak li ma jiflahx, ma jkollux ghalfejn jirrikorri ghal-servizzi privati hlief ghal kwistjoni ta` kumdita` u snobizmu li min iridhom irid ikun pront ihallas ghalihom.

Nohlom li pajjizi jsir l-aqwa destinazzjoni tat-turizmu fil-mediterran fejn apparti l-lukandi 5 star ikollna l-pajjiz kollu ta` l-anqas 4 star u bicca halli nigbdu turisti ta` kwalita` li jigu Malta ghal short break ta` ftit jiem li minhabba c-cokon taghna nistghu noffru proposta unika ahjar minn ta` kull kompetitur.

Nohlom li pajjizi jsir il-mecca tal-cruise liners li jibdew u jispiccaw il-cruises mediterranji taghhom f`Malta.

Nohlom li pajjizi jdawwar l-Universita` ghal wahda internazzjonali li tigbed lejna studenti minn barra li jaghzlu li jistudjaw fostna bi hlas .

Nohlom li l-industrija tal-films tinghata spinta biex Malta ssir film location popolari ma l-aqwa producers.

Nohlom li Malta ssir centru finanzjarju li jhabbatha ma` l-Isvizzera , mal-Lussemburgu u ma l-Irlanda.

Nohlom li l-progetti li ilna nitkellmu fuqhom kwazi 50 sena, bhal tat-tejatru rjal ma jibqghux tpacpic biss izda jsiru rejalta`.

Nohlom li l-finanzi tal-gvern jirrangaw ruhhom permezz ta` tkabbir ekonomiku spettakolari u b`ghaqal fin-nefqa biex il-gvern ikun jista` jaghti spinta lill-ekonomija u jtaffi l-ghafsa tat-taxxi li qed jahilbu lill-familji maltin.

Nohlom, nohlom. wisq nibza li b`dal gvern skadut li ghandna ser nibqa` nohlom.

Vaganza

Il-Kullhadd Vaganza

Il-Partit Laburista qed jizbalja li dan is-sajf qed jaghti vaganza lin-Nazzjonalisti.` Kieku naghtu vaganza sajfija lill-poplu Malti kollu mil-politika kollha kieku tkun haga sew.` Izda vaganza lin-nazzjonalisti biss billi nirrejagixxu zzejjed ghal kritika li saret rigward l-allegat tbaghbis fl-elezzjoni tal-Leader, huwa zball.

Mhux ghaliex dawn huma l-allegazzjonijiet li wiehed ghandu jinjorhom. Zgur li le.` Jien perswaz li kieku Dr. Sant stess ikun konvint li kien hemm xi forma ta` skorettezza fl-elezzjoni tieghu ikun huwa stess li joffri ruhu ghal gudizzju tal-konferenza generali. Dr Sant diga` ta prova kbira ta` kemm m`huwiex marbut mal-poter. Kien biss Mintoff qablu li ghal darbtejn telaq minn idu il-poter li ggib maghha l-kariga ta` Prim Minsitru. U zbalja kemm zbalja Mintoff fi xjuhitu il-merti ta` ghemilu meta kien fl-aqwa tieghu m`ghandux jittappan b`dak li gara wara.

Izda la l-bicca marret quddiem il-Bord ta` Vigilanza ghandu jinzamm is-skiet halli l-Bord ikun jista` jahdem bil-galbu u minghajr interferenzi jew pressjoni minghand hadd.` Il-Bord irid jizgura li meta johrog ir-rapport tieghu dan igorr mieghu timbru ta` kredibbilita` qawwija biex il-Partit Laburista ma jibqax jgorr warajh xi dell dwar din bicca.` Il-Bord irid jizgura li r-rapport tieghu jaghti xiehda ta` process integru, komprensiv u serju li jasal ghal konkluzjonijiet ragunati u jekk ikun hemm lok ghal xi dubju ragonevoli jindika xi strarrig aktar ghandu jsir. Irid jghati risposta lil dawk li wrew pregudizzju kontra l-integrita` u l-awtonomija tal-bord.

Waqt li nzommu skiet u nuru prudenza fil-kritika taghna lejn min ma jaqbilx maghna ahjar nifhmu li l-veru avversarji taghna huma dawk kollha li jridu joppressaw il-kisbiet li ghamel il-haddiem` Malti tul is-snin. Dawk li jridu jzarmaw is-servizzi socjali u l-pensjonijiet. Dawk li flok jindirizzaw il-problemi tal-pajjiz ikomplu jherru s-sisien billi jarmu l-flus f`hela u f`sussidji insostenibbli biex igibu l-haddiema b`ghazla ta` kif jghidu l-inglizi between a rock and a hard place.

Ghalhekk ma nkomplux naghtu vaganza lin-nazzjonalisti.` Bl-energija taghna flok nahluha fuq min tbieghed u zbalja nerfugha ghal min hataf il-poter b`weghdi fiergha u issa jrid jaljena biex ma nrossuhx halli jaghti rendikont tal-weghdi.

Tiskanta kif f`mument meta kulhadd jaqbel dwar l-izdingar li hawn fil-pajjiz il-Ministru ta` l-Ambjent flok imidd ghonqu ghax-xoghol kbir li suppost qed jaghmel isib il-lajma kollha biex joqghod jikteb fit-Times jippontifika dwar` kif messhom il-laburisti imexxu l-investigazzjoni. Imissna niehdu l-parir ta` dan li jridilna hafna gid u mmorru l-qorti nistennew xi hames snin sa ma l-process jizvolgi!

Bizzejjed wiehed ihares lejn kemm kien dam L-Imhallef Anastasi biex hareg ir-rapport dwar l-allegat nuqqasijiet li suppost kien hemm fil-Mid-Med qabel l-1987 biex wiehed jifhem x`iriduna nghamlu l-avversarji. Wara xi sitt snin investigazzjoni u 37 volum ma nstab assoluatment xejn. Izda n-nies li kienu hammguhom u perrcuhom daqs li kieku kienu xi hallelin ghaddewhom minn trawma li ma nixtiqhiex lill-ghedewwa tieghi ahseb w`ara lil hbieb.

L-energija taghna nerfghuha biex nippressaw in_nazzjonalisti ha ma jkomplux jizolqu milli jaghtu rendikont ta` ghemilhom. Rendikont ta` kif il-Ministru tal-Finanzi wahdu rema Lm50 miljun fil-bejgh tal-Mid-Med.` Rendikont dwar kif sar certu self mill-Bank of Valletta.` Rendikont dwar kif is-servizz tas-sahha pubblika sejjer il-bahar u flok intejjbu dak li ghandna mmorru nisparpaljaw miljuni kbar fi sptar gdid li Alla biss jaf kief u minn fejn se ngibu ir-rizorsi biex inhaddmuh.

Rendikont dwar kif l-iskejjel ta` l-istat sejrin il-bahar u kif qed nitilfu l-pass fit-taghlim ta` l-informatika li minghajra qatt ma nistgu nipproducu studenti lesti biex jiffaccjaw id-dinja tax-xoghol.

Rendikont dwar min se jgorr il-piz tat-taxxi li gejjin fil-budget li jmiss biex jaghmel tajjeb ghall-inabbilita` tal-gvern li jnaqqas l-ispiza tieghu.

Rendikont dwar minn fejn ser ingibu nvestiment gdid biex verament dal-pajjiz javvanza flok norbtu kollox ma l-UE meta na nafux kif, kemm, meta, u taht liema kundizzjonijiet nistghu nsiru membri.

Din hija l-veru agenda taghna. Sa ma johrog ir-rapport tal-Bord tal-Vigilinza l-affarijiet l-ohra huma aljenazzjoni li ghandna niskartawha.

Alfred Mifsud