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Fact
file
Born: 25
May, 1933
Professions:
Lawyer, journalist, politician
Police
conduct: Sentenced to four days in prison in 1959 for vilifying governor.
Highlights:
Married amidst political-religious battle in Rabat Church sacristy
in 1961. During same year he was also elected to parliament for first
time on Labour ticket. In 1971 he was appointed minister and resigned
some months later.
Remembered
for: Sticking up to Mintoff even though he admired him.
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interview
On politics, religion and leadership
During
the turbulent sixties Dr Joe Micallef Stafrace
was the Labour Party’s wonder boy. He was a fiery journalist,
interdicted by the Church and determined to bring about change.
He fell out with Mintoff in 1971 and has been out of party politics
ever since.
KURT SANSONE discovers the colourful
and eventful life of this no nonsense lawyer.
68-year-old Dr Joe Micallef Stafrace is as bubbly and straightforward
as he was way back in 1959 when he was sent to prison for publishing
a caricature that made fun of the British governor.
Dr Micallef Stafrace has a colourful life that crosses the media,
politics, Mintoff, the church and Guido De Marco.
He was the first person to give the Labour movement a daily newspaper
back in the fifties when still a senior-law student. It was in 1959,
as editor of Is-Sebh, that he was imprisoned for four days after
the court declared that he had vilified the governor by publishing
a caricature.
"I was young and determined, back then", Dr Micallef Stafrace
said with mischievous eyes. He had published a caricature of governor
Sir Robert Leycock carried shoulder high drinking gin with a band
in the background and printed words saying, ‘Kemm ghandu qalbu
tajba’ (For he is a jolly good fellow).
At the time the governor had suspended band marches for fear of
trouble. After various requests he had given permission for the
ban to be lifted in the feast of St Dominic.
"I wanted to make fun of the situation", Dr Micallef Stafrace
said while not regretting one moment of that incident. Today the
press is freer and the laws protecting freedom of expression have
evolved.
The 1959 incident sparked off a friendship between Dr Micallef Stafrace
and current president Guido De Marco.
"When the court sentence was confirmed on appeal Guido came
over to me and consoled me. He wished me luck and said that he looked
forward to seeing me back in court."
Dr Micallef Stafrace has great admiration and respect for President
Guido De Marco even though they have their political differences.
This was evidenced during the interview when he received a call
from ‘Guido’ and they addressed each other like two school
buddies. However, the friendship was further consolidated during
the turbulent sixties.
"During the political-religious bickering of the sixties Guido
De Marco showed me real friendship. He was present for my wedding
even though I received a lot of flak. De Marco had told me ‘My
friend is going to get married and that’s that’, and I
really appreciated it", Dr Micallef Stafrace said.
Dr Micallef Stafrace has been married for over 40 years and his
eyes show that he has enjoyed every single bit of it. However, his
wedding on September 1961 was a rough ride. He was the first interdicted
person to get married at the height of the political-religious battle
of the sixties.
In an article he wrote for It-Torca, on the sixth anniversary of
his marriage in 1967, Dr Micallef Stafrace spelt out his ordeal.
He eventually got married in the sacristy at the Rabat church. The
young and fiery Dr Micallef Stafrace had even spoken to Archbishop
Gonzi about the matter.
"It was a time when Labour Party meetings were disrupted by
church bells and the jeering of church group members waving the
flag of the Vatican", he added.
Nonetheless, the ordeal he went through did not leave Dr Micallef
Stafrace embittered. In the same article he finished on a positive
note: "We must look back to the past and see how ugly it was
to make sure that the future will be different."
But what does Dr Micallef Stafrace think of the Pope’s recent
visit.
"Things have changed. Today I am glad there is no religious
divisiveness. What I saw at the Granaries in Floriana was a celebration
of goodness. I admired Dun Gorg Preca because he initially suffered
within the Church to bring forward his ideals."
The bitter experience Dr Micallef Stafrace had during the turbulent
years did not affect his faith or his relation with priests.
"My religion is not one of ceremonials and witchcraft. I never
abandoned God; it was my trust in him that kept me close to my religion.
I feel the presence of God within me and by my side. I think a lot
about God." He continued, "I admire priests and I also
understand their shortcomings."
At this point we made a slight detour and discussed Pope John Paul
II. Dr Micallef Stafrace believes that this Pope has two different
facets.
"He is very open minded when it comes to human rights and human
solidarity, however very conservative when it comes to sexual teachings.
There is a great distance between the Church’s official teachings
and what is practised by the vast majority of Catholics."
Dr Micallef Stafrace believes that the Church’s attitude towards
sexuality may be influenced by the fact that the Church is run by
celibate, aged males. It goes without saying that Dr Micallef Stafrace
is in favour of women priests and believes that priests should be
able to marry.
The discussion turned back to politics, precisely the time when
he resigned as a Labour minister in 1971. He was considered to be
Labour’s bright boy and when he resigned many told him that
he could have eventually succeeded Dom Mintoff at the helm of the
party.
"In retrospect I think I had a chance to become leader",
he added humbly.
Dr Micallef Stafrace still retained his seat in parliament and on
resignation he assured Mintoff that he would still vote Labour.
After the legislature was over, Dr Micallef Stafrace never contested
another election.
But why did he resign?
"I clashed on a personal level with Mintoff. We had two different
characters and I was never a part of Mintoff’s inner circle.
Nonetheless, Mintoff trusted me."
He continued, "my minister’s portfolio included trade,
industry, agriculture and tourism."
That is one hell of a portfolio and when Dr Micallef Stafrace resigned,
the portfolio was divided into four different ministries.
"Apart from the clashes I had with Mintoff, I had a presentment
of the impending violence and thuggery", Dr Micallef Stafrace
added.
Turning to the political violence that characterised the late seventies
and the eighties, Dr Micallef Stafrace described it as a black page
in an otherwise glorious history for the Labour Party.
But how did Labour’s violent elements surface?
"These elements were not nipped in the bud and the situation
got out of hand. I believe Mintoff could have done much more to
stop it."
However, he is convinced that part of the violence was perpetrated
by ‘agents provocateur’ outside the Labour party.
"These ‘agents provocateur’ could have been the people
behind the killing of Raymond Caruana and Karen Grech", he
said.
At this stage the discussion veered towards new Labour and Alfred
Sant. Dr Micallef Stafrace does not hide his admiration for Alfred
Sant. He considers him to be a clean politician.
"Alfred Sant has two merits. The most important is that Sant
did not come up through the rank and file of the Labour Party, therefore
he has no obligations to anybody. When he was chosen leader he had
no debts with people, and that served as an advantage."
The second merit according to Dr Micallef Stafrace is that Dr Sant
wanted to change Labour’s violent image and he managed. "Today
Sant is continuously stressing that things have to be done calmly
and the battle has to be won by arguments", Dr Micallef Stafrace
pointed out.
Was Dr Micallef Stafrace ever approached by the Labour Party to
contest elections once again?
"I was never approached formally", he said without regret.
"Politics was not the only thing I loved doing, I also love
my legal profession", he added admitting that he turned down
offers to become a Judge.
The Mintoff-Sant clash did not surprise Dr Micallef Stafrace.
"Funnily enough after the 1998 story unfolded, old Labourites
who hated my guts when I was minister back in the seventies came
to me and told me I was right back then not to worship Mintoff."
He believes that Mintoff should not have contested the 1996 election.
He continued, "the people who persuaded Mintoff to contest
were wrong."
Even though he clashed on a personal level with ‘Il-Perit’,
Dr Micallef Stafrace insisted that he is a great admirer of Dom
Mintoff. "I consider him to have dragged Malta into the 20th
century. The positive social changes he brought about enabled this
country to stand on its own two feet."
How does Dr Micallef Stafrace view the current administration?
"I think the PN’s defect is that it has focussed on the
European Union to the exclusion of everything else, to the point
that if membership does not materialise, there is no alternative."
Dr Micallef Stafrace hates to see things solely in black and white.
"I took great comfort in Sant’s latest speech in Ta’
Xbiex, when he said that it is bad to say that the EU is heaven,
but equally bad to demonise the EU", Dr Micallef Stafrace said.
Where does he stand on EU membership?
"I am not so convinced that it is beneficial as an immediate
development for Malta. Not all the implications are known. However,
I am neither convinced of the argument that membership in the foreseeable
future is a no-go", Dr Micallef Stafrace explained.
The astute lawyer wants to see more people like himself who take
decisions after listening to all arguments rather than just towing
party lines.
The argument finally boiled down to the Prime Minister’s recent
outburst.
"It surprised me", Dr Micallef Stafrace said. He continued,
"the Prime Minister does not know what damage his speech has
done to people who support the Nationalist Party, but are critical
of some policies being adopted by government."
Regarding Eddie Fenech Adami’s retirement Dr Micallef Stafrace
said, "Fenech Adami should find the opportune moment to make
a glorious exit, however I do not think that this is the right time."
He continued, "the Nationalist leader has a legitimate ambition
to be the person to lead Malta into the EU but this is a risky line
because if it does not materialise than the exit will be disastrous."
According to Dr Micallef Stafrace, politicians show their greatness
when they find the right time to retire. "The Prime Minister
may reach a state were he would not want to let go, just like Mintoff
had become, and that can be dangerous", Dr Micallef Stafrace
added.
Will Dr Micallef Stafrace ever accept an offer to become President
of the Republic just like his friend, Guido?
The answer was, "I find it hard to accept the ceremonial aspect.
It is against my way of life", Dr Micallef Stafrace concluded
with a twinkle in his eye. |
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