Interview • 22 September 2002

PN's obstinacy is hampering a majority at the Gzira Council

Staunch Nationalist Party supporter Albert Rizzo believes that it's because of the Nationalist Party's stubbornness that the Gzira local council has a Labour mayor and is unable to take decisions. Speaking to RAY ABDILLA, he said that, despite being a loyal Nationalist supporter, he was never asked to contest local council elections for the PN

Former Gzira Mayor Albert Rizzo feels that there is a total discrimination against him in particular and against other candidates who stand for local councils elections as Independent candidates. Albert Rizzo said that he had never been asked by the PN to contest and that was a surprise since he is not only a staunch supporter of the PN but also contributed financially and physically to the party for years.

He also blames the division at some local councils on both political parties.

Mr. Rizzo agrees with Dr Alfred Sant's previous argument that political parties should not contest local elections. He said that Dr Sant since made a U-turn on this. He thinks that the Curia's comments on the local councils, that they should be purely for individuals and not political parties, makes sense. He believes that there's no need to be a Nationalist or a Labourite to change a pavement.

"The local elections should be for individuals who want to work for their locality, so I don't know what politics has got to do with decorating a street or building a new home for the elderly. I know that political parties stand for elections in other European countries but in Malta politics are too much.

"Why should I vote for a Nationalist candidate if I know there is a Labour Party supporter who works better for the locality. This could apply vice-versa. Meanwhile with political parties in Malta it is a matter of party and not who the best man for the job happens to be." Mr. Rizzo said.

Mr. Rizzo said that despite being a Nationalist Party supporter and although he knows he will stay that way, a lifelong member, he is not happy with the way he and some of his colleagues are being treated by the party. "For the next local council elections I am not the only one who will contest as an independent. There may be two of us or even three, and we will try our best to win another seat. It looks like the Nationalists aren't considering me to be one of them. Nevertheless I still get elected as an independent liberal candidate. It has become difficult to win a seat at the local council if you are an independent now, more so if against you there is a barrage of criticism from both parties against you.

Mr Rizzo said that Super 1 TV and radio together with Net Television and Radio 101 are continuously making propaganda for the Labour and Nationalist candidates. He said that party leaders no longer encourage voters to support competent independent candidates. Mr Rizzo said that it is a pity that both parties have decided to put their noses in the work of the local councils.

Mr Rizzo believes that he has been given the cold shoulder by the PN, which wants to accommodate PN candidate Dr Ian Micallef.

"Micallef was at one time in favour of the Labour Party candidates and that is why we have always had an MLP Mayor. It is a truly strange situation when today there are more Nationalists than Labourites in Gzira. In order to accommodate one person the PN leadership prefers to hurt the party and me. If I ever had to contest for the PN I am certain that Dr Micallef would not poll half the votes I would poll under the party flag.

"Are we living in a democratic country? I don't think so. Whilst I still support the PN for restoring democracy in Malta, I can't understand how such decisions are taken."

Speaking on today's Gzira local council, Albert Rizzo said that the three candidates representing the Malta Labour Party at the Gzira Local Council have made a U-turn from their previous stance against forking out funds for the new Gzira Local Council premises.

Former Gzira Mayor, Ian Micallef, had persuaded the council to vote in favour of the new premises for the Gzira Local Council just before the local council elections, at a cost running into the thousands. Albert Rizzo said that his motion to postpone the decision for after the local elections was rejected by the PN mayor. Ian Micallef wanted the council to approve the sum of Lm10,000 as part payment for the new Gzira offices. Even the Labour Party did not agree with the new office and protested against it. To everyone’s amusement the Labour councillors then voted in favour of the new council premises.

During the initial stages of the purchase, some 30 Labour Party supporters, including the current Labour Party councillors and MP Leo Brincat, had held a symbolic protest against the buying of the new premises.

The last local council election in Gzira saw three Labour candidates, three Nationalist candidates and one Independent candidate being elected.

Numerous votes were held to elect a mayor and, although Independent candidate Albert Rizzo was the hot favourite, there was no agreement as the Labour candidates voted for Twanny Buhagiar, while the Nationalist candidates voted for Ian Micallef, with Albert Rizzo abstaining.

The law states that if this occurs after six voting sessions, then the most experienced (the oldest) will become mayor for a period of three months with another election to be held after this period of time. Accordingly, Twanny Buhagiar (MLP) was made mayor.

In the first meeting a number of motions were passed and motion 4.2, which consisted of paying the sum of Lm10,000 a year, or Lm5,000 every six months to purchase the new building in Rue D'Argens, was passed without any problems after the motion was put forward by Ian Micallef and seconded by Victor Rutter.

However, Albert Rizzo was not present for the meeting, as the date of the council meeting was changed from a Monday to Wednesday at short notice.

Albert Rizzo, although not a Labourite, was in favour of the purchase of the new premises. But was always against such a decision being taken prior to the election. It also came as a surprise that many of the motions made by former Nationalist Mayor, Ian Micallef, were passed without objection by the Labour Party candidates.

Mr Rizzo said that he even believes that the Gzira garden should be re-named Gzira Garden and not Council of Europe Garden. Although the Gzira Labour Party councillors also agreed on this before the election, they voted against Rizzo's motion for the Garden to be .

Albert Rizzo said that he has been asking the same question without an answer regarding the Gzira local council: "Why did the Nationalist and the Labour councillorslose the chance to incorporate Manoel Island as part of the Gzira borders by voting against a motion presented by myself? "Why has nothing been done regarding the letter of intent supposed to have been passed to us after so many promises by Minister Francis Zammit Dimech and Parliamentary Secretary Jesmond Mugliett regarding the Manoel Island football ground and sports facilities, especially the nursery? And who put a special funds regarding road works in places likes Cameron Street, Reid Street and Carlo Manche Street?"

The first election for the Gzira Local Council was held on Saturday 19 February 1994. Out of a population of 8,032 there were 6,037 persons entitled to vote. Fifteen candidates contested this election: one candidate for Alternattiva Demokratika; six candidates for the Nationalist Party and eight Independent Candidates.

Seven councillors were elected. The total number of valid votes cast was 3,936 which amount to 65.19%. Albert Rizzo polled 405 and took oath of office on 1 March 1994 as Mayor. The second election for the Gzira Local Council was held on 13 March 1998. Ten candidates contested this election: one candidate as Independent Liberal; five candidates for the Nationalist Party and four Independent Candidates.

Seven councillors were elected. The total number of valid votes cast was 3,504. The quota was 439 votes. Albert Rizzo as Liberal Independent polled 761 votes. During the last local council elections despite both political parties' presence, Albert Rizzo only fell short of eight votes of winning a seat on the first count. He still made it a count or two later without any canvassing or any help from a political party. "Both parties tried to discredit me," he contends.

With his own electoral programme Mr Rizzo wanted to see dchange in Gzira. He proposed Manoel Island becoming part of Gzira. Mr Rizzo also proposed the building of another home for the elderly and the opening of a day centre. Among other things Mr Rizzo promised to strengthen the fight against drugs, prostitution and illegal foreigners.

Besides being a councillor Rizzo is also famous for getting into the records books. If one tries reads the 1983 edition of the Guinness Book of Records one finds that Albert Rizzo had broken the record of Seawater Treading. In fact he broke his own record of up to six hours staying 68 hours in seawater.

Albert Rizzo was the first Maltese with a world record to his credit.

He was born in 1947 in Gzira and is the second oldest of five brothers. As a kid he used to attend the St Monica school but when he grew older he attended the nautical school because his dream of a seafaring life.

In 1962 his family emigrated to Australia. He was only 16 when he met Mary, today his wife.

"We knew each other for some time but I was about to be called up for the Vietnam War at the age of 19. Luckily there was a clause that said that if you are married in a certain time you could get exempted.

"My family were very worried about all this and they urged me to get married, which I did. A year later Elisabeth was born and today she is 34 years old. In 1969 we came to Malta by boat and I remember that I had organised a waterpolo tournament in the ship's pool. We had time to kill because the journey lasted five weeks.

"I remember there was an old man who kept shouting Turu, Turu. After the game I went to speak to him and he told me that he thought he was seeing another Turu Rizzo, a famous well-known Maltese swimmer. He did not know that I was his grandson. I remember my grandfather, but he was already old. He used to run an antiques shop but later he got sick and even lost his eyesight and even his hearing but despite all this he was always a happy man.

"Shirley, my second child, was born in Malta 31 years ago. My son is 26 years old and now runs a business in Canada. My youngest is 15-year-old Maria Rachel. I also have two grandsons and one grandaughter.." Mr Rizzo said

When he came to Malta he tried to find a job at the Malta Rubber factory but his father invited him to work with him in antiques. He started alone in 1972 taking over from his father.

In 1994 Albert lost his mother and he still thinks a lot about her. In fact he's always raving about his parents and says that he owes everything to them. When I went to interview Albert at is home in Gzira, his father Effie, known as "Pops" was also present.

Albert Rizzo is a very charismatic person and he is loved by all at Gzira. Labourites or Nationalists, he doesn't mind. He loves his country, especially his hometown Gzira. He also carries the scars of personal tragedies: he not only mourns the loss of his mother but also those of his brother Alfie and of his son-in-law Franco. He also lost a good friend, someone he used to call uncle - Louis Bartolo. Mr Bartolo, remembered for his murder of Il-Fusellu, was a longtime family friend, dubbed Uncle Louis although he was not a relative.

"He never wanted to get involved in trouble. He never wanted to kill anyone but he was being intimidated. He had no choice and I am certain that even God knows. But life must go on. All I care about is my family, my friends and the Gzira residents."

Mr Rizzo recalled that at one time he was also on brink of contesting the general elections for the PN. The world-record holder was even once nominated by Carol Medati, former PN Gzira General Secretary at the Valletta PN club to contest the general elections in the presence of Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami who urged him to do so. But nothing came of it and now the party he loves has given him the elbow.