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Karl Schembri
The Nationalist Party treasurer has invented a new way for ordinary plebs to leave their name in history.
Faced with the dire financial situation afflicting the whole country at a time when the PN needs thousands of liri just to run its TV station, party veteran Peter Darmanin came up with the foxy plan of raising money by enticing people to list their name to the “PN’s glorious history”.
Known for his inventive fundraising strategies, Darmanin sent a letter to all party members urging them to “show the love and gratitude towards this Party of ours”.
This they can do by sending their “special present, small or big” to the party, in the form of a cheque or money order, for which they will be listed in a special registry of donors, that will be conserved in a PN museum yet to be opened.
“I have the idea,” Darmanin confides to the PN tesserati, “to publish a book with all the names and details of every donation, not for publication, but to keep inside the Party museum. As you already know, the Party has decided to start the process for the realisation of this museum, in this historic year, 2005. So, leave your name in the Party’s museum so that even you will have your name listed in the glorious history of the Nationalist Party. You can do this by sending a donation, even a small one.”
Darmanin says that collectively, however small each individual “present” will be, the final result will be “a great gift” to the party. The timing of the latest PN fundraising campaign coincides with a so-called “membership blitz”, with party functionaries, ministers and MPs roaming around the islands on Saturdays in a bid to convince Nationalists to renew their membership.
The PN also sends personalised letters to its members on their birthdays. In these letters, instead of sending them birthday gifts, Darmanin “invites” members to send donations to build the new headquarters.
Meanwhile, the Malta Labour Party is raising funds by selling detergents and espresso machines on its television station, Super One, through daily teleshopping spots.
“You are always asking us how you can help the party station,” the presenter says. “Well, this is your chance. By buying products from One Shop you will be contributing to the station’s finances.
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