Last Sunday I argued that the nomination of George Abela for President was definitely supported by the majority of Maltese. Our survey proved that beyond any doubt the public loved him and I added: “He is also supported by dozens of sycophants who have not yet stopped writing about what a wonderful man he is. Truth is, he started being wonderful to them when he left Labour and started opposing Alfred Sant. Before that he was not wonderful.” George Abela was not amused. Nor was Lawrence Gonzi, who apart from wanting George Abela as President all along, was a former classmate of the man who only a few months before wished to lead Labour party.
Gonzi et al wish that we all suddenly suffer from amnesia and forget. Thankfully for some, journalists’ memory is an important tool to remind readers of the past and present.
George Abela is not as wonderful as they say he is. He was, to put it mildly, at the centre of things when we all got it wrong in this small island of ours.
He was part of the electoral commission when, in 1987, many people thought it possible to seriously consider leaving the island. Not everyone remembers those days but many do. I do.
Abela never stood up to be counted then. I cannot recall seeing or hearing Abela contest any of the awful decisions taken by Mintoff or Karmenu. And as most men do, he followed orders. Like soldiers would follow orders, Abela obeyed his masters and refused to change the electoral boundaries and this led to Labour ‘technically’ winning an election with fewer votes and more seats.
That, I am afraid, does not make him less culpable for those horrible years.
Last Sunday’s MaltaToday edition described how he formed part of the electoral commission that shot down a minority report. That minority report called for an end to gerrymandering.
Abela, in a comment to MaltaToday on Sunday, defends his role in the Electoral Commission. In Maltese we have a wonderful saying: “Lanqas jisthi.”
When people read what we wrote last Sunday they should have known that gerrymandering and the perverse election results were the main reasons many persons literally stopped believing in Labour and started supporting the PN.
It was the reason for becoming political. It was the one reason why so many individuals who would normally have no problem associating themselves with a social democratic party, transferred their allegiance to the Nationalists.
The GonziPN boys, people like Mellieha mayor Robert Cutajar, and a Gonzi secretariat member, cannot appreciate all this. To them sunrise appeared in 2004 when Gonzi took over at Castille.
We should also not forget that George Abela formed part of the winning triumvirate that led to a Labour government in 1996 and which did away with VAT and froze Malta’s EU application.
But why remember the past?
In favour and against
There have been few voices against his nomination. All of the opposing voices are more or less motivated by ulterior motives. Simon Busuttil’s opposition to Abela’s nomination is probably a case in point.
Since he refuses to explain why he opposed Abela’s nomination, it follows that we can only speculate. But the issue of who will be the next Commissioner seems to be one reason why the ambitious Busuttil was irked by the news.
On the other side, Joseph Muscat has given the false impression that he had a Presidential list with Abela’s name on that list. There is no evidence of this list or that Abela, or anyone else for that matter, was on it.
Lino Spiteri – who was supposedly also on this list – has argued weeks after being mentioned in the press that he was never been consulted by Muscat over his alleged nomination by Labour.
If Lino Spiteri was on Muscat’s list, as Muscat insists he was, then why didn’t Muscat inform Spiteri of his intention to propose him for President?
Louis Galea and RCC
And finally the last comment must go to the most furious guy at the palace. His name is Louis Galea. He thought that he would be President. Now he will simply be the Speaker. Like Gonzi was some years back.
George Abela’s announcement basically puts paid to the dream the former Nationalist minister had. It also proves to Louis Galea, that he was led to believe that he was the candidate. If only he knew that he was being conned in such a deliberate way.
Like Louis Galea, the Cardinal, RCC, also had a mission. His mission is the Commissioner’s seat. As is the case with Louis Galea, he knows that he is not Gonzi’s favourite man. He knows that Gonzi can easily come up with a surprise candidate for the post.
And just in case you have been told, the prerogative is the Prime Minister’s. So until he decides, I think we should sit back and have some fun!
The first part of this column appeared last Sunday on page 11 - www.maltatoday.com.mt
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George Abela was not amused. Nor was Lawrence Gonzi, who apart from wanting George Abela as President all along, was a former classmate of the man who only a few months before wished to lead Labour party.
