The flippant and vexatious libel suits that are flying over all over the place are proof of the anxiety and panic on both sides of the trench. Jo Said started it off, but so did Sant with his inventions about Zammit Dimech and his incisive comments about other ministers.
Alfred Sant remains the star in all these libels. He has been sued by so many ministers that I am losing count. I am not quite sure what to believe but I have the feeling that Dr Sant has run out of bullets and is simply throwing all his crockery at the enemy to confuse and irritate him.
I am not quite sure what libel suits achieve. I am also not quite sure if the libel cases will change public opinion.
They do however stop people from repeating slander or semi-slander and in some cases, or rather many cases, the truth.
The flying circus of libels calls for someone to stand up and be counted. From what I see the best placed individuals are the magistrates who will have to put aside more important cases to listen to a bunch of boring politicians who believe they are at the centre of the universe.
Stand by me To say that we, this newspaper, have not been under pressure to take a political stand would be a lie. This has been the case since day one.
And though I cannot deny that I have do have certain political preferences, many find it difficult to fathom this editorial policy. It is a first in Malta and that is why we are different to the Sunday Times and The Independent. The latter is as blatantly far away from being independent as Silvio Parnis is from becoming the next Maltese saint.
From the PN’s perspective, the one and only defence are simple: How can you let Alfred Sant be prime minister? Now that I am afraid is not good enough.
From the Labour side, it runs like this: you better align yourself with us since we are going to win. And a supplementary: how can you stand having the PN for another five years?
Having said this, not many people appreciate that this is probably the first time in decades that a newspaper from the English speaking world has decided not to take sides.
Understandably, an English language newspaper should take a very clear stand on the side of the PN. But once again, though there are points of editorial convergence, there are other issues where there is no convergence at all. Fundamental issues which none of the major parties embraces remain at the centre of our editorial policy.
Many ask, and then what will you do if Alfred Sant is elected? I wonder? We will do what we have always done: probe and write.
I recall an incident, in 2003 when the election confirmed Malta would definitely be part of the European Union. It was a time to rejoice. There in the press room, I remember bumping into Lou Bondi, we were still sort of talking to each other.
He said: “Now we can start being real journalists.”
I said he was very right. I imagine it was because we both thought that in Europe we had no chance to return to the horrible period before 1987 which MLP apologists still describe as some Golden Age.
We parted and I tried, sometimes unsuccessfully, to attain this dream of a truly incisive and independent media house.
Some people still think that we can return to that pre-2003 era. And Alfred Sant’s banal and unnecessary comments that he will renegotiate part of the accession agreement are not helping anyone.
But then again…
Having said that, I cannot understand why the Labour party continues to shoot itself in the foot at amazingly close range. It started off with an indication that Sant intends to renegotiate parts of the Accession Treaty.
But really: has no one told Alfred Sant to simply keep his big fat gob shut?
The last thing the MLP needs now is more doubt sowed into the minds of the undecided.
The other consideration is Sant’s evolving explanation of the surcharge removal. First he mentioned households. Then he added businesses, after some persistent questioning by Malta’s greatest and fairest journalist. Indeed, I need not mention him by name.
After so many years in opposition, I would have expected Alfred Sant to have learnt a trick or two by now.
The great news, is that Dr Sant has not quite learnt that the best policy is to say nothing, see nothing and do nothing.
Not bad at all Not all that comes out of political stations is boring. Only yesterday I listened to the list of proposals in the PN electoral programme that had been included years before. This kind of exercise proves that either all the people in the PN are new, and cannot remember what happened in 2003; or worse still, that there is no thinking at all.
Yes, we should try to remind each other about all the promises and more so about all the broken promises.
Georg the candidate Full marks have to go to Georg Sapiano, the flamboyant lawyer, for forgetting that he is a candidate with the Nationalist party and no longer a TV presenter. I am looking forward to that interview… yes, Georg, me interviewing you.
And by the way: why would a lawyer with such an extensive history of retainers from government and a successful legal office want to stand for election in the first place?.
COMMENTS
03/02/08 3:27 AM, Falzon
Mr.Zammit ,
Jimporta ma turix kemm int pastaz jekk joghgbok ? GHax alla jbierek tghidu hafna affarijiet ghal Laburisti imma intom bhalna f'hafna affarijiet u jekk trid nibda insemmi ta
02/29/08 7:58 AM, jason zammit
KEMM ILKOM FL`OPOZIZJONI?????????..........KEMM..........GHAX MANIEX NISMA??????????.......KEMM 20 YEARS.......U DAQSEK FADLILKOM........JEKK TRIEDU XI DARBA TARAW IL GVERN BIDLU IL MENTALITA GHAX ATKOM TEJXU 200 SENA QABEL KRISTU
02/29/08 3:55 AM,
02/29/08 3:48 AM, Rodrico Musumeci
Some idiotic comments below to further spice the overheating election mode in Malta. Thank God in a week everything will be over.
02/28/08 9:12 AM, Jo
Excuse me, but what did I insult you exactly with? Was it not your deputy leader who inulted us with a defect in our DNA? By the way, thanks Mr. Mangion for the concern but my DNA is just fine the way it is!!! Isn't Mr. Mangion a notary or has he specialised as a doctor as well? Come on let's give him some credit, he detected a virus in our DNA!
For your info it was your leader who said NO REGRETS in an interview he gave to antoher local english newspaper, an interview in which he was in no way convincing as in all previous interviews and speeches.
02/28/08 8:10 AM, jason zammit
nirispondi lil dak il habieb tieghi li qass ismu ma kieteb li meta iried nitkelmu fuq il koruzjoni mele le. Meta Gonzi investiga lil xi hat biex mansemux ismijiet il Labour laqawh fil partit taghom, tiftakru iz zmien li qass stajna nixtru gazzeta ahna in nazjunalisti, tiftakar li biex tihu bicca Mars jew Bounty ried tmur Catania,Tiftakar li biex ikolok TV tal kulur tried tmur tkellem minisru. tftakar li xi prim ministru fis 70`s qass ried il computers jithlu hawn malta...............jekk nibqa sejer qas niqaf qabel ghada filodu .......ieqaf ahseb ftit my friend u lghazla ghamila al uliedek u mux ghal partit liz zomm mieghu.
02/28/08 7:11 AM, anthony mifsud
Salv,
Good question, Why is he stanging for election? he already get driven in soso BMW like the Prim is this a wish ? or a coincedance!!!!!
Ninu
02/28/08 6:00 AM,
We have all rights and means to be vindictive after all we went through and after all those nice words we heard from your leader but nothing came true. Yes, maybe you have no regrets of all your government did in the past years. That's probably cause you hear the right side only or maybe cause your ears listen only what they want to hear.
And if you want to insult someone with that praise please make it clearer and say exactly what the Labour has to do to show his true colors. I am sure their will be loads of people who will answer you back.
02/28/08 5:44 AM, Jo
Come on Labour, show that your true colur is still red and not magenta like you are currently portraying, that deep inside you are still vindictive as you used to be in your past and you are still showing in your comments!!! Show your true colors!!! Like they say il-lupu jbiddel sufu imma ghemilu ma jbiddlux!!! You are still the same after all these years, NO REGRETS!!!
02/28/08 5:06 AM,
Mr.Zammit ... Jista jkun tela Alfred Sant fuq il Qamar ghax cedewlu ir russi ghax is Sur Francis Zammit Dimech gabhom hawn Malta ghal canvassers tieghu.
Pulicino m'ghalaqx il-Maghtab imma taparsi hawwel 4 sigar mejtin - imma tant mhux tajjeb li Gonzi keccieh u jekk jitla l-MEPA ser tkun taht Gonzi.l-ministri kollha ha jbiddielhom ghax waqqghuh ghan-nejk.
Jesmond Mugliett qed ihaddem lilu nnifsu b'kuntratti li hu stess ghazel ghalih nnifsu.
Ninu Zammit ha 70,000 Liri Maltin ghal bicca art li l-gvern taparsi hadlu - min kellu artijiet ohra hdejn tieghu baqa b xejn.
Edwin Vassallo gab tkts biex il-businessmen ikunu jistghu isiefru b'xejn. Hu ta l-biljett lil martu stess
kollha korrotti - hbieb tal-hbieb
02/28/08 5:02 AM, Carmel Said
Missprints, Corruptions, Repeater Classes, Surcharge tal-1000%, EU re-negotiations, Projects to be done but already finished, Golf Courses,... U ejja come on!
Malta's REAL problems include the following: Drugs, Housing, Pensions, Public Service over-staffing, Disabled access, Street Holes, and the existence of 24/7 Political TV Stations. Why don't they start from there.
02/28/08 4:54 AM, Spiteri
Ghalxiex suppost nifthu ghajneja Sur Zammit, biex naraw l- iscammels tilajn jarmu il- mizbla? Mhux kull ma jleqq hu deheb ta siheb u li jidher min quddiem ma jfissierx li hu l- istess min wara. U ghal xiex suppost nifthu ghajnejna biex naqraw id dokument fejn kiteb li l- isptar gej bil- flus u bil- vilta kollha jghid li mhux veru mentri hemm kollox miktub iswed fuq l- abjad? U jekk tahdem f' ufficju suppost taf bihom il- leave li qatalna ta dawk il- festi li jigu fil- weekend hux hekk?
Forsi Sant veru qijed fuq il- qamar imma aw il- Prim Ministru alla hares imut ta ghax it- temperatura ta l- arja toghla bil- kbir ghax l- infern ma jiqafx jaqbad hu u jahraq il- gideb li gideb.
02/28/08 4:11 AM, Jason Zammit
Ghaziz Cittadini, Tafu li malti bl`isem ta Alfred Sant tela fuq il qamar u adu ma nizilx, mux l`amerikani biss imorru u ir russi, Ma nafx fejn kien meta approva il programm eletorali jekk mux fil Qamar?
Qet jajd li jekk jitla jalaq il mizbla..........Jaf dan li ila maluqa 4 snin il mizbla.......jekk jitla il maternity leave min 13 il gimgha jitla al 14 gimgha , Dan f`sensih jew le, mux diga 14 il gimgha qied.
Qalilna li miss print......jien nahdem go officju u meta inkun lestejt xi rapport ad director nicekjah xi 3 darbiet biex nara li memx zbalji.
Dan lesta Raport li iried jurieh lil Malta kolla u qet jajd li ghandu il missprint.......u ejja Dr.Sant, il maltin m`ghadomx boloh b`min tried tidhak?????????? Hbieb Laburisti ghax intom hbieb najtilkom jien u mux DNA Diferenti, Ifthu ghajnejkom , thalihx jidhak bikom.....
02/28/08 3:59 AM,
This election should be a no-brainer - Malta's economy is doing well, and Malta's economy has never done well under Labour. Add to that the experiences that anyone living in Malta in the 1980s had, and the choice of Government between the two main parties is obvious. But ultimately let the country get what its people feel they deserve.
02/28/08 3:51 AM, Jason
The Sapiano interview may just be one of the fresher elements in this drab election - and will shed light on the credentials of one of the more interesting candidates being fielded by the PN.
Saviour poses an interesting question that has been asked at least since a very rich Roman raised a personal army and took it to destroy a famous city in North Africa - what does he gain from it?
The cynical answer answer is obvious, the other one - the one that has to do with serving the public, and the common good, takes more stomach to believe. The Americans seem to want to believe that, we...we're Mediterranean.
As for myself, in a situation where many top decision-makers don't appear too uncomfortable in some conflict-of-interest positions that beggar belief, I'm rather hoping that we can see what happens when a man who can't have a profit-motive left enters the ring.
02/28/08 3:26 AM,
I was not calling him names for sure .... I was refering to the big hole he left FIL KAXXA TA MALTA !!! sorry if it was understood wrongly...
02/28/08 3:24 AM, M. Pisani
I think you have a misprint man...did u meant to say the San Lawrence Gonzi, Malta's big fat lier???
02/28/08 3:23 AM,
Indeed , calling names is the last desperate resort to convince voters to go to one's party
.Please can we hear REAL arguments why we should vote for your party quoting track records and not hearsay? ALL parties please.
02/28/08 3:10 AM,
holie yes ..... holy NO WAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
02/28/08 2:50 AM, DUN or SAN???
To the writer of the comment below writing DUN Lawrence Gonzi.
Are you referring to SAN Lawrence Gonzi, our beloved holy Leader?
02/28/08 2:37 AM, Joe
Dear Saviour - I must say that MaltaToday is indeed the only english printed independent journal on the Maltese isles. I have read your newspaper from issue 1, and have always found them factual and correct. All the articles represent fair comment, whether they are political, or otherwise.
02/28/08 2:14 AM,
If what most of you people are saying is correct or think that it is correct ... you know what the next saint of Malta will be DUN Lawrence Gonzi ...cause that is how you are picturing him.. Only the halo is missing from his head !!!!!
02/28/08 1:22 AM, Roderick Pisani
I think that who has the courage to scream corruption, should also have the moral obligation to bring direct proof of such corruption. Otherwise, such allegations will turn against the whistle blower and render the corruptive activities slightly if not more socially acceptible.
Futhermore, such allegations should be clearly directed and not blankly covering everyone and everything.
02/28/08 1:17 AM, Jo
No dear, I'm afraid you've got it wrong! ALLEGATIONS of corruption are being made, the truth in these allegations must be brought to justice by the person who is making the allegations if he is honest enough (which I truly doubt)and proved. That's quite different you know!!!
02/28/08 1:14 AM, Il-Babaw
Oooohhhhhh Corrrrupppptiooooonnnn uuuuuuuuuuuu. Wuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, corrrruuuuuppppptttttiiiiiiiooooonnnn everywhere coming to get you and eat you. Il-babaw gej ghalik! Come on, local politics should do better.
02/28/08 12:59 AM, Gatt
What proof do you whant? are you living in Malta? Are you blind to whats happening around you? Corruption is everywere!
02/27/08 11:50 PM,
Of course they are substained with proof and if you are not seeing the proof than you just hear want you want to hear only
02/27/08 8:52 PM,
Has any of the corruption allegations made by the MLP been substantiated with proof ? I rest my case.
02/27/08 2:50 PM, Jason Zammit
Dear Hunters, can some one answer me please, For you all what comes first in your lifes your hobby or your Kids???????????
Thanks
Jason
02/27/08 5:09 AM, M Attard
I beleive that you might really have hit the nail on its head when you said that libels "do however stop people from repeating slander or semi-slander and in some cases, or rather many cases, the truth."
In my humble opinion I stand by the last 5 words!
02/27/08 4:38 AM, Noel Sant
Doesn't anyone else notice the similarity of Alfred Sant's blind accusations based on no real proof to those made by Senator Joe McCarthy in 50's Wisconsin?
