Nationalist whip David Agius, indirectly urges PM to vote yes

For a good laugh, look at this table of the MPs conscience! https://mazzun.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/it-tabella-tal-kuxjenza-ipokrita/

Respect the people??? Do you respect CHRIST????? We we need Him we go to Him?? Religion can't do apart!!!!!!

Sur Agius, bhal ma ghandhom dritt dawk li qalu iva ghandhom dritt ukoll dawk li qalu le u li huma f'minoranza. Il-Prim Ministru m'ghandux ghalfejn jikkoppja bhal ghamlu xi nies u m'ghandux bzonn il-pariri tieghek.

Who the he'll is advising our PM? He needs to change his advisors in the hope of seeing a glimmer of light. He has to realize he is Prime Minister Gonzi not Father Gonzi. A Prime Minister would have declared his intention not just to see the divorce law through Parliament but that he as head of the government would vote in line with the will of the people. An abstention may appease his conservative base but once again lowers his standing with the people at large and reduces his credibility. I hope that most PN MP's follow David Agius's stand as it may be the first small step towards mopping up the mess the party made when taking an anti divorce.

U hallikhom mid-dwejjaq li ghandhom il-PN u araw din: https://mazzun.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/hitler-wara-r-referendum-divorzistan-fuq-facebook/

Now that the matter of divorce in Malta now finished onto our parliamentarians to plan, discuss and later to pass the divorce law. So far we had some who do agree and others that do not agree with the introduction of divorce. On the other hand, on the internet many offered with insults others, which included bad language, especially if others had not insulted him/her with words or action. Yet we cannot understand that we live in a modern society where everyone has a right to express his opinion and then insulted other that do not agree with you - how is that!!!. Others are being threatened too ! If you do not agree with what someone might have wrote on the paper or on face-book, one couldn't expressed him/herself in a more civilized manner as he/she risk of being attached and offended, that what the situation was and now the face of Malta has to change from opinions. We as Maltese we must be civilized society but quite far from it, as one stand to be either insulted or you finish to insult others. As Christians, Catholics, Artiest or none believers I do believe that we are all humans of planet earth and should respect one another in peace and in the love to others, what ever his or her opinion is ? But far from it for sure ? One of the writers on face-book who called himself as being a Maltese Catholic voter wrote that he “wanted to know before the forthcoming General Elections which candidates are in favor or against the removal of religion in our Constitution before they vote, because many wrote on this suggestion.” Therefore, this being a fundamental Human Right for voters to know their candidates opinion made public in the forthcoming election this would be needed to be cleared out, as what is the intention of the party;s intention on the constitution and what changes he intend to do so that one would not vote to things that he does not like. It is true that Maltese families base their marriage between man and woman and that this needs to be much further safeguarded, respected and promoted much further in all social matters and see that their responsibilities be studied. Children, youngsters need more sexual education and Government to improve or introduce an important marriage courses and family responsibilities or management skills which many times this is lacking in the older and even young generations. These things where mentioned during the National Conference held at the Dolmen Resort Hotel, Qawra on 22nd and 23rd January 2010 by the Ministry of Social Policy, but what happened so far ? Did this finished under the carpet and forgotten ? Now is the time that the Prime Minister, the Social Policy Ministry and others from Curia with the Cana Movement and the General Public join together to study further why we had so many separations and cohabiting while still married. One also wonders why have not the Church with the help of the Government operated and organized to help engaged couples so as to resolve such matters when arise and especially during their first four years in separation situation going into divorce. In other countries such organizations succeeded. Such cases need to be given more attention and help ?Are we going to do this, at least the Pl must have a plan to implement and which is mostly needed. The major question that arises for Catholics or those that believe in God, that if they did pray together or if they found time for quite time with God ? Or are we all too busy that we won't find time for such things neither but do find time for many other activities. Maybe for some they do not even find time to say their evening or morning prayers anymore, neither as I notices that many do not find time to say a simple prayers before meals while having lunch or dinner in his/her favorite restaurant? And quite a few do the sign of the Cross before starting to have his meal ? What is happening to the Maltese Family ? On the Internet face-book voters stated that “they cannot in conscience vote for certain candidates in an election for candidates who promote lifestyles or opinion that go against the teaching of Christ and His Church!” Others also stated that........“John Paul II clearly taught in his Encyclical “Evangelium Vitas” that an elected official who is absolute personal not in opposition to the procured abortion or divorce, they should be well know to us and if they do support such proposals which could be aimed at limiting or permitting such laws and lessening its negative consequences to children at such level of opinion or public morality, then these candidates should clearly declare before hand whether they are in favor or against abortion or divorce to merit our vote?”

David Aguis is a decent guy - he should be congratulated for his comments. We can't go on with a Prime Minister who thinks like a Pope. It's 2011 Dr Gonzi.

Abstaining = I have a conscience which is telling me to remain in power!!! I play the double game so that I show how holy i am yet i still retain my seat. To all those who are going to abstain or even worse - vote no - you should be ashamed of yourselves. You're there to serve the people not to serve your one time conscience - because as far as i know this is the only time when the conscience issue came up. When you were pocketing your extemely high salaries - unbeknown to your constituency you did not have a conscience or at least it did not bother you, when there were mp's who made use of private aircrafts to to and watch football matches - definitely he they did not have a problem of conscience - so now for expediency's sake - they have a conscience - my, my, my - why do i have the gut feeling that it is not just their constituency that they are worried about??? All of a sudden they are worried about the minority who voted no - you just insult people's intelligence. You don't give a damn about the minority - you actually care about the issue that this will lose you votes in an upcoming election. Either way you're losers because even if you try to accomodate the minority - you're gonna lose the majority as the majority is going to make sure that you never see the seat of power again. I for one - will use your same tactic - you abstain - i was pn - now i'm party free - i will not vote. Viva Malta Demokratika u Sekulari!!!

@ john67 Whom do you think you are trying to fool???? Why don't you tell your Prime Minister and Leader of the PN,your party, resign and call an early election???? Or you thought that we are going to believe in what you say?? If the PN has got a little bit of democracy in it, like some MPs(Dr. Franco Debono) say, that the people are sovereign, the Prime minister should resign and call an election. can you imagine an important bill like this passes through parliament and the head of the government votes aginst????Does anyone know what happens in European Parliaments in cases like this??? Or the PN is scared to mention the EU in issues like this. Resign Dr. Gonzi and call an early election, it would save your face in the EU! You cannot vote no or even abstain, because you are the head of the government. It would be a very bad image for you and your party in European eyes! just wait and see.

No, abstaining is the coward's way out. If the entire referendum was about conscience, those MPs who do not agree with the result should just resign. Read this: https://mazzun.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/bla-rispetti/

@Human Torch, mela hsibtu sant jew

The Prime Minister cannot abstain or vote No because finally it was his decision to hold the Referendum for the people to choose. And we chose YES. So the Prime Minister MUST vote Yes or else he will be brushing away his responsabilities towards the Majority of voters.

VOTE YES OR CALL A GENERAL ELECTION....U TIBQAX GRANFAT MAL POTER GHAX SER TIGIK AGHAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAvid Agius, is a real man! that 's how it should be,that's how they should all the member of parliament,vote ,after all the people voted YES,& they represent the people,they are there for the people! Whoever vote agaisn't or even abstain, should resign,people won't forget come next election, if the Pm or any member of parlaiment go agaisn;t what the majority voted!!Why make referendum, if they don't respect majority of people want! They should respect the people vote YES!

The PM, of all people, should vote YES.

Abstaining is perfectly acceptable in my opinion. It does not block the bill and still respects the will of the majority and the bigger minority and abstainers. The bill for histories sake should not have an absolute yes vote in parliament because it did not get this in the referendum. However it should pass through even with only JPO's, John Muscat and Evarist Yes votes. I do not believe mp abstainers should resign as they have a right to their personal opinion and by not participating in the vote will protect both their personal belief and the will of the people.

To the PM of Malta. Dr.Lawrenc Gonzi, you are not just an MP, you aer the PM. I am just a common citizen ,which I have the right to say my opinion. with all advisers you have , and your own conscious, was a year not enough about this divorce? The majority voted YES 53%. Why is it hard to admit defeat, and fully respect the people's majority decision? Are we going backwards in time? There is so much tension in the country. The YES have won, and the result must be respected. Those fundamentalists in the parlament, who don't want to accept defeat , and lower thier heads to democracy, must resign, so others will take their place, It's good so the country will get rid of these fundamentalists , once and for all. The country wants a change. "You are the PM, so yes , I believe that you as the PM (altough personaly you are against divorce) ,you must speak and ends all this, by saying, you will vote YES, because that what democracy is, so you will let democracy prevail". I am not very good in expressing, But I think you are intellgent enough, to understand what i mean to. Your decision is of the most importance to show thta we are a democratic country, or the EU will say not good of our country.

Geez! You believe he wrote that? Read this instead: https://mazzun.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/kamra-tar-rapprezentanti-jew-kamra-ta-opportunisti-u-bezziegha/

David Aguis can actually spell? For someone who admitted that he cheated his exams, i am very impressed. Maybe he dictated the article. Talk is cheap after all. Hot air is the only qualification needed.

“I am proud to be part of the PN, a party that is capable of guiding the people and always took the right decisions ..." This is precisely the problem with the PN: of thinking that they have a right to guide anyone - like the good shepherd with his flock of sheep. People can make their own decision and part of the referendum result should also be interpreted in this manner. @john. M.Coleiro will not contest the next election.

The most renowned COPYCAT on the Island telling his Boss and mentor to follow suit.... Will Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi "copy" David Agius and vote "YES" after his whim of a referendum that cost the tax-payers €4 million and the PEOPLE expressed their wish with a YES vote ? Will Dr. Gonzi abstain, shirking his responsibility as Leader of the Nation? If he vote NO why the hassle and cost referendum campaign?

My view is that the PM's acceptance of the referendum verdict was a plus for him. He can consolidate on this by urging MPs to vote 'yes'. Yes, he stuffed it up by calling a referendum but he still has two years to recover from it. And I am no PN supporter. Politicdians should not take this 'personally'. We all take different stances in life and we are not always right.

I am a fervent Labour supporter. Mr. Agius is more of an MP than Ms. M. Louis Coleiro, She must stand down now, not the next general election. Imagine if we voted her as leader.