Joe Azzopardi – the Montesin the PN depends upon

Ir-risposta ta' guzeppi tal-mosta ghall-haiku ta' franco debono il-ktieb tal-haiku gdid - "il-haiku skont Guzeppi tal-Mosta" http://guzeppitalmosta.blogspot.com/2013/01/il-haiku-skont-guzeppi-tal-mosta.html

well said saviour atleast some one has the guts to put it out there

Reading this article makes me wonder if Mr Balzan has any personal grudge / issue against Dr Farrugia. It also makes me wonder if Mr Balzan is looking for the same opportunity with the PL (Movement, etc, etc) that WE found with the PN in government. It's vomit all around!

FLOPINJONI TIJAJ KEM EILEEN SIN KIF UKOLLPEPPI AZZOPARDI HUMALAKBAR ZEWG PERSUNI EPOKRITI FLISTORJA POLITIKA TA MALTA

for god's sake stop peppi coz he is literally getting to everybody's nerves. i am a new voter coming from a politically mixed family. i am a university student. peppi today managed to use leah's case to make propaganda for the pn. it's incredible. my fellow foreign students are literally making fun of our political system. they cannot understand how a person like peppi is left to conduct political debates after what came out of his involvement in the attempted reconciliation between gonzi and dr debono.

Peppi Azzopardi; a wolf in sheep`s skin.

Peppi Azzopardi; a wolf in sheep`s shin.

@ truthBtold & Edjoyce One point I fully agree with you is that the PL is not making full use of its women candidates which are all highly qualified, speak in a convincing way and comes across as being totally genuine in the social concerns they raise. Women are known to be a major determinant in electoral success for they have an influence not only on their husbands and children but more important on their neighbours. I personally am conscious of what an asset Justyne Caruana is for a better future for Gozo and Marlene Farrugia in Malta as a combatitive fighter endowed with a sharp intellect.

truthBtold. The deputy-leaders were chosen by the party delegates. Dr. Muscat or the party's Executive were not responsible for their election. So your argument is wrong.In my view, during the election campaign, since the election is being contested by POLITICAL PARTIES and not between the government and the opposition, any debates between deputy-leaders , the PL should send Dr. Toni Abela, who is a strong debater.

TruthBtold: You must realize that the debate on Xarabank between Dr. Ang. Farrugia and Simon Busuttil, was a debate between the deputy-leaders of both parties. So the PL couldn't send anybody else except Dr. Toni Abela, who, I believe, would have cut down Simon Busuttil to size !I hope that for a future debate between deputy-leaders , the PL would send Dr. Toni Abela. I agree with you that there are other speakers who should be made use of. You have mentioned a number of them . A particular one I loved watching is Dr. Justyne Caruana, the Gozitan MP ! She has an uncanny ability how to argue in simple but very effective argumentation. And has loads of charisma as an added asset !

Even worse than that was TV Hemm on Tuesday when they presented a parody of Franco Debono. If there was any doubt, Tuesday's program gave them away. Shame on PBS.

ALGAN, truthBtold is simply applying logical thought processes.

@GCS. Any company,according to European laws that has a monopoly in the market is illegal! 'We' has a monopoly on the PBS: is this not illegal and obscene? Or 'Where is Everybody' is an NGO and working for charity! PBS is stage managing 'political soap operas on behalf of the production house GONZIPN!

The problems facing the island have balooned into a full blown crises: murders galore,drugs, bribed judges,ministers that are not accountable, a new power station which is already spattering;a 'reformed' public transport that does not deliver; the joke of 'finanzi fis-sod', a Prime Miniser that believes his own gaffes, a lift that shuts down in a fresh breeze; and a public broadcasting service that is the talk of the town, not because of the quality of its content and quality of its programs, but because the politicl balance and fairness it tries to project, is taken out straight form the soap operas! These are the problems facing the island, and no Montesin programs are going to solve these problems; the sooner we accept this reality ,the better it is for all of us, Nationalists or Laourites!

@algan I give you full credit that you realized that between the Director of Communications in dealing with Where’s Everybody and Anglu Farrugia the next day, the deputies debate was a disaster all around. The fact that Simon looked like a fish out of water, Anglu Farrugia behaved and acted so much worse that true laborites could not take it anymore and turned off their TV’s. For the benefit of the party and a successful election campaign Kurt Farrugia should be replaced immediately with Mr. Ghirxi, if he accepts and Anglu Farrugia should be omitted from future debates. While I agree with you that even best teams have an off day, this debate was not an off day. Best teams always field their best players and the PL fielded very poor participants to start its campaign. Ask yourself this simple question. Why shouldn’t the PL choose their best professionals, in any debate? If it’s the economy why not Edward Scicluna, law and the constitution why not Manuel Mallia, family and divorce Deborah Schembri are just examples. Why shouldn’t the PL expose their capable female contingent like Helena Dalli, Marlene Mizzi, Marlene Farrugia, Justyne Caruana at a time when even the EU is insisting that there should be more participation by females in Malta. A progressive and moderate movement must ensure that the female voice is heard now more than ever before in the history of Maltese politics considering that finally this country has removed its blinkers and recognized divorce laws and the IVF

Can you imagine Media Set organizing the national political debates during the Italian elections? Obviously not, because Media Set belongs and is manipulated by Berlusconi! Can you imagine Fox TV organizing the Obama Romney debates in the US with the moderator openly coaching the Republican Party candidates? Obviously not! Can you imagine a moderator in the US openly favouring one candidate over the other? Of course not! But in Malta these obscenities happen because this little island is run by the 'holier than thou' GonziPN Party!

@truthbtold You sound too much like a PN fifth column or at best a person who at the first reversal starts pointing blaming fingers all over the place. There is no doubt that last Friday the PL lost the debate more due to a lacklustre performance from their side rather than a brilliant performance by SB signalling a watershed for the PN fortunes. Even the best teams in the world occasionally have an off day and lose a match against lowly opponents. No major changes to what has so far been a very successful strategy should be contemplated at this stage. The fundamental political objectives are still as strong as ever. All that is required is some minor adjustments to the team line-up and a better game plan. One trusts that this Xmas interlude be taken as an opportunity by the PL strategists to review the tactics and tweak the game plan making it more flexible and able to counter reversals. What is needed is a team with a front line better able to support the playmaker and respond to changes in the PN's tactics.

jista iqaxxar mustacci kemm irid.

edyjoyce, it is obvious that truthBtold is exactly that and nothing else. I share his opinion and would encourage Muscat to change tack, and involve much more the new boys on the block. They are far more acceptable, and promote a more agreeable face and POLICIES to the new and old breed of the more aware Maltese citizen. After all this contributor seems to be offering free genuine advice for the good of the PL and ultimately Malta.

@edyjoyce With all due respect, it seems to me that PL supporters like yourself cannot see the forest for the trees. Make no mistake about it this election campaign will be a dirty one because the PN fully understands that there is a good chance they will loose the administration of this country. If that happens, the Maltese people will get a chance to discover what really went on behind closed doors with regards tenders, contracts and most importantly the reality about the national debt. Be that as it may, you seemed unconvinced that Joseph Muscat has placed and created obstacles within his inner circle that will be detrimental to the PL winning the next election. From what we have seen so far the party communications are not being handled very professionally due to a lack of a director that will never be able to manage it. I do not want to so cruel at this time of year and list all the mishaps he has committed but insiders know pretty well what I am talking about. The connection between this appointment and the last general election are real and I feel this is not the time to air the dirty linen. The Director of Communications should be removed immediately because he is a big liability and a grave obstacle to the PL and Joseph Muscat. It was certainly a pleasure listening to Manuel Mallia on Bondi+ yesterday who made a great contrast between what we listened to yesterday and that horrible debate of Anglu Farrugia. This is a major obstacle and if the time limit does not allow to be removed, he should be shunted to the back and zipped up in giving opinions or exhibition of classless debates. A snake might shed its skin but its fangs are still poisonous. Another factor that is really visible and bothersome to laborites that are sick and tired of donating hundred of thousands of euros and watching their party in opposition is the exclusion of a nucleus of experience that surrounded Alfred Sant and the re-introduction of political dinosaurs from the Mintoff era who once again are starting to believe that their time is back. One perfect example is the embarrassment for the party was the classless act of Joe Grima which I might add the party handled very well when it asked for his resignation from whatever he was supposed to be doing for the party. If Joseph Muscat truly believes that he is leading a moderate and progressive movement into a new political era for Malta, then the old ideas of the political dinosaurs that are still demanding attention and shelter within this movement must be handled differently. It is nice to see so many young people interested in joining this movement but the idea that all of a sudden the more experienced professionals that have also joined anew are not more favorable is damaging to the PL. Please explain to me what is wrong with the PL structure and why these parliamentarians and executives are not exposed to more publicity. Edward Scicluna, Manuel Mallia, Chris Cardona, Justyne Caruana, Anton Refalo, Helena Dalli, Marlene Farrugia, Anthony Zammit, Marlene Mizzi and Deborah Schembri. Also note that these names are from the top of my head and not in any order of preference, as I apologize for any new PL contestant that I have failed to mention. Here is a nucleus that represents change, competence and experience that Joseph Muscat has chosen to keep under wraps at a time when the Maltese people are looking forward to listen to new ideas how to stop collusion, corruption and fraud from this GONziPN administration.

truthBtold: You wrote a lot but actually said next to nothing. What are the "obstacles that are leading Joseph Muscat and the PL to an embarrassing defeat ", which you wrote ??? I will answer you once yiu have answered my question. Anyway, my heartiest Christams and New Year greetings to you and all readers and commentators of whatever colour !

Fully agree with you Saviour. Anglu Farrugia should not be allowed to appear in any TV program hosted by friends of the PN. The PL is not understanding the full extent of damage Xarabank is causing the party. Peppi is a greater danger than Bondi or Vella for he has a populist touch and is more focussed and single minded at seeing the PN retain power. The PL must ensure that it does not help the process by sending the most unsuitable speakers on this program. There also seems to be instructions for PL speakers not to commit themselves and give clear answers They too often hesitate or waffle an answer when asked a direct question. This creates a very bad image of lack of teamwork. It is better that speakers give a clear answer perhaps qualifying it as being their own opinion even if the party later has to tweak the answer.

@matrix. My writing has nothing to do with someone from Bidnija but on the contrary I am trying to get the PL’s attention especially Joseph Muscat to what he has created so that Bidnija mouthpiece will not have a pre-election orgasm. The PL has three months to fix their errant ways because they owe it to all the laborites who for the last 4 fours has donated hundreds of thousands of Euros to see this new movement justify their support for a government in waiting and not for another five years of opposition. As it stands now the end result will be the same as 2008 and you most of all must reflect and agree that those thousands upon thousands of euros are not being donated to keep incompetence in cushy jobs as a reward for past leadership favors. Laborites have every to expect good leadership, an excellent campaign and most of all great communications with the Maltese electorate for their donations. Nobody can overcome the collusion and corruption of this GonziPN administration by incompetence. Simon Busuttil said it himself how proud he was that he once again is writing the election manifesto and to that I say to Simon , “Perhaps you should not say so loud, after all it was Gonzi himself who professed to the American Ambassador how little talent he has to choose from within the PN.” If the PL are serious about being competent, moderate and progressive, then let them start at the beginning of the election campaign and remove the obstacles that are leading Joseph Muscat and the PL to another embarrassing defeat.

Azzopardi's agenda is very simple: that the PN wins the next election and awards him more control of the Public Broadcasting Services.....AND WHAT IS YOUR AGENDA SAVIOUR????? MAY BE YOU WILL REPLACE PEPPI UNDER A LABOUR GOVERNMENT.

Mela kemm hi tajba din sur Balzan, il bierah fil ghodu, fil headoffice ta l airmalta, gewwa l skyparks, fil ghodu xi hadd qaleb il monitors li hemm go l ufficini fuq il PBS x'hin kien qed jintwera xarabank, u dan kollu waqt il hin tax xoghol!! Biex tkompli il kummiedja, haddiema nazzjonalisti bdew jinsulentaw Lill dawk laburisti. Oxxenita wara l ohra, mur gibhom qed isiru fi zmien Il labour dawn l affarijiet!! Bosta haddiema irrekordjaw dak li kien qed Jigri bil mobiles, ie hadd ma jista jichad li mhux vera.

Nomis 101: Simon"morru ghand tal-grocer"Busuttil, got all thos votes in the MEP election from nationalist supporters, because HE HAD BEEN THE HEAD OF MIC during the EU referendum campaign. So obviously he had an enormous advantage on his colleagues. Besides, he had no real competition. What with David Casa coming second ! How's that for proving the weakness of the PN's candidature !In fact Labour ran away with that election !

@truthBtold Your style of writing reminds me a lot of a certain Bidnija trash Blogger. Now where on Earth do you know who's going to be who, under a Labour Government. Your shining star Simon Busuttil is nothing to write home about, yes maybe Anglu wasn't at his best last Saturday but it must be said that Anglu was never given a chance to develop an argument with Peppi Azzopardi's interuptions.I am morally convinced that Simon Busuttil knew the questions before the start of the programme.You wrote a mini article but nowhere did you show any shame that for the sychophants of GonziPN it is ok just to say sorry like for instance the incident where a Finance minister takes a lift on a private jet owned by someone who was bidding on a gambling contract, but dont worry it's ok because he was sorry that is the reasoning of the shining star of GonziPn. Simon is the mask of GonziPN. Vote Simon get the oligarchy again.

@truthBtold Your style of writing reminds me a lot of a certain Bidnija trash Blogger. Now where on Earth do you know who's going to be who, under a Labour Government. Your shining star Simon Busuttil is nothing to write home about, yes maybe Anglu wasn't at his best last Saturday but it must be said that Anglu was never given a chance to develop an argument with Peppi Azzopardi's interuptions.I am morally convinced that Simon Busuttil knew the questions before the start of the programme.You wrote a mini article but nowhere did you show any shame that for the sychophants of GonziPN it is ok just to say sorry like for instance the incident where a Finance minister takes a lift on a private jet owned by someone who was bidding on a gambling contract, but dont worry it's ok because he was sorry that is the reasoning of the shining star of GonziPn. Simon is the mask of GonziPN. Vote Simon get the oligarchy again.

@Kukkanja WE is a private company and has nothing to do with either political party. The company buys air time from the national station and use it to transmit their programmes including political debates, interviews etc. Never have I witnessed any imbalance by WE in time or content in favour or against any political party in any of such political debates. I cannot say the same with regards to Malta Today and its editor Saviour Balzan who at least in the past four and a half years he never, never, never wrote anythong positive of the current Prime Minister, of his government or of the PN. He has been always on the opposite side of them and on the side of their opponents.

@GCS: Unlike Saviour, Peppi does not have his own TV Net Work, nor his own newspapers. Peppi, Bondi, and Vella own none of these assets; they rely on the Public- not private- Broadcasting Service paid in by taxpayers; Labour supporters, Nationalists supporters and AD supporters. Peppi, Bondi and Vella have a right to be biased on the NET TV,or 101 radio, just Joe Grima was on One TV and radio, but WE have no right to be flagrantly biased on TVM and be the strategic arm in manipulating public opinion on behalf of GonziPN! People are not protesting because NET and 101 are biased in favour of GonziPN: its their right, but Peppi, Bondi, and Vella have no right to conduct PBS's political programs and to stage manage them in favour of GonziPN?

Simon Busuttil superficial and poor ?? my foot!!! He knows what he is saying and speaks on real facts, and both nationalists and labour love him, look at the number of votes he obtains for EU parliament, record of votes. Simon keep it up!!!

Your biased political position in favour of Joseph Muscat on one hand and against Lawrence Gonzi on the other is not any different from the one you are accusing with Peppi Azzopardi. You would have been more credible had you informed your readers about your direct/indirect involvement in the arrangement of a meeting between Franco Debono and Joseph Muscat before the moving of the no confidence motion against the government by the opposition last January.

The charades in the political managed fracas of PBS are disgusting. We expect fair,open, discussions,objective questions and the truth. Mr Norman Vella is part of the cover up to hide the fact 'li l-Gvern waqa' as Dr Debono rightly said. In the US,in the UK and in Europe, political parties have to agree on moderators and choose them together. In Malta we have charlatans from 'Where is Everybody' playing the Montesins on PBS and getting paid for it; of course the contract is secret: 'mhux fl-interess tal-poplu'. What is the Chairman of the BA getting paid for? Does he approve of these gimmicks by PBS day in day out: we see ministers, PN deputies, projects galore promised with no hint of fairness and objectivity: all this during a political campaign which have started months ago by PBS?

I totally agree with you Saviour. Something has to be done fast from the Labour side about Anglu Farrugia. He is the PN's best asset. I cringe every time I hear him speak or discuss. He maybe a great lawyer, but as a politician he's zilch. As for Peppi and his crew, yesterday they've had their comeuppance from none other than Dr. Franco Debono. They really didn't see it coming!

Immaterjali x'ihni l-abilita ta Anglu biex jiddibatti. Li jikwetani lili huwa il fatt li l'alla falz tal gurnalizmu malti cioe' Joe sive Peppi Azzopardi kien kowc ta JPO meta ikkonfronta lil Dr.Sant, u rega kien in xena jipprova jikkonvinci lil Franco jaghmel paci mal PN. U dan huwa biss li hareg fil berah, immagina dak kollu li ma smajnix bih. Kif tista tafda prezentatur bhalu li xi darba jista ikun Fair mal PL?

Saviour! Mark my words for future reference. The PL under Joseph Muscat is doomed for another loss at the next general election. Partly because of Joseph Muscat but also because of the incompetent lackeys he appointed as a favor for getting him elected leader. It is amazing how many times the Labor Executives can get it wrong by submitting to nepotism and outright ignorance in placing incompetent people in the wrong positions. As a decent journalist yourself, you are aware how important the handling of the media is to a political party that wants to communicate with the electorate. The PL decided for reasons only known to Joseph Muscat and others within the inner circle appoint Kurt Farrugia as Director of Communications. Political suicide! Someone who could not even run an electronic paper and almost sent it to oblivion to undermine Alfred Sant, cannot be promoted to handle the government communications from Castille. The idea of Joseph Muscat that the new young generation that cooked and burned the goose (Alfred Sant) in the last election being able to come to fruition in this election is so very wrong and Joseph Muscat must shoulder all responsibility for these decisions. My sole opinion is that Mr. Grixti the ex editor is a perfect fit for Director of Communications but the Muscat mentality seems to reflect that anybody who contributed extensively during the Sant leadership all of a sudden is deemed irrelevant.( How on earth can Joseph Muscat with a straight face be a critic if Lawrence Gonzi calling Debono irrelevant) Miriam Dalli is another hard working journalist who is head and shoulders above Kurt Farrugia’s I.Q. Look around the new and capable faces within the new PL and one wonders why the executive chose the two deputy leaders who both have a history and a muddle past within past labor governments. Joseph Muscat should be flanked by modest, new and intelligent deputies like Edward Scicluna to deal with economics and Manuel Mallia as a well rounded attorney who is amongst the top tier of his profession to dissect the constitution and the laws that govern this island. The plan is starting to unravel and it is only because incompetence is starting to feel the heat of the general election and have no idea or experience how to handle it. At this time of season, it is quite clear to establish that the young fawns that Joseph Muscat has placed so much credence on, are not yet ready to carry the sleigh like the experienced reindeers that have been set aside as if they have become irrelevant.

I totally agree with you Saviour. Something has to be done fast from the Labour side about Anglu Farrugia. He is the PN's best asset. I cringe every time I hear him speak or discuss. He maybe a great lawyer, but as a politician he's zilch. As for Peppi and his crew, yesterday they've had their comeuppance from none other than Dr. Franco Debono. They really didn't see it coming!

Whilst agreeing that Anglu Farrugia is nothing to write home about, the dominant image this weekend was undoubtedly that of the ashen faced Simon whispering into his phone while begging his sycophants to protect him inside the aquarium! Peppi was well and truly hoisted by his own petard. Franco did not need to be coached!

La Joseph Muscat lest li jahdem ma kullhadd qal din nhar il-Hadd li ghadda, mela m'ghandux ghalfejn jibza Peppi Azzopardi!

Prosit Saviour ma stajt tolqot il-musmar daqshekk ezatt. Tista' jekk ghandek il-prezzijiet li l-WE jiccargjaw ta' dawn it-trasmissjonijiet, hemm xnijghat li dan l-ahhar splodew perjodikalment il-fuq b'ammonti li ftit jistaw jitwemmnu.