A vote not cast is a vote for Labour – Gonzi

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi again warned those disgruntled PN supporters that “those choosing not to vote are giving their vote to the Labour Party.”

Lawrence Gonzi addresses his audience at the Floriana granaries, where Indepedence festivities are underway.
Lawrence Gonzi addresses his audience at the Floriana granaries, where Indepedence festivities are underway.

Speaking during the Independence celebrations held on the Granaries, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi conceded that there were those who might have been unhappy with the PN's performance on several points, such as the closure of the Malta Drydocks.

"This happens. I understand this." He said that the dockyards' situation was untenable for several reasons, such as lack of competitivity and unsustainability. "Thankfully, a large number of dockyard workers found other work."

He said that it was true that some workers took a financial hit. "But did the country not benefit from the fact that it had 40 million it could invest in education, health, or industry? These were important steps," Gonzi said, also emphasizing the importance other reforms such as the Arriva public transport reform.

He however reiterated past warnings that those who chose to not vote for such reasons "would be giving their vote to the Labour Party."  Gonzi again stoked fears of Labour's past administrations, referring specifically to the 1996-1998 Sant administration.

"When Sant removed VAT, he created the financial biggest sink hole we've seen in our history," Gonzi said. "See what happens when you rely on the promises of those who pledge 'dancing water' but fails to deliver. One does not toy with the futures of our children." Gonzi said, adding that to make good for this, the Sant administration resorted to a budget heavy with taxation.

Gonzi was speaking during a dialogue 'The PN and You' as part of the Independence celebrations on the Granaries in Floriana. The dialogue was chaired by Dr Simon Mercieca, an academic from the University of Malta.

Gonzi also said that the PN "has a track record of identifying challenges, aside from creating them itself." He said that challenges abounded since Malta's accession into the European Union. He said the challenges of today are borne out of the challenges of the past, referring to pre-EU accession challenges, and even Pre-Independence challenges.

He said that the decision for Malta to join the Eurozone and adopt the European currency was because while the Lira was strong, it was nevertheless an island currency. He said that the PN "prophetically" foresaw that a situation could arise which the currency would not weather out.

He said that Ireland had suffered specifically this fate, as it had chosen to not join the EU, "following the advice of many including that of Joseph Muscat, and suffered the brunt of the economic storm."

Gonzi emphasised that it was only recently that Malta faced "its biggest challenges" which also rocked other European countries as well as the rest of the world. He reiterated how Malta managed to weather the worst of it, "and large organizations have given us their certificates of success and that we are progressing."

He also recalled the "unexpected and unavoidable Libyan crisis," adding that this was a challenge from which Malta "emerged with honor in the eyes of the whole world." He said that Malta was among the few "who chose not to remain impassive in the face of injustice and cruelty, and chose to be on the side of values and respect towards human dignity."

"Today however we ask what will the next challenge, the next direction, for this party?" Gonzi asked. "We are ready to take up any and all challenges that emerge, and we are prepared to renew the country. We are the party of renewal, and we will renew both ourselves and the country," Gonzi said, amid applause.

He hit out at the Labour Party's history and how it once "boasted of the capers factory," and also it criticized its employment corps, which Gonzi said allowed it to "hire thousands of workers on the eve of the election. He also hit out at what he described as "military discipline that did not even permit one to protest."

Gonzi emphasized the PN's commitment to ensuring that the industrial sector in Malta keeps developing. He said that to see this happen, the PN would be focusing on three pillars: supply of able and trained workers, the supply of electricity that is cheaper than that of competitive suppliers within Europe, and thirdly, offering solutions to local industry regarding what to do with the waste they develop.

"So far, they have had to export their waste," Gonzi said, emphasizing that a future PN government would be investing heavily in these three areas.

Gonzi recalled the past Labour administrations and how those living in Zejtun knew this first hand. "They know what it is like not being able to speak out. They know what it is like not being able to walk safely in the streets," Gonzi said as the crowd stood and applauded.

Gonzi poked ridicule at Labour Leader Joseph Muscat's recent assertions that "the person is the focus" of Labour's policy, questioning "What was there before, then? It was votes which were at the centre of their attention," Gonzi said. "During Labour's time, Maltese doctors were exiled. Maltese hospitals were closed down. Maltese students had to go abroad to study," Gonzi said.

Asked about the divorce referendum, Gonzi insisted that the PN had always accepted the people's verdict.

"We have never ignored the people's choice," Gonzi said, insisting that the party was always ready to improve and revise itself and its policies. He said this was the case not only in the short term, for just one election, but in the long-term "over a number of years."

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A vote not cast is exactly that: a vote not cast!!! Probably the most accurate interpretation is as a VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN YOU AND YOUR INCOMPETENT GOVERNMENT!!! ... You tried this tactic in the last election, but I hope that by now people have learnt better and you will be given the tkaxkira you deserve!!! ... Over 20 years you have governed, and especially for the last 4 years, what have you to show for it??? Stop scaring people with the past! The past is the past and anyone loving Malta would be very cautious what ghosts from the past we want to revive!!! And let's not forget that it is not only labour that has faham miblul, so be careful what malicious seeds you sow gonzi because you may yet reap the whirlwind!!! ... Why don't you tell the people how civilized the labour behaved when they wone the election and Alfred Sant was leader??? You are really FALLUT that you constantly need to bring up the ghosts of the past! Look to the future for once and give the country some hope -- but that is of course impossible because there is no hope, just fear, corruption and injustice! The list could be endless! Malta is fed-up with you so why don't you do the decent thing and go!
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Mr Gonzi a vote not cast is a vote of protest against you and your incompetent government. Mr. Gonzi you are such an expert of twisting the truth, during Labour time the doctors were asked to work in Malta just for 3 years to pay back we the people spent on their education,but they preferred to go overseas where they earned more money.the dockyard lost money because of the Fairmont corruption saga which your government was involved.Cant wait to see the back of you bloody hypocrite.
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Dear Dr Gonzidcgpn I am afraid that you are afraid that there are going to be thousands who are not going to cast their vote for obvious reasons. One of these reasons being your malicious manouevre to increase your honoraria by 600 euros behind everybody's back, except your clique, immediately after your party was returned to power. You have repeated this once too often, I am afraid, dear Dr Gonzidcgpn.
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Igor P. Shuvalov
"We have never ignored the people's choice," Gonzi. Some people seem to have a short memory and think that you can make people forget the recent past. Did Gonzi and some of his deputies went along with the people's choice when voting against the Divorce Bill?
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A vote not cast for Labour is a vote for another pay cheque increase for Gonzi and his clique!...that is what our pseudo-Catholic PM should have said!
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The PM said that Ireland had suffered specifically this fate, as it had chosen to not join the EU, "following the advice of many including that of Joseph Muscat, and suffered the brunt of the economic storm.""He said that Ireland had suffered specifically this fate, as it had chosen to not join the EU" I think the PM was referring to Iceland not Ireland. However let us say something on Ireland and Iceland as seen and compared fromh different angles by their current performance. Ireland which was touted as as the Celtic tiger and the perfect model for Malta to follow and justification to join the EU has since 2008 been totally in the doldrums, had to be bailed out by the other EU countries,has a 15% unemployment rate and has turned into a Eurozone economic basket case. On the other hand Iceland an island with a population our size did have a banking collapse in 2008 but has recovered steadily contrary to Ireland in the last four years. In the depth of the crisis they applied to join the EU but have since kept the application on the back burner. Because of flexibilty in their fiscal and monetary policy they now have unemployment under 5%, a high growth in GDP, and a huge spurt in exports. To be fair both countries still have a similar high current deficit. Therefore I would say certainly not the best ecconomic example for the PM to politically attack JM.
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What utter rubbish you speak Prime Minister!!!
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Jigifieri wara 25 sena fil gvern, partit glorjuz,partit li qatt ma ghamel xejn hazin, partit li gie mibghut min Alla biex jifdina u isalvana...possibbli ghad ghan nazzjonalisti igorru ?
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Zack Depasquale
Dr Gonzi was reported as saying, Quote "He said that it was true that some workers took a financial hit".This is rich coming from someone who awarded himself and his cronies 600Eur/week. As for uncast votes maybe it would be a good idea to award 15 million Euros on 15 years to each and every voter who intends not to vote so that the person that gets awarded this amount will-loose his tongue and will help in GonziPN election campaign. Hey it happened maybe someday it will be my turn.Gonzi spoke of work corps. What is IPSL Industrial Projects Services Limited if not a work corp with a fancy name, let me remind GonziPN that differently from Lawrence Gonzi getting 600Euros weekly these workers have been with a frozen salary for the past 9 years. Is this the 20,000 jobs Gonzi boasts about.
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So what Dr. Gonzi? You are painting it all black if Labour are elected. Malta needs some fresh air. There are two ways of getting fresh air (1) a PL win or (2) if you and your clique resign immediately and leave the leadership of the PN to somebody who is secular and liberal. We gruntled PN supporters are fed up of your tyranny.
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“those choosing not to vote are giving their vote to the Labour Party.” ... so vote Alternattiva instead :)
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Tghid mhux se nivvota lilek biex terga taghmel froga ghal 5 snin u TERGA tiehu 500 euro
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Typical desperate stuff from Gonzi... Lawrence... you are so pathetic!
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Kull min fl-ahhar elezzjoni vvota Gonzi PN u din darba mhux se jivotta jew se jati cans lil Joseph Muscat dankollu inti gibtu b'idejk!!!Ametti li colpa mia soltanto colpa mia!!!! L-onorarja,BWSC,il miss managment fil ministeru ta l-edukazzjoni li wassal li studenti taghna jitilfu programmi motghija mil eu,il-fjask fl-arriva,il-vot fuq divorzju,is-sodod fil kuritur tal mader dei kif wkoll it-telqa fil habs.....ghaziz pri ministru inti fuq liema naha kont meta inqalaw dawna affarijiet???
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serrah mohhok Gonzi.Ghal Labour sejjer il-Vot, 40 sena nivvota PN. Issa qazzistu l-Alla li halaqkom u spiccajtu avvelejtu n-Nazzjonalisti genwini.TIME up u ilu li kien time up imma l-ahhar wahda sraqtha.Issa l-mandra li ser thalli warajk iridu jpattu ghaliha wliedna u inthom toqghodu dgawdu dak li sraqtu tilghabu ta l-oppozizjoni. Gibtna nisthu nghidu li konna Nazzjonalisti PROSIT.
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Hey Gonz - are you sure that the 40 Million did not go as a deposit towards your new parliament - the monument to your greed and corruption ?
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A vote for Gonzi is one more vote to steal the future from our children. A vote for Gonzi is a vote for corruption. A vote for Gonzi is immoral and evil. Gonzi - out a sock in it. NONE OF THE ABOVE is always an option. What is your argument - that you have left us without choice. How about you resign and someone else stands up for PN? NO MORE THAN TWO TERMS IN OFFICE - and you have already cheated your way into two terms. So vote Gonzi - coz the first time you voted for eddie actually and the second time even with their dirty tricks - PN 'won' with a thousand votes. So yeah - go ahead and vote for Gonzi, coz really PN has nothing better to offer and Gonzi things you don't deserve better! WHAT A smuck!
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Sur Gonzi jien wiehed min tad-dockyard, mela biex int u shabek stajt tihdu (ta xejn)il 500 euro zieda fil-gimgha kissirtilna il post tax-xoghol taghna, int tahseb li ahna xi darba se nahfrulek? Taf li qabel l-elezzjoni lohra x'itra battilna, qatt u qatt mahna se ninsew min xix ghaddejtna, jien lewwel wiehed se nivvota ghal-lewwel darba pl u ma jiddispjacinijx, j'alla itijni grazzja li tihu tkaxkira li tibqa tissemma f'istorja ta Malta
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...."They know what it is like not being able to speak out. Ma tafx tisthi Dr Gonzi, Lili hekk ghamiltuli wara l irbahtu l-Elezzjoni u ghadni sal llum ma nistax nitkellem. Kull min tkellem kissirtuh kien min kien. Kissirtu lin-Nazzjonalisti bhalkom ahseb u ara min ma jaqbilx maghkom x'ghamiltulu. "We have never ignored the people's choice," Mela insejt x'gara u x'ghamilt fuq ir-referendum tad-Divorzju????????? Mela insejthom iz-zieda ta' €500 fil-gimgha? taf- tisthi????
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Luke Camilleri
Oh DCG Gonzi , you are pathethic! Haven't you had enough, you want your honoraria back ? You want to continue to have chances to VOTE WITH ALL YOUR HEART so the W & E rates are not reduced? You want to go ahead with COMMISSIONED CONTRACTS like the BWFC contract to the detriment of our healthe and taxes? Who do you think you are kidding , I WILL NOT WASTE MY VOTE BY NOT VOTING, I'LL VOTE LABOUR WITH ALL MY HEART and your your heart, you can keep that!