Jistaqsuni: meta ser twarrab?

Il-kritika tal-ħidma tal-ADPD minn xi ġurnalisti xejn ma iddejjaqni, anke meta din ma tkunx ġustifikata, anke meta min jagħmilha jkun għamel ix-xhur jinjorana. Il-kritika, anke meta tkun distruttiva, hi dejjem ta’ għajnuna biex tifhem x’inhu għaddej minn moħħ dak jew dik li tagħmilha. Biex tidentifika u tifhem aġenda moħbija.

Iktar kmieni matul il-ġimgħa kkummentajt fuq dan il-blog li jkun għaqli u fl-interess tal-partit, jekk jiena ma nibqax fit-tmexxija. Hu dejjem tajjeb li jkun hemm uċuħ ġodda, idejn ġodda u ideat ġodda.

Però hu tajjeb li nifhmu li b’uċuħ ġodda mhux bil-fors li nimxu l-quddiem.

Kemm ilni nmexxi l-partit dejjem fittixt li nagħti spazju liż-żgħar u lill-ġodda biex ikunu jistgħu jaħdmu. Mhux biss biex joħorġu b’ideat imma biex ikun possibli li l-ideat tagħhom jirriflettu ruħhom fil-politika tal-partit: kemm f’dak li ngħidu kif ukoll fil-mod kif inġibu ruħna.

Nifhem li hemm min il-kampanja tagħna ma għoġbitux. Hemm min xtaqna b’politika ta’ konfront, imma aħna għażilna politika tar-raġuni li tħalli l-appell għall-emozzjoni fil-ġemb. Dan deher ċar fil-ftit opportunitajiet li ngħatajna f’dibattiti mal-partiti l-oħra. Dak tal-Università hu forsi l-aħjar eżempju li s-sehem tiegħi fih kien appreżżat mill-ġurnalisti ewlenin. Hemm min ma qabilx miegħi: din xi ħaġa naturali. Però l-fatt li meta kont qed nitkellem jien waqa’ skiet perfett uriena li z-żgħażagħ presenti riedu jisimgħu. Kellhom għatx għal informazzjoni u argumenti li normalment ma jisimgħux. Dan ukoll hu kontribut importanti u pożittiv li tajna lill-kampanja elettorali!

Ir-riżultat tal-elezzjoni li bih kważi irduppjajna l-voti li ksibna fl-elezzjoni tal-2017 ifisser li xi ħaġa tajba għamilna, għax kieku dan ma kienx minnu l-voti kienu jonqsu u mhux jiżdiedu.

Bla dubju l-ħidma tagħna hemm ħafna x’jista’ jitjieb fiha.  Dan jiddependi minn diversi affarijiet.

Bosta minn dawk li jaqblu mal-partit u jappoġġawh, anke fil-pubbliku, huma mpenjati f’elf ħaġa: m’għandhomx ċans għall-attiviżmu politiku. Aħna m’għandniex każini, u l-anqas hemm il-ħsieb li jkollna! L-anqas uffiċċju ma’ għandna: fil-fatt meta jkun hemm il-bżonn nislef l-uffiċċju tiegħi għall-laqgħat tal-partit!

Fondi m’għandniex wisq: fil-kampanja infaqna madwar €7,000 u bħalissa għaddejjin b’kampanja biex niġbru l-fondi għax ftit li xejn baqa’!

Dan kollu jillimita l-mod dwar kif nistgħu nwasslu l-messaġġ tagħna. Imma rnexxielna nwassluh, avolja b’diffikultà.

Uħud qed jagħtuni l-pariri dwar x’għandi nagħmel. Anke qed jgħidu li jiena ser nirreżenja meta jiena ma għidt xejn minn dan. Jiena konvint li għandi nagħmel il-wisa’ lil ħaddieħor. Però jkun żball kbir jekk nagħmel kif qed jippretendu uħud li nwarrab immedjatament! Inkun irresponsabbli jekk nagħmel hekk.

Hi responsabbiltà tiegħi li nara l-partit jiffunzjona f’kull ħin. Dan ser nibqa’ nagħmlu sal-aħħar minuta meta ngħaddi t-tmexxija lil ta’ warajja. Dan ser iseħħ imma l-waqt li jseħħ nagħżlu flimkien ma sħabi, biex il-partit, sadanittant, ikompli jissaħħaħ!

Għandna bżonn l-għajnuna tiegħek

Matul il-kampanja elettorali f’ADPD użajna parti sostanzjali mir-riżorsi finanzjarji tagħna. Użajnihom tajjeb għax kif tafu kważi irduppjajna l-voti mill-aħħar elezzjoni.

Il-ħidma tagħna tkompli, ma waqfitx mal-kampanja elettorali. Issa bdejna l-ħidma politika biex kull vot ikun rispettat, biex kull vot jgħodd permezz tal-kawża kostituzzjonali li ftaħna l-bieraħ.

Għandna bżonn l-għajnuna, kull xorta ta’ għajnuna.

Għandna bżonn iktar voluntiera biex jgħinuna fil-ħidma tagħna ta’ kuljum. Għandna bżonn ukoll ta’ riżorsi finanzjarji għax dawk li kellna waslu fl-aħħar.

Min jixtieq jagħti donazzjoni jagħfas hawn u jsegwi.

Min jixtieq jinvolvi ruħu jikkuntattja lil xi wieħed jew waħda mill-uffiċjali tal-partit.

Il-ħidma tista’ tkompli bl-għajnuna tiegħek.

B’sodisfazzjoni, inħarsu l-quddiem

Flimkien ma sħabi ħriġt mis-sala tal-għadd tal-voti f’nofs il-lejl bejn il-Ħadd u t-Tnejn.

Għalina din l-elezzjoni kienet esperjenza posittiva għax irnexxielna nirbħu lura l-parti l-kbira tal-voti li konna tlifna fl-elezzjoni tal-2017.

Sodisafatt li l-ilħaqna l-miri tagħna li naqbżu kwota fuq livell nazzjonali. Issa nistgħu ngħaddu għall-fażi li jmiss fil-kampanja politika tagħna: il-ġlieda għall-proporzjonalità vera. Proporżjonalità li l-liġi tagħna tirriżerva b’mod esklussiv għall-PLPN.

Kif diġa ħabbart, iktar tard matul il-ġimgħa ser nikkontestaw ir-riżultat elettorali. Il-kontestazzjoni tagħna hi limitata għall-mekkaniżmu tal-proporzjonalità u dak tal-bilanċ tal-ġeneru li jiddiskriminaw fl-applikazzjoni tagħhom. Il-fatt li ġibna kwota fuq livell nazzjonali jagħti saħħa u kredibilità lill-argumenti tagħna.

Il-Kummissjoni Elettorali tul il-kampanja kollha agixxiet ħażin. L-aħħar argument li kelli mal-kummissjoni l-bieraħ kien meta bi stupidita kbira irrifjutaw li jagħtuni kopja tar-riżultati bil-counts u l-wirt tal-voti. Domt ħin twil nargumenta magħhom meta fl-aħħar ċedew u għaddewli kopja. Ma nistax nifhem għalfejn jieħdu dan l-atteġġament.

Fuq nota personali għandi sodisfazzjoni kbir li kelli madwari team tajjeb li lkoll kemm huma ħadmu għat-team kollu. Ir-riżultat hu xhieda ta’ dan. Grazzi.

Jiena illum il-ġurnata għandi 66 sena u ma naħsibx li hu fl-interess tal-partit li nibqa’ fit-tmexxija wisq iktar. Lil sħabi ilni li nfurmajthom li jridu jsibu lil xi ħaddieħor biex imexxi lill-partit għall-futur. Mhux ser naqbad u nitlaq għax dan ikun ta’ ħsara imma hu l-mument li posti jieħdu ħaddieħor biex ikompli jibni fuq ix-xogħol utli li wettaqna flimkien. Jiena ngħin kemm nista’, mhux biss fi transizzjoni għal tmexxija ġdida imma anke fil-ħidma li trid tibqa’ issir. Għad baqali iktar enerġija!

Kburi li wasalna hawn. Grazzi lill-4747 votant li tawna l-fiduċja tagħhom. Inħarsu l-quddiem b’sodisfazzjon.

Some reflections on the campaign

I have led a team of 10 fantastic candidates in this campaign. Five of them were contesting a general election for the first time. We managed to engage much more than in other elections.

The broom was an effective symbol which communicated our basic political message: the country needs a good clean-up. We opted for a direct and clear message to convey our views across. The feedback we had was substantially more than in past elections.

Our campaign expenditure was around €7,000. Insignificant when compared to the millions spent by PLPN! ADPD’s campaign was developed organically responding to a number of issues and communicating our manifesto proposals throughout the 32-day campaign.

As anticipated, we encountered the usual difficulties when dealing with the constitutional institutions which have been hijacked by the PLPN.  Primarily I am referring to the Broadcasting Authority and the Electoral Commission.

The Broadcasting Authority once more failed to ensure a level playing field. It has permitted the party-political stations a free hand, as usual. PLPN, notwithstanding, still had access to the lion’s share of the campaign transmissions on the national station.

On Tuesday I met the Chief Electoral Commissioner to discuss a pending request from ADPD relative to the vote-counting process. This concerned access to the electoral counting data as is currently given to the PLPN. When the counting of votes was done manually it was possible to carry out visual monitoring to ensure that the counting process was properly managed. This cannot be done today without access to the electronic data held by the Commission. PLPN have been given this right of access and they can as a result check and verify the counting process. 

The Electoral Commission is withholding this right of access to ADPD. Without such a right of access to data held by the Commission we cannot verify the counting process and consequently we cannot put our mind at rest as to the absence of foul play in the process. The Commission has been aware for some time as to our request, and hence it is not acceptable to be informed at such a late hour of their refusal to grant the requested access. The Commission is basing its position on the electoral law which grants exclusive rights of access to political parties represented in parliament. The law, however grants the Commission the authority to remedy such issues. If the Commission keeps refusing to solve the problem it will confirm yet again that PLPN have hijacked this important institution too.

On a different note, I must thank my friend Dr Jean-Pierre Farrugia for publicly endorsing the ADPD campaign. I was not expecting this but it was definitely most welcome.

This Sunday will be a long day. The counting process will be swifter than in previous general elections due to electronic counting. Early in the day we will have the first projections of the results. Then, in the early afternoon the full results will be known. At that point the results will be analysed and the necessary conclusions drawn.

During the campaign I made the point that, subject to obtaining a reasonable number of votes, ADPD will be taking the necessary action to ensure that each and every vote cast has a bearing on the final result. Towards the end of the counting process, I will have the opportunity to address the press and outline the way forward.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday: 27 March 2022

Abusive continuity

The distribution of multiple cheques to every household by the Labour Government on the eve of the general election is more than abusing the power of incumbency. Through the said distribution, the power of incumbency is being transformed into a corrupt practice, specifically intended to unduly influence voters.

What, in normal circumstances should be a simple administrative act is being transformed into blatant political propaganda, at public expense, straight into your letterbox. A covering letter signed by Robert Abela and Clyde Caruana says it all. A Banana Republic in all but name!

Why should such handouts be distributed on the eve of elections if not to influence voters?

Even if one were to accept that such handouts are acceptable, it is certainly not in any way justifiable to plan their distribution specifically on the eve of an election. This goes against the basic principles of good governance.

The power of incumbency is the executive power of a government seeking re-election. Incumbents always have an advantage. The manner in which they handle it defines their governance credentials.

This has been a government characterised by bad governance throughout its term in office. Right from the very beginning, on 13 March 2013. I consider the full 9 years as one continuum. This was reinforced by Robert Abela himself who emphasised that his leadership of the Labour Party seeks to continue the “achievements” of his predecessor and mentor Joseph Muscat. Continuity was his declared mission.

On its first days in office, Labour started off on its Panama tracks. The secret Panama companies set up by Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri and someone else, known as the (mysterious) owner of Egrant, went on to rock Labour over the years.

The Electrogas saga and its link to the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia intertwined with the Panama debacle.

It is now clearly established that the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia was directly linked to her investigative journalism. Her investigations led her to identify the governance credentials of various holders of political office and their links with big business. Defining their relationship as being too close for comfort would be a gross understatement.

As emphasised in the investigation report on the Daphne Caruana Galizia assassination, over the years, a culture of impunity has developed in these islands. This has led to misbehaviour in public office being normalised. It has also led to considerable resistance in the shouldering of political responsibility by holders of political office, whenever they were caught with their hand in the cookie jar! Rosianne Cutajar and Justyne Caruana being the latest examples, as amply proven by the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life George Hyzler.

To add insult to injury Cutajar and Caruana were the recipients of generous termination benefits, notwithstanding that their term of political office ended in disgrace. Caruana received terminal benefits twice in the span of a short time, as she established a national record of resigning twice from Robert Abela’s Cabinet!

With this track record one should not have expected otherwise from the Muscat/Abela administration. With the abusive distribution of cheques on the eve of the general election Labour’s current term is approaching a fitting end.

The Labour Party in government has consistently acted abusively. Robert Abela has followed in the footsteps of his predecessor and mentor Joseph Muscat. Continuity has been ensured, as promised.

published in Malta Today : Sunday 20 March 2022

L-istupru t’Għawdex

Il-PLPN kontinwament jipperfezzjonaw l-istrateġija tagħhom dwar l-istupru t’Għawdex. Din l-istrateġija illum il-ġurnata jispjegawha fil-wegħdiet elettorali tagħhom.  Sfortunatament, f’din il-ħidma tagħhom għandhom l-appoġġ ta’ għaqdiet bħall-Kamra tal-Kummerċ Għawdxija li għadhom kif ħarġu dokument bil-prijoritajiet li huma qed jipproponu għall-leġislatura li jmiss.

Il-mina taħt il-fliegu bejn Malta u Għawdex, għalihom tibqa’ prijorità. Ma’ dan issa żdied mitjar rurali. Jidher li jridu jassiguraw li l-istupru li qed jippjanaw fuq Għawdex ikollu effett massimu.

Il-mina proposta mhiex għan-nies iżda għall-karozzi. Hi mina dipendenti b’mod assolut fuq il-karozzi u l-inġenji kummerċjali oħra li jkunu jistgħu jagħmlu użu minna. Kull waħda minn dawn il-karozzi jew inġenji kummerċjali tħallas biex tgħaddi mill-mina. Il-vijabilità ekonomika tal-mina tiddependi milli jkunu mħajjra jagħmlu użu minna l-ikbar numru possibli ta’ karozzi.

F’wieħed mill-istudji li saru kien ħadem stima li bħala riżultat tal-mina proposta, il-moviment ta’ karozzi bejn Malta u Għawdex jimmultiplika ruħu bi tlieta, minn 3000 moviment kuljum għal 9000 movement kuljum. L-istudju hu intitolat Establishing a Permanent Link between the Island of Gozo and Mainland Malta: An Economic Cost Benefit Analysis of Available Strategic Options.  Dan l-istudju kien ikkummissjonat mill-Kamra tal-Kummerċ Għawdxija  u  Transport Malta.

Il-Kamra tal-Kummerċ Għawdija qegħda fuq quddiem nett fl-isforz biex Għawdex ikun stuprat. Flimkien mal-PLPN iridu jerfgħu r-responsabbiltà għall-konsegwenzi.

X’sens jagħmel li żżid bi tlett darbiet il-moviment tal-karozzi Maltin fit-toroq Għawdxin? It-toroq Għawdxin jifilħu għal dan? Għandna nissagrifikaw il-kwalità tal-arja f’Għawdex ukoll?  Jagħmel sens li nesportaw il-problemi tat-traffiku minn Malta għal Għawdex?

It-tweġiba ovvja għal kull waħda minn dawn il-mistoqsijiet hi le. Bosta minnha huma konxji li t-toroq Għawdxin ma baqax fejn tqiegħed labra fihom u dan bħala riżultat tal-karozzi li diġa qed jaqsmu l-fliegu f’dan il-mument.

Anke fit-toroq Għawdxin hemm il-ħtieġa li jonqsu l-karozzi.  Diġa hemm wisq. Ma jagħmilx sens li jiżdiedu. Dan imur kontra dak kollu li jipprovdi l-pjan nazzjonali għat-trasport. Dan il-pjan japplika għal-Għawdex ukoll.

Is-servizz tal-fast-ferry service, jekk organizzat sewwa b’mod li jwassal in-nies f’punti differenti tul il-kosta Maltija, jibqa’ soluzzjoni tajba. B’hekk tkun assigurata mobilità sostenibbli bejn il-gżejjer.  Imma biex dan ikun effettiv, jeħtieġ ukoll transport pubbliku iffukat u faċilitajiet aħjar fil-port tal-iMġarr Għawdex. Dan jassigura mobilità aħjar b’impatt ambjentali sostanzjalment imnaqqas.  

Il-pjan nazzjonali għat-trasport, ippubblikat mill-Gvern Laburista jemfasizza l-ħtieġa li jonqsu l-karozzi mit-toroq tagħna. Il-proposta għal mina bejn Malta u Għawdex tikkontradixxi dan il-pjan. Għalfejn il-Gvern jieħu parir, iħallas għalih minn fondi pubbliċi u imbagħad jinjorah? Għaliex il-Gvern qiegħed kontinwament jinjora l-pjan tat-trasport tiegħu stess?

Jekk il-proġett tal-mina isseħħ, dan ser ikun il-kawża ta’ ħsara ambjentali sostanzjali kemm f’Malta kif ukoll f’Għawdex.  F’Malta ser jinqered il-villaġġ trogloditiku tal-Għerien fil-limiti tal-Mellieħa. F’Għawdex ser jinqered ammont mhux żgħir ta’ raba’ f’ Ta’ Kenuna, limiti tan-Nadur.

Hemm iktar soluzzjonijiet biex tkun indirizzata l-mobilità bejn Malta u Għawdex. Dan jirrikjedi li niffukaw fuq il-mobilità tan-nies. Jirrikjedi li nindirizzaw id-dipendenza li żviluppajna fuq il-karozza, kemm f’Malta kif ukoll f’Għawdex. Sakemm nieħdu d-deċiżjoni li nibdew nindirizzaw din id-dipendenza, kull soluzzjoni li nippruvaw, ftit tista’ tkun effettiva.  

Ilna nopponu l-proposta għall-mina sa mill-ewwel jum minn meta, madwar għaxar snin ilu, din ġiet proposta mill-Kamra tal-Kummerċ Għawdija bl-appoġġ tal-PLPN. Jekk inti ukoll ma taqbilx li issir din il-mina żomm quddiem għajnejk li huma biss membri parlamentari eletti f’isem ADPD li jistgħu jmexxu l-quddiem l-idejat tiegħek.  

Bl-appoġġ tiegħek nhar is-26 ta’ Marzu hu possibli li dan l-istupru li l-PLPN qed jippjanaw nevitawh.

ippubblikat fuq Illum: il-Ħadd 13 ta’ Marzu 2022

Sħubija fil-Union bil-fors?

Il-Partit Laburista, fil-manifest elettorali tiegħu, qed imexxi l-quddiem l-idea ta’ sħubija obbligatorja fi trade union.

Din l-idea oriġinat mill-unions infushom u għandha l-oriġini tagħha fil-fatt li fi prattikament kull post tax-xogħol hemm min ma jissieħeb fl-ebda union, joqgħod gallarija, u mbagħad igawdi hu (jew hi) ukoll mill-benefiċċji li jintrebħu bħala riżultat tan-negozjati bejn management u union.

Nifhem li l-Unions jiddejqu b’din is-sitwazzjoni.

Li jkun hemm iktar parteċipazzjoni fil-Unions hu oġġettiv tajjeb għax hu bil-parteċipazzjoni ta’ iktar nies mid-dinja tax-xogħol fil-ħidma trejdunjonistika li l-Unions jistgħu ikunu aħjar. Jagħmlu ukoll xogħol aħjar għax dan ikun rifless tal-fehma ta’ iktar persuni!

Imma li ġġiegħel lil kulħadd li jkun bilfors imsieħeb f’Union, anke jekk din tkun tal-għażla tiegħu/tagħha mhiex aċċettabbli. Ikun pass kbir il-quddiem kieku iktar jissieħbu, imma l-għażla trid tkun waħda ħielsa.

The rape of Gozo

The PLPN have elevated their strategy to accelerate the rape of Gozo to manifesto status. Unfortunately, they are supported in their endeavours by the likes of the Gozo Business Chamber which has just issued its key priority areas for the next legislature.

The tunnel below the Gozo Channel remains a priority on their books. To this they have now added a “rural airfield”. It seems that they want to ensure that their planned rape has maximum effect on Gozo.

The proposed tunnel is a tunnel for cars not for people.

The proposed Gozo tunnel is dependent on cars and other vehicles making use of it. It is these cars which will be subject to the payment of tolls. Maximising such vehicular use is crucial for the proposed tunnel to make any economic sense.

One of the studies carried out, which is in the public domain, had estimated that as a result of the proposed tunnel, the current daily movements of vehicles between Malta and Gozo would be trebled from 3000 daily movements to 9000 daily movements. The study entitled Establishing a Permanent Link between the Island of Gozo and Mainland Malta: An Economic Cost Benefit Analysis of Available Strategic Options was commissioned some years back by the Gozo Business Chamber together with Transport Malta.

The Gozo Business Chamber is in the front seat in this effort to rape Gozo. Together with the PLPN it has to shoulder responsibility for the consequences.

Does it make sense to treble the daily vehicle movements on Gozitan roads? Do Gozitan roads have that capacity? Should we sacrifice air quality in Gozo too? Does it make sense to export traffic problems from Malta to Gozo? The obvious answer to all these questions is a clear no. Most of us are aware that Gozitan roads are already bursting at the seams as a result of the number vehicles crossing over at this point in time.

Cars should be decreased on Gozitan roads too! There are already too many on the road. Increasing them exponentially is not on. This is the antithesis of the underlying theme of the National Transport Master Plan.

The fast-ferry service, suitably organised and servicing multiple destinations along the Maltese coast, is the potential long-term solution to ensure having a reasonable and sustainable mobility between the islands. In order for this to be effective, however, it has to be buttressed by a more focused public transport service and substantially improved port facilities at Mġarr Gozo. This will ensure better mobility with a much-reduced environmental impact.

The National Transport Master Plan published by this Labour administration advocates the need to reduce the number of cars on our roads. The proposal for the Gozo tunnel contradicts this objective. Why does government seek advice and then ignore it? Why does government repeatedly ignore its own Transport Master Plan?

If the tunnel materialises, it will result in significant environmental damage in both Malta and Gozo. On the Malta side it would include the obliteration of the troglodytic village at l-Għerien in the limits of Mellieħa. In Gozo it would ruin extensive agricultural holdings in the Ta’ Kenuna area, in the limits of Nadur.

There are other solutions which can adequately address the mobility between Malta and Gozo. It does however require thinking outside the box and focusing on the real issue: the sustainable mobility of people. This would require a bold initiative of addressing head-on car-dependency in both Malta and Gozo. Until we take the decision to start shedding our car- dependency, however, no solution can be really effective.

The Green Party has been opposing the proposal for an undersea tunnel continuously since it was first tabled by the Gozo Business Chamber and supported by the PLPN, around ten years ago. If you disagree with this tunnel proposal kindly note that it is only green members of parliament on the ADPD list that can represent your views.

Your support on the 26 March is essential to prevent this from happening.

Published in The Malta Independent on Sunday: 13 March 2022

Mill-Manifest ADPD: (5) finanzjament tal-partiti mill-istat

L-iskema diġa eżistenti ta’ finanzjament tal-partiti politiċi mill-istat, li preżentement hi limitata għall-partiti politiċi fil-parlament, għandha tkun estiża għall-partiti politiċi kollha reġistrati u dan billi kull sena kull partit politiku li jikseb tal-inqas 1% tal-voti f’elezzjoni ġenerali, jew f’elezzjoni tal-Parlament Ewropew inkella fl-elezzjonijiet tal-Kunsill Lokali jirċievi direttament mill-istat għotja kull sena għal kull vot miksub.

Mill-Manifest ADPD: (4) finanzjament tal-partiti

Għandha tittejjeb il-liġi tal-finanzjament tal-partiti politiċi billi fost oħrajn tkun eliminata l-possibilità li jkunu l-partiti politiċi stess li jirregolaw lilhom infushom permezz tal-Kummissjoni Elettorali li hi komposta fil-maġġor parti tagħha minn rappreżentanti tal-partiti fil-parlament.