Il-Midalji u ż-żoni riżervati

Mela issa għandna ukoll il-midalja tal-Indipendenza. Ingħatat lil kull min kien Prim Ministru jew President tar-Repubblika mill-Indipendenza lil hawn. Fil-kaz ta’ min miet jidher li attendew il-qraba.

Interessanti ħafna li Dr Yana Bland-Mintoff irċeviet il-midalja għan-nom ta’ missierha, meta hu fatt magħruf li missierha l-Perit Dom Mintoff ma tantx kellu grazzja ma dawn it-tip ta’ ċerimonji.

Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici ma attendiex għaċ-ċerimonja u sal-ħin li qed nikteb ma hemm l-ebda spjegazzjoni pubblika għal dan.

Jiena mhux se noqgħod nikkummenta fuq min kien ħaqqu jieħu l-midalja u min ma kienx ħaqqu għax għalija dawn affarijiet taż-żuffjett. Uħud m’għandix idea x’kontribut taw għall-iżvilupp tal-pajjiż, inkluż min iddeċieda li jagħti l-midalja lilu nnifsu.

Wara kollox il-mekkaniżmu mħaddem hu l-istess wieħed li fil-passat ma iddejjaqx jagħti midalji lil persuni bħal Gaddafi, Caucescu, Kim Il Sung u oħrajn. Meta tisma’ dawn l-ismijiet  u forsi oħrajn ukoll ma tantx ikollok impressjoni tajba tas-sistema tal-unuri tar-Repubblika ta’ Malta.

Imma hu tal-mistħija li l-Kabinett iddeċieda li politiċi biss taw kontribut għall-iżvilupp ta’ Malta bħala nazzjon matul dawn il-50 sena.  Dan il-fatt waħdu hu biżżejjed biex din l-għotja ta’ midalji nħares lejha bi stmerrija. Għax f’din iċ-ċerimonja ingħatat bis-sieq is-soċjeta’ ċivili li tat kontribut enormi matul dawn l-aħħar ħamsin sena biex pajjiżna hu dak li hu.

Sadanittant uħud qed jipprotestaw li għar-riċeviment tas-Sibt fil-Barrakka ta’ Fuq kien hemm żewġ tipi ta’ mistednin: il-mistedin ordinarji u dawk speċjali: l-VVIP. Proċedura li qalu kienet iddettata mill-ħtiġijiet tas-sigurta tal-Prinċep William.

Minn Alternattiva Demokratika kien mistieden Arnold Cassola li qiegħed jitbaqbaq li l-anqas pass biex jidħol il-Belt ma tawh! Nieħu pjaċir li jiena ma kontx mistieden għax probabbilment li l-anqas kont immur.

50 sena pajjiż Indipendenti

Illum infakkru l-50 anniversarju tal-Indipendenza ta’ Malta. Jiġifieri meta Malta fl-1964 bdiet tmexxi lilha innifisha.

Kont hemm f’nofs il-lejl, tifel ta’ 8 snin, nara l-bandiera Maltija tiela’ f’postha flok dik Inġliża. Kienet indipendenza politika immedjata għax pajjiżna beda jieħu d-deċiżjonijiet hu minn dak il-ħin. Kemm id-deċiżjonijiet tajbin kif ukoll oħrajn ħżiena. Issa ma kienx baqa’ iktar f’min inwaħħlu. Daqshekk tort (jew mertu) tar-Reġina.

Ekonomikament konna għadna fuq sieq waħda. Malta kienet għadha dipendenti mid-dħul assoċjat mal-bażi militari.

Wieħed mill-argumenti ewlenin fid-dibattitu politiku dwar l-Indipendenza fis-snin sittin kien dwar jekk kienx essenzjali li l-ewwel il-pajjiż ikun b’saħħtu ekonomikament u dan qabel ma jieħu rajh f’idejh. George Borg Olivier dejjem sostna li ħadd ħlief il-Maltin nfushom m’għandhom l-interess li l-pajjiż jiżviluppa ekonomija b’saħħitha. Għaldaqstant għalih kienet meħtieġa l-indipendenza politika immedjata għax din kien iqiesha bħala ċ-ċavetta, jew l-għodda l-iktar essenzjali, għall-iżvilupp ekonomiku. Pajjiż kolonja, jmexxuh minn imnieħru fl-interess ta’ pajjiż ieħor.

Id-differenza bejn il-Partit Nazzjonalista w il-Partit Laburista ma kienitx l-Indipendenza imma l-Kostituzzjoni.  Kemm George Borg Olivier kif ukoll Dom Mintoff kienu jaqblu li Malta kellha tkun Indipendenti. Il-partiti l-oħra (ta’ Herbert Ganado, Mable Strickland u Toni Pellegrini) min-naħa l-oħra riedu t-tisħiħ ekonomiku qabel l-Indipendenza.

Huwa normali ħafna li f’pajjiż li qed jaħdem biex ikun indipendenti jkun hemm divergenza fil-ħsieb dwar il-prijoritajiet u dwar l-aħjar mod kif naġixxu. L-argumenti ekonomiċi biex tkun posposta l-Indipendenza ta’ Malta ma ħadmux, b’differenza ta’ dak li ġara fl-Iskozja l-ġimgħa l-oħra! Imma d-deċiżjonijiet ittieħdu bla ġlied u b’mod demokratiku. Kemm fejn naqblu, kif ukoll fejn ma naqblux.

F’Malta kienu diversi l-issues kostituzzjonali ta’ konflitt, ewlenin fosthom is-separazzjoni bejn l-Istat u l-Knisja u ż-żwieġ ċivili. Mintoff migdum mill-konflitt mal-Knisja ried salvagwardji kostituzzjonali kontra l-indħil tal-Knisja fejn ma kelliex tindaħal.

 

George Borg Oliver kien jieħu l-affarijiet bil-mod, kien kalm u diplomatiku. Mintoff kien nervuż, suspettuż, mgħaġġel u jmexxi l-quddiem politika ta’ konfront kontinwu. Żewġ metodi ta’ ħidma li t-tnejn nisslu bosta diffikultajiet. Il-ħidma bil-mod ittelfek il-paċenzja għax iddum ma tara r-riżultati. Il-ħidma mgħaġġla iżżejjed min-naħa l-oħra tnissel problemi ta’ żbalji kultant goffi kif ukoll inġustuzzji ma min jinqabad fin-nofs.

Ħafna drabi nippruvaw niġġudukaw illum, bil-kriterji tagħna tal-lum, dak li ġara l-bierah. B’dan il-mod mhux dejjem naslu biex nifhmu sewwa dak li fil-fatt ikun ġara.

 

Bosta jaħsbu li Mintoff kien kontra l-Indipendenza. Fil-fatt ma kienx. Wara li fallilu l-proġett tal-integration, ried Indipendenza differenti minn dik li kien qed jipproponi George Borg Olivier.

Fl-1964 kien lest jieħu riskju ekonomiku billi jibdel immedjatament l-ekonomija bbażata fuq il-bażi militari. Borg Olivier ma qabilx ma dan u ipprefera bidla gradwali. Beda jħejji l-pedamenti għall-industrija w t-turiżmu.

Għax il-bidla kienet ippjanat li tkun gradwali l-pajjiż kellu ċ-ċans jaddatta ruħu għaċ-ċirkustanzi ġodda. Ċirkustanzi ġodda nisslu żbalji ġodda li din id-darba ħadd ma seta jipponta subgħajh lejn l–Ingliżi dwarhom. Għall-ewwel darba r-rapprezentanti tar-Reġina kienu gallarija, ma kellhomx tort għal dak li ġara.

Meta l-Ingliżi ttrattaw ħażin lill-Maltin, ġew ikkritikati. Imma meta kienu l-Maltin stess li ttrattaw ħażin lill-“ħuthom” il-weġgħa kienet ħafna ikbar.

Din hi l-istorja tagħna. B’dak li jogħġobna u dak li ma jogħġobniex.

Fil-Ħamsin Anniversarju tal-Indipendenza

F’Settembru, iktar tard din is-sena, Malta tfakkar il-ħamsin anniversarju tal-Indipendenza.

In vista tal-iżviluppi politiċi u ekonomiċi li għaddejjin bħalissa, jiena għandi l-informazzjoni li l-bandiera Maltija min-nhar il-21 ta’ Settembru 2014 ser tkun il-bandiera li tidher hawn fuq.

Bidu xieraq għal era  ta’ dipendenza u kolonjaliżmu ġdid.

Anniversarji u Polemiċi fl-2014

Matul l-2014 Malta tfakkar diversi anniversarji. Magħhom hemm minsuġa polemiċi tal-passat, polemiċi li bil-mod għad jinħallu u jieqfu mill-jkunu sors firda.

Infakkru l-50 anniversarju tal-Indipendenza, meta Malta fl-1964 bdiet tmexxi lilha innifisha. Kienet indipendenza politika immedjata imma ekonomikament Malta kienet għadha dipendenti mill-infieq assoċjat mal-bażi militari. George Borg Olivier ħejja l-pedamenti tal-industrija tal-manufattura u beda jinkoraġixxi t-turiżmu. Wieħed mill-argumenti ewlenin fid-dibattitu politiku dwar l-Indipendenza fis-snin sittin kien dwar jekk kienx essenzjali li l-ewwel il-pajjiż ikun b’saħħtu ekonomikament u dan qabel ma jieħu rajh f’idejh. George Borg Olivier dejjem sostna li ħadd ħlief il-Maltin nfushom m’għandhom l-interess li l-pajjiż jiżviluppa ekonomija b’saħħita. Għaldaqstant għalih kienet meħtieġa l-indipendenza immedjata għax din kien iqiesha bħala ċ-ċavetta jew l-għodda essenzjali għall-iżvilupp ekonomiku. Id-differenza bejn il-Partiti ewlenin ma kienitx l-Indipendenza imma l-Kostituzzjoni.  Il-partiti ż-żgħar min-naħa l-oħra riedu t-tisħiħ ekonomiku qabel l-Indipendenza.

Diversi kienu l-issues kostituzzjonali ta’ konflitt, ewlenin fosthom is-separazzjoni bejn l-Istat u l-Knisja u ż-żwieġ ċivili.

George Borg Oliver kien jieħu l-affarijiet bil-mod, fil-waqt li l-ħidma politika tal-Perit  Mintoff kienet karatterizzata mill-għaġġla. Żewġ metodi ta’ ħidma li t-tnejn nisslu bosta diffikultajiet. Il-ħidma bil-mod ittelfek il-paċenzja għax iddum ma tara ir-riżultati. Il-ħidma mgħaġġla iżżejjed min-naħa l-oħra tnissel problemi ta’ żbalji kultant goffi kif ukoll inġustuzzji ma min jinqabad fin-nofs.

Infakkru l-40 anniversarju mit-twaqqif tar-Repubblika fl-1974 nhar it-13 ta’ Diċembru fuq proposta ta’ Mintoff bl-appoġġ tal-parti l-kbira tal-Opposizzjoni. Baqgħu jopponu l-ħolqien tar-Repubblika George Borg Olivier flimkien mal-ħames membri parlamentari ta’ madwaru. George Borg Olivier ried iżomm il-monarkija iżda l-PN fil-Parlament bi ħġaru appoġġa l-ħolqien tar-Repubblika. Fatt dan li bosta ma jagħtuhx il-piż mistħoqq.

Infakkru l-35 anniversarju tal-egħluq tal-bażi militari li seħħet nhar il-31 ta’ Marzu 1979. Dan il-jum għandu sinifikat politiku sostanzjali għax hu l-ewwel darba fl-istorja ta’ Malta li ma kienx hawn bażijiet militari ta’ pajjiżi barranin. Kienet aspirazzjoni politika ewlenija tal-Perit Mintoff, bla dubju imsejsa fuq l-osservazzjonijiet u s-sensittivitajiet ta’ tfulitu. Il-fatt li missieru ħadem għal numru ta’ snin mal-Kap Kmandant tal-Forzi Militari Ingliżi f’Malta (Lord Louis Mountbatten) ġewwa l-Berġa ta’ Kastilja bla dubju  kien element ewlieni fid-determinazzjoni tiegħu li jilħaq dan l-iskop. Għalih Malta “ħelset mill-barrani” u minn hawn ir-referenza għal Jum il-Ħelsien. Titlu li jinstema ftit bombastiku għal uħud iżda li fir-realta hu rifless tal-emozzjonijiet ta’ ġenerazzjonijiet ta’ Maltin li ġustament ħolmu li għad jasal il-jum li f’Malta ma jkunx hawn iżjed forzi militari barranin.

Infakkru l-10 anniversarju tat-tisħib tal-Malta fl-Unjoni Ewropeja. L-aħħar kapitlu f’din l-istorja riċenti ta’ ġensna. Kapitlu frisk mimli suċcessi kif ukoll affarijiet li setgħu saru aħjar. Kapitlu li għadu qiegħed jinkiteb.

Dawn l-anniversarji u l-kontroversji assoċjati magħhom inħmew matul dawn l-aħħar 50 sena. Sawru lil ġensna kif inhu illum. Bil-pożittiv, bin-negattiv u bil-preġudizzji kollha immaġinabbli.

Il-ġenerazzjoni tiegħi għexet kull wieħed minn dawn l-avvenimenti. Ma jdejjaqni l-ebda wieħed minnhom. Ma jfissirx li naqbel ma kif żvolġew. Imma kollha huma avvenimenti li huma parti integrali minn ħajti. Għexthom u naf xi jfissru.

Konxju li fil-pajjiż mhux kulħadd jaħsibha b’dan il-mod. Għad hawn min jixtieq iħassar mill-memorja kollettiva wieħed jew iktar minn dawn l-avvenimenti. Ma naħsibx li dan hu possibli. L-iżvilupp paċifiku ta’ dan il-pajjiż ikun possibli jekk ilkoll naċċettaw li pajjiżna għandu is-sura li għandu illum bħala riżultat ta’ diversi ħidmiet li għalihom ikkontribwixxa kulħadd.

Naf li mhux faċli. Imma fiduċjuż li naslu.

Irċevejt ittra mill-PN

Il-bieraħ irċevejt ittra elettronika mingħand il-Partit Nazzjonalista.

Impjegata infurmatni permezz ta’ ittra elettronika illi Dr Simon Busuttil kien talabha biex tgħaddili kopja tad-diskors li għamel fuq il-fosos tal-Furjana f’Jum l-Indipendenza.

Għalfejn intbagħtitli din il-kopja tad-diskors ta’ ħames paġni ma nafx.

Imma dejjem interessanti għax il-PN qatt ma wieġeb l-ittra tiegħi li pemezz tagħha fid-16 ta’ Jannar 2008 irreżenjajt minn membru tal-PN u issa jibaghtli diskorsi li ma fihom l-ebda ispirazzjoni. Bla ħeġġa u mejta, minn barra u minn ġewwa.

Jum l-Indipendenza hu Jum għażiż għalija u għal ħafna. Iċċelebrajtu meta Simon kien għadu l-anqas twieled. Anzi kont hemm, ma ħafna oħrajn  f’nofs il-lejl bejn l-20 u l-21 ta’  Settembru 1964, tifel ta’ 8 snin flimkien ma ħuti iżgħar minni.

Iċċelebrajtu ukoll fis-snin  ta’ wara meta d-demokrazija kienet mhedda.

Id-diskorsi huma l-inqas ħaġa li jinteressawni bħalissa.

Ikun ferm aħjar kieku l-PN ifittex u forsi jsib ruħu. Imma dik ilu ftit li tilifha u mhux faċli li jerġa’ jsibha.

Ippubblikat fuq iNews illum 26 ta’ Settembru 2013

Dom: a giant surrounded by pygmies

Much has been written in the past days on Dom Mintoff. On his service to the nation. On his values. On his methods. On his achievements.

In what we write we ought to be respectful. Not just to Dom, the man and his memory. We must also respect  ourselves. We must be factual.

We cannot respect the man  if we have no self respect!

His first positive contribution was in the development of the tools of  social solidarity,  determined to ensure that all had access to the basic essentials. He did this initially with Sir Paul Boffa his predecessor as Labour Leader. It was Boffa who laid the foundations of the welfare state through the introduction of Old Age Pensions and Income Tax to finance them!  Years earlier Boffa had prodded Gerald Strickland through the Compact to construct St Luke’s Hospital.  Boffa has been sidelined in the past 50 years when in reality it was he who should get the credit for founding the welfare state in Malta. Dom built on Boffa’s solid foundations, widening and deepening social services in the process.

His second positive was his determination that independence be translated into Maltese absolute control of the islands and their strategic infrastructure. This contrasted with Borg Olivier’s more gradual approach.  His negotiations shocked the nation as it was the first time that a Maltese politician stood up and spoke what they had in mind. In his last mass meeting before the 1971 general elections, held  at Marsa,  Mintoff had stated in very clear terms what he had in mind. It was time for Britain to pay up or pack up.

Lord Carrington then Defence Secretary in Edward Heath’s Cabinet states in his memoirs that negotiating with Dom was tough business. He realised “that there was also calculation in every Mintoff mood.”  Mintoff’s moods noted Carrington, would alternate “between periods of civilised charm and spasms of strident and hysterical abuse.”

Dom also opened a third front. He rightly felt the need for a separation of Church and State. It was, and still is  an area which requires much attention. It was much worse 50 years ago with an unelected archbishop-prince wielding political power unwittingly aiding  the colonial masters. Divide and rule was the British policy in its colonies. This front has been the cause of various scars (political and social), still not sufficiently healed.  It was violence from unexpected quarters which multiplied the political problems which each government has had to tackle since.

In his endeavours Dom was undoubtedly influenced by his direct experiences.  His witnessing of abject poverty during his childhood, his youth and immediate post war years formed his vision for developing the welfare state which had been painfully plotted by Sir Paul Boffa.

Having a foreign power controlling any square metre of significance on the islands was too much to bear for someone with Dom’s temperament. His father’s employment in the service of Lord Louis Mountbatten undoubtedly added to the significance of it all and to his determination to make a clean sweep.

It would be dishonest to ignore the above.

It would be however similarly dishonest to ignore the fact that his stewardship was also characterised by arrogance and bullying. It was characterised by organs of the state which sought to protect abusive behaviour. The long list of cases wherein Dom’s government and his most trusted Ministers were found guilty of infringing human rights is there for all to see. None of them was ever forced to resign. This is also part of Dom’s contribution to the development of  post 1964 Malta.

Anyone ever tried to identify the number of victims, some with a one way ticket to l-Addolorata Cemetery?

Former Air Malta chairman Albert Mizzi in an interview carried in The Sunday Times on March 25, 2012 stated: “I remember one time when someone mentioned something to him about corruption. He turned to me and said, ‘is it true?’ I replied: ‘That what’s people are saying’. His response was: ‘What can I do if that person has helped me to build up the party? Can I take action against him?’ You see, this is small Malta.”

That is Dom, the giant surrounded by pygmies: those who helped him build his party and then proceeded to squeeze it dry until the pips squealed.

Respecting Dom also means self-respect. Respect  the facts.  When this is done we can give the man his due.

originally published at di-ve.com

On this blog you can read the following additional posts on Dom MINTOFF :

21st August 2012 : Dom’s legacy

21st August 2012 : Dom Mintoff

22nd June 2012 : Dom Mintoff fuq in-Net TV.

5th May 2012 : Dom Mintoff : a political bully.

23rd April 2012 : Thanks O Lord for giving us DOM.

1st April 2012: Should we thank Dom?

Dom Mintoff: a political bully

The film Dear Dom has elicited contrasting reactions. It reflects the whims of the man. Initially being way ahead of his contemporaries, he ended up detached from the effects of the changes which he pursued.

He rightly wanted Malta to exit the soonest from its Middle Ages. The temporal powers of the Church run by an archbishop-prince and the colonial rulers were his first targets. Deliberately he opted to bully his way through. The bulldozer was Dom Mintoff’’s preferred operational tool and strategy. Initially used against the colonisers and the Church it was subsequently used by Mr Mintoff against his own people.

His oratory as well as his negotiating skills were central throughout his political career. He radically reformed and expanded the welfare state created by his predecessor as Prime Minister and Labour leader, Sir Paul Boffa, whom he toppled after accusing him of not being capable of standing up to the colonial masters.

Mr Mintoff’s strategy of seeking to improve the nation’s standard of living through integration with the UK stood in stark contrast to that of his nemesis George Borg Olivier who opted for independence as the tool to improve Malta’s living conditions. Mr Mintoff’s strategy to achieve integration failed and eventually he turned to Plan B: to follow the road leading to independence, patiently developed by Dr Borg Olivier. He couldn’t stand that, as playing second fiddle was not his game.

Dr Borg Olivier was patient. Mr Mintoff was not. Independence for Dr Borg Olivier was a gradual process starting with the essentials of self-government and slowly building up the county’s infrastructure: a prerequisite for its social and economic development. That was too slow for Mr Mintoff’s temperament. His attitude was one seeking absolute control at day one. His pace was much faster than Dr Borg Olivier could ever get accustomed to. This was reflected in Mr Mintoff’s style of negotiations, in his demands and in the stormy foreign relations which developed as a result of his approach.

Mr Mintoff’s followers embarked on many a violent spree. One may trace the justification of violence as a political tool in the debate and declarations leading to the Independence Round Table Conference, in particular in what are known as Labour’s six political points (is-sitt punti). Lino Spiteri interviewed in Dear Dom, qualifies this reference to violence as a necessary tool in the rebellion against the colonial powers. While that was indeed one of its earliest manifestations, unfortunately it eventually became a tool for all seasons, when Mr Mintoff lost control of the hangers-on which surrounded him, including the notorious members of his Cabinets, those who had their own “bully boys”.

Violence shamed Mr Mintoff and the Labour Party many a time, most notably when The Times was burnt down on Black Monday, October 15, 1979. In 1984 even his handpicked successor was embarrassed when supporters (labelled as the aristocracy of the working class) went berserk at the Archbishop’s Curia and destroyed all they could see.

Mr Mintoff was not capable of standing up to the criminal behaviour which slowly developed around him until it engulfed him and his party. This was recently described by former Air Malta chairman Albert Mizzi in an interview carried in The Sunday Times on March 25. Mr Mizzi stated: “I remember one time when someone mentioned something to him about corruption. He turned to me and said, is it true? I replied: ‘That what’s people are saying’. His response was: ‘What can I do if that person has helped me to build up the party? Can I take action against him?’ You see, this is small Malta.” That is Mr Mintoff at the mercy of his sycophants: those who helped him build his party and then proceeded to squeeze it dry until the pips squealed.

Bullying of opponents was an essential characteristic of Mr Mintoff’s method of government. Obviously those who benefited from his methods and actions think otherwise.

They consider it as a minor and insignificant blip. Those at the receiving end tend however to recognise it as an essential element of the man’s method. Positive politics is less relevant if the implementation method adopted is unacceptable. As a result Labour’s achievements under his leadership related to the welfare state and the general upgrading of the rights of working men and women will be forever overshadowed.

Coercive methods were characteristic of the man who sought to achieve his targets by hook or by crook. The shareholders of the National Bank of Malta, their heirs and all those who stood in his way are living testimony to Mr Mintoff’s methods. He bullied his way through all opposition: in his party, in Parliament, in civil society, in industrial relations and in the economy. His bullying of intellectuals bequeathed an inheritance of mediocrity to his Labour Party.

When the historical dust will have settled there will be one issue which sticks out in defining the man. It will not be the welfare state but his political bullying which shaped his party for a generation.

published in The Times of Malta, May 5, 2012