“Tradituri” f’nofshom

Waqt li n-Nazzjonalisti huma ppreokkupati bit-“tradituri” f’nofshom, it-tmexxija tal-partit tidher li hi inkwetata li l-partit hu maqtugħ mir-realtá, kif fil-fatt hu!

Il-Partit Nazzjonalista mhux ser ikun iktar partit ta’ elitisti – dawk b’imneħirhom imxammar – iddikjara Dottor Adrian Delia. Wieħed dejjem jista’ jipprova jagħmel dan: ir-riżultati jkun jista’ jarahom kulħadd.

Il-Partit Nazzjonalista, qal Dottor Adrian Delia, għandu joffri leħen għan-nies f’kull qasam tal-ħajja. Inkluż forsi, vuċi għat-“tradituri” ukoll!

It-taqlib li għaddej minnu l-PN hu kbir. Qed ngħid taqlib, mhux tibdil. Prinċipalment passi lura. Huwa ċar li l-ftit passi żgħar ‘il-quddiem li saru taħt it-tmexxija ta’ Simon Busuttil ftit li xejn kellhom aċċettazzjoni mill-membri tal-PN fil-livelli kollha. Bosta jidher li qisuhom bħala imposizzjoni: il-politika tal-inklussivitá għadha mhix parti mil-lingwaġġ aċċettat mill-PN u wisq inqas mill-politika mħaddna. Diversi fil-PN, sfortunatament, għadhom imxennqin għall-għeruq fundamentalisti.

Kultant nisimgħu xi leħen maħnuq ifakkarna fl-għajta tal-bieraħ “religio et patria”. Għajta li tistona f’kuntrast mal-pluraliżmu etiku u l-identitá Ewropea mħaddna minn sezzjonijiet dejjem jikbru tas-soċjetá Maltija illum. Jidher li l-PN ma tgħallem xejn mill-esperjenzi riċenti tiegħu b’mod partikolari mid-diskors u l-atteġġjamenti fundamentalisti tat-tmexxija ta’ Lawrence Gonzi.

L-ebda partit politku ma jista’ jingħalaq fih innifsu u ma jagħtix kaz ta’ dak li qed jiġri madwaru. Il-valuri tas-soċjetá li qed naħdmu fiha qegħdin fi stat ta’ trasformazzjoni kontinwa, kultant mgħaġġla ħafna, u dan għandu jkun rifless ukoll fil-mod li bih nagħmlu l-poltika. Il-PN illum qed iħallas il-prezz politiku għax fil-passat riċenti dan ma għarfux. Jidher li anke fil-preżent hu deċiż li jibqa’ għaddej fl-istess triq żbaljata.

Instigat minn persuni bħal Edwin Vassallo, il-Membru Parlamentari mill-Mosta li bħal Don Quixote kontinwament ikollu viżjonijiet ta’ mtieħen ineżistenti, il-PN tilef opportunitá oħra meta l-Parlament kellu quddiemu l-abbozz ta’ liġi dwar il-vjolenza domestika. Kif spjegali wieħed mill-Membri Parlamentari tal-PN, il-grupp parlamentari tal-PN kien diġa ivvota favur l-abbozz ta’ liġi dwar id-Vjolenza Domestika kemm fl-istadju ta’ l-ewwel qari kif ukoll fl-istadju tat-tieni qari. Kien biss meta Edwin Vassallo tfixkel minħabba l-viżjoni tal-imtieħen tiegħu li nbidel il-ħsieb u kulħadd fil-grupp parlamentari telaq għal rieħu.

Issa l-PN għamel pass ieħor. Ittimbra “tradituri” lil dawk li kellhom il-kuraġġ li jsemmgħu leħinhom u li ma jibqgħux imxekkla mill-irbit tal-fundamentaliżmu.

L-attitudnijiet tal-lum imorru lura għall-posizzjoni ta’ prinċipju li ħadet Therese Commodini Cachia li irrifjutat li ssegwi l-posizzjoni tal-Opposizzjoni kontra l-Ordni għal Standard Nazzjonali dwar il-leave għall-prokreazzjoni medika assistita f’Ottubru 2017.

Tmien membri parlamentari tal-PN u ċioe Claudette Buttigieg, Chris Said, Simon Busuttil, Karol Aquilina, Mario De Marco, Karl Gouder, Jason Azzopardi u Therese Commodini Cachia bħala riżultat tal-vot ħieles tal-Opposizzjoni appoġġaw l-abbozz ta’ liġi dwar il-Vjolenza Domestika bil-bqija tal-grupp parlamentari jivvota kontra.

Biex ikompli jgħaxxaqqa, il-Kap tal-Opposizzjoni, wara li spiċċat din il-kummiedja ddikjara li l-abbozz ta’ liġi approvat, li jimplimenta l-Konvenzjoni ta’ Istanbul, ikun wieħed minn ta’ l-ewwel li meta l-PN ikun fil-Gvern jitħassar. Mid-dehra Dottor Delia mhux jirrealizza li bi kliemu qiegħed jimbotta dak il-jum (li l-PN ikun fil-Gvern) ħafna iktar il-bogħod. Possibilment li l-Kabinett Nazzjonalista li jmiss għadu l-anqas biss twieled!

Ippubblikat fuq Illum : il-Ħadd 13 ta’ Mejju 2018

“Traitors” in their midst

While the PN rank and file are preoccupied with the “traitors” in their midst, the PN leadership is apparently worried that the party is out of touch with reality, as indeed it is.

The PN will no longer be a party of the elite, declared Dr Adrian Delia. Well, one can always try to achieve that: the results so far are there for all to see.

The party, said Dr Delia, would offer a voice to people at all levels of society –  presumably a voice for “traitors” too!

To say that the Nationalist Party is in a state of turmoil would be a gross understatement. It is now clear to everyone that the very few steps forward made by the PN under Simon Busuttil’s leadership were never accepted by either the PN MPs or by its rank and file. Most considered them an imposition: the politics of inclusivity has not yet made it to the PN political lexicon. Most of the PN, unfortunately, still yearns for its anachronistic fundamentalist roots.

The PN’s perennial motto religio et patria is in stark contrast to the ethical pluralism and Europeanisation embraced by ever-increasing sections of Maltese society. The PN has apparently learned nothing from its recent experiences, most notably when Lawrence Gonzi’s fundamentalist discourse ruled the day. No political party can ignore the rapid changes in our society. The values of our society are in a state of constant transformation, at times at a very fast pace, and this should be reflected in the way in which we do politics. The PN today is paying the political price for failing to recognise this fact and acting accordingly.

Prodded by the likes of Edwin Vassallo, the Mosta MP who constantly has Don Quixotic visions of non-existent windmills, the PN missed another opportunity when the Domestic Violence Bill came up before Parliament. As one PN MP explained to me, the PN Parliamentary Group voted in favour of the Domestic Violence Bill at both first and second reading stage, until Edwin Vassallo panicked due to his vision of windmills, as a result torpedoing his own parliamentary group.

The PN has now gone one step further. They are labelling as “traitors” those who have the courage to stand up and be counted, free from the shackles of fundamentalism.

The current attitudes can be traced to the uncompromising stance taken by Therese Commodini Cachia, who did not support the Opposition’s stand against the National Standard Order in relation to Leave for Medically Assisted Procreation way back in October 2017.

As a result of the Opposition free vote, eight PN MPs – namely Claudette Buttigieg, Chris Said, Simon Busuttil, Karol Aquilina, Mario De Marco, Karl Gouder, Jason Azzopardi and Therese Commodini Cachia – supported the Domestic Violence Bill with the remaining members of the PN Parliamentary Group voting against.

To crown this comedy of errors, the Leader of the Opposition further declared that the approved Domestic Violence Bill implementing the Istanbul Convention, would be one of the first that he would repeal on taking office. Apparently Dr Delia is not aware that his utterances have pushed that day (when he assumes office) further into the future.  It is possible that the members of the next PN-led cabinet have not even been born yet!

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday : 13 May 2018

It-triq tan-niżla tal-PN

 

Tisma’ jew taqra l-kummenti konnessi mal-kampanja għall-elezzjoni ta’ Kap tal-PN bil-fors titħawwad u tistaqsi lilek innifsek: x’inhu jiġri? Min ħataf il-PN?

L-akkużi u l-insulti li għaddejjin min-naħa għall-oħra huma tal-mistħija u ma jixirqux mhux biss lil min qed ilissinhom imma l-anqas lill-partit innifsu li bla dubju jixraqlu ferm aħjar.

Imma t-triq tan-niżla ilha li bdiet, ħafna qabel it-tmexxija ta’ Simon Busuttil. Is-sinjali kienu hemm imma ħadd ma ried jagħti kaz tagħhom. L-arroganza kont tmissha b’idejk.

Issa l-PN wasal fl-istat li qiegħed illum. Ikun x’ikun ir-riżultat, kemm jekk jitla’ Chris Said kif ukoll jekk jitla’ Adrian Delia, l-PN irid jiffaċċja taħwid u diżillużjoni għal żmien konsiderevoli.

Gozo Channel: tunnelling discounts

 

When the current Gozo Channel tunnel debate was initiated around five years ago, the then Minister Chris Said went on record to emphasise that the proposed tunnel, to be bored under the seabed would cost approximately €150 million. This estimate has now been upped to €300 million.

This is one of the basic assumptions underlying the study commissioned by Transport Malta, together with the Gozo Business Chamber, and carried out by E Cubed Consultants Ltd, commonly referred to as the “economic and financial feasibility study”.

The study makes interesting reading as it considers the economics of the so-called permanent link between the islands of Gozo and Malta. I respectfully submit that the conclusions of this study are as valid as the basic assumptions which underpin it.

I draw the attention of readers to the fact that proposals for various tunnels are currently under consideration in other countries.

The first is the proposed Trans-Pennine tunnel, intended to improve the transport links between Sheffield and Manchester in the UK. The ambitious 18- mile (29km) tunnel would be built under the A628 Woodhead Pass. After having established that the geology of the Pennines was suitable for such a project, it was estimated that the approximate cost would be a staggering £6 billion (€8.40 billion).

The second UK project is the much-debated and controversial tunnel at Stonehenge. Intended to upgrade the A303 road, it is projected to have a length of 1.8 miles (2.9 km) and is currently estimated to cost £490 million (€700 million).

Another projected tunnel, recently given the green light, will pass between the Danish island of Lolland and the German island of Fehmarn. Construction work on this 19 km tunnel should start next January and it is estimated to cost €8.7 billion.

The estimates for the proposed tunnels in the United Kingdom indicate that the cost of a 10 km tunnel would exceed the €2 billion mark, even before taking into account the fact that excavating below the seabed would cost substantially more. In addition, the Danish/German tunnel indicates a pro-rata cost of €4.7 billion for a 10 kilometre tunnel.

In addition, the geological parameters below the Gozo Channel are still largely unknown: geological studies have to be carried out and examined in detail in order to establish the facts. Without these facts, the basic information necessary to take essential design decisions is still unavailable. What is known is worrying enough: the presence of active geological faults running right through the proposed route of the tunnel.

The study’s conclusions – that the proposed tunnel is economically viable – have  been reached prior to the carrying out of geological studies. Even the estimated costs used in the economic viability study have been established before these essential geological studies.

In this type of project, no estimate of costs can be precise – especially if it is not based on adequate and essential information.

This indicates that the conclusion of the economic viability study was premature.

In addition to the geological studies, additional important (and essential) studies have (as far as is known) not yet been commissioned. These include studies on the environmental impact, business impact and social impact.

Once concluded, such studies will inevitably point to other issues that will require detailed consideration, including the extent to which the projected permanent link between Malta and Gozo will toll the death knell for holiday accommodation in Gozo: hotels, flats and farmhouses.

The above indicates that, unless the promoters of the tunnel have some cast-iron guarantee of substantial discounts on the costs, the proposal is a non-starter even before any consideration of the environmental, business and social impact. It is about time to begin serious work on the practical alternative: a fast ferry service between Gozo and the Grand Harbour.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday : 6 December 2015

L-istima tal-mina bejn Malta u Għawdex: kemm marret smerċ?

 

Meta madwar ħames snin ilu beda d-dibattitu kurrenti dwar il-mina taħt il-baħar bejn Malta u Għawdex, Chris Said, dakinnhar Ministru, kien qal li l-istima approssimattiva biex din issir kienet ta’ €150 miljun.

Issa qiegħed jingħad illi l-istima hi ta’ €300 miljun. L-istima irduppjat f’ħames snin!

Bħalissa fir-Renju Unit għaddej dibattitu dwar ta’ l-inqas żewġ mini.

Waħda minnhom hi bejn Manchester u Sheffield, mina twila 18-il mil (29 kilometru). L-ispiża dwarha hi stmata sitt biljun sterlina (madwar €8.4 biljun). Somma mhux żgħira.  Bl-istess rata ta’ infieq, il-mina bejn Malta u Għawdex li ser tkun twila 10 kilometri tiġi tiswa €2.8 biljun. Ħafna iktar mit-€300 miljun li qed jgħidu l-esperti Maltin.

Hemm ukoll għaddejja diskussjoni dwar mina minn taħt Stonehenge tat-tul ta’ 2.9 kilometri bl-aħħar stima tkun ta’ £ 460 miljun sterlina. Bl-istess rata ta’ infieq, il-mina bejn Malta u Għawdex li ser tkun twila 10 kilometri tiġi tiswa €2272 miljuni.

Dan kollu hu indikazzjoni ta’ kemm tista’ tiġi tiswa l-mina taħt il-baħar bejn Malta u Għawdex. M’huwiex definittiv imma juri li ċ-ċifri li qed jikkunsidra l-lobby favur il-mina huma żbaljati.  Għax bejn €300 miljun u ċifra sostanzjalment iktar minn €2 biljuni, bil-fors li hemm xi ħaga ħażina x’imkien.

Dan hu importanti li jingħad, għax l-istudju dwar il-vijabilità ekonomika tal-mina, li ġie ikkummissjonat minn Transport Malta flimkien mal-Gozo Business Chamber, hu bbażat fuq stima ta’ €300 miljun. Issa l-ebda stima ma tkun preċiża. Dejjem ikun hemm xi varjazzjoni anke meta tkun stima ibbażata fuq pjan preċiż, għax f’dan ix-xogħol dejjem jinqala’ xi ħaġa li ma tkunx prevista. Imma altru li l-istima ma tkunx preċiża u altru li jkun hemm differenza ta’ iktar minn 7 darbiet.

Li hu żgur hu li dak l-istudju (dwar il-vijabilità ekonomika tal-mina) kien prematur minħabba li l-analiżi ġeoloġika għadha ma saritx. Issa l-analiżi ġeoloġika inevitabilment ser ikollha impatt sostanzjali fuq il-proposta definittiva tal-mina. Hu magħruf li r-rotta tal-mina tgħaddi minn żona li hi ġeoloġikament attiva, liema fatt, bla dubju, jżid in-nefqa minħabba l-prewkazzjonijiet li ser ikunu meħtieġa.

Fid-dawl ta’ dan kollu, ħaga waħda hi ċara: hemm min għandu interess li jibqa’ jittama li l-mina hi possibli li ssir. Apparti l-problemi ta’ ġeoloġija, ambjent, impatt soċjali u impatt fuq in-negozju (li l-istudji dwarhom għad iridu jsiru) hemm ukoll indikazzjonijiet ċari li l-proġett l-anqas hu vijabbli ekonomikament, għax l-istima li fuqha nħadmu l-kalkoli ta’ vijabilità ekonomika hi ħafna l-bogħod mir-realtà.

Fid-dawl ta’ dan kollu, bil-fors tasal għall-konkluzjoni li hemm min irid jgħaddi n-nies biż-żmien. Għax għalkemm hu kmieni biex tasal għal stima definittiva, l-indikazzjonijiet kollha juru li ċ-ċifra użata sa issa għall-argumentazzjoni minn dawk kollha favur il-proposta tal-mina hi ħafna l-bogħod mir-realtà.

Tunnel vision

 

Gozo’s connectivity issues are considered as a problem when in reality they define Gozo and determine its distinct features. Unfortunately, in this respect both the government and the opposition have developed a tunnel vision, that is they tend to focus on just one view and ignore everything else.

The latest twist in the current debate is the declaration by the Finance Minister in his budget statement earlier this month that the feasibility study commissioned by Transport Malta, together with the Gozo Business Chamber has been concluded positively  and that the next step would be  the commissioning of a technical and geological study relative to the projected tunnel across the Gozo Channel.

Transport Malta, prodded by the Gozo Business Chamber, seems to be bent on putting the cart before the horse as it is inconceivable how a feasibility study could be concluded without first having identified all the geological issues and examined them in detail.  Knowing that the Gozo Channel contains a number of geological faults, including active ones, leads to the logical preliminary conclusion that geological studies of the area proposed to be tunnelled could have a substantial bearing on the technical parameters of the project. This would include the specific  route to be selected, the actual works to be carried out and the costings. The geological studies could also lead to a technical recommendation to select an alternative solution other than boring a tunnel below the seabed .

When the PN-led government placed the issue on the national agenda, former Minister Chris Said gave his guesstimate that the tunnel would cost in the region of €150 million. We have recently been informed that this guesstimate has increased substantially to between €250 and €300 million.

These guesstimates are on the low side, because when the geological issues have been examined the estimate could well shoot up to over €1 billion- this being around 4 times what has been taken into consideration in the so-called “feasibility study”.

These type of project very rarely follow estimated costs. The tunnel linking the Marsa and Delimara powers stations in Malta, for example, overshot its projected costs by around 100% due to the absence of adequate geological information. As a result, parts of the  tunnel caved in during works, necessitating substantial additional work, including redirecting parts of it. On the other hand,  expenditure on the Channel Tunnel linking Folkestone in Kent to Coquelles near Calais exceeded the projected estimates by around 80% notwithstanding the availability of detailed geological studies.

Last week, one of the Sunday newspapers referred to a survey carried out by the Gozo Tourism Association which indicates that 64% of tourism operators in Gozo are adamantly against the proposed tunnel because the direct result of this would be to render Gozo as an appendage of Malta. Gozo would be transformed into a one- day destination, just like most of the other tourism attractions spread over the Maltese islands.

Gozitan tourism operators have a very valid point, as the direct result of this tunnel vision is that Gozo would be transformed from an island into a remote village. Most hotels in Gozo as well as the flats and farmhouses available to let, could then require the identification of another use.

This matter has not yet been examined and yet it is fundamental to the decision-making process and should have been the first step in the whole exercise.

All this muddle and I have not yet commenced discussing the environmental impacts of the proposed tunnel!

The tunnel will generate large quantities of rock which require disposal. The precise amount would depend on the route to be followed (and consequently the length of the tunnel) as well as the selected design (the cross sectional area) and could be anything between one and two million cubic metres of fragmented rock.

In addition, the proposed point of entry of the tunnel at Iċ-Ċumnija on the outskirts of Mellieħa, would most probably be accessed through a new road network in the area immediately behind the Għadira Nature Reserve and bird sanctuary. This means that all the environmental issues which were discussed when the proposed TEN-T network was being debated will once more be of relevance.

There are many other ways through which Gozo’s connectivity issues can be addressed and there are certainly more cost effective ways than the proposed tunnel. The costs to be considered are not just financial: they include social and environmental costs, which should be considered on the drawing board and not as an afterthought.

This is the problem with the tunnel vision – you just have one view, excluding all the others.

Mill-Parlament għall-Qorti ?

 

Wara ġimgħat ta’ diskussjoni kif ukoll bħala riżultat tat-text finali tal-Liġi dwar il-Finanzjament tal-Partiti Politiċi jidher li hemm il-possibilita ta’ żewġ kawżi. Dawn iservu biex tinfetaħ battalja legali dwar issues jaħarqu li fihom fil-Parlament ma kienx hemm qbil bejn il-Gvern u l-Opposizzjoni.

L-ewwel kawża possibli hi dik indikata fil-press conference ta’ Chris Said u Claudio Grech nhar it-Tlieta li għaddew. Din tirrigwarda l-għażla tal-Kummissjoni Elettorali bħala r-regolatur biex titħaddem il-liġi. Waqt id-diskussjoni fil-kumitat parlamentari li jikkunsidra l-liġijiet l-argumenti kontra l-proposta li l-Kummissjoni Elettorali tkun ir-regolatur kien wieħed ta’ preġudizzju fil-liġi innifisha. Dan il-preġudizzju hu wieħed doppju. Hu preġudizzju favur il-partiti fil-parlament (għax teskludi l-partiti l-oħra kollha) u huwa ukoll preġudizzju favur il-Gvern tal-ġurnata.

Il-komposizzjoni tal-Kummissjoni Elettorali għalhekk tagħmilha mhiex addatta biex tkun ir-regolatur, għax hu diffiċli tkun imparzjali.

Min-naħa l-oħra dwar it-tieni kawza ma jidhirlix li rajt kummenti fl-istampa. Din hi issue li tqajjmet fl-aħħar seduta tad-diskussjoni fil-kumitat parlamentari.

Meta konna qed niddiskutu d-definizzjoni ta’ “donazzjoni” qam il-punt li meta partit politiku jingħata servizz bi prezz ridott, it-tnaqqis fil-prezz għandu jitqies bħala donazzjoni. Mela jekk, per eżempju, partit politiku jikri mingħand il-privat binja li l-kera kummerċjali tagħha hi €100,000 fis-sena, imma jiftiehem biex iħallas €50,000 , id-differenza titqies bħala donazzjoni. F’dan il-kaz tkun donazzjoni illegali għax donazzjoni ma tistax taqbeż il-€25,000 fis-sena.

Allura qal Chris Said fil-kumitat parlamentari: x’inhi l-posizzjoni tal-Partit Laburista li għandu l-fuq minn tletin post (ankè l-PN għandu, imma numru inqas) propjeta’ tal-Gvern mikrijin għandu bis-soldi?

 

Owen Bonnici wieġeb li dawk il-propjetajiet f’idejn il-Partit Laburista  jiddependu minn arranġamenti li saru qabel daħlet fis-seħħ il-liġi dwar il-finanzjament tal-partiti politiċi u allura l-argument ta’ Chris Said ma kienx wieħed tajjeb.  L-Avukat Ġenerali ta’ xi spjegazzjonijiet legali li fil-fehma tiegħi ma ikkonvinċew lil ħadd. Iktar kien qiesu tidwir mal-lewza. Chris Said ressaq emenda biex jiċċara dan il-punt. L-emenda m’għaddietx.

Jiena esprimejt l-opinjoni li l-emenda ta’ Chris Said ma kienx hemm bżonnha għax id-definizzjoni tal-kelma donazzjoni hi ċara ħafna fil-liġi u bl-ebda mod ma teskludi propjeta tal-Gvern. Fil-fatt id-definizzjoni ta’ donazzjoni tibda b’dawn il-kelmiet:

“donazzjoni” tfisser kull benefiċċju riċevut fir-rigward tal-attivitajiet jew il-funzjonijiet ta’ partit politiku, minn jew f’isem partit politiku, minn membru ta’ partit politiku, minn kandidat jew minn xi organizzazzjoni, kemm jekk tkun korporata jew le li fiha l-partit politiku, direttament jew indirettament jeżerċita amministrazzjoni effettiva u kontoll u għandha tinkludi, sakemm ma jiġix provdut mod ieħor………….:”

 

Dawn huma tnejn mill-affarijiet li l-liġi dwar il-finanzjament tal-partiti politiċi ma tikkunsidrax sewwa. Ħasra kbira. Għax l-isforz kbir li sar minn bosta seta ta’ riżultati aħjar.

Il-kumpens ta’ Chris Said

 

Is-Segretarju Ġenerali tal-PN Chris Said qalilna li l-PN irid kumpens għall-każini politiċi propjeta’ tal-Gvern li l-Labour għandu iktar mill-PN. Iħoss li l-PN ġie diskriminat.

Ġdida din! Waħda isbaħ mill-oħra!

Liċ–ċittadin li jħallas it-taxxi, Chris Said is-Segretarju Ġenerali tal-PN, irid jagħtih daqqa doppja. L-ewwel daqqa billi ittieħdet propjeta’ pubblika għall-każini meta dan ma kellux isir. Issa jrid illi jsir bilanċ tal-abbuż!

Dan jaf x’inhu jgħid jew?

Naħseb li kien ikun aħjar kieku Chris Said u l-PN jgħiduna x’kumpens ser iħallsu huma lill-poplu Malti talli għal 25 sena sħaħ il-PN baqa’ iċċassata quddiem il-boathouses (li qatt ma raw dgħajjes) ġol-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa.

Għal 25 sena sħaħ il-Partit Nazzjonalista kien kompliċi ma dawk li ħadu l-art u bnew bla permess bil-konsegwenza li ċaħħdu lill-eluf ta’ Maltin kull sena milli jgawdu parti mill-kosta.

Dan hu l-kumpens li Chris Said is-Segretarju Ġenerali tal-PN messu jitkellem dwaru!

Il-Partit Laburista, l-Australia Hall u propjeta’ oħra

Is-Segretarju Ġenerali tal-PN Chris Said, il-bieraħ, tkellem dwar il-partiti politiċi (fil-Parlament) u kif tul is-snin dawn użaw u abbużaw mir-riżorsi tal-istat. Bħala wieħed mill-eżempji Chris Said isemmi l-Australia Hall f’Pembroke.

Issa huwa faċli u komdu tgħid li l-Australia Hall jiswa’ €10 miljuni. Imma irid jingħad ukoll li l-Australia Hall ġiet għand il-Partit Laburista fl-1979 bħala parti minn kumpens għall-Headquarters li l-Partit Laburista kellu l-Marsa fejn illum hemm il-Marsa Shipbuilding u li fil-futur qrib jista’ jkun żviluppat f’hub ta’ servizzi marittimi.

Issa meta l-Partit Laburista akkwista l-Australia Hall fl-1979 ma naħsibx li ħa ħafna ġost bih. Fil-fatt għal snin kbar ħadd ma sema’ bih. Probabbilment li kieku l-Partit Laburista kellu għażla ma kienx jaċċetta l-Australia Hall u kien jipprova jinnegozja kumpens differenti. Imma dak il-kumpens kien ġie impost fuq il-Partit Laburista mill-Perit Mintoff fi żmien meta jitkellem Mintoff il-Partit kien jigdem xufftejħ u jagħlaq ħalqu.

Fl-2009 beda argument legali bejn il-Gvern immexxi mill-Partit Nazzjonalista u l-Partit Laburista dwar in-nuqqas ta’ żamma f’kundizzjoni tajba ta’ manutenzjoni tal-Australia Hall. Infetħu żewġ kawżi, l-Gvern ried l-Australia Hall lura u l-Partit Laburista b’risposta ried il-Marsa Shipbuilding lura. Wara l-elezzjoni tal-2013 b’id waħda l-Partit Laburista irtira l-kawża tal-Gvern u bl-oħra irtira l-kawża tal-Partit. B’hekk ġieb fi tmiem ftit tejatrin li kien beda 4 snin qabel. Ir-realta hi li l-Partit Laburista kellu l-obbligu li jikkura l-Australia Hall, liema obbligu ma onorax. Imma min-naħa l-oħra kien ikun inġust li jittieħed lura l-Australia Hall meta dan kien parti minn kumpens għat-teħid tal-HQ  li l-PL kellu l-Marsa. Din kienet waħda mill-gimmicks ta’ Jason Azzopardi. Kieku mexa bl-istess mod ma’ tal-boathouses tal-Armier il-problema ilha snin li spiċċat!

Sadanittant il-Partit Laburista biegħ l-Australia Hall skond konvenju li qal li kellu ta’ ħafna snin qabel.

 

Dan hu wieħed mill-eżempji ta’ kif il-Partit Laburista amministra propjeta’ pubblika. Ma dan trid iżżid il-propjeta’ b’requisition order mill-Housing li spiċċat każini tal-Partit Laburista, bħall-Każin ta’ Santa Venera. Inkella uffiċini ta’ Dipartimenti tal-Gvern li spiċċaw każini tal-Partit Laburista, bħall-Każin tar-Rabat Għawdex li kien l-uffiċċju tad-Dipartiment tal Agrikultura f’Għawdex.

Chris Said qed jgħid li l-PN jrid jirristawra l-bilanċ mal-Partit Laburista billi anke hu (il-PN) jbill subgħajh.

Tajba din. Naħseb li kien ikun aktar kredibbli kieku Chris Said qal li l-Partit Laburista għandu jirritorna l-propjeta li ħa f’idejh b’mod abbużiv. Il-każini tar-Rabat Għawdex u Santa Venera  huma żewġ eżempji.

Dan mhux il-mod li tiżviluppa diskussjoni serja dwar il-finanzjament tal-partiti politiċi.

 

Minn mina għal pont: ħolma ta’ 50 sena ilu

Mela Chris Said u Franco Mercieca kienu qed joħolmu bil-mina. Issa Refalo reġa’ ħolom bil-pont.

Fl-istess ħin li Anton Refalo qed joħlom b’dan l-imbierek pont (ħolma li ilha għaddejja ħamsin sena) jgħidilna li jrid jiftaħ uffiċċju ta’ Għawdex fi Brussels biex jiddefendi id-drittijiet ta’ Għawdex. Id-drittijiet tar-reġjun.

Mela b’id waħda jippontifikaw bl-insularita doppja li tiġġustifika għajnuna reġjonali għal Għawdex għax bħala gżira hu maqtugħ għalih waħdu. Min-naha l-oħra iridu jeliminaw din l-insularita’ b’link permanenti.

B’żieda ma issues ambjentali u spiża madornali mhux ġustifikabbli jidher li hemm problema ukoll ta’ konsistenza politika.