Comments on: A regatta or an open confrontation of ideas? http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/a-regatta-or-an-open-confrontation-of-ideas/ Re-inventing the Malta Labour Party (and Maltese politics): an unauthorised tazebao. Fri, 16 Jan 2009 03:33:46 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Tazebao Caretaker http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/a-regatta-or-an-open-confrontation-of-ideas/#comment-358 Tazebao Caretaker Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:18:38 +0000 http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-358 <strong>WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING INCREASING QUANTITY OF SPAM. SPAM-SUSPECT MAIL IS AUTOMATICALLY DIVERTED TO A SPAM FOLDER PENDING VERIFICATION. WE FILTER MATERIAL IN THIS FOLDER NOT LESS THAN ONCE EVERY 24 HOURS TO RELEASE NON-SPAM ITEMS CAUGHT IN THE NET. WE APOLOGISE TO THE SEVERAL CONTRIBUTORS WHOSE COMMENTS WERE THUS DELAYED. THE CARETAKER</strong> WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING INCREASING QUANTITY OF SPAM. SPAM-SUSPECT MAIL IS AUTOMATICALLY DIVERTED TO A SPAM FOLDER PENDING VERIFICATION. WE FILTER MATERIAL IN THIS FOLDER NOT LESS THAN ONCE EVERY 24 HOURS TO RELEASE NON-SPAM ITEMS CAUGHT IN THE NET. WE APOLOGISE TO THE SEVERAL CONTRIBUTORS WHOSE COMMENTS WERE THUS DELAYED.

THE CARETAKER

]]> By: harloc http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/a-regatta-or-an-open-confrontation-of-ideas/#comment-256 harloc Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:44:31 +0000 http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-256 Tessa, oh come on. What are you saying? I think you should update yourself a bit more. It could be that Michael Falzon’s people are all at the electoral office. But that is it. But the most important positions are in the hands of AS people such as The Deputy Leader for Parliament, Secretary General and all the media high positions. At least these are the ones I am sure of. The influence of the electoral office is nothing compared to the latter. Danny you are have been added to my good books and would be happy should you want to correspond personally with me just let me know. I think that we all here should be friends in the interest of the party. I would like to add a comments on MLCP. I think she was one of the best shadow ministers and always replied on her subject intelligently. In the various programs she attended she always brought forward real matters and made good observations especially as the regard of the ‘poor’ people in Malta. Unfortunatley I cannot say the same in her interview in Dissett. To say the truth I was disappointed. She reacted as a normal Labourite will do and react from the heart without thinking. This is the trap that we Labourites normally fall into...we decide from the heart and not use our heads to decide. And that is one thing that makes the PN slightly superior. Hope that the party manages to instill this with the new leader. BC (aka Harloc) Tessa, oh come on. What are you saying? I think you should update yourself a bit more. It could be that Michael Falzon’s people are all at the electoral office. But that is it. But the most important positions are in the hands of AS people such as The Deputy Leader for Parliament, Secretary General and all the media high positions. At least these are the ones I am sure of. The influence of the electoral office is nothing compared to the latter.

Danny you are have been added to my good books and would be happy should you want to correspond personally with me just let me know. I think that we all here should be friends in the interest of the party.

I would like to add a comments on MLCP. I think she was one of the best shadow ministers and always replied on her subject intelligently. In the various programs she attended she always brought forward real matters and made good observations especially as the regard of the ‘poor’ people in Malta. Unfortunatley I cannot say the same in her interview in Dissett. To say the truth I was disappointed. She reacted as a normal Labourite will do and react from the heart without thinking. This is the trap that we Labourites normally fall into…we decide from the heart and not use our heads to decide. And that is one thing that makes the PN slightly superior. Hope that the party manages to instill this with the new leader.

BC (aka Harloc)

]]> By: Maria Vella http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/a-regatta-or-an-open-confrontation-of-ideas/#comment-255 Maria Vella Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:27:19 +0000 http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-255 Hello Dream Girls. Well done for your contribution. I must confess an affinity with MLCP and admire her honesty, energy and loyalty. She is indeed a major asset for the party and her popular support is testimony to the hard work she puts in among the electorate on a day by day basis. Well done Marie Louise. There are two points about which I would love to have your reactions: 1. How may the way they are influencing her image at the time she was secretary general impact on her potential leadership role? I have no doubt that ML is very principled, yet when one sees how sections of the media managed to distort so massively MLP's stance on Europe, I shudder to think what they will do in ML's case. 2. Do you think that moving forward with a full-blooded socialist call is the best strategy? Perhaps you may want to comment on 'Identity and social democratic values' posted on April 5. MLCP certainly offers an alternative and it will be just brilliant, in my opinion, if we were to discuss the issue of bold-red and pink etc within the context of maltese society, at a time when even the poor salesgirl employed for a pittance by some hamburger joint does not want to be associated with the label of 'worker'. Having said that I do see at this stage ML in one of the deputy roles where the glare will be less pronounced and where honest true red colours can be well represented at leadership level. Look forward to your views. Maria Vella Hello Dream Girls. Well done for your contribution. I must confess an affinity with MLCP and admire her honesty, energy and loyalty. She is indeed a major asset for the party and her popular support is testimony to the hard work she puts in among the electorate on a day by day basis. Well done Marie Louise.

There are two points about which I would love to have your reactions:

1. How may the way they are influencing her image at the time she was secretary general impact on her potential leadership role? I have no doubt that ML is very principled, yet when one sees how sections of the media managed to distort so massively MLP’s stance on Europe, I shudder to think what they will do in ML’s case.

2. Do you think that moving forward with a full-blooded socialist call is the best strategy? Perhaps you may want to comment on ‘Identity and social democratic values’ posted on April 5. MLCP certainly offers an alternative and it will be just brilliant, in my opinion, if we were to discuss the issue of bold-red and pink etc within the context of maltese society, at a time when even the poor salesgirl employed for a pittance by some hamburger joint does not want to be associated with the label of ‘worker’.

Having said that I do see at this stage ML in one of the deputy roles where the glare will be less pronounced and where honest true red colours can be well represented at leadership level.

Look forward to your views.

Maria Vella

]]> By: The Dream Girls http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/a-regatta-or-an-open-confrontation-of-ideas/#comment-254 The Dream Girls Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:42:06 +0000 http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-254 Like the previous commentator - 55 - we also think that our best bet for a good leader is Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca. She strikes us as being clever and capable of administering, as her performance in the top general secretary position demonstrated. Most of all she is not ashamed of being marked or called a socialist, (“I’m not ashamed of my political past”) and indeed even affirms it with pride when confronted with it (see the Sunday Times, April 6th). It is about time that we have people like her to lead the party and give it its identity back. Lately we seem to have turned into a very pale shade of pink and it is not what we true-blood Labourites want! We do not identify with the neither here nor there sort of ideas fashionable today. They are not our working class values. Like MLCP we are proud of being Labourites and “we need to explain who we are and what we believe in to those out there who do not really understand”, as she declared in the same interview mentioned above. Another thing that really impressed us in what she says is that she is ready to be put under constant evaluation on both an organisational level and a personal level. That shows humbleness and confidence, both marks of a great leader. We share the columnist’s views when he writes that the candidature of a woman for top post of a political party is really “a progressive break on Malta’s male-dominated political landscape” and this is why we cannot help supporting MLCP. You are all of us Marie-Louise! The Dream Girls [authors' names known to Caretaker] Like the previous commentator – 55 – we also think that our best bet for a good leader is Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca. She strikes us as being clever and capable of administering, as her performance in the top general secretary position demonstrated. Most of all she is not ashamed of being marked or called a socialist, (“I’m not ashamed of my political past”) and indeed even affirms it with pride when confronted with it (see the Sunday Times, April 6th). It is about time that we have people like her to lead the party and give it its identity back. Lately we seem to have turned into a very pale shade of pink and it is not what we true-blood Labourites want! We do not identify with the neither here nor there sort of ideas fashionable today. They are not our working class values. Like MLCP we are proud of being Labourites and “we need to explain who we are and what we believe in to those out there who do not really understand”, as she declared in the same interview mentioned above. Another thing that really impressed us in what she says is that she is ready to be put under constant evaluation on both an organisational level and a personal level. That shows humbleness and confidence, both marks of a great leader. We share the columnist’s views when he writes that the candidature of a woman for top post of a political party is really “a progressive break on Malta’s male-dominated political landscape” and this is why we cannot help supporting MLCP. You are all of us Marie-Louise!

The Dream Girls [authors' names known to Caretaker]

]]> By: danny attard http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/a-regatta-or-an-open-confrontation-of-ideas/#comment-253 danny attard Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:22:09 +0000 http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-253 Hi HARLOC, re your comment: PS Thanks Danny for your comments regarding my idea. But I did not understand to whom you were addressing your comment on Ramloc’s contribution...I was here referring to the 'mud' that RAMLOC threw in your direction and i was suggesting that you should not take much notice because i find ramloc's contribution to be based on the most unlikely of conspiracy theories while his reference to your style of english I found to be so out-of-order, snobbish and distasteful. You have however given him an excellent reply and for that i am truly happy. Re GREEN MILITANT: Hi there. The Labour Party is a big party encompassing a range of views and interests. I can assure you that it is very dynamic and living in the real world. It is also subject to on-going influences that seep subtly through the efforts of different lobby groups, some really formidable like the big-time property developers or the non-secular. You may perhaps appreciate that while these two groups among others may have a finger in the Labour Party cosmos of ideas, their presence is there to underwrite their interests in case the Party is asked to govern. Their true base is within the party in government. I can assure you that there are also green militants within the labour party and you must come over to join us in this on going tug-of-war that is the real world dynamic. Danny Attard Hi HARLOC, re your comment: PS Thanks Danny for your comments regarding my idea. But I did not understand to whom you were addressing your comment on Ramloc’s contribution…I was here referring to the ‘mud’ that RAMLOC threw in your direction and i was suggesting that you should not take much notice because i find ramloc’s contribution to be based on the most unlikely of conspiracy theories while his reference to your style of english I found to be so out-of-order, snobbish and distasteful. You have however given him an excellent reply and for that i am truly happy.

Re GREEN MILITANT: Hi there. The Labour Party is a big party encompassing a range of views and interests. I can assure you that it is very dynamic and living in the real world. It is also subject to on-going influences that seep subtly through the efforts of different lobby groups, some really formidable like the big-time property developers or the non-secular. You may perhaps appreciate that while these two groups among others may have a finger in the Labour Party cosmos of ideas, their presence is there to underwrite their interests in case the Party is asked to govern. Their true base is within the party in government. I can assure you that there are also green militants within the labour party and you must come over to join us in this on going tug-of-war that is the real world dynamic.

Danny Attard

]]> By: Rita Borg http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/a-regatta-or-an-open-confrontation-of-ideas/#comment-252 Rita Borg Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:15:30 +0000 http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-252 Jiena naqbel ma Leli ta’ Haz-Zghir. Marie Louise hija l-ahjar ghazla li nistaghaw naghmlu biex jkollna lider b’qalb li thenn ghalina il-haddiema. Hawnhekk donnu hawn kukanja ta’ nies naqra tal-pepe (kif nghidu ahna in-naha taghna), studenti, professionisti u ghalliema. Mela dawn in-nies biss jezistu f’Malta? Insejnihom il-haddiema li bnew il-partit? Marie-Louise, jew Marie kif nghajtulha ahna, tkun mexxej verament socjalista-qalb thabbat man-nies komuni li ghandhom problemi ta’ kuljum, li tifimna u tghadirna izda li ma tibzax tghid dak li tahseb. Zgur li tkun kapaci li tggieled in-Nazzionalisti u tirbah. Forza Marie, ahna lkoll warajk! Rita Borg Jiena naqbel ma Leli ta’ Haz-Zghir. Marie Louise hija l-ahjar ghazla li nistaghaw naghmlu biex jkollna lider b’qalb li thenn ghalina il-haddiema. Hawnhekk donnu hawn kukanja ta’ nies naqra tal-pepe (kif nghidu ahna in-naha taghna), studenti, professionisti u ghalliema. Mela dawn in-nies biss jezistu f’Malta? Insejnihom il-haddiema li bnew il-partit? Marie-Louise, jew Marie kif nghajtulha ahna, tkun mexxej verament socjalista-qalb thabbat man-nies komuni li ghandhom problemi ta’ kuljum, li tifimna u tghadirna izda li ma tibzax tghid dak li tahseb. Zgur li tkun kapaci li tggieled in-Nazzionalisti u tirbah. Forza Marie, ahna lkoll warajk!

Rita Borg

]]> By: anthony caruana http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/a-regatta-or-an-open-confrontation-of-ideas/#comment-251 anthony caruana Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:49:06 +0000 http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-251 Dear Tessa Joseph's campaigners don't have to be lodged in Hamrun. In fact it would be stupid to work from the headquarters because, as you say the hqs are 'dominated by...." You are right in saying that without Michael certain people will be lost and powerless and the same applies to people who, finding themselves powerless because the leader resigned, they want to replace him with someone they approve of, that is why we are in the situation we are in today: basically the Michael camp vs the ex-leader's camp. Anthony Caruana Dear Tessa

Joseph’s campaigners don’t have to be lodged in Hamrun. In fact it would be stupid to work from the headquarters because, as you say the hqs are ‘dominated by….” You are right in saying that without Michael certain people will be lost and powerless and the same applies to people who, finding themselves powerless because the leader resigned, they want to replace him with someone they approve of, that is why we are in the situation we are in today: basically the Michael camp vs the ex-leader’s camp.

Anthony Caruana

]]> By: Green Militant http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/a-regatta-or-an-open-confrontation-of-ideas/#comment-249 Green Militant Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:30:26 +0000 http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-249 This is my second time here. I wrote comment No. 63 of 30.3.2008 to the post "A lively and healthy debate within and around the Party". If you go back to that comment and read it, you will appreciate today's comment more. Many of us who have been faithful to the green vision of Alternativa over the years and who are now convinced, painfully convinced, that the only way we can ever hope to see our ideal of a country where the environment is given top priority, is for the Labour Party to take up the environmental cause with the same enthusiasm as we did. If only the Labour Party were to give us the right signals - basically that it will take up this cause without fear of antagonising powerful speculators - then we will join it. Remember that apart from those that voted Alternativa there are those that feel close to it but were convinced that it had no chance of even one seat in Parliament and voted for the Nationalists because they were not inspired by Labour. There ng>are also those Nationalists who would not have voted for yet another nationalist government had they believed that Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando was really a spinner. Now they know. If we join Labour and motivate our decision, many of these will follow us. We will not do so if either Michael Falzon or George Abela becomes leader. We may or may not do it if Marie Louise Coleiro becomes leader. We will join if either Joseph Muscat of Evarist Bartolo becomes leader. Both of the last two are acceptable to us. Since many of us are young, Joseph is our favourite but we have great respect for Evarist. If we could could choose (we cannot yet) we would choose a combination of both. Green Militant (Author's name known to Caretaker) This is my second time here. I wrote comment No. 63 of 30.3.2008 to the post “A lively and healthy debate within and around the Party”. If you go back to that comment and read it, you will appreciate today’s comment more. Many of us who have been faithful to the green vision of Alternativa over the years and who are now convinced, painfully convinced, that the only way we can ever hope to see our ideal of a country where the environment is given top priority, is for the Labour Party to take up the environmental cause with the same enthusiasm as we did. If only the Labour Party were to give us the right signals – basically that it will take up this cause without fear of antagonising powerful speculators – then we will join it. Remember that apart from those that voted Alternativa there are those that feel close to it but were convinced that it had no chance of even one seat in Parliament and voted for the Nationalists because they were not inspired by Labour. There ng>are also those Nationalists who would not have voted for yet another nationalist government had they believed that Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando was really a spinner. Now they know. If we join Labour and motivate our decision, many of these will follow us. We will not do so if either Michael Falzon or George Abela becomes leader. We may or may not do it if Marie Louise Coleiro becomes leader. We will join if either Joseph Muscat of Evarist Bartolo becomes leader. Both of the last two are acceptable to us. Since many of us are young, Joseph is our favourite but we have great respect for Evarist. If we could could choose (we cannot yet) we would choose a combination of both.

Green Militant (Author’s name known to Caretaker)

]]> By: Tessa http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/a-regatta-or-an-open-confrontation-of-ideas/#comment-248 Tessa Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:28:29 +0000 http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-248 Harloc advises Joe Muscat that "he will have to get rid of the people that are pushing him and then maybe he will be a good leader". Where is Harloc living? Labour headquarters is dominated by Michael Falzon's people, first and foremost the electoral office. They are certainly NOT pushing Joe for the top job. Why would they? Without Michael they would be lost and powerless. Harloc, we agree with you that things must change in Hamrun. That is why we are supporting Joseph's bid for leader. The only ones that have anything to fear from his election are those that fear change in Hamrun. Tessa (Author's real name known to the Caretaker) Harloc advises Joe Muscat that “he will have to get rid of the people that are pushing him and then maybe he will be a good leader”. Where is Harloc living? Labour headquarters is dominated by Michael Falzon’s people, first and foremost the electoral office. They are certainly NOT pushing Joe for the top job. Why would they? Without Michael they would be lost and powerless. Harloc, we agree with you that things must change in Hamrun. That is why we are supporting Joseph’s bid for leader. The only ones that have anything to fear from his election are those that fear change in Hamrun.

Tessa (Author’s real name known to the Caretaker)

]]> By: Ludmilla Zammit http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/a-regatta-or-an-open-confrontation-of-ideas/#comment-247 Ludmilla Zammit Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:08:56 +0000 http://labourinlabour.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-247 Hi all! I haven't been around for a while but I am glad to see you didn't hybernate in my absence. I suppose some of you will remember me suggesting that perhaps we Maltese are deep down in our souls all "daphnecaruanagalizias". Well now that I have read Harloc's views on Joseph Muscat, I am more than ever convinced that there is some truth in my suggestion. Harloc wrote "please do not tell me that you cannot call JM a bighead when he speaks of when he will be Prime Minister". Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Twerp, bighead, poodle... Ludmilla Zammit Hi all! I haven’t been around for a while but I am glad to see you didn’t hybernate in my absence.
I suppose some of you will remember me suggesting that perhaps we Maltese are deep down in our souls all “daphnecaruanagalizias”.
Well now that I have read Harloc’s views on Joseph Muscat, I am more than ever convinced that there is some truth in my suggestion. Harloc wrote “please do not tell me that you cannot call JM a bighead when he speaks of when he will be Prime Minister”. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Twerp, bighead, poodle…

Ludmilla Zammit

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