Great website. Would be good if you could add the following links:

http://www.partitlaburista.net

http://www.maltapresident.com

Cheers,
MARK

http://www.partitlaburista.net

http://www.maltapresident.com

Cheers,
MARK

The Nats must be dancing……

Daphne as always can’t stand anyone with a different opinion from hers and ‘freedom of speech and expression’ is limited to her sisters, her partners and her friends.

The lady who quoted here what I commented at Daffy’s blog didn’t understand what I was referring to.

Daphny’s spite towards the MLP in general and the MLP Leaders in particular is demonstrated in her weekly scibblings.

Anyway her credibilty is well below freezing point.She is well aware of this and is doing all she can to survive.But nothing and no one can stop her doom.

Parliamnetary Commissions seem to be far and distant “things” to the ordinary citizen . Yet these Commissions may well change the ordinary citizen’s way of life for the better and at times for the worse. This Commission is one such Commission .

One innovative aspect of this commission lies in its procedural way on comming to terms on the different issues to be determined . For the first time ever , at least I cannot remember an other instance of this kind ,though being a bipartisan Commission , consensus is the keyword with no strings attached . This was Joseph’s acchievment : the offspring of his firm belief , that if change is to come , the oppostion has to be treated in dignified manner .Were change is at stake , we are peers and not second class citizens .

Consensus is of essence because of the highly delicate subjects that lie before this Commission . If profound changes do come about regarding the fianacing of political parties , anti-corruption measures , profound amendements in electoral laws , broadcasting and other institutional matters which have been for years of great concern and yet neglected , we will be ushering a new Constituional era .

I dare say that the First Repubblic has long decayed and all we did for the past thirt years or so was , to sit on the eggs without making them warm enough to hatch . Society changed rapidly if not overnight and yet the institutions failed to respond as rapidly , with the consequence that today we can palpabbly percieve the social and institutional disparity . We are very much like an adult who still wears his school days shirt .

Further more ,the fact that the Nationalist Party accepted the principle of consensus , subliminally there seems to be some kind of recognition on its part ,that governing the island with less than fifty per cent of the votes , albeit having obtained the relative majority , is devoid of a strong moral ascendant to have it it’s way all the time .

Whether by accident or design , the maltese have sent the message , that things must truly change . Joseph has read and understood the message .

Toni Abela

I am personally extremely pleased with what Joseph and his team have done so far. To mention a few:-

- Re-uniting many elements within the party
- Keeping up with his promises to make the MLP a more dynamic and effective machine and taking heed of the shortcomings from past defeats
- Kick-starting the divorce debate
- Kick-starting a parliamentary committee in a bid to enhance our democracy
- Giving far greater importance to environmental issues
- Introducing a debate giving 16 year olds the right to vote
- Establishing the MLP as positive and pro-active in Maltese and EU politics
- Establishing a professional code of ethics for party journalism
- Giving the people a greater say in formulating party policy

All of these changes and innovative ideas are directing the MLP away from extreme party populism which many of us are sick and tired of and towards a progressive and moderate movement and I cannot help but think that this is already a great earthquake in itself. I am also rather intrigued with Evarist Bartolo’s courageous proposal of creating stronger ties with AD (see: http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=47122), an idea which a number of us have already spoken about before. I am unsure whether a coalition should be formed as yet but the creation of an umberella movement with AD and other left-leaning NGO’s can be a great step towards overcoming 25 years of nothing but the same.

The road has been bumpy and certain short-comings have also been met, yes it is an earthquake after all, but the direction is the correct one. Keep it up Joseph.

Andrew Sciberras

What a pleasure to see you on our blog! Welcome!I for one have full faith in Joseph and you and am looking forward to seeing your projects fleshed out. As a Labour Party member I can’t wait for Joseph’s earthquake to draw me and the many members like me who have always been relegated to the peripheries, closer to the center of the Party.

Keep up the good work.

Marie

I have been folowing your blog from the very instance it made an appearance on the net . This blog and otner like it are providing the right right forum where healthy and sound debate about leftist issues can be entertained .

As to what Joseph is p[ropoosing I have seen him working on this project with inspiring energy and firm thought . Every time that the subject of earthquakes reforms surfaces in our discussions , he strongly insists that these must be carried out with caution and at the same time with haste . Joseph is convinced that times are a changing and that the writing is on the wall .

As to the present state of affairs in the Malta Labour , in this pre siesmic period we are allworking hard on making the party ticking from within . Through long hours of hardwork we are trying to instill in party members , councillors , party sections ,and so many others that the Malta Labour Party is but a poltical multi venture . That the Party for the coming years as going to be near it’s members and people fromm all walks of life , as much as a limpet is clad to rock .

With this in mind , we have embarked on a number of projects which are near to completion and they will not takelong before they come to fruition . For Joseph and those that work along his sieds , deeds come before words . Let not others think that we are placidly waiting for the earthquake .

Toni Abela