Saviour Balzan's videoblog

Hey Pussycat, Is this the same Gonzi, 'the leader who can lead' you mentioned in your last blog?

Talk is cheap, mr tonfatso, and this latrine provides the likes of you what lots of opportunities to tarnish the reputation of others; provide evidence of my contributions to or apologies of any political party. There is none. On the other hand, who knows what mischief you are up to by remaining anonymous? Andy Farrugia

@ afar. Am I right to conclude that you are stating that the Pravda in English is independent and neutral ? Obviously it does not mete out this treatment to the people you quoted but it does so in respect of lesser beings like myself and others. Obviously it does not do so in your respect as you and Antoine Vella, the knows it all, are a Gonzipn contributor or apologist, my friend.

Let us see if tonfatso is right about calling The Times "Pravda in English". A list of the regular columnists would give us the following: Helena Dalli, Robert Henry Bugeja, Lino Spiteri, Leo Brincat, and Mario Vella. Could be that i have forgotten some other names. Of course, then there are the columnists who toe the government line and these include Simon Busuttil, Herman Schiavone, Beck, Austin Sammut, etc. But i am not really concerned about whether clolumnists are pro or against the government. What really bothers me is that 90% of the columnists, particularly on Sundays, are virulently against religious belief and the Church, irrespective of their political beliefs. And yet tomfatso talks about freedom of speech and expression? Well, to be sure, the "Pravda in English" is not going to allow him or others (in anonimado) to get away with the kind of toxic effluvium which regularly characterises the comments section in Saver's latrine, is it? PS. There was one particular fall from grace in the Times related to Nazi comparisons but we sorted that out, mucho pronto. Andy Farrugia

Tonfatso, you're a constant user of websites but have no idea of the correct terminology. Posting a comment as I'm doing now does not make me a blogger. Saviour Balzan is the blogger; you and I are just commenting so, at most, we're commenters. . I thought you might like to know.

@James Grech. I am a constant blogger of the Times. I would rather call it as some other blogger called it the "Pravda in English". Its editing in respect of critiicism aimed at Gonzipn is incomprehensible. Not to mention that the "Pravda in English" carries all the blogs in favour of Gonzipn and then reduces or does not carry at all all the blogs levelled against Gonzipn. Where is our freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed by the Constitution ? And then the "Pravda in English" presents itself as the champion of democracy. My foot.

Dear Mr Agius, thanks for your insight, you're so right but with a difference. When the LP was in power 25 years ago( that in itself says a lot) the PN played the 'holier than thou' because of the PBS, because of the skewed executive administrative political system,crocodile tears about environment, good governance etc. Today, we have robust gatekeeping by the so called 'english speaking . media. They defend the indefencible and all sorts of miscreants by the PN led administrion. Thanks God we have Saviour Balzan who is truly independent and calls a spade a spade! Early, in 1990s I've heard one of the owners of the so called free press refering to the LP protests:'Mhux se jhalluna nieklu dawn'! ...and this sums it all! Issa kielu, iffangaw, u qed jaghmlu bhar Rumani; jergghu imorru jirretmettu fil-'vomitarjum' biex ikomplu jiffangaw, huma u tal-qalba biss!

THE "definitions" of all the things you mentioned Saviour, should come from institutions set up by law headed by professional independent people that work to their legislation NOT to a political party. The system should have teeth behind concepts of legislation that can then be pursued ultimately by Courts even if it involves the Government of the day. It actually works like this in some democracies - so although they still have all the things you mentioned happenning, they have a robust enough system based in legislation and State bodies that can actually take action even against the Government of the Day. When you have the Executive, the Government and the Public Service ONE and the SAME - you get what you get in Malta. Just a veneer of a democracy with whomever happens to be in Govt doing whatever it wants and defines everything to suit it. The problem is that when/if the Opposition is elected it'll do the same (I bet you) as the System is not robust enough for them to do anything different. Put on all this the myopic and idiosyncratic way the Maltese generally think and behave and you get what you always got. L-Ghid it-tajjeb lilek ukoll!

You are right in saying that people are fed up with the PM's antics of always trying to say the last words and always trying to prove or disprove other people's comments or arguments because what matters for him is that he always seems to be in control and on top. You nevertheless refer to the opposition as a "gifa". As if the opposition is mum and does not react nor point out these antics. What is incomprehensible is the fact that we still have people who are dwindled from their noses by the PM's arguments and who blindly hit out at the opposition as if all the wrong doing is their fault. If you read today's article by Austin Sammut on the ToM, makes you want to puke. It's as if this government has done everything wrong, the things that it had promised to did but did not do was either because of the international crises or situations, such as that in Libya, or else it was because of the opposition. Now Mr. Sammut is not a ass..he is a Dr. for goodness sake, and lectures in our University. He isn't any stupid Joe Blogg that is easily dwindled by his nose. Yet he is allowed to write partisan articles that glorify the Government at the expense of the opposition. With no consideration to the ToM's consumers and blatantly spills his adoration towards his god while demonising the opposition and its leader. The way in which we are letting such things to happen, over and over again, in this supposedly democratic and catholic country is bewildering. Saviour its not a matter of interesting or boring news, rather I think that we have become so docile and toothless that we cannot even stand up to be counted. Unless that is, its election time. Then we are treated with golden gloves and patted on the back. However, since we are still far from those times, the PM still has the luxury to say whatever shit he wants, and we, the people, can do nothing about it. Where are the real people? Why and how have we turned into such sissys?

How come I can't see or hear the clip? It's saying private.