Dr Gonzi, go. Just get up and leave

The only thing that keeps the Prime Minister in his place are his regiment of recipients of exclusive tenders and his posse of political appointees.

Lawrence Gonzi will have to bless the introduction of divorce after a landslide defeat in last Sunday’s referendum. Under his watch as Premier, he will see the introduction of divorce in the Maltese islands. It is not only humiliating, but hurtful for a man who appears to put more weight to his time as president of the Catholic Action movement than his job as Prime Minister.

He will probably vote ‘No’ or abstain, against the will of the people. After all, the decision to have a referendum was concocted by him and him alone, and it imploded. If he had limited the debate to parliament, the chances of it being ratified would have been very small indeed. Thank God he made such a mistake.

The whole debate on the voting has been quite a joke. Mario de Marco said he can assure everyone that the vote for divorce in parliament will definitely pass. And then he added that the respect for one’s right to abstain or vote against must be respected. So if, for argument’s sake, the majority of parliamentarians did really have a problem with their conscience and all vote ‘no’, what would Mario de Marco say?

Lawrence Gonzi has little respect left in the party. He may think he still has a chance to win the next election under his captaincy. He doesn’t. And he has been faced by backbenchers who have confided in him and asked him to step down for the good of the party. His hold on the Nationalist party is poor, his immediate entourage not only unimpressive but also incapable of providing him with the best advice. Edgar Galea Curmi is simply the wrong man for the job at Castille and Paul Borg Olivier simply does not have it.

As the rest of Europe rejoices as it moves out of recession, Malta remains anchored in its own recession. Gonzi has no control over the excesses of his ministers – such as the case with Austin Gatt – and more so he has no impact on the wrong decisions, such as the Delimara power station. And yes, in the case of the power station, he knows that there was corruption and kickbacks involved and if he does not know, then he should be told. And no, please do not ask me to go to Mr John Rizzo, because I have no faith in the police.

More than that, he has stood by Tonio Fenech, when he knew that his actions were unacceptable and unethical.

But it is not only managing his Cabinet which was a mess, but the country as whole. The general outlook of the country is pessimistic, the business community does not have the feel-good factor and every problem such as the case of Air Malta is cured by appointing highly paid foreigners who cannot possibly address the mistakes that were created by this same administration.

Gonzi has a credibility problem. He lied to dockyard and Air Malta workers and then did the complete opposite of what he promised them before 2008. He created a system of nepotism, appointing yes men in all positions of trust. At PBS, at MEPA, in authorities, everywhere. Political apartheid is real and widespread.

But even economic apartheid is extensive. Zaren Vassallo, a well-known PN sponsor and someone who depends on Joe Saliba in many of his business deals, is the unusual lucky recipient of so many lucrative contracts. Gonzi did more: he promised that he would be magnanimous and open up and invest in meritocracy. He did the complete opposite. He unleashed his Janissaries to destroy any form of opposition.

But in his quest to quell any dissenting voices, he miscalculated big time on one person. That person happened to be Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando – a backbencher who was one of his most loyal parliamentarians. Outspoken, fearless and charismatic, he was launched at Alfred Sant like a gladiator at the Coliseum before the 2008 election. And when it passed and the Nationalist party won by a slim majority thanks to his first count votes, they tried to destroy him, intimidating him by planting stories and inventing reports to make him resign. That big miscalculation has cost them dearly.

The same approach has been administered with John Dalli, Jesmond Mugliett and to a lesser extent to Robert Arrigo. In the end, he tried to buy their silence. In the case of Dalli by giving him the Commissioner’s job and Arrigo by offering him a menial post as a mega junior minister.

But these are parliamentarians on a lower scale – any kind of dissidence was met with draconian measures and the hands of Richard Cachia Caruana and Edgar Galea Curmi were everywhere to be seen.

The only thing that keeps the Prime Minister in his place are his regiment of recipients of exclusive tenders and his posse of political appointees.

Lawrence Gonzi’s days are over. He must go. His last stand on divorce – where he was playing footsie with the Church in the same way as his fanatical uncle Archbishop Gonzi did with the PN in the early sixties.

If Gonzi persists and stays on, he will be the leader of the Nationalist party that will hobble into the next general election and experience the most unforgettable mammoth defeat ever. Who replaces Gonzi at this point is irrelevant. Anyone can do a better job. Anyone.

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@briffy@maltanet First of all I am a floater, i jsut vote whats best for my country after seeing the proposals.Well Saviour Balzan is not afflicting witht eh Labour party I admire him alot cause he says how things are w/o tempering the info.
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@ Hompesch Skuzi jien ma kissirtx xejn. Issa isbah, allura Zebbug/Attard/Mgarr road ukoll jghaddi Gonzi minn hemm? Mdina Bypass ukoll jghaddi Gonzi minn hemm? Zurrieq Bypass ukoll jghaddi Gonzi minn hemm? Xi banalitajiet!
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@briffy: It-triq li minn haz zabbar tghati ghal wied il-ghajn vera saret sabiha issa - taf li kumbinazzjoni dr Gonzi jghaddi minnha kuljum? Forsi ghalhekk saret?? Jien ma kontx qed nirreferi ghal monumenti bhat-toroq. Jekk tqis triq bhala monument vera jahasra. Mela triq tirrendilek xi dhul??? Monumenti li rreferejt ghalihom jien huma is-seamalta (kissirtuha), l-airmalta (kissirtuha), telemalta (bieghtuha), Mid Med Bank (beghtuh), servizzi socjali mill-aqwa bhal pensjoni taz-zewg terzi, children's allowances, pensjonijiet tar-romol, invalidita' etc.li dawn kollha flimkien taw dinjita lil poplu malti kollu. BTW domt ma wegibt ghax mort infittex il-flus unaccounted for ( kien hemm hafna) kif ghidtli inti, imma sfortunatament diga sparrixxew kollha ghand tal-qalba u jien ser ikolli nitqanna b'1.16 ewro!!!!!
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Some writers - I should say most - who comment on Malta Today are rabid socialists who seek nothing else but a return of Labour to government. There's nothing wrong with that. they are perfecctly entitled to their opinion and to express it in a democratic country like ours. What I can't understand is why they are so vehement in their comments, why so much hate. Why are they so livid? One would have thought that once they are so sure that labour will be voted in in two years' time, they would be pleased with the situation.
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Jeffrey Camilleri
we should thank Dr Gonzi. Go around all Malta and Gozo, see where people spend. look at the last economic problemsthe world passed through and Gonzi managed to keep stable with yet problems always occuring. Would be a big mistake if we were Switzerland in the mediteranean!!! Some comments here show me jealousy!!!!! cause PN always proved to be on the right side and make and coquest right decisions. Thanks and don't go Dr Gonzi.
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@ Juke - That is exactly what I think. Those who prefer to read in Enlish may read MaltaToday instead of l-Orizzont. No more and no less.
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Alex Grech
great article that trully uncover the hypocrisy behind that fake smile of Malta's worst ever Prime Minister! and for those who are claiming that Mr Balzan has become a Labour agent, you only show how stupid u really are! Labour wants to face the PN in a next general election with Gonzi as leader, no one from the Labour leadership is callnig for Gonzi's resignation...they aren't that mad!
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We have been there before. Just because I criticise Gonzi and ask him to step down does not mean that I have an agenda. When I called on Alfred Sant to leave, I recall reading the same thing. I am not perturbed to be accused of having an agenda. Unlike others I have nothing to lose and nothing to gain with a change in government. On finances, a cursory look at financials and statistics and more importantly looking at what is happening in businesses in Malta will confirm where we are in terms of a recession. But perhaps the best reference is the Central Bank report. And the last comments by the last Central Bank governor. But I guess even he had an agenda.
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The only thing that keeps the Prime Minister in his place are his regiment of recipients of exclusive tenders and his posse of political appointees. Said Saviour Balzan. And a lot of people think the reason the Prime Minister keeps his place is because he was democratically elected with a majority. Go Figure!
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Saviour has become clearly a spokesman of Labour Party and unashamedly too!!!! No personal agenda My foot. Since when has he become a financial guru now telling us that Europe is out of recession and Malta no. Go and ask the Spanish and the Greeks and the Portuguese and the Italians or even the British. Why such venom and tripe coming out of him and his paper to the extent that he keeps losing credibility with readers?
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Very real article Saviour. I agree with you 100per cent that Gonzi has to go is, BUT...Who on earth will dare to take his place at this moment in time when a defeat is clear? The mammoth defeat for the PN will still occur and NO new leadership candidate in his sane sense wants to be remembered for that crush. What I mean is that Gonzi has to forcefully call an early election and, Yes, loose it badly. Then the Nationalist Party can appoint a new leader and start fixing their antiquated political party.
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Conscience is such a versatile political tool for those bunch of opportunists governing our country. We cannot joke with the future and stability of our country and this is the reason for next Saturday's bill in parliament. If the Nationalists MPs vote for that Eur500 weekly payrise backdated from 2008 they will surely hurt the people and will be abusing big time of their position
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Aqraw fuq il-flus, il-Knisja u l-PN! https://mazzun.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/flus-flus-u-aktar-flus/
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Saviour, the facts of the matter are that both parties need to weed out the incompetence that is built in a system where the electorate votes for the party rather than competent members of parliament. The first things that should be on the agenda for both parties are the retirement of the old mentality of doing politics that would be replaced with fresh political thinking adapted for a disciplined EU state. Last but not least that every contestant in every district is elected on his or her own merits with any inherited votes or someone contesting two districts that deny someone else the opportunity to contribute. It's about time that the Maltese people understand that the sooner these drawbacks are corrected, the sooner this nation can elect members who will abide by the peoples choices. The Maltese political system is not only undemocratic but it is also unfair to anyone that chooses to contest the general elction outside the two political parties especially as it stands in this present parliament where you have 4 backbenchers sharing the spoils while contributing very little since they were not even elected by the will of the people. Looking at who these 4 members and having them declare they will vote against the will of the people is enough to make anybody's stomach turn, especially as one listend to Edwin Vassallo on INCONTRI. WHAT A HYPOCRITE.
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Gonzi hemm bzonn jitlaq kemm jista' jkun malajr. Issa ghandna lil-Saviour Balzan lest biex jiehu postu. Hux hekk Salv??
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Micheal Bonanno
@briffy. Two newspapers that come to mind "In-Nazzjon" and "Il-Mument"!!!
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@ Hompesh...wiehed mill-kapulavuri li saru taht Mintoff kienet it-triq ta' Marsascala minn Haz-zabbar sa Wied il-Ghajn. Ziguzajg shih biex ma ttifsux eghlieqi tal-laburisti u jittihdu biss ta' dawk li ma kenux. Suppost tafa' din ghax Hompesh u Haz-Zabbar haga wahda. Issa nqalghet kollu u saret kif suppost. L-istess wiehed mill-quays tal-Freeport mibni mill-Kalaxlokk; tant insteraq cement li il-quay kellu jinhadd kollu u jsir mill-gdid wara 1987. Fuq id-dejn; Eur5 biljun kollha tal-Maltin li nvestew fil-government stocks u li qed jirrendulhom imghax tajjeb ta' Eur600 ghal kul ras. Id-dejn huwa meta jkun mal-barranin mhux man-nies lokali. Toqghodx tirrepeti dak li taqra fl-Orizzont ju Kulhadd. Fuq il-flus unaccounted for, ara tithajjarx tmur tfittixhomm; again banalitajiet li taqra fil-gazzetti, miktubin ghal-imzazen li jibilghu kollox ghax imsieken ma jifhmux.
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My prediction is as follows: Gonzi will resign in a few months time so a new leader will take over and will attempt to risuscitate the party in time for the election. A new leader will have to try VERY VERY HARD to erase or hide the mess that this administration has put us in. When the new leader starts promising change and manna from heaven, the Maltese mzazen will swallow all and will re elect the NP. Maltese are cwiec and it's time they look for the performance of the government and not at whom their father and grandfather has voted for. We had a big chance in 2008, we blew it.
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sur/sinjura briffy : taf kemm ghandna dejn ras ghal ras?? Dak kollu li semmejt huwa obligu li jsir - tahseb li ghandna nirringrazzjaw lil xi hadd li mit-taxxi taghna saru dawn l-affarijiet??? Hekk jonqos li nibqghu kif konna fis-sittinijiet, nispiccaw mix-xoghol u mmoru nittalbu. Kien Dom Mintoff li beda il-bazi kollha u t-triq ta kull progress f'dan il-pajjiz billi sahhah il-pagi, ghamel servizzi socjali mill-aqwa fosthom is-sahha b'xejn u infrastruttura denja ta pajjiz zviluppat. Monumenti taht il-labour saru ukoll - li dejjem irrendew profit lil kaxxa ta' Malta - ghalhekk meta tikkumenta semmi kollox. Barra li ghamel dan kollu ma ninsewx ma halliex penny dejn bhal ma hemm illum - dejn li ghad irridu nbatu lkoll kemm ahna biex jithallas. Dak kollu li semmejt inti veru sar imma taf kemm hlejna miljuni fuq miljuni li bosta minnhom huma unaccounted for!
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Lawrence Gonzi was never a strong or convincing leader. He was very, very lucky to win in 2008, thanks to the power of incumbency and mainly due to Alfred Sant still holding on to his leadership. It was evident from day one, that once Sant was out of the way, Gonzi would start to face reality. This legislature has so far been one of the poorest in the last 40 years. All that the PM will have to boast about will be his parliament and roofless theatre. If you are expecting him to leave, you know very well that you are dreaming. He will stay on, probably even after the 2013 election when the PN will suffer it's greatest defeat in history. In just 3 years, Joseph Muscat has managed to wreck the battleship GonziPN. Thank god he's inexperienced.
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ghax ma tibdiex tiffirma buffu@maltanet izjed tixraqlek.
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Mur gib lill-ziijuh li kieku ghadu haj x'kien jighijd, li kellu jkun id-demm tieghu stess li tahtu id-divorzju dahal f'Malta !
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@Balzan And Why don't you have faith in the police?
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Luke Camilleri
Gonzi Go? Who will replace Gonzi? Xi cuc malti? Xi CEO tal-Mepa? il-WE? Jerga jithol Eddie fix-xena...wara kollox il-Gonz kien il-Midluk tieghu u preferih minn John Dalli...... terga issir xi pow-wow il-Girgenti fejn jiltaqghu Konsulenti tat-Tmexxija tal-PN bhal xi Fr. Joe Borg, xi Seracino Inglott, l-Emmeriti, RCC u forsi anki DCG. Imbaghad naraw il min jigi elett wara li tiltaqa' il-Konklavi tal-PN......
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Kompli daħħaqka briffy@maltanet Sewwa hemm min isejjaħlu GONEZI. U kellu bżonn jitlaq ħalli jkun GONE għal kollox mix-xena politika Maltija u mhux jistenna l-elezzjoni li jmiss fejn se jkun xkupat mill-poter.
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@BRIFFY IN T QED TGHID LI BIEX INGERGRU IRRIDU NGHIXU F DAWK IL KONDIZZLONIJIET LI SEMMEJT F AHHAR. GHEXNIJHOM FIS SITTINIJIET
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Submitted on Thu, 04/14/2011 - 19:33. My family, friends and I always bought Malta Today but with this drastic article you have shown your gratuitous tirade against Joe Muscat’s . Your writing suggest you are the Gonz’s a scourge attracting many Labour leaning voters to your paper. Today we are schocked about these comments and we are considering seriously of every buying your newspaper. As for Gonzi being a leader who can lead? YOUR ARE BLOODY WRONG. -Mark Navarro http://maltatoday.com.mt/blogs/saviour-balzan/joseph-you-are-so-bloody-wrong Hawnhekk ma kien daqq al ilsienek Saviour hux? Malta = Pajjiz tal poodles ta Muscat/Gonzi.
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Jien ic-cucc attendejt kull laqgha taht it-Tinda li GonziPN organizza fil-2008 u kont nahseb li kellu karizma. Imma nahseb illum il-gurnata li kont qed nara lupu liebes il-qoxra ta' naghga. Naqbel ma Saviour li l-PM ghandu jwarrab - jekk xejn biex forsi fis-sentejn li fadal il-PN isalva wiccu. Inkompli nzid imma li mhux il-PM biss imma numru min dawk li hemm madwaru wkoll. Hemm BZONN jigu lura l-EZILJATI.
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@briffy@maltanet Tipprovax taqla l-qlajjiet fuq Saviour u tivvinta u tidbek fuwqi. Ghalhekk intom ma tistax tafdakom ghax tinsulentaw in nies!
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@ briffy Tista tghidli fejn hi dil-genna li semmejt, jew ahjar gennata.
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@Mark Navarro...veru qed tghix fis-shab...Saviour Balzan jikteb f'dan is-sens ghax ghadu mahruq li John Dalli ma sarx il-kap tal-PN. Billi ghola l-fuel, xorta il-kont ta' sena huwa biss 5% tal-min wage, u 3% tal-average wage; ghalhekk it-torq mimlijin karozzi godda u BMWs, Mercedes, jags, Audis, Lexus. Distanzi zghar Malta u b'zewg euros kulljum tinqeda. Id-dawl u l-ilma, il-kantalina ta' Joseph u l-pisijiet, l-kantalina ta' Toni Zarb - bdw fejn sparixxa? insejt tghid li 1/5 rtral-familji jircievu discount vouchers a jinqdew b'euro kulljum. L-ohrajn ma jhallsux izjed minn 2 Euros kulljum, nofs pakkett sigaretti. Il-poer station mihiex ser tnigges, mohhok mnigges, ghax probabli tkun tahdem bil-gas jiddependi mill-prezzijiet. Terga' Malta ser tkun maghquda mal-European Grid u b'hekk ser vnevitaw hafna mit-tingiz li illum ghad ghandna mill-Marsa P.S. li ser taghlaq dalwaqt. Ser ikollna Public Transport system li qatt ma rajna bhalha, ghandna first-class roads mis-south san-nord. Issemilhix il-hofor fit-toroq sekondarji. Ank l-Ingilterra ghandhom dawn il-hofor fil-bliet zghar bhall ta' Malta u jridu jonfqu tlett biljun lira biex isewwuhom. Gonna sbih, pjazez rrangata, funtani, fjuri fir-roundabouts, swar nodfa, Mdina bellezza, sewage purification plant u sewage treatment plant godda. Marsacala Rd u Zurrieq Bypass bellezza, Zebbus/Attard/Mgarr, Mdina Bypass ta'standard Ewropej, Sptar Mater Dei qisek qieghed fl-lukanda lussuza. Is-second pillar pension qeghda biex izghazagh tal-lum ikollom pensjoni sura ta nies 40 sena ohra. Il-prezz tal-bin jinzel irid ghas is-supply hija ferm ikbar mid-demand. Cipru rahhs il-prezzijiet b'25% u Malta hekk irid isr. Insomma Navarro jokrob dejjem, imhatra m'ghandekx karozza, mhatra li bil-kemm titrejjaq, mhatra li ma tixelx id-dawl id-dar, imhatra li toqghod f'ghorfa, mhatra li tilbes glekk mraqqa. Iddaahhaqx nies Navarro.
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For God sake Saviour shut up, hallih ikompli jhawwad il borma. You should concentrate on Beppe
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SAVIOUR, while your analysis is quite correct, you should be cautious of what you wish for. Consider the present economic situation in Malta where the pillars of the economy are showing signs of continued recession. The yearly deficits and the national debt continue to accelerate at a rate that will eventually cause Malta to start taking similar austerity measures as those proposed by the EU and the IMF. The financial commitments this administration has agreed upon are not sustainable and considering the crisis in Libya and other neighbouring countries, this government should have already started planning other options that would protect against stagnation or even worse depression. So do you think that by changing this administration, these problems will simply disappear? When you look across the aisle, the choices are very limited and the leadership is unproven and inexperienced. What makes it even worse is the fact that in the Maltese parliament you have an element of parliamentarians that has become extinct and contribute nothing to the well being of the country, yet are hell bent to impose their out of touch morality on the people so that they can continue dividing the Maltese pie and hold the two political parties hostage with their much needed parliamentarian votes.
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Prosit Saviour! REad this: https://mazzun.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/fejn-hi-l-kuxjenza-ta-gonzi/
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Prosit hafna ta dan l-artiklu vera bis sens. Dr Gonzi qatt ma missu sar il PM ta Malta. Dawn li ghamel sa issa f'din il legislatura 1) DrGonzi qabel il-Baġit 2010 ghamel surcharge qawwija fuq l-Ilma u fl-Elettriku u nehha is sussidju li kien jaghti fuq il kontijiet tad dawl u ilma. 2)Kellna żieda drastika fil-liċenzji tal-karozzi li qed jiżdiedu kull sena sakemm il karozza taghlaq dsatax il sena, segwit minn żieda drastika fil-ċilindri tal-gass 3)Zieda drastika fis sijsa fuq fuel,fl- alkoħol, Sigaretti, u minflok ma ta il-vawċers tal-enerġija huwa nehha dawn il-vouchers li jammontaw għal 11million fis-sena. 4)Xerrej li ha jixtri ghal ewwel darba propjeta pieghe jbati biż-żieda fit-Tariffi tal- MEPA segwit minn żieda drastika fil-Siment li żgur se jżidu l-prezzijiet tal-proprjetà fis suq. 5)Wara L-budget 2010 kellna zieda fic cilindri tal gas, rega ghola l-fjuwil, gholiet il bolla ghal min jaqbad 1600eur. 6) Il-Ministri u Gonzi inghataw zieda blura ta Eur500 fil gimgha bil mohbi f’allowances dirett mil minestri mhux mil budget allokati lill-Kamra tad-Deputati meta l-poplu inghata Eur1.16. 7)Gonzi hajagħmel Parlament ġdid u teatru bla saqaf li ha jiswina 100 miljun. Ajhar naqqas it taxxi min fun in negozjanti biex jaqtalom naqa l-ispejjez b'hekk jincentiva lil haddiem. 8)L-Gvern ha jintroduci "Second Pillar Pension" is-sena diehla jigifieri jkonna tnaqqis obligatorju fil-pagi taghna ghax tghola iktar il-bolla ghal kullhadd dan habbara il-gvern. 9)Ma kull 20Eur li tghati fuel johodlok Eur12 f’taxxa il Gvern! 10) L-isptar Mater Dei ghandu hafna inqas soddod mil- St Lukes meta giena miljuni kbar. 11)Inutli tghid sahha bxejn meta tmur ghand il privat biex tinqgheda bil ques kbar li jkun hemm. 12)L-Gvern ghamel estensioni ghal Power Station tal Marsa li tniggez 13) L-Gvern nefaq miljuni tal Euro mit taxxi taghna ghal Power Station li thammeg l-arja li tahdem bil heavy fuel oil mhux bil gas ghal arja iktar nadifa. 14)60elf familja jghixu bil minimum wage. 15) Ix-Xoghol zdied imma l-kundizzjonijiet u il-pagi li jinghataw mhumiex dicenti ghal hajja tall lum. 16) 35% tal-Haddiema l-uniku mpjieg taghhom huwa part time b’kundizzjonijiet drastici. 17) Dawk l-anzjani li joqghodu fit tul fl-sptar Mater Dei ha jibda johdilhom mil pensjoni taghhom. 18)Incertezzi kbar fuq il post tax xoghol min diversi haddiema F'Malta fosthom tal Air Malta,Xufierta tat-taxis,xufiera tal linja,minibusses,heirs, haddiema tal catering gol airport,haddiema tal GO, Medserv bil 4day week, haddiema fil kategorija Supply fid divizjoni tal Edukazzjoni li ilhom inqas min 4snin. 19) Daqt jfaqqalna zieda ohra fil- bolla bl-iskuza tas Second Pillar Pension meta l-pagi taghna u ferm baxxi meta ikumparati ma pajjizi fl-EU. 20)Ir Rata ta inflazzjoni dejjem tiber u l-hajja dejjem tghola. Hemm bzonn bidla illum qabel ghada hbieb ghax irridu nies Genwini imexxu!
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The only way PN can win this election is by doing in the next year or two what Joseph Muscat did with the PL in the last 3 years. --Elect De Marco as leader (please not Beppe) --Hide Austin Gatt, Tonio Fenech and Gonzi from the scene