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Sex abuse victims did not know that Bondi had asked BBC for money
Where’s Everybody? anchor Lou Bondi, acting as ‘spokesman’ for the clerical abuse victims, had asked a BBC journalist for money last year in return for an interview with Lawrence Grech during the Pope’s visit. The front page story is carried on the MaltaToday printed edition.
28 September 2011, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
2 min read
Bondi claimed at the time that the request had originated from Grech himself. Grech however denies ever asking the BBC for money.
“Yes, I am aware that the BBC had wanted to interview me, but I never asked them for any money. But if Bondi said or did something behind our backs, I don’t know about it…”
The following quote from Bondi, given to this newspaper on 18 April last year, suggests otherwise: “Ah yes, there was this radio show in Manchester who asked for an interview. But basically he (Grech) had a lot of choices of interview from which to choose. So he asked for money to put them off.”
The BBC however made it clear that Bondi, as their spokesman, had made the “rather odd” request, which the Corporation had refused ‘as a matter of principle’.
“We asked for an interview with victim Lawrence Grech for one of our radio programmes, but Mr Bondi asked us to pay up for the interview,” the Corporation’s spokesman had told MaltaToday last year, adding that: “the BBC has no problem with paying people it interviews, but when it comes to interviewing a victim in cases like these, as a matter of principle it is considered to be a rather odd request.”
Laurence Grech insists he knew nothing about this request at the time: “If Bondi said or did something behind our backs, I don’t know about it…”
Lawrence Grech is one of the victims of clerical abuse currently seeking financial compensation by the Church, stands by his claims that TV presenter Lou Bondi had prevented himself and the above victims from talking to other media or taking part in programmes not produced by his own company (Where’s Everybody?) – arguing that Bondi has now changed his tune so as “not to get his hands dirty where Church money is involved.”
“Have you ever seen me on programmes which were not produced by Where’s Everybody?” Grech said yesterday, after Bondi published a blogpost denying earlier claims of having placed conditions for acting as their spokesperson over the past eight years. “I had many offers (from other media), but I couldn’t go…”
Read more in MaltaToday Wednesday edition
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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This is not news. I knew all this months and months ago. Saviour's just grinding his axe again.
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bla flus la taghnaq u anqas tbus int loo tal wee ghalinqas ghax ma taghmikx bhal qassisin shabek tbusulhom b'xejn !!
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This is just spin from all ends. The MT attacking Lou as he is nationalist, Lou abandoning Lawrence as he went to Muscat and Lawrence short circuiting and being manipulated by everyone. It seems like the abuse continues for Lawrence except in a different form today.
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@ Bagħal
Justice and financial compensation are not contradictory. In fact, they are often part and parcel of the same thing.
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Waqa l-ass issa Lou. Il-gurdien ghomru qasir, aktar huma afdaw bniedem opportunista fejn fi zmien iebsa ghan-Nazzjonalisti harab minn Malta mbaghad meta bnazza gie lura jpappiha.
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I am amazed that people are amazed with this news. Is it news that Lou Bondi and Where's everybody are only after money. I do not watch their programs because they simply do not make any sense.
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Ghaziz Lawrence,
L-anqas irrid nemmen kif bniedem inteligenti bhalek, thalli lill Loo Bondi jimmanipulakom kif u sa kemm jaqbel lilu. Ikolli nghid li qed ixomm li se jibqa' bil-ghatx allura issa l-UNIKA triq tieghu hija li jghidlikom BYE BYE....MO MONEY, NO BONDI. Loo ra fikhom cifra.
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Ghaziz Lawrence,
L-anqas irrid nemmen kif bniedem inteligenti bhalek, thalli lill Loo Bondi jimmanipulakom kif u sa kemm jaqbel lilu. Ikolli nghid li qed ixomm li se jibqa' bil-ghatx allura issa l-UNIKA triq tieghu hija li jghidlikom BYE BYE....MO MONEY, NO BONDI. Loo ra fikhom cifra.
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Oh Dear, Gurnalizmu investigattiv. I wonder what the ethics press commisison will say about this...
I always dismissed Bondi as a B grade anyway, a hornblower for gonzipn
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Hi Fed up I would sat that when money talks w everybody walks
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Come on Mr Grech all Malta was aware of this matter re BBC interview and payments requested for such an interview. You amaze me by saying that you had no knowledge of this issue. Even makes me wonder how short coming is your memory. Moreover if I am not mistaken there was also your photograph in the local paper in connection with this issue
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Wahda isbah mill-ohra! When money talks everybody listens!
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Prosit Lou .Kont nahsbek ahjar minn hekk specjalment meta niltaqa mijek go Marsalforn
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The church will not be paying out these people so as not to prejudice its position, knowing full well that these victims are only the tip of the iceberg. At the same time, the setting up of a support team to help thee poor souls is commendable.
I definitely hope, however, that the emphasis is on the total and complete prevention of such episodes and not simply on cure.
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Is there anyone surpiise about Lou's atitude? Lou in your own time can you tell us who pulled the string?
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@ Martin Borg.
Perhaps. On the other hand, believing somebody who declared that what he was after was justice, and not financial compensation and is now quite clearly contradicting that stement is like believing that Lawrence Gonzi and John Dalli are bosom friends.
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Xewka, I agree that they should seek compensation. What I don't agree is them saying that they were not in it for the money before.
As of the 'Bondi' issue, I believe that were it not for him, the victims would not have been able to get justice.
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@ray
For the money and not for the money, the crime happened so might as well take the money. Can't change the past so they should get compensation. Sue the bastards!!
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If i was Laurence Grech, I would definately sue Lou Bondi for every penny he has!! Lou is nothing but a money grabbing snake
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Off all the "honest" people in Malta it had to be LOU BONDI stabbing people in the back to get some easy money,as if GONZIPN is not enough.
Seeing Lou on tv you think this man is a straight forward and honest person,but no he is as corrupt as the CLAN he is with.
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@baghal
Believing Bondi's version is like believeing in father christmas at the age of 16.
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Either Bondi or Grech is obviously lying. With the victims claiming that they want compensation after they said it was not for the money, I know who is more credible.
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@konfuxu
Il-poplu mignun u bil-provi, ghax qaghad ghal dawn in-nies u qaghad ghal kollox, anke ghall-ksur tal-Kostituzzjoni Maltija meta jinzlu ajruplani tal-gwerra armati bil-bombi bl'iskuza li spiccalhom il-'fuel'! Poplu tapit u LAGHAQI, biex ma' nuzax lingwag baxx!
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In fairness, it should be pointed out that Bondi has published his version of events related to the abuse saga on loubondi.blogspot.com .
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So was this all what it was about?????
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Fejn jidhlu l-flus issib dejjem is-sangisugi+. Kull kumment iehor hu superflu. L-aqwa li l-poplu mhux mignun.
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IT`S ALL ABOUT MONEY.................Kollox qeghed idur mal Pounds ,Shillings & pence...EQQ sorry..ghal mument insejt li issa Ewros........
Iva ghal karita jahdmu tal Where`s everybody...... Racket shiha...
Fl`opinjoni tieghi sewwa tghamel il Knisja toghqod attenta qabel ma tohrog xi flus...
