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Eddie cautions against 'Second Republic'
President Emeritus Dr Eddie Fenech Adami ‘completely disagrees’ with proposals for a Second Republic, first floated by Opposition leader Joseph Muscat and supported by numerous MPs, including government backbenchers.
5 October 2011, 12:00am
Karl Stagno-Navarra
Karl Stagno-Navarra
1 min read
More cogently still, the proposal has also been endorsed by the current president of the Republic, Dr George Abela.
In recent weeks, the idea gained significant momentum, with support from numerous quarters including the Union Haddiema Maghqudin. But Fenech Adami plays down the urgency of such reform.
“Calls for changes to the Constitution have so far been rather vague,” Fenech Adami told MaltaToday. “I see nothing wrong in making some changes from time to time, but still I see no clear ideas of what really has to be changed”.
The former Prime Minister and President of the Republic was reacting to a proposal whereby a raft of changes to the Constitution – including a revision of policies regarding electoral law, the Broadcasting Act, laws governing the judiciary and also the appointment of the President, among others.
Ironically, Fenech Adami’s resistance to the idea of a Second Republic mirrors the troublesome birth pangs of the first Republic: originally piloted in 1971 by former PM Dom Mintoff, and opposed by then PN leader George Borg Olivier… though Mintoff’s motion was eventually carried by a substantial majority that included a number of prominent Nationalist MPs: not least, Fenech Adami himself.
But while Fenech Adami argues that the original Republic is not past its sell-by date, he concedes that some of the proposed Constitutional changes may not be out of place.
On the current suggestions to make changes to the Broadcasting Authority, he says “there shouldn’t be anything wrong to update this.”
“The way the Broadcasting Authority was constituted reflected the political and social realities of that day... now the times are completely different,” he said.
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MR.Adami the only words you should utter from your gap is an apology to Dr.Sant for blatantly lying about him, but i suppose honesty does come easy to you.
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This man ha no shame. His dear wife died a short time ago and I think that his mourning period has been way too short to be in the public eyes and faces again so soon. What disrespect!!
Even I as a much younger person would mourn longer and that would include staying out of the public eye!!
Shame on you Excellency!!!!
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The only change needed in the Constitution is the removal of the unpopular neutrality clause.
Raymond Falzon •
Ghax ma immurx jorqod !
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Kien jghid ghall-perit mintoff fis snin 80 li kien xih u li kellu jwarrab, issa mhux talli Eddie xjah izda talli illum huwa cittadin komuni izda minkejja dan ser jibqa jindahal u jiddeffes. Eddie zmienek ghamiltu u issa ghadda, ghalaq halqek u oqghod ilghab man-neputijiet, il-gideb li gdibt int ghamel hsara bizzejjed u ghadu jaghmilha sal-lum !!!!
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Eddie my friend, it's time to move on.
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EFA's disagreement seems to be rather petty. All due respect to this person, I believe his views are somewhat expired. He has to re-think his thinking.
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Il-Poplu Malti ghandu dritt li jissuggerixi tibdil ghall-Kostizzuzzjoni u ghand japprova jew ma japprovax kull emmendi jew tibdil
Il-Polu Malti ghandu dritt jazel il-President tieghu
Jew min kien jew ikun fil-Parlament qed jahseb lu lahaq flok alla u jaghmel dakli irid u ifettilu?
Ser jidhol xi haga fuq id-djun bla addocc li jaghmlu gvernijiet Nazzjonalisti?
Ser jidhol xi haga fuq id-diskriminazzjoni politika fis-Servizz Civili?
Dwar abbuzi ta' poter?
Dwar bullying minn kapijiet tad-dipartimenti?
Dwar il-korruzzjoni?
Dwar il-Gustizzja li tkun ma kullhadd l-istess?
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Eddie is a legend but Eddie is old fashioned and resists any kind of change. Yes, he is indeed a private citizen these days. In fact I nearly knocked him over in his shorts while he was crossing Pioneer Road in Bugibba a couple of weeks ago. Watch out for the traffic Eddie!
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But does anybody ever hear what His Ex. Ugo Mifsud Bonnici thinks? So Why EFA??
Is EFA not retired? Should he just keep his mouth shut now. He had his time now he needs to let Malta move forward. Mo?
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One should move very cautiously when thinking about changing the constitution and this not because EFA thinks so but because the constitution should be the solid permanent rock which acts as a foundation in building the nation. Much larger and much more dynamic countries than us like the US have kept their constitution virtually unchanged since its enactment other than the occasional amendment needed because of major historic social and economic changes. The last thing one wants is for the constitution to become a political football and divert us from the main objective of building the nation. We know what an unfortunate diversion the divorce issue was to the real economic and social problems facing the majority of citizens. Imagine what would happen given our fractious nature if each new clause starts taking the limelight in endless debates as the divorce issue did.
Certainly at this time of great world economic turmoil we should focus on keeping the nation economically afloat and minimise the austerity measures cutting across the whole of Europe. We must also remember the unfortunate national trait of thinking that the world and our nation only started when we came on the scene hence our constant building and dismantling of policies often ending up in vicious circles.
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Maybe the real reason why he is cautious is that he is afraid of his friends at the palaces known as churches loosing their unmerited position.
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Rega fetah halqu il-FENEK taghna,ma jitallghem qatt.
Mhux bizzejjed zlaqt fin-nixef fir referendum tad-divorzju u hadd xokk bir rizultat,issa ghandek XOKK iehor gej.....FL-ELEZZJONI GENERALI !!!!
Adrian Busuttil •
The following:
• a revision of policies regarding electoral law
• amendments to the Broadcasting Act
• amendments to laws governing the judiciary
• the way appointment of the President is handled
are some of the few things which need to be done to enhance transparancy in Malta. The way things currently stand the party in power have absolute power to do all these things and, as the saying goes, "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Zack Depasquale •
X qed isejjah lilu innifsu bhalissa dan li jibdel ismu skond l-okkazjoni. Araw kif naghmlu ta' ghax tkellem l-oraklu.
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He should get together with KMB and launch the MHBS - Malta Has-Beens Society
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and who cares what EFA has to say !!!!!!!!
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tindahalx melha
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Dr. Eddie who? He has past his glorious days and now he is a common citizen like my self who cares what he says.
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Who cares what Eddie has to say?
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Maybe the Original Republic had not passed it's sell by date , but I am more then certain that you have not only passed your sell by date , but also your expiry date . So go and hide yourself somewhere , were you can enjoy the hefty pension you created for yourself.
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Maybe the Original Republic had not passed it's sell by date , but I am certain that you have not only passed your sell by date , but also the expirey date . So go and hide yourself somewhere, were you enioy the hefty pension you created for yourself .
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@ Mr Martin Borg
We've got a problem. Not even Timbacktoo will accept him. We're stuck with the village lawyer for life. If only he decides to simply enjoy his perks-of-office and stop coming out of the woodwork. We surely deserve a break. We've endured that face of a non-person long enough.
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EFA should at least have the dignity to shut up after drowing Malta in an ocean of debt, using all his political power to install himself as President of the Republic after occupying the premiership for 15 years and introducing in our political system the 'spoils' syndome based on 'to the victor belong the spoils.' Dr Sant tried hard to dismantle the odious system by not debunking the army of Nats sympathizers from thier juicy chairmanships and Halls of Power. But these ganged up against him and eroded his government from within. After 10 months EFA returned and things went on as usual.
This is EFA's legacy to Malta, and cheek-in-jowl he insists in comeing out from his juicy retirement to give us direction. His brazen face remains unperturbed even after he was hacked to pieces in the Divorce referendum.
In due time EFA will be exposed in all his political nakedness. A lucky politician who achieved power in the twilight years of Dom Mintoff and if it were not for Guido de Marco's grand strategy during the turbulent period of 1985-87 he would never even got elected in 1987.
He was and remained the small village lawyer, the devout Christian who could never forgive his enemies and a petty politician who mwas blown into somebody who never really was.
The last time he intervened successfully in Maltese politics was when he gave Lawrence Gonzi. We certainly do not need anymore such gifts from him.
Go back to your kitchen EFA. Go back were you really belong fixing old engines. Leave the future to better men. It's not that difficult to find better men than you.
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Ok, made your point, let's move one now.
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How about sending Eddie as an ambassador to Timbakto, he keeps popping up like a jack in the box illuminating us with his nonsense.
