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‘Reprimanded’ candidates in full view at Marsaxlokk rally
Activists whom PN reprimanded to placate Franco Debono get their day out with PM.
9 January 2012, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
2 min read
Manuel Delia (left) was 'reprimanded' for presenting himself as a candidate. Austin Gatt (centre) was asked by the PM to step into the electoral war-room if he does not run for office.
Marsaxlokk was the setting for a rousing welcome yesterday for the Prime Minister, as the PN's troops make their first raid inside Franco Debono's electoral back-garden.
From the old guard, former MP Richard Muscat and former minster Antoine Mifsud Bonnici, were visible in the front rows listening to Gonzi's address.
But the rupture with Franco Debono has provoked a circling of wagons that turns previous PN declarations on their heads.
The aspiring candidates whom the PN publicly 'reprimanded' as not being "approved candidates" - Hermann Schiavone and Manuel Delia - were visibly present on Sunday, with Schiavone accompanying the Prime Minister on a tour of Marsaxlokk outlets, and triumphantly clasping Delia's hand.
It seems obvious to have Franco Debono's rival candidates out in full show. Manuel Delia, the architect of public transport reform, had already started his campaign before Debono turned his guns on transport minister Austin Gatt by abstaining on a motion of no confidence against him. In the aftermath, the PN felt the need to state that Delia was not yet approved by the executive committee.
Even Schiavone - whom Debono says accused him of having authored the anonymous allegations that stopped him from running in 2003 - was given a reprimand and "directed not to present himself as one." And that was on 28 December.
It is unclear how such well-known PN activists can be told not to look busy currying favour with their electors. But it's a sign of how far the PN went to placate Franco Debono when calling on their activists not to 'act' like candidates.
What is yet to be explained is whether Lawrence Gonzi's invocation to Austin Gatt in Marsaxlokk was either a call to run for office again, or a back-handed invitation to him to step into the background, another sign that the PM is spring-cleaning ahead of a possible election.
"I spoke to Austin Gatt and told him that if he won't contest... which I hope he will reconsider" - he said to shouts of 'Austin, Austin' from the crowd - "if he won't contest and he eventually steps down from minister, he must start work with our secretary-general so that we win the next general election."
Austin Gatt may have pleased at this kind of reception. When asked by Labour's One TV journalist for a comment he hollered back in the mic: "The best!"
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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@alchemist, I would like to correct you if you don't mind, Austin is not going to join PBO but it is PBO who will join Austin (if given the chance)
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If gonzi was sincere he would have asked his entourage to keep Schiavonne and Delia at a distance. They cannot be prohibited from attending like any other person there, but to let them hover arounf the PM who only a few days earlier had sidelined them to appease Franco only goes to show the insincerity of gonzi.
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I understand that the PN die hards are doing their utmost to upset Dr.Franco Debono. But the difference in the votes at the general election, are not from die hard nationalists, or die hard labourites. It's the FLOATING VOTER that makes all the difference, and all Maltese floaters are very disgusted by the arrogance of GonziPN, and they will send him home with a crashing defeat! Just wait and see. Die hards from both political spheres make alot of noise, but in an election, it's the votes that count, and not noises or petitions!
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Irrizanja Gonzi halli tigbor giehek
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The PM should be level-headed and admit and accept that his majority has crumbled. He should also be clear and adamant about the need for PN fans to keep calm and to do away with the current personal attacks on MP Franco Debono. God forbid should some unfortunate incident happen to Dr. Debono because of hotheadedness and madness.
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It would be interesting to see Manwel Delia in parliament because it will confirm that the people in the street never learn from past experiences and are easily blinded by partisanship. He wasn't up to scratch to deliver an acceptable public transport reform, God knows what he happens if given wider portfolios. Maltese people please grow up.
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dr gonzi kull ma ghndek taghmel li tmur ghand il poplu, u la tmur m'xlokk la tmur ghand il kunsillieri, la tmur il palament, il poplu irid itik il fiducja.KUN RAGEL AX INKE JEKK TITLEF GHALLANQAS JIGHDU LI KELLEK IL KURAG.
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Just confirms that discipline has gone to the dogs with the PN under PBO.
What does PBO have to say in view that yesterday the carpet was swept away from under his feet - now that Austin will join him (whether he likes it or not) in the election campaign?
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Dan l-artiklu jikxef xi kwalita ta' mexxejja hemm fil-P.N. Ma jafux jisthu u l-gideb ma jieqaf qatt. Kifqatt tista tafdahom, u dan ma shabhom u ma ta' gewwa ahseb u ara tkun barrani. Isthu ipokriti.
