Three veteran stalwarts take over Nationalist campaign

MaltaToday is informed the PN electoral campaign is to be led by three seasoned campaigners: Richard Cachia Caruana, Austin Gatt and Joe Saliba.

From left: Joe Saliba, Austin Gatt and Richard Cachia Caruana.
From left: Joe Saliba, Austin Gatt and Richard Cachia Caruana.

MaltaToday is informed that Joe Saliba, Austin Gatt and Richard Cachia Caruana have been asked by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to take over the electoral campaign of the Nationalist Party. Sources said the three seasoned campaigners met up at the party HQ in Pieta officially for the first time yesterday. However the three met for a number of times in recent days.

The trio have been asked to assist Paul Borg Olivier, the present secretary-general who lacks the experience of a fully fledged electoral campaign.

Joe Saliba is the former secretary-general of the Nationalist party and was crucial in the 2003 EU referendum and general election. He was also at the helm of the marginal electoral victory achieved in 2008.  Technically retired from politics, he is now a director of a Vassallo Group subsidiary and is close to big business. 

Current transport minister Austin Gatt is considered a weathered tactician with three decades of experience in election campaigning. 

Permanent representative to the EU Richard Cachia Caruana is the major strategist, with links to friendly media and pro-PN bloggers like Independent columnist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Cachia Caruana has been involved in the party for decades and was former Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami's personal assistant.

MaltaToday is informed that the inner circle at the PN have been told to earmark the second and third week of March as the most probable date for a general election.

avatar
WHO NEED TO CHANGE PLSSSSS??????????????????
avatar
May be Mr Joe Saliba has been called to tell all the Maltese why the Party funding law which he so vociferously spoke of before the 2008 elections has still not been implemented. He might be in a better position to explain now that he is so close to the Big Fat Greedy Fish. Austin, oh Austin, your final act is now closer to ARRIVA. And his eminence, the Cardinal will probably do some overtime for the country to
avatar
kellu bzonn austin gatt jirranga biex iwwasal in-nies taghgom jivvutaw bl-ARRIVA ghax zgur nirbhulom kiku ghax jaslu l-ghada biex jivvutaw.DAHHAQ AUSTIN LI MINALIK MA JISTA GHALIK HADD.MINALIK TA IMMA.
avatar
zeppi l-hafi jonqos maghhom.hahahaha kem saru tad-dahq tal-pn.smajt li anki l-innu ha jibdlu u ha jamlu ta benny hill.
avatar
Dawn jghidu l-PL ghandu bzon jinbidel !!!!!! mela l-PN x'ghandu bzonn jghamel? U dan ghaliex? mela kemm hemm x'jintilef jekk il PN jitilfu l-elezzjoni? Fejnu l-Prof. Vella x'jghidilna ghal dan.Ministru mhallas min flus il poplu jahdem ghal PN, Ambaxxatur l-istess, u persuna ohra mhalsa min kuntrattur li jibla kull tender li tohrog. X'ghidilna l-Prof Antoine Vella u Fenech azzopardi u saliba MD? x'inhi din il biza. dan mhux abbuz ta flus il poplu? tahsbu li l-backbenchers huma inkwetati ta xejn? tahsbu li Dolores bkiet ta xejn (see times of Malta on line) Hemm bzon tinbidlu ghax mhux se jirnexxilkhom tisirqu elezzjoni ohra
avatar
if austin powers handles the campaign like he handled arriva the PN have nothing to worry about!!!!
avatar
Joseph Catania
Dan hu vot ta' fiducja minn Gonzi f' PBO, l-aghar segretarju generali li qatt kellu l-PN.
avatar
In my opinion, the elections are still at least 16 months away. So RCC may return to Brussels, Austin gatt my remain a minister for the time being, and Saliba may safely return to his deep academic studies.
avatar
Mark Fenech
Insew wiehed barra, Zaren Vassallo. Kieku joħodhom dawra fuq il-yatch tieghu waqt li jkunu jiddiskutu li strategija li jmiss tal-gonzipn.
avatar
well, the panto is only just beginning. I do hope that the three stooges the best of luck!
avatar
It tliet musketieri. Imma meta il poplu jixba jkun xeba. Jistghu jmexxu il kampanja elettorali mhux laqwa pampaluni li ghandu il PN ghax xorta il poplu jtajjarhom min fuq dak is siggu .
avatar
NISTGHU NOBSRU XI HDURA HA TOHROG MIN DAWN IT-TLETT GHORRIEF,L-AKTAR MIN GHAND AUSTIN LI SEWA LILL KAXXA TA`MALTA MILJUN KBAR TA EWROS,IMISSU JISTHI JIDHER QUDDIEM IN-NIES.
avatar
lil Antoine ta vella...insejt lil siehbek l-arroganti jghid spiccaw il-buzulloti....tant spiccaw il-buzzullotti li issa bdejtu bil-konfoffi tat-tlett stooges li minghalik ser tibkaw titnejku bin-nies u tiga ftahtu orfanatrofju tat-tfsl bi Franco u pawlu borg olivier. Kull ma ghandek tghamel antoine l-ghajjien , li tinqafel f'kamra tal-lastku u titfacca 5 snin ohra halli ma tkun tlift xejn. Xejn xejn jahasra meta terga titfacca tkun ghadek qed tghidilna li dak li gara hu kollu tort tal=labor gha ximt mahluqin mill-hallieq biex tikkmandawn biss u biex tithalltu mal-hamalli
avatar
STENNEW TSUNAMI TA HMIEG U HDURA!!
avatar
JS: Il-persuna wara il-JS list u il-persuna li hadem biex geghel lil JPO jigdeb fuq tal-Mistra fuq dik ix-xenghata. Jahdem issa ma Vassaollo Group, l-istess persuna illi ilu jiehu kuntratti bhal BWSC li se tahdem fil HFO. RCC: Bniedem elitista u ma jahmilx lin-nies ta' strata socjali baxxa. Jinqeda b'DCG biex tohrog il-velenu taghha kontra min ma jaqbilx maghhom. Persuna illi jippretendiha li hu xi princep ta' Malta ghax gej minn familja nobbli. L-anqas jitkellem bil-Malti ma jaf. Kien strumentali biex hafna nies fic-civil taru u kap tal-klikka! AG: Il-Minstru li jippersonifika l-arroganza. Mizzewwweg bint Professur illi kien jitkaza kif Mintoff, tifel ta' Bahri sar PM. Il-Minsitru illi sa ftit granet ilu ried illi FD itir. Il-Ministru li fotta kull ma miss u gideb bhal Smart City. Dawn huma ja poplu in-nies illi se jipprovaw jerghgu jikkundizzjonawlkom hajjitkom biex huma jibqghu fil-poter; fil quccata tal-oligargija. Prosit. Issa naraw dan il-poplu x'isaraff?
avatar
JS: Il-persuna wara il-JS list u il-persuna li hadem biex geghel lil JPO jigdeb fuq tal-Mistra fuq dik ix-xenghata. Jahdem issa ma Vassaollo Group, l-istess persuna illi ilu jiehu kuntratti bhal BWSC li se tahdem fil HFO. RCC: Bniedem elitista u ma jahmilx lin-nies ta' strata socjali baxxa. Jinqeda b'DCG biex tohrog il-velenu taghha kontra min ma jaqbilx maghhom. Persuna illi jippretendiha li hu xi princep ta' Malta ghax gej minn familja nobbli. L-anqas jitkellem bil-Malti ma jaf. Kien strumentali biex hafna nies fic-civil taru u kap tal-klikka! AG: Il-Minstru li jippersonifika l-arroganza. Mizzewwweg bint Professur illi kien jitkaza kif Mintoff, tifel ta' Bahri sar PM. Il-Minsitru illi sa ftit granet ilu ried illi FD itir. Il-Ministru li fotta kull ma miss u gideb bhal Smart City. Dawn huma ja poplu in-nies illi se jipprovaw jerghgu jikkundizzjonawlkom hajjitkom biex huma jibqghu fil-poter; fil quccata tal-oligargija. Prosit. Issa naraw dan il-poplu x'isaraff?
avatar
Issa ghandna tifel iehor barra Franco jismu pawlu borg olivier...warrbuh ghax ma jafdawhx u dahhlu it-tlett stooges it-tlieta dejjem mohhom kif ser jonsbuk. PN sar il-partit tat-tfal u tal-istooges ghax regaw wehlu mill-ezami tal-finanzi. Mhus ta bxejn beka peppi tax-xarabank il-bierah...X'ser jirglina jahasara?
avatar
" SEE NO EVIL " " HEAR NO EVIL " " TALK NO EVIL " u Paul Borg Olivier ? @ Ken Kasumi....Ghalija int ghamilt l-ahjar kumment....IL HMAR TAL PRESEPJU (:
avatar
SO after All Franco Debone was exteremely right in his claim about cliques. WYSIWYG. What you see is what you get ie: more of the same crass incompetence, arrogance and attacks on individuals rather than arguments. Pajjiz tal HAbba Gozz
avatar
PROSIT FED UP
avatar
Lawrence Covin
Richard Cachia Caruana? Din veru? U ghadu Ambaxxatur? Taf biha l-Ewropa din? Jista jibqa l-Eccellenza tieghu l-Ambaxxatur Plenipotenzjarju u Permanenti ta' Malta fl-EU waqt li (1) jiskarta mill-ufficcju tieghu u probabilment min xogholu u (2) apertament juza l-hin ufficjali tieghu biex jghin partit partikolari? Dik tfisser 'Plenipotenzjarju'? X'inhi l-pozizzjoni tal-PL fuq din?
avatar
The mouse, the bad and the ugly.
avatar
Wow and they say that the PN doesn't want to win the next election. Watching Edwin Vassallo this evening on Xarabank made me realise that these people are ready to do anything to stay in power. Even going back on their word and official statements. There are too many powerful people with too much to loose. If (as nothing is so sure anymore)an election is called I cannot imagine what dirty tactics will be used for the PN to stay in power at any cost. I strongly believe that we still are to see the "evil" Franco talked about.
avatar
Joseph Pace
Back to the future :)
avatar
Then we have to expect any dirty trick under the sun!
avatar
Bħala ambaxxatur RCC mhux suppost li jieħu sehem fl-attivitajiet ta' Partit Politiku.
avatar
YESTERDAY - kemm hi sabiha! http://www.metrolyrics.com/yesterday-lyrics-beatles.html
avatar
Nahseb wasal iz-zmien li nibdew nibghatu xi ittri, b'hafna weghdi u garanziji ta' xoghol. U bil haqq tinsewx tghidu n-nies li se jaqilghu aktar flus u jhallsu anqas taxxa. Prim, bhas-soltu, tinsiex fl-ahhar ta' ittra tiffirma ghax bhala Prim Ministru l-firma tieghek tfisser onesta. Darba dhaqt bin-nies imma din id-darba f' wiccek se jibqa.
avatar
waslet il-bidla jider isimaw il-peppi xjilaq fuq xarabank
avatar
Mike Isnt it obvious, PBO ser ikun il hmar tal presepju!
avatar
Vera jaqq. I can't wait til its over so I can see these people go into hiding
avatar
Vera jaqq. I can't wait til its over so I can see these people go into hiding
avatar
Rebhu l elezzjoni veru imma KIF? IT TLETT SLATEN MAGI, MAGI TAL HAZEN. L AQWA LI NIRBHU L ELEZZJONI AKKOST TA KOLLOX, AKKOST TA KOLLOX, TA KOLLOX.
avatar
The sleaze machine, the circle of evil,the skaduti. Whats next the monkey's PN?
avatar
Hate bloggers??? Mr Editor of Malta Today don't you follow your bloggers?
avatar
Somewhere in the budget for 2012 there is at least €40 million worth of promises that are not going to be delivered but no explanation has yet been given by the PN government as to where the cuts are to be made. The PN Government has been caught with his pants down. Thinking that it would go unnoticed they decided to introduce popular (vote catching) measures, such as the introduction of the parent tax rates (which is expected to cost the Govt €10 million), while making a big mistake – Expenditure was €40 in excess of what is acceptable. Strangely enough in the budget speech Tonio Fenech states that the income tax reduction (electoral promise) would cost around 40 million euro and is therefore not a sustainable measure. TF also states that “good governance and responsibility dictate that in the present uncertain economic climate, the introduction of this measure (Tax reduction) would be harmful. However TF ignored €40 million of cuts because this would have been unpopular, meaning that after all he does not care about harming the economy. It is obvious that some are to shoulder the Euro 40 million cut. Now TF should have an additional Euro 40 mill - so he can go ahead with the Tax reduction promise:)
avatar
Zack Depasquale
@johnmer Prosit siehbi kumment vera f'waqtu, ma stajtx ilqat il-musmar iktar fuq rasu.
avatar
Ehlisna nitolbuk, Mulej....hallina sakemm tispicca d-dinja f'Dicembru jahasra.
avatar
imbad jejdu li l-partit laburista baqa bl-istess nies.saliba=zaren vassallo,austin=arriva,rcc=daqqiet bis-sikkina min wara.vera jew le?
avatar
How spectacular a political suicide is the nationalist party planning? Their refusal to make way for young blood is the very attitude which has brought about this situation, which has caused the PN to become stale, and which will now push them into humbled opposition. But it's a problem they deserve. Hoping for a red-green coalition, the xenophobic elements of Labour (including of Muscat himself) will seriously need to be checked.
avatar
That makes them the "Three wise men". Which part will PBO play?
avatar
First advice that Joe Saliba gave gonzi today is to cry in his next meeting then go to Joseph Muscat TV conference as a journalist. It worked last time can't see it shouldn't this time.
avatar
Looks like a repeat of the divorce referendum fiasco suffered by Gonzipn from which very little appears to have been learned. Their underhand tactics for spin and character assasinations through media/blogs etc has been uncovered. May be best team win. Me thinks it will be the one who plays fair with no dirty tricks, just like in the divorce referendum.
avatar
No need for a vote of no confidence in PBO he gets it automatically without even given the chance to answer for himself. Well done PBO you have been unashamedly swept aside to make room to the 3 stooges.
avatar
How spectacular a political suicide is the nationalist party planning? Their refusal to make way for young blood is the very attitude which has brought about this situation, which has caused the PN to become stale, and which will now push them into humbled opposition. But it's a problem they deserve. Hoping for a red-green coalition, the xenophobic elements of Labour (including of Muscat himself) will seriously need to be checked.
avatar
@jgale fil-1996 Austin mexxa il-kampanja flimkien ma RCC li suppost sar attentat fuqu dak inhar u il-PN qalla tkaxkira ghalallalihalqu, tkaxkira li sa issa ghadha l-akbar fl'istorja ta' l-elezzjonijiet f'Malta. Biss biz-zmien kollox hu possibli.
avatar
Ian George Walker
And what does Paul "Emails" Borg-Olivier have to say about this?
avatar
I know the three of them quite well. Three persons who will stop at nothing, I mean NOTHING, to retain power. They epitomise arrogance. They are disliked even by their own, only nobody has the guts to tell them. This announcement is good news for the PL because many decent PN supporters have had enough being led by the nose by 2 unelected dictators and an arrogant incompetent Minister. The PN supporters were looking forward to new blood who would come up with fresh campaign strategies; Instead we get these three Metusalahs, who will no doubt give us their usual hate and demonise campaign. I think that when Franco said that the PN is 'evil' he had these people in mind particularly RCC and Austin Gatt. What is not reported is that at the back office there is the 'soft spoken' - according to Lou Bondi's wise assessment- a Mrs Caruana Galizia, the Bidnija lass, who screwed up the MEP campaign for the PN but dazzles us all by her Inglixx, vulgarities and venom. Majtezwel include her hux , Richie. Let her enjoy the last throes too!
avatar
Mela nistennew kampanja ta gideb, qerq, u weghdi foloz!!Dawn it-tlieta huma l- istess nies li mexxew kampanja qarrieqa fl- ahhar elezzjoni, kullhadd jiftakar il- weghdi ta smart city, tat tnaqqis fl- income tax u l- ittra li bghatu lill haddiema kollha ta l- AirMalta fejn sejhulhom rashom, kif ukoll l-ittra qarrieqa lill haddiema tad drydocks. MIN SER JEMMINOM IKTAR LILL DAWN?
avatar
Msiken is socjalisti!!! Issa zgur m'andkomx cans. Dawn in nies rebhu rebhiet kbar, u l MLP jitwerwer wahda minnom bil kif.
avatar
Xi hadd stenna mod iehor? Dawn tlieta mill-aktar li pappewwha tajjeb taht il-PN u jekk ma jergax jitla' ghanom hafna x'jitilfu. u t-tlieta esperti fil-hakk tad-dahar.
avatar
1.Joe Saliba, killed the Nationalist Party (P.N.) when he coined the one man show icon Gonzipn.Has no scrupples and uses people like lemons, ask JPO.He even took holidays on a luxury yatch with his present Boss while still general secretary of PN. 2. Richard Cachia Caruana who in 1996 experienced a botched up attempt on his life by a nationalist supporter who was EFA's body guard. This criminal has still not answered for his part in the incident and RCC does not seem interesed in this fact.RCC is also well known for his part in the acquisition of Dar Malta in Brussels which cost the maltese tax payer Lm23 million or €46 million approx. 3. Austin Gatt the most ARROGANT politician these islands have ever seen.Implicated in the BWSC saga and his part in changing the emmission laws to accomodate BWSC who provided a prototype power plant that works on HFO the most polutant energy source available.AG saw to it that entities like SeaMalta dissappear to accommodate foreign friendly interests. The cherry on the cake for Austin Gatt was the transport reform and the fracas of ARRIVA in the tale.Was saved by the speakers vote in a motion of no confidence in parliament.
avatar
FACES OF EVIL JEW SKADUTI? ARE U THINKING OF SCIBERRAS TRIGONA? DEBONO GRECH? JEW TONI ABELA FOST OHRJAN
avatar
Isabelle Borg
Qed jghidulek bil-Pulit PBO, m'intix kapaci warrab.
avatar
The three of them are in their final count down. All of them are skaduti.
avatar
Paul Sammut
Are these three faces of evil?
avatar
Paul Sammut
The three faces of evil
avatar
the three musketeers...lol: who cursed this country
avatar
Zack Depasquale
And all the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put GonziPN together again.
avatar
Good article with an unexpected anti climax in quoting the usual bla bla bla of nothing will change under Labour. How can you be so sure of this?
avatar
Is sultan tal FROGA ta Trasport Publiku qied fin nofs Ghandu ragun Dr Franco Debono issa diga bdew JIDHRU tal KLIKKA u l-iehor Joe Saliba xrega dahlu jaghmel il PM Dr Gonzi bhal ma qal superman IMPOSSIBLI il poplu Malti ser jerga JAFDA id Destin tieghu fidejn dawn in nies ALLA jilliberana ghax jekk JERGAW jitilaw JAFGU lil KULLHADD
avatar
Bil-Malti nghidu: FUQ TLIETA TOQGHOD IL-BORMA ! Joe Saliba li mdahhal sewwa ma' Zaren Vassallo, dak li jiehu l-kwazi l-kuntratti kollha l-kbar tal-gvern. U kien "il-coach" ta' JPO ghax ghallmu wkoll kif jibki, x'ghandu jghid u jaghmel fit-tejatrin ta' qabel l-ahhar elezzjoni. Dak li bellghalna DAR L-EWROPA fi Brussels li swietna xi LM 10 jew LM 12 il-miljun u li baqght tliet kwarti minnha vojta ! U l-ministru li bl-esperjenza kollha tieghu ghamel froga wara l-ohra f'kull ma miss b'idejh - l-aqwa wahda tal-B.W.S.C. u warajha tal- Arriva, il-pont li ma jwassal imkien etc..etc..etc..etc..ISSA SE JIBDEW IL-BUZULLOTTI ! Eddy Privitera
avatar
Possibbli l-poplu jista qatt jerga jafda nies ta dan it-tip fit-tmexxija tal-pajjiz!!! Nies li gidbu kemm felhu biex akkost ta kollox dahhlu l-pajjizna fl-EU, nies li nfexxew f'orgja ta weghdi foloz li wara li rebhu kull elezzjoni f'dawn l-ahhar snin, kissruwom vilment!!! Hawn bzonn bidla urgenti ghall-gid ta pajjizna. Joseph Muscat ghandu jinghata cans biex juri xisarraf ghall gid ta kulhadd.
avatar
Kien jaf x'hinu jghid Dr Franco, tibzax. Kull kelma li qal kienet minnha. I capi qed jingabru. Ghandhom wisq x'jitilfu. Nies bhal dawn dejjem isibulom post fejn idahluhom, lil Dr Franco qatt ma kien hemm wisa ghalih imkien. ..Pawlu Borg Olivier issa iservi l-kafe u l-pastini.
avatar
Bring them on! They deserve the drubbing.
avatar
Joseph Sant
More of the same and the same and the same. But then as Theseus wisely said - you can never cross the same river twice. The variables, like the water of the river, are never the same.
avatar
There you have it - 3 major exponents of the network of evil. So what is the strategy apart from phone tapping, email and internet espionage, threats and bribes?