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Health Minister denies maltastar's 'minister's wife' report
Office of the Prime Minister calls for a stop to 'personal attacks'.
19 January 2012, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
1 min read
Health Minister Joe Cassar
Health Minister Joe Cassar said the publication of a photo of his second residence in Dingli was a personal attack, referring to allegations that his wife was overheard complaining about the government's decision to withdraw ministers' parliamentary honoraria.
Labour e-newspaper maltastar.com earlier this week reported an incident in which a woman was overheard complaining in her husband's ministerial office of the financial problems that the terminated honoraria had brought upon them.
The wife was heard complaining that the ministerial salary cut had increased the burden of their new mortgage on their second residence.
The government yesterday issued a denial of the allegations while Maltastar today published a photo of Health Minister Joe Cassar's farmhouse in Dingli, allegedly the second residence the wife was complaining about.
Cassar has denied purchasing a property after being appointed parliamentary secretary or minister.
"What the Opposition's media said about Joe Cassar's wife is a complete lie. Maltastar's allegation is false," the Health Ministry said in a statement.
"It is also false that Joe Cassar bought a property after he was appointed parliamentary secretary or minister," it said, adding that the Labour media "chose to fabricate a story to attack personally" Cassar.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Prime Minister also issued a statement accusing Maltastar of fabricating stories with the aim of personally attacking individuals.
"Last Sunday, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi urged for a stop to personal attacks. Unfortunately, sections of the media interpreted the Prime Minister's speech as an appeal for Nationalist supporters. In reality, the Prime Minister was addressing everyone," OPM said in a statement.
The government added that the personal attacks on the Health Minister and his wife were "an example" of what the Prime Minister referred to.
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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Staqsu lil dawk in-Nursing Officers li qalghu transfer dan l-ahhar kemm hu gentleman Cassar!!
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Jekk il-ministru irid min jikkumpatih, jista' jghidilna x'ghamel biex jiddefendi lil Pros Zammit meta dan twaqqaf milli jkompli jaghti servizz impekkabli lil pazjenti fil Mater Dei?
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Safejn ittini il-memorja u jekk dejjen mhux diga bdejt inbati bid-dimenzja ,. il-Maltastar ma semmiet ebda isem ta' xi ministru . Ghalhekk hija ftit stramba li jigi il-Ministru Joseph Cassar u jichad dak li gie irrapurtat f'din il-gazzetta . Ma nistax nifhem kif Dr. Joseph Cassar assuma li kienu qed jirreferu ghalih jew ghal mara tieghu . Jekk dan hu il-kas , taf x'jghidu bl-ingliz Sur Ministru ? To assume , make's an ASS of you and me .Tghid huwa kas li fejn hemm id-duhhan ,zgur ghandek issib in-nar ?
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I think Maltastar was within its rights to publish this article.
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The minister should always fire a libel and the truth will come out. Alfred Sant was accused by EFA that he didn't allow his son to go to the university and .... Sant won the libel because it was a pure lie for election propaganda. Even like that drama queen JPO Mistra comedy when he accused Sant again re Mistra village, again ... Sant won the case.
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Leave the gentleman and his wife in peace.
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Leave the gentleman and his wife in peace.
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As far as I'm aware, Maltastar never mentioned names. So the old saying goes...No smoke without fire.
There are loads of nurses who just got transferred who I'm sure find the Hon. Minister very affable. As do the thousands waiting for an operation and the promised waiting list initiatives.
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I must admit that I have a conflict of interest on health issues. I admired Dr Deguara bec he was instrumental in giving us, the people, a new state of the art hospital. He was thanked for his services by an sms. I admire Dr Joe Cassar because he is one of the few Ministers I truly consider as trying hard to make a difference. With humility I tell Joe to be careful from friends who are not public servants but media parasites.
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Hon Joe Cassar, I write this note out of respect. If Maltastar wrote whatever was written, I ask you to ponder...those around you have they given hope and are trying to secure their future?
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I agree with GiorgioMalteser. The Minister should start a libel caae against Maltastar if he is so convinced that his wife did not say those words. It would be fun to hear more and more of this case.
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@ j. galea
Li "dawn is-socjalisti qatt ma jirbhu elezzjoni" qed tghid cucata, u li "qatt m huma ser jirbhu' hija cucata akbar. ghidt zewg cucati kbar f'sentenza wahda.
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@jgalea.
int tal biki.mela insejt lil eddie jigdeb fuq alfred sant li ma dahhalux it tifel l universita.dik wahda minhom .allahares nibda insemmi
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It was an eminent professor and social scientist from Princeton who observed that once a country enters into election fever and the electoral battle is on a curtain seems to fall on our ethical and moral characters. Under the stress ad pressure of the intense competition for votes lies are shouted all across the media, all sorts of promises are made which cannot be fulfilled, parties succumb to the contributions of businessmen trading influence and all our principles temporarily seem to fly out of the window. That is why the political parties should strive to behave decently and civilly and not indulge in personal attacks and invasion of personal privacy.
Joe Cassar is one of the most affable and civil of persons and deserves to be treated as such.
Fortunately once an election is over all citizens quickly get back to showing respect and solidarity towards each other. It is thus essential that once we get into election mode the electoral process should be short and snappy.
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Aha! So it was THIS minister!
Thanks OPM. I must admit,I didn't have any clue who it was...
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If it was false news then we should see the Minister open a libel case against Maltastar won't we now ?
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If it was false news then we should see the Minister open a libel case against Maltastar won't we now ?
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Soledarjeta mijek Dr. Cassar. Messom jisthu dawn is socjalisti. Ghalhekk QATT ma jirbhu elezzjoni, u qatt m huma ser jirbhu :)
