Tame speeches mark second day of no-confidence debate

Debate on no-confidence motion continues. Robert Arrigo laments that he was left on backbench despite gaining a large number of votes.

24 January 2012, 12:00am
by Jurgen Balzan

2 min read

The no-confidence debate started on Monday and continues until Thursday.

The parliamentary debate on the no-confidence motion in government continued yesterday with a number of tame addresses by PN backbenchers and ministers. The most notable speech was that of PN backbencher Robert Arrigo who lamented about being left on the backbench despite garnering a "nice number of votes" in the 2008 election.

Attendance by MPs of both sides of the House was poor and maverick MP Franco Debono was in a pensive mood for most of the sitting, although his mood seemed to lighten up after having a lengthy chat with fellow backbenchers Louis Deguara and Jean-Pierre Farrugia. Although Debono sat at the very far end of government benches as he did on Monday, he was joined by another MP Jesmond Mugliett and could be seen chatting away with Mugliett and parliamentary secretary Mario Galea.

The most notable speech was held by PN backbencher Robert Arrigo who lamented the fact that he gained a "nice number of votes" in the 2008 election but was never promoted to minister. On the other hand, he noted that "a number of frontbenchers did not even manage to obtain a full quota" in the same election. He added that this "hurt" the people.

Arrigo said he was the victim of blackmail for 10 months and praised Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi for his understanding and support. He also lambasted the "hate which is being bandied around on the blogosphere." In reference to his battle with Environment Minister George Pullicino, Arrigo noted that he had strong arguments with someone more powerful than him regarding the Qui-Si-Sana car park but still got his way and the car park project was never realised.

The Sliema MP said he was surprised that the Finance Minister was cutting the country's expenditure whilst another minister was employing more persons.

Other notable speches were held by PN representatives Jean-Pierre Farrugia and Tourism Minister Mario de Marco. Farrugia said an early election might be a "blessing in disguise".

Most speeches centred around the "needless" and "pointless" motion tabled by the Opposition. Parliament was also addressed by Finance minister Tonio Fenech, Gozo minister Giovanna Debono and Clyde Puli, Charlo Bonnici, Philip Mifsud, Stephen Spiteri and Beppe Fenech Adami.

As the debate faded away most MPs made their way out and at one point journalists and visitors in the strangers' gallery outnumbered MPs in the chamber. The debate resumes today at 6pm when Franco Debono is expected to address the House. The vote will be taken tomorrow at noon.

Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.

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Bilfors ikunu ftit kawti , ghax benbhom taht il-blata . Izda jekk Dr.Debono jcedi , wara iqajjmuh qrunhom ,ghax ikunu hadu dak li riedu minnu u wara iqalftuh min nofshom .

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SUR EDITURI TAL-MALTATODAY: JIDDISPJACINI NGHID LI KELLKOM WEBSITE INTERESSANTI LI KIENET TAGHTI SPAZJU GHAL KUMMENTI INTERESSANTI MINN HAFNA NIES. JIDHER CAR LI ISSA GHAL RAGUNIJIET TAGHKOM DAWN IL-KUMMENTI QED TICCENSURAWHOM, UKOLL JEKK IKUNU PULITI U NDAF U MA JWEGGHU LIL HADD. IT'S A SHAME LI RAJTU KIF GHAMILTU BIEX DAWN IL-KUMMENTI TGHADDUHOM MINN FILTER U ISSA QED THALLU JIDHRU BISS DAWK LI JOGHGBUKOM. HASRA - WEBSITE TAJBA LI QED TIEHDU GOST TARAW KIF TAGHMLU BIEX TBAZWRUHA. GRAZZI.

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We must thank technology for the arrival of these blogs. At least we have a discussion, in parlament, the opposition just listens, with no counter arguments. The PL bloggers are doing a better job here that their representatives in Parliament. The majority did not even bother to attend the debate. A debate which is being held because the deputy leader forwarded the motion. What a farce, what a waste of time and money. Not a very good start for a Labour Government.

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I would have thought Arrigo would argue that he should have been made a Minister on the basis of his capabilities not on how many more votes he got! Is this the measuring stick for Ministerial responsibility now? Given the apparent dearth of capacity in most Ministers, one would think Arrigo had a chance. The question is : WHY has Gonzi maintained such a staid and by and large, imaginative group around him for all this time? The power of the cliques and cronyism is what comes to mind. Gonzi may well be looking after others and responding to their relative power in allowing him to remain leader. If he weren't he would've made his own brother a Minister.

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Tame speeches? Who expected anything more from a government in its death throes? All this blah blah blah about how good a Government they were, the number of records broken and the fact that in many respects Malta is the best in everything, is just a pre-election effort to get some free publicity space in the newspapers and other media. Come Thursday - for, against or abstain FD will nail the PN government to kingdom come.

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Arrigo qal li dejjem kien loyal. Imma haddiehor irreciproka l-loyalty tieghu. Le. Il-klikka xorta n-nies li riedet hi ghazlet. Min ikun bhalek sur Arrigo, loyal biss, bir-rispett kollu lejk, ikun politikant tas-sold u nofs. Dr Franco ukoll kien loyal lejn il-partit, imma issa qal 'enough is enough'. Ma tistax inti timxi sew u haddiehor jghaffeg, u min fuq, tlaqqatha inti. U ghalhekk nemmen li Dr Franco, se jaghmel bhal ma ilu jghid, li se jivvota IVA favur il-mozzjoni ta sfiducja fil-gvern. Ma tistenniex mod iehor minn politiku ta veru.

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GonziPN MPs tediously repeated arguments we have heard during their speeches on the budget, when the sole reason which led to the no-confidence motion were the public statements made by their ex-parliamentary group member, Dr. Franco Debono ! Not a word was said about the grave reasons given by Dr. Debono for his decision not to keep supporting a government led by Lawrence Gonzi. Instead - as they were ordered to do by The Great and Dear Leader - they tediously criticised Dr. Jopseph Muscat for having moved the no-confidence motion so that the Maltese people will know if GonziPN enjoys the support of the majority of the House !

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MA NARAX GHALIEX GONZIPN U L-KLIKKA TAL-QALBA GHANDHOM TANT JIEHDU GHALIHOM JEKK ISSA NAGHTUHOM AHNA EARLY RETIREMENT QABEL MA JAGHLAQ IL-MANDAT TA' HAMES SNIN ...... WARA KOLLOX GONZIPN HU C-CHAMPION TAL-EARLY RETIREMENT DAQS KEMM WAHHAL SKEMI TA' EARLY RETIREMENT LIL ELUF TA' HADDIEMA (TARZNA, AIR MALTA) LI KIEN HU STESS LI WEGHIDHOM LI SE JZOMMU X-XOGHOL TAGHHOM GHAL HAFNA SNIN ........ SEWWA JGHIDU LI L-ARLOGG IDUR GHAL KULHADD.

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mp arrigo and others blackmailed and held hostage by the pn clique.god have mercy on this country.

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Sur Arrigo...Ghandek mitt elf ragun titkellem hekk. Pero, ikolli nghejd li taht GONZIPN ma kellekx tipretendi mod iehor. Jien gej mis sena tal Catering (Turismu) u nemmen li tnehhi lilek u lil Karmenu Vella tal PL,ma hemmx wiehed li huwa kapaci f`dan il qasam.Int u hafna bhalek ( qeghed jigini f`rasi JPO)ghal kemm tlajtu min zewg distretti u gibtu ammont sabih ta voti, qatt ma taghkhom ic cans li tmexxu ministeru.Ghaliex ? Forsi minthomx tal klikka ? Jien laburist, u nemmen li Franco ghamel sew, ghax xi hadd ried jieqaf....mhux lil P,N.,l-anqas lil gvern u l`anqas lil Lawrence Gonzi ( uzajt ismu ,apposta ghal l-argument)...imma ghal min fil verita qeghedin imexxu lil pajjizna...