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Busuttil intervention leads to suspension of protest
Fishing co-op ‘suspends’ planned protest after Nationalist MEP and AZAD chief Simon Busuttil coordinates meeting with fishermen.
20 April 2012, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
1 min read
Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil
The national cooperative of fishermen have "suspended" their demonstration planned for today in protest at a lack of agreement with the rural affairs ministry in conceding to their demands on fisheries reform, following the intervention of Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil.
In a letter sent to the fishing co-op, Busuttil scheduled a meeting for Saturday, 28 April. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi will also be present for the meeting.
In comments to MaltaToday, co-op president Ray Bugeja said that he received the request for the meeting after the co-op made its plans for a protest pulic.
Today's protest would have been the second demonstration in four months.
While he wouldn't reveal the details of the communication, Bugeja said that Busuttil recognized the problems which the fishermen are facing.
"We are very satisfied to be meeting with the Prime Minister. In view of this the protest has been suspended," Bugeja said, insisting that it was not "cancelled".
The meeting venue is yet to be confirmed. However, Busuttil and Gonzi have been holding a number of meetings at the PN's think-tank AZAD offices in Valletta.
Busuttil was appointed by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi as his special envoy responsible of organising meetings with different economic and social sectors of society to listen to their thoughts and concerns.
Although Busuttil has laughed off suggestions that Gonzi's decision to entrust him with the job could be interpreted as a signal that he was the preferred contender in a future leadership race, the move increased speculation on the succession to the PN's top post.
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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I have already commented in another column that Ray Bugeja is play-acting the part. He will never do anything to harm the PN, and as the elections loom nearer, he will find a way how to do U-turns to please his party. So much for the welfare of his fishermen coop members!
Priscilla Darmenia •
Mr Bugeja, a protest by your association or by anyone else is bad publicity for the GonziPN government, especially now that we are getting closer and closer to a general election. –
I honestly trust and hope that something will come out of the proposed meeting and this meeting is not a delaying tactics played by Dr Gonzi and Dr Busuttil.
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Isn't this a slap in the face for George Pulicino. In the last legisleture gonzi took away MEPA from his administration now this. What keeps gonzi from relegating Pulicino to the backbench and put someone more apt instead? Maybe past loyalties are more important than the smooth running of a ministry.
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If Gonzi wished to meet the fishermen's representatives, did he need Simon Busuttil to intervene ? Wasn't this also a vote of no-confidence in minister Pullicino's hndling of the issue ?
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Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.
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Nahseb li issa li qed tersaq l-elezzjoni se jghidulna li s-sajjieda kellhom ragun. Tajjeb, allura x'se jigri minn min ilu jghaddihom biz-zmien dan iz-zmien kollu u jcahhadom dak li kien taghhom? Se jkollna xi rizenja minhabba l-arroganza li ilhom isofru dawn is-sajjieda? Jew se nghidulhom li ghandom ragun u jintefa kollox taht it-tapit u l-aqwa l-vot?
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Mela ghaliex diversi setturi tal-poplu Malti ma jahsibx biex jaghmel protesta forsi l-MEP Simon Busuttil jidhol fin-nofs halli jorhsu, il-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma, l-gholi tal-Hajja, gass, petrol, jgholew il-pagi halli nkunu nistaw nghixu u mhux nezistu, jispicca l-isfruttament tal-haddiem, jispicca ix-xoghol prekarju, tispicca id-diskriminazzjoni,etc etc etc etc etc.
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Se thalluh jghaddikom biz-zmien bhal ma ilu jghaddikom? Se tergghu tmorru iddawwruh fuq il-luzzu u taghmlulu l-fiera tal-hut? Se taghtu ragun lil Tonio li jghid li s-sajjieda Maltin cwiec?
