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Pressure builds up on Debono, MPs say vote against minister is vote against government
Nationalist MPs highlight duty to vote against justice and home affairs motion; Censu Galea says vote in favour of motion is act of disloyalty against country.
29 May 2012, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
2 min read
Nationalist MP Franco Debono, a vocal critic of Carm Mifsud Bonnici: his vote will be crucial to the minister's fate.
Government MPs sent a not so subtle message to backbencher Franco Debono, in this morning's address to the House, insisting that a vote against minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici would be a vote against the entire government.
This morning Speaker Michael Frendo ruled that the amendment to the censure motion, which now calls for Mifsud Bonnici's resignation, was admissible. In other words, the resignation of the minister would now be inevitable if the motion is approved.
Doubtless, the most impassioned of speeches made this morning was that of Nationalist MP Censu Galea, who insisted that a vote in favour of the motion was to a vote "against the loyalty MPs have towards their country".
"It is our duty to vote against the motion. Not only because we are defending a minister who has worked so hard, but also for all the others who always worked in full loyalty towards the country.
"Our loyalty towards the country is much bigger than any disloyalty which might arise from other sides," Galea said.
He insisted that the motion was informed of "political convenience" which he described as the "worst form of political abuse".
"Let us be honest: everyone wants to be in government and everyone does his utmost to achieve votes. But votes cannot be achieved through dishonesty," he said.
Galea added that being loyal didn't mean being 'a boot-licker': "We should the first to say what is right and admit what is wrong. But in this case, the Opposition is building up its case based on personal attacks."
Parliamentary secretary Mario Galea insisted that the motion amounted to "psychological violence" and said it was ironic that the Opposition wanted to criticise home affairs "when the worst things in the history of home affairs occurred another a Labour administration".
Galea also "challenged" Opposition leader Joseph Muscat to table a motion of censure against the Opposition MPs who had served under the Labour administration during the "dark ages of the 80s".
"I challenge Muscat to guarantee that the same persons who had served in any department or entity when the atrocities in home affairs took place at the time, will not have a place now if a Labour government were to be elected," Galea insisted.
Also addressing the House were MPs Michael Gonzi, Philip Mifsud, Frans Agius, Clyde Puli, and Frederick Azzopardi who all hinted that a vote against the minister would be a vote against government.
Of particular note was a comment passed by Mifsud while speaking on why the motion should be voted against. "That who loses his consistency loses his credibility. Little is left of a person when credibility is lost," Mifsud said.
In their concluding remarks, all insisted that "no one" should vote in favour.
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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GHal lijistajkun Galea kien jaf x'qed jghid ?
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Gejja xi kutrumbajsa ohra! hahahahahah
Veru pajjiz tal-Micky Mouse
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Dear Censu Galea
Franco Debono will certainly be a bootlicker if , after all the fuss he has been making about CMB, now votes against the motion. What you should have said to Franco Debono is that the PN will embrace him back into its folds should he vote in favour. Even it this would be far-fetched, considering all the foul criticism levelled at Franco from the PN side these last months.
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I bet that when the time comes he will abstain.....again
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Time to show what you are really made of Franco...steel or jelly?
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jekk Franco ma jivvotax favur il mozzjoni,allura nibda nghid li il joker kien hu.Nispera li ma isibiex
xi skuza.Jekk il klikka qed tghid li dan hu vot kontra il gvern,allura l -problema hi tal gver u mhux ta Franco.KURAGG.GHAMEL DAK LI TEMMEN FIH
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How stupid can GOnziPn MPs get ! Once again they are mentioning 2 Psychological vilence" when they are at that very moment committing such violence themselves against one of their own MPs !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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pressjoni morali tfisser ingustizzja ma min ghandu kuxjenza diversa min naha l-ohra.Kullhadd jaf kif FD se jivvota.......astenzjoni. If FD votes against he will be the second man of Steel in Malta , so far he is marshmellow.
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What happened to freedom of speech. This has a ring of dictatorship, eg. if you dont do what we say you will find yourself left in the doghouse. This whole government has lost its credibility through its antics over the past few months They do not want anyone trashing CMB but they themselves seem to be doing the exact thing to FD. It is a total disgrace.
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dark ages illum ghax ma tistax thalli bozza tixghel ,mi nhabba il kont tad gholi.
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This is precisely the PSYCHOLIGICAL VIOLENCE which Edwin vassallo spoke about in parliament. But it is being made b y GonziPN speakers on Franco Debono ! ISTHU JELL TAFU KIF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
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dark ages illum ghax ma tistax thalli bozza tixghel ,mi nhabba il kont tad gholi.
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"That who loses his consistency loses his credibility. Little is left of a person when credibility is lost," Mifsud said.... for once a gonzipn MP got it right. Franco , Philip Mifsud is simply saying you are a joke as you have been inconsistent with your statements against gonzi and his oligarchy with your lack of actions. You only have one last chance to make things right, at least gaining back you long lost credibility.
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"Nationalist MP Censu Galea, who insisted that a vote in favour of the motion was to a vote "against the loyalty MPs have towards their country"...... Just when you think you have heared it all out comes another S of an MP with a new banality. Are gonzipn MPs having a contest who comes up with the most banal of statements? Of course the one in the lead would be Edwin Vassallo and Censu Galea two of the most illuminating politicians that have graced our parliament.gonzipn never ceases to surprise.
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Please can any body tell why the Government personal always wont to scare people. I am a person that lived in the 50/60 era. I had to leave this beautiful island because of what was happening at that time. This Government told people so many untrue stories that I can not see how somebody can believe. Also please give me one social law that Pn made through their history what we all own today we owe to past MLP Government's
Grzegorz Tomski •
Waslet is-siegha tal-prova. Franco Debono ghandu cans iehor biex juri li mill-paroli jaf jghaddi ghall-fatti. Jekk ma jaghmilx hekk jitlef kull kredibilita li ghad fadallu.
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There is something wrong with your subheading. You probably mean to say: "Censu Galea says vote against motion is act of loyalty TOWARDS country."
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There is something wrong with your subheading. You probably mean to say: "Censu Galea says vote against motion is act of loyalty TOWARDS country."
Luke Camilleri •
Nice build up ..... but will it end in an anti-climax?
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Debono has the DEMOCRATIC right to vote for what he seems fit, NOT to satisfy the very undemocratic credentials of the current administration.
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Two things stand out very clearly:
the choirboys have been well instructed;
the most passionate were the very same who were pushed aside 4 years ago.
Hope springs eternal in the human breast.
Mr Galea's impassioned defence of CMP's performance is just waffle; he had all the chance to come with facts to prove what he said and rebut Dr Debono's indictment which was, on the contrary, very detailed and factual.
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Dr.Debono, Ghaliex ma tmurx taghmel `deal` mal P.M. li jekk itik il ministeru tal gustizzja imqar l-ahhar gimgha tal legisratura, tivvota kontra tal lejber.
