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Alfred Sant on Richard Cachia Caruana’s regret: ‘The biter, bit’
Former Labour leader unimpressed by Cachia Caruana’s volte-face on Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando.
26 June 2012, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
3 min read
The 2008 attack-dog strategy: Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando is issued with a press card to contest Alfred Sant during a BA debate at the PBS studios. Photo: Gilbert Calleja/Mediatoday
Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando's main accuser has responded with characteristic terseness to the unlikeliest of endorsements by Richard Cachia Caruana.
The outgoing permanent representative to the EU said in an interview to the Sunday Times that former Labour leader Alfred Sant "had summed up [Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando] correctly", in a reference to Sant's scathing criticism of the MP during the 2008 general election and in the years to come.
Sant had described Pullicino Orlando as 'politically and morally corrupt' when the MP tabled a historic bill for the introduction of divorce in 2010, ostensibly over the MP's role to secure a planning permit for an open-air disco on his land in Mistra which was Labour's central focus during their 2008 electoral campaign.
"The biter bit," Sant said when asked to react to Cachia Caruana's observation as to the motives behind Pullicino Orlando's vote, in a motion that ousted him from permanent representative to the EU.
In his interview, Cachia Caruana said that Pullicino Orlando had been economical with the truth over the existence of the contract that proved he had rented his land in Mistra for the open-air disco.
Accusing Pullicino Orlando of having "misled the people", Cachia Caruana said: "I regret to say Alfred Sant probably summed him up correctly."
Sant did not sound the slightest bit surprised at the umbraged Cachia Caruana, refraining from commenting on the endorsement from the unlikeliest of political players.
"Everyone tends to change their opinion according to circumstances," Sant said. "I have only one thing to say and nothing else: the biter bit."
Sant's comment however illustrates the reaction Cachia Caruana expressed on Sunday, in a belated show of regret about the MP he once described in 2009 "as a much-valued political colleague."
"I had to persuade the electorate that an innocent person was being unfairly attacked," Cachia Caruana said of Pullicino Orlando, whose rental of his private land in Mistra for the construction of an open-air disco, risked harming the party's environmental credentials and opened him up to accusation of having influenced a MEPA decision to grant the permit when it had been recommended for refusal.
"We were caught in a situation where we trusted somebody who, even if he didn't lie, didn't tell the whole truth either - and this misled people.
"I regret to say Alfred Sant probably summed him up correctly."
It was the first official declaration by a PN official to shed doubt on the claims by Pullicino Orlando made during the 2008 election and which were openly defended by the PN.
On his part, Pullicino Orlando has stated that Cachia Caruana set him up as an attack-dog during the 2008 election in a bid to protest his innocence with as much vigour as possible to expose Sant as a bully.
The strategy was credited as having reversed a voters' haemorrhage for the PN, having returned Pullicino Orlando to parliament on both constituencies with 5,800 votes.
Cachia Caruana has insisted that the MP's claims that he was responsible in fomenting an an unofficial media campaign to prompt Pullicino Orlando to resign his parliamentary seat after his re-election, were "absolutely false".
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
Joseph Sant •
@gino7266 - Jien ma ghidtx ic-CEO tax-Xandir imma tal-Awtorita tax-Xandir li ma tiddependi minn l-ebda Gvern. Naf li hafna, inkluz int mid-dehra, ma jaghmlux distinzjoni bejn it-tnejn. Kellhom bzonn in-nies jitghallmu li l-Awtorita tax-Xandir u l-PBS m'ghandhom x'jaqsmu xejn ma xulxin. Nerga' nghid iva, kont nistenna hafna ahjar minn tnejn minn-nies professuri tal-Ligi. Tiskanta kif ma giethomx f'rashom!!
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Kont nahseb li ghad irid jghaddi ftit ta'zmien mhux hazin biex Dr.Sant jibda jinghata ragun ghal hafna affarijiet li qal u li wissa lil poplu bihom, izda mort zmerc, ghaliex wara biss ftit snin bdiet hierga il verita kollha tal qerq u l-manuvri li saru kontrieh mil klikka ta Gonzi PN. Ghajb ghal dawn it-talin.
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I always admired Dr. Alfred Sant, even when he clashed with Dom Mintoff, he was smart enough not to be blackmailed by his own MP, and showing that he was never after POWER, called an early general election! Like Dr.Sant stated that:'Everyone tends to change their position according to circumstances!' And that's exactly why Mintoff voted with the PN in 1998! And the person who was giving inside information to the PN during those difficult times got rewarded with a high position! Like the English sayin: 'A good politician is a convicing lier!" And the PN had quite a good number of 'GOOD' politicians, some of whom have departed and some are still here, and sometimes still try to influence and try to put their nose in people's civil rights decisions! It looks like GonziPN is heading for a very hot summer, and I'm sure that some big heads are going to get really bad sunburnt!!!!!!!!! Anyway, that's what they deserve for deceiving the Maltese people on many issues! Enjoy it until it lasts!!!!
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all this mud slinging shows that dr sant was and is a gentleman who had the forces of evil working against him. if dr sant had the mistra documents in his hands it is highly impossible that the powers that be in the gonzipn circle hadnt. and this means that all those who helped jpo go after dr sant had been in the know at the time about the mistra deal. all they did including those who coached jpo was to rob the maltese people of a rightful government. instead we had gonzipn with four whole years of remorse and back stabbing,four whole years of infighting, four whole terrible years to those who committed this vile act.....
Krista Sullivan •
@Gecko
ma'naqbilx mieghek fuq rigward tas-CEO tax-xandir...insejt li xandir ikun immexxi mill-gvern tal-gurnata?....x'kien ser jitlef Sant kieku halla l-JPO jintervistah?....Kieku kont Sant kont nghidlu zomm tini cans ha ingib id-dokumenti u flok tistaqsini int nistaqsik jien....imma l-mod kif ghamel Sant tefa dubju kbir f'min kien ghadu mhux cert u min ma'kienx cert haseb li Sant qed jivinta ........
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Irridu nghidu wkoll li Sant ried jaghmel il-hsara lil-PN billi jikxfu fl-ahhar sieghat..... Sur FD imma mhux kull partit politiku fuq wicc id-dinja jghamel dan, qatt smajt partit politiku jfahhar lil l-iehor qabel elezzjoni? Kunu daqsxejn sensibli f'kitbietkom.
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""The biter bit," .............. as usual Dr Sant is concise and precise in what he says no rethoric but simple answers.
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JPO should be considered for what he is and nothing more. Personnally I wouldn't trust him with a euro cent from my pocket, but if his antics cause damage to gonzipn then by all means aid the guy to do the utmost damage. Like the presidents's nomination the divorce issuee was a set up that backfired. Now those in cahoots are fighting amongs themselves like two muggers caught by the police and end up blaming each other.
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@gino7266 ...jaqaw int wiehed minn dawk li riedu lil Sant jibqa jigverne b'Mintoff jigbed l-ispaga, kif tista tghid li Sant zbalja li ma ikkonfrontax lil JPO. L-elezzjoni intielfet minn min halla sieghha zejda waqt il-votazzjoni u tibqghux tghidu hmerijiet.
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@ gino7288.....naqbel mieghek 100%.issa jew webbes rasu jew tawh parir hazin forsi xi gambetta.min jaf.Dr Sant kien n naha ta sewwa u kellu mitt elf ragun ghallura ghalfejn telaq il barra.bli ghamel,hafna min dawk il floaters ma ivvutawz labour .
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Irridu nghidu wkoll li Sant ried jaghmel il-hsara lil-PN billi jikxfu fl-ahhar sieghat qabel ma mmorru nivvutaw.
Li-Nazzjonalisti ma’ hallielomx triq ohra hlief li jiddefendu bniedem li QAL li kuntratt ma’ kienx hemm.
Backfire lil-Sant ghax tilef l-elezzjoni u backfire lil-Gonzi ghax kellu jitqanna b’JPO.
Joseph Sant •
Fl-incident tal-1988 it-tort ma kienx ta' Alfred Sant imma tac-CEO u l-kunsulent legali tal-Awtorita tax-Xandir ta' dak iz-zmien li messhom kienu jafu li l-Ligi tax-Xandir ma tippermettix li kandidat ghall-elezzjoni jkun ukoll gurnalista fl-iskema ta' xandiriet politici organizzati mill-istess Awtorita. Eventwalment kellu jkun impjegat ta' grad inqas li gibdilhom l-attenzjoni li JPO me kellux id-dritt li jidhol fl-istudjos u wisq anqas jikkonfronta lil Alfred Sant quddiem il-cameras. Imma sa dak il-hin il-hsara (mahsuba intenzjonalment minn Joe Saliba u RCC li pprokurawlu l-press card) kienet lahqet saret. F'dak kollu li qal u ghamel f'dan l-incident Alfred Sant kien totalment korrett.
Luke Camilleri •
RCC, JPO, JPO's ex-Coach Peppi, DCG, Anton Attard, PBS, Gordon Pisani the OPM , they all deserve each other and in better times were all one happy "Familia"!
Dr. Sant continues to come out with HONOURS, he is the Gentleman and continuously proved right over and over again!
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Mastermind or devious mind? Li hu zgur hu li kien kiesah mill-kbar u jasal!
Krista Sullivan •
B'din tilef l elezjoni Alfred Sant kieku iffejsjah u ma'kienx supperv kien jirbah zgur izda meta irrifjuta l konfront dahhal dubju f'min kien incert.............KIENET IL-MOSSA VITALI GHAT TELFA TAL-MLP.
U DIN ID-DARBA LP IRID JOQOD ATTENT MINN XI MOSSA OHRA GHALKEMM NEMMEN ILLI LEADER TAGHNA MHUX HA JAQA GHALL XI NASBA.
Zack Depasquale •
I have to admit that I had to look this one up, definition of the biter bit; someone who has caused harm to other people in the past has now been hurt. A phrase by Dr Sant that sums it all up. RCC is used to hurting others but now he is on the recieving end he knows how it feels and he doesn't like one bit.
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Jien nahseb li Dr.Sant mhux kellu ragun f'kollox li qal u li kien sejjer jigri li nahseb jien blajta b'sunnara u b'kulpara tat ton, u emmint lil Pn. Sahansitra anki rigward L-Ewro Dr. Sant kellu elf fil mijja ragunu jien wiehed minnom li niskuza ruhi, Dr. Sant ahfer lil min kellu ghajnejh mghaluqin u sa kellu skop li ara fhiex gabna, inhallsu d-dejn ta haddiehor meta ahna ghar minnom.
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Bhal ma jghidu "iz- zejt jitla f' wicc l- ilma". Kemm iddifendew lil JPO u ghajru lil Dr Alfred Sant. Issa ghax hemm qasma bejn il PN, harget il verita kollha. Ani li qabdu lil Peppi Azzopardi biex jikkowcja lil JPO meta jiffacja lil Dr. Sant. Tal PN jaghmlu minn kollox biex jibqu imwahhlin mal poter. Anki max- xitan jippruvaw jiftemu!!!!!!!!! Ghal hekk il- poplu Malti ghandu joqod attent ghal elezzjoni li jmiss. Lil Dr. Sant nejdulu prosit li kixef il hmieg tal PN, u dak il- kliem li qalu kontrih kien ovvju biex ihamguh biex jibqu imwahhlin mas siggu tal poter.
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It is becoming increasing obvious to any committed voter, let alone the interested observer, that the PN has tired of fresh ideas. The more effort spent at catch up, in order to regain all that lost time, via copying and jump-starting Labour's expressed ideas, the more the PN exposes its distance from the electorate. The PN is only interested in bettering the citizen's lives when it suits the party, i.e. election time. The great majority then abandoned to wallow in their misery, watching the select few gobble up the vast majority of the cake. However, it would be too late then!
This is like a whore who parties all week but races home on Sunday night to put her children to sleep ready for Monday school, her conscience than clear. Unfortunately, Maltese voters are taken and abused for what most of them are i.e. naïve, immature and superficial. They are conditioned by their “ask no questions” catholic upbringing, which has accustomed them to accept their fate as second-class citizens. A rung below the cultured intelligentsia, only there to be used, abused, and thrown away like a used lemon just after having voted.
No wonder Mintoff was hated with such great vigour by the ruling class and their lackeys. In the space of one generation, he managed to turn Maltese society upside down. Of course, he had to use strong-arm tactics against people who had grown accustomed to have it all their way. However, Mintoff’s revolution, apart from very rare instances (perhaps even involving planted conspirators), was nonviolent compared to the vast majority of social revolutions around the world. He transmitted power to the masses by mental conviction, and other times by parables, realising the child like ignorance of his audience.
We have come now to a full circle, having been lulled into complacency by the sermonic tone of EFA and LG coupled with the slogan of “money no problem”. A term used and abused by the PN knowing full well the immaturity of the Maltese voter. Thus conjuring up for them images of the gospel myth “manna from heaven.” In reality, leaving the nation’s coffers empty, and the Maltese’s wealth turned into debt, with this debt turning into a noose round the nation’s neck. All for the benefit of a few! Recent events have exposed these two for what they really are, just a front for the real masters, lurking in the background and pulling ALL the strings.
Joseph Muscat has torn up the old way of politics by establishing a new movement, encompassing anyone of whatever creed, colour, or conviction to join in and improve the lot of society in general.
Meditate gente, meditate.
