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Pullicino Orlando: ‘calls for me to resign reflect Gatt’s shallowness’
Independent MP says his loyalty is to his electorate, not to transport minister.
5 October 2012, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
2 min read
Independent MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando.
Independent MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando has described a call for him to resign by transport minister Austin Gatt as "farcical".
Pullicino Orlando, until last June a Nationalist MP, said Gatt's comment - who yesterday said he would not resign unless Pullicino Orlando and Franco Debono resign - "reflected the minister's shallowness".
"My only suggestion is that if Gatt truly has the PN at heart, he should resign. Franco Debono has made it clear that his issue is with Gatt and it is clear that the Budget will be approved in parliament if Gatt resigns," Pullicino Orlando told MaltaToday today.
Pullicino Orlando yesterday told the House Business Committee that Gatt should consider resigning after Nationalist MP Franco Debono declared he could not vote for the Budget with Austin Gatt still a cabinet member. "If Gatt resigns, Debono would be forced to vote with government on the Budget," Pullicino Orlando said.
In a reaction, Gatt yesterday said that he would resign if Pullicino Orlando and Debono resigned from parliament. The minister faces a no-confidence motion that has been filed by Franco Debono and so far the jury is still on whether Gatt can survive this new call to resign, the second motion in less than a year.
"Such calls are farcical and reflect Minister Gatt's shallowness," Pullicino Orlando said. "It wasn't Austin Gatt who elected me to parliament but the electorate and that is where my loyalty stands," he said.
"At the end of the day, a person resigns due to his own wrongdoings. Because of Gatt, the Prime Minister transferred Enemalta to the finance minister's portfolio, was forced to take the public transport reform under his wing and make U-turn on the car park privatisation process."
Late yesterday evening, after telling MaltaToday earlier on that he had no intention of resigning, Gatt said he would only resign if Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi or the Nationalist Party asked him to do so.
"So as to quell unnecessary speculation, I want to clarify that I shall continue serving as minister in the present government as long as I enjoy the trust and confidence of the Prime Minister," Gatt said in his statement.
"Dr Debono's continuous attacks on the Prime Minister and fellow Nationalist MPs are only a fickle attempt to compensate for an ambition he did not achieve."
Gatt added that the rebel MP's comments only "strengthened my will to serve and they deepen my loyalty towards the PN. Dr Debono has no understanding of loyalty and will therefore find it difficult to understand my stance".
"The Nationalist Party and government have been through far tougher times than those which Debono is now seeking to create.
"We will still be there after Dr Debono's tantrums have become a thing of the past - whether he will, is exceedingly doubtful."
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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Kemm int kemm Franco debono tnejjiktu bil poplu li ivvuta ghalikom. Intom tistaw isejhu rizenji ta kulhadd pero allahares xi hadd jaghmel l-istess? JPO int mort minn wara dahar kulhadd bil'private member bill' tieghek u kiku kont gol lejber nahseb ilek fl-ezilju.
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Does anyone really think that is AG resigns or loses the no confident vote he will leave parliament? He WILL STAY. He has to stay as him and RCC are the ones who run the government, Not Gonz, Gonz is only a puppet who bows to their orders. Franco you must be a fool if you think you can rid us all of AG, He will still have his say and do what he wants, The only way is to vote no for the budget and Gonz will have to call an election then we will all get some peace.
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Does anyone really think that is AG resigns or loses the no confident vote he will leave parliament? He WILL STAY. He has to stay as him and RCC are the ones who run the government, Not Gonz, Gonz is only a puppet who bows to their orders. Franco you must be a fool if you think you can rid us all of AG, He will still have his say and do what he wants, The only way is to vote no for the budget and Gonz will have to call an election then we will all get some peace.
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"Gatt said he would only resign if Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi or the Nationalist Party asked him to do so."
The ultimate statement of an arrogant politician.
You will resign because the Highest institution, parliament, will vote against you and for no other reason.
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Actually JPO should long have resigned too after all those lies about the Mistra Disco. Who in his right senses trust people like this with their vote again?. Same goes to the majority of those uncaring PN MPs who shall never see another seat in parlament for the rest of their pathetic lives. We are in dire need of a drastic change!
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Actually JPO should long have resigned too after all those lies about the Mistra Disco. Who in his right senses trust people like this with their vote again?. Same goes to the majority of those uncaring PN MPs who shall never see another seat in parlament for the rest of their pathetic lives. We are in dire need of a drastic change!
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Actually JPO should long have resigned too after all those lies about the Mistra Disco. Who in his right senses trust people like this with their vote again?. Same goes to the majority of those uncaring PN MPs who shall never see another seat in parlament for the rest of their pathetic lives. We are in dire need of a drastic change!
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Actually JPO should long have resigned too after all those lies about the Mistra Disco. Who in his right senses trust people like this with their vote again?. Same goes to the majority of those uncaring PN MPs who shall never see another seat in parlament for the rest of their pathetic lives. We are in dire need of a drastic change!
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Actually JPO should long have resigned too after all those lies about the Mistra Disco. Who in his right senses trust people like this with their vote again?. Same goes to the majority of those uncaring PN MPs who shall never see another seat in parlament for the rest of their pathetic lives. We are in dire need of a drastic change!
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We support you JPO, and will only vote in the coming election if you start your own party...otherwise my vote goes in the rubbish bin! GATT GET THE HELL OUT! Zmien il-buzullotti tieghek SPICCA, u anki zmien il-korruzzjoni tieghek! Alla jbierek kull progett kbir li sar hemm int imdahhal fiha...u sar FJASK! Enemalta, power station, Smart Cemetary, Arriva, b'xi mod stramb anki fil-parliament il-gdid dhalt (u zgur il-King tal-Belt int), ecc. Fl-IT biss irnexxew xi affarijiet, da zgur, ghandek interessi personali fihom dawn jaqaw? Jekk mhux int, il-familjari tieghek forsi? Min jaf?!?!...KULHADD JAF!
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Don't blame Austin Gatt. he is trying to hang on to the last straw. He is desperate and will say and do anything to survive. Don't forget who is running the PN from behind the scenes. He knows good and well that the PM will never ask him to resign because he is the PM's right arm, if not both arms. I say, let Franco Debono do what he has to do and let the chips fall where they may. Maybe a new election is the way to go. I am of the contention that if Austin Gatt drops that chip on his shoulders and knock of some of his arrogance, he wouldn't be picked on so much. Austin Gatt should not have ignored that young lady at the University because I think that was the hair that broke the camel's back. I still think that Austin Gatt owes that young lady a public apology.
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I will vote for you wistin if you are named for the president of malta.IMXILI
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Let's assume that the motion asking for Austin Gatt's resignation is approved. What happens then? AG will step down and somebody else is appointed minister in his stead. So no big deal or is it? Without Gatt in cabinet, Franco will vote in favour of the budget.
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You resign. No, you resign! No, you resign! NO - YOU RESIGN - I SAID IT FIRST! No, I said it first. LOL.
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"Dr Debono's continuous attacks on the Prime Minister and fellow Nationalist MPs are only a fickle attempt to compensate for an ambition he did not achieve." I AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT. PUNTO E BASTA. THE LABOURITES AGREE WITH FRANCO AND JPO AS THE NATIONALISTS HAVE AGREED WITH MINTOFF IN 1998.
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If I ask this question to thE PM can i get the reply.
Now that the budget is on the helm of the discussion can you assure the nation that you have the majority in parlament to go through with Hon Dr:Debono threatening to vote against the budget? Should you have to risk the budget or Dr:Austin Gatt the untouchable man.
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Agostino Pio,
you have no shame! You have hijacked the NP, Parlament and the whole of Malta.
Resign. Its the only honourable thing that you would have ever done.
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It is obious what gonzipn's strategy is : First try to delay Austin Gatt's motion so he can remain as minister. A magnificant budget will be presented Franco will vote against then gonzipn will have to call elections , Franco is blamed for this magnificant budget not going through and gonzi hopes this will get him more votes to win the election. So it is imperative for PL to get Austin's motion discussed now, with him out of the way cannot present a vote catching budget and Franco would vote in favour losing gonzipn more votes.
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Ejja JPO just start your own party!
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and who elected Austin Gatt? U?
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and who elected Austin Gatt? U?
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and who elected Austin Gatt? U?
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and who elected Austin Gatt? U?
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and who elected Austin Gatt? U?
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X.misthija ta pajjiz; pajjiz b'zewgt Prim Ministri-wiehed li jidher- u l-iehor( l-vera wiehed) li jhawwad!
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we re after you JPO!! and you re 100% right
Maureen Attard •
So Mr Prime Minister or Nationalist Party do ask Hon Austin Gatt to resign so that we the Maltese will be in a happy environment. Do you have the guts to ask him for his resignation ar what? I have no confidence in him anymore.
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Franco & JPO do not swallow this childish ploy. Malta is happy with both of you but totally against this arrogant bod that has ruined Malta with his hard headed ignoramus schemes and "reforms". His only ability seems to be to create problems not only for Malta but also for his own party, which he is ruining ever more quickly. I must admit to being smitten with this person many years back and thought of him as a doer. But experience and facts have relieved me of this. Let Wistin Gatt take a vote of confidence in Parliament if he has the guts. Or it is true what people say that he is only good at damage.
