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Lija mayor calls for ‘clean sweep’ of PN administration
Lija’s outspoken mayor Ian Castaldi Paris, calls for a radical overhaul of the Nationalist Party structures and personnel.
23 March 2013, 12:00am
Jurgen Balzan
Jurgen Balzan
2 min read
Lija's outspoken mayor Ian Castaldi Paris, calls for a radical overhaul of the Nationalist Party structures and personnel, in an interview with MaltaToday in which he bluntly vents his own frustration with the outgoing administration.
Castaldi Paris confirms his intention to contest for the role of secretary-general: "I am feeling this call of duty after the electoral drubbing because I truly want to see the party return to government."
The former president of the College of Local Councillors supplied a frank diagnosis for the reasons why the PN lost by such an extensive margin, while outlining the direction the party needs to take to rebound from the humiliation.
"The PN won the 2008 election by a whisker, and the people believed or hoped that the party would change after promising that it would be closer to the people. The people gave us a chance, but I must say that during the last legislature, the PN became very arrogant."
Apart from ignoring legitimate complaints and cementing a reputation for aloofness, the party also "did its utmost to axe valid and decent people out of its structures - whoever was ready to roll his sleeves up was axed. Genuine complaints were not dealt with properly and for some reason, no action was ever taken."
Castaldi Paris gives his own experience as an example: "I could not understand why people who were feeling estranged were never approached and asked what was wrong. When I resigned as president of the local councillors college, then prime minister Lawrence Gonzi had sent a message asking me why I had resigned while confirming that I enjoyed his trust. I had told him that I would speak to him as soon as my anger faded away."
After a while, Castaldi Paris had sent an email to Gonzi asking for a meeting" "however I did not get any further than Castille's doorstep, because as soon as I got there I was informed that the prime minister was not available. Up to this day I am surprised why nobody asked me what was the reason behind my resignation."
While insisting that he always remained loyal to the party, Castaldi Paris bitterly says: "The only way could give way to a new PN was by suffering such a defeat. If the result was different, many people within the party would have thought that they were competent and capable and would have hung on to their posts."
Read the full interview in tomorrow's edition of MaltaToday
Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.
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Malta kellha bzonn kinsa tajba biex taħles min gvern li gab dan il-pajjiz għarkubtejħ,kinsa enormi li għamilha il-Moviment Laburista. Issa il-PN għandu bzonn xkupatura simili biex jitnaddaf mill-ħmieġ li akkumula f'kull rokna tal-partit matul dawn l-aħħar snin. Dan qed jgħiduħ internament nies li jixtiequ jerġgħu jaraw il-partit jikber mill-ġdid. Jekk dan ma jiġrix,il-partit hu destinat għall futur imdallam.
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A ‘clean sweep’ of PN administration OR a ‘clean sweep’ of WHO ADMINISTERS, "THE MINDS" behind the P.N. administration better known as the "OLIGARCHY"?
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The arrogance and abuse of the Lija mayor are well known traits of this PN wannabe. He should be one of the first to resign from politics.
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This from a politician who abuses his position as mayor to mail traffic fines to whoever he feels like. Good riddance to the lot of them!
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This from a politician who abuses his position as mayor to mail traffic fines to whoever he feels like. Good riddance to the lot of them!
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Personally I believe that's it is people like you who can bring about this 'radical change'
Your honest assessment, even if not comprehensive, at least does not seek to put the blame on others outside the party structures, for this colossal defeat.
Don't attempt to do this on your own, you know too well how they dealt with others who tried before you, but work at finding allies within the party structure first.
God bless you , go for it!
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Sorry Ian, your dreams are already shattered by a clique whose talons are firmly embedded into the PN and will NOT let go. It will be more of the same from this body for another 20 years and because of this, will remain in opposition for a similar period. Maybe that is a good thing in disguise.
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All those who brought the PN to this miserable state must be given the order of the booth.This is the only way out for the PN to eliminate those responsable in this colossal defeat that a political party had ever experienced.If the PN will not get rid of those who with their arrogance and corruption brought the party to this state,I'm afraid that the whole exercise to regenerate the party will be waste of time.
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You have to be day dreaming because you well know that the removal of the oligarchy is simply wishful thinking. Be careful lest they will rubbish you in no time at all.
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Lija’s outspoken mayor Ian Castaldi Paris, calls for a radical overhaul of the Nationalist Party structures and personnel. and a general clean sweep......naqbel mieghek perfettament u mill aktar fis possibli u qabel dil-hatra finta mill lis-stess amministrazzjoni li dabbret l-akbar tkaxkira flis-storjar tal-PN. Dificli biex taqla dawk il-kallijiet integrati fil-fond!!!!!
Priscilla Darmenia •
Wishful thinking Mr Castaldi Paris, do you think that anyone in the “klikka” is ready to let go? When Dr Gonzi ran for the leadership alone, I wrote advising the delegates that if they vote Gonzi again, history will repeat itself as it did with Alfred Sant. Remember that Sant was again re-voted as leader and lost the following election. Same as the PN did after approving Gonzi as leader. – Now again I advice the delegates that if they vote anyone from the “klikka” including ex-ministers for any official position in the party, the PN will be in for a tough battle to win the next election.
Emmanuel Mallia •
First you have to get rid of those maneuvering behind the scenes !
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"The only way could give way to a new PN was by suffering such a defeat.", Personally, I had been advocating this same statement for the past 2 years. I am glad others see matters as I do. Dr Castaldi Paris is completely correct in his assessment that the cleanse has to be so complete that it has to go from bottom to top with very few or no prisoners. It seems they are after FZD, possibly as some sort of interim arrangement, until some bright spark takes the reins.
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The mayor of Lia should now speak out the truth of why he resigned from his post of president. Besides, him and others who reason like him, should have joined forces with Franco, Jeffrey, Mugliett and others and spoke their minds out over a year ago. Let us hope this serves as a lesson to all who know of discrepancies and refrain from speaking. These are sins of omission!
Emmanuel Mallia •
A radical overhaul, for us should mean a new president, and a public announcement declaring that the hidden, very low profile duo at the helm have been EXPELLED !
