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Francis Zammit Dimech unimpressed by Home Affairs Minister’s prison visit
Former minister Francis Zammit Dimech unimpressed by Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia’s personal surprise prison visit
10 April 2013, 12:00am
Nestor Laiviera
Nestor Laiviera
2 min read
Nationalist MP Francis Zammit Dimech
Nationalist MP and former Foreign Affairs Minister Francis Zammit Dimech was unimpressed by Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia's personal surprise visit to the Corradino Correctional Facility on Sunday evening.
The surprise visit to the Corradino Correctional Facility in Paola by home affairs minister Manuel Mallia has led to an investigation in the lax attendance of prison warders, and the announcement that prison director Abraham Zammit would be stepping down.
Zammit Dimech, who will also be contesting the PN leadership election, was speaking in Parliament during the 2013 Budget debate in an address that was characterised by several jibes against the Labour administration that ranged across several topics: from its handling of the permanent secretaries and several contentious appointments, to its large cabinet and uneven distribution of portfolios.
"The Opposition will not be accepting any excuses from this new government," Zammit Dimech said, insisting that the Opposition would be holding the Labour government accountable on its pledges.
"We will be on the lookout against any political deficit. We will be watchful for any shortfall between what was promised, and what will actually be delivered in reality."
He noted that the current administration chose to indulge in the "biggest cabinet since independence," and pointed out that despite this, the manner in which responsibilities and portfolios were distributed was uneven and "anomalous."
Zammit Dimech in particular targeted Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia, saying that while certain ministers and parliamentary secretaries are responsible for very specific areas, Mallia's portfolio includes the Police, Army, Public Broadcasting, and Lands.
He said that despite this broad swath of responsibilities, the minister was nevertheless engaging in "micromanagement" by visiting locations personally to scrutinise management.
"Is this the new style of governing? I don't know..." Zammit Dimech said dismissively.
He also kept up the Opposition's pressure on the government regarding its handling of the civil service the permanent secretaries during its first week. "Did they all need to be booted out so quickly?"
He also said that it was unfortunate that certain people - among them the outgoing BOV Chairman - had to find out that they were going to be replaced through the newspapers.
Zammit Dimech also hit out at how the newly-appointed Chiefs of Staff in every ministry are enjoying better conditions and remunerations that their counterparts in the preceding PN administration.
Zammit Dimech also took the opportunity to criticise the appointment of former Nationalist MP Franco Debono to coordinate the Constitutional Convention, insisting that constitutional amendments represent "an opportunity that calls for unity and not division, maturity and not taunting."
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Dear Dr. Zammit Dimech since when has the NP become a party for unity. Lest you forget, one of your challengers and unfortunately a possible future leader selected by those inside the clique is said to have said: 'DS has no face of a labourite'. Even how one looks is enough to judge and discriminate, and you speak of unity.
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Daqs kemm ihalli impressjoni hu kull meta jiftah halqu jew jikteb xi artiklu dan Dr. Francis Zammit Dimech!
Imdorri imdawwar bin nies skartati IMHALLSIN "ON THE HOUSE"..... u mhux qieghed nghid ghal klikka ta' Gonzi biss li l-Parlament aktar maghluq milli miftuh bihom U META JATTENDU!
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He said that despite this broad swath of responsibilities, the minister was nevertheless engaging in "micromanagement" by visiting locations personally to scrutinise management.
"Is this the new style of governing? I don't know..." Zammit Dimech said dismissively.
...this, coming from a minister so toothless even his canines individually decided to go vegan. Aaah, I get it - there's a PN leadership contest around the corner. Toothless nonetheless!
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Hallina Francis trid .... get yourself a Karta Anzjan and retire . You are in for another telfa with this knd of reaasoning . Do you really think that yourself or any other buffon in your party are still in charge !!!! And why was the surprise visit not a good idea . Mhux hekk ..So in your humble opinion everyone from the Chief down to the wardens doing fuck all at Corradino and life goes ..gas down gol hajt once again :)))
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I can tell you to what Dr Frances Zammit Demech will be impressed,but I'm afraid the editor won't print it. So I have to make you guess what it is.
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Once an unimpressive buffoon, always an unimpressive buffoon. Perhaps the ONLY thing he is good at!
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l - istess ghadhom dawn in nies-KRITIKA BISS-offri xi haga sustanza jekk trid tkun PRIMMINISTRU!!!!!
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The visit was in fact not made to impress FZD.
So who cares what fzd thinks?
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Ara vera dawn tal-pn ma baqlahomx sugu go fihom. Mela FZD ma impressjonax ruhu li Manwel Mallia ghamel bicca xoghol bhal dik. Bir-ragun ghax hu qatt m'ghamel xejn . Infatti kienu jharsu lejh bhala il-Ministru li lanqas jrendi. Taf x'naf inghid li rigward dak li ghamel Manwel Mallia , fuq it-Times kien hemm il-fuq minn 300 blog u tista tghid kolla kemm huma fahhru lil Ministru. Fuq kollox min jimportah ghax FZD qal hekk? Dan illum mhu xejn biex jigi jghid li ic-chief tal-Bov kien jaf li gie mnehhi mill-gazzetti, mela nesa li Joe Borg u Jesmond Mugliette tnehhew b'semplici sms.
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Ma naqbilx mieghek Francis - ministru Mallia ghamel sew li mar il-habs ghall-gharrieda u nispera li ministri ohrajn jaghmlu bhalu biex jeqirdu s-serq ernormi li ghandna f'Malta. Ghaliex ma ghidt xejn fuq il-handshake disonesta li ha RCC?
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Thank God what FZD thinks no longer counts any more. Pity his PN government didn't conduct so called micro management in the oil scandal that rocked the country, or for that matter in the PN own finances.
Igor P. Shuvalov •
Who cares id Dr Francis Zammit Dimech is impressed or not with the Dr Mallia's visit to the prison. What's important is that those who give their full day work approve of such visit.
Yes it is a pity that a minister has to engage in 'micromanagement'. But due to the “laissez-faire" attitude under the previous government, when some people who were responsible for this 'micromanagement' failed to do their duty, there is no other option but for such action as taken by Minister Mallia. Hopefully a time may come when every single person will shoulder his/her responsibility so that Ministers would feel that they no longer need to engage in 'micromanagement.'
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One would like to ask Dr Francis Zammit Dimech how he learn in 2008 that Dr Lawrence Gonzi was not going to again appoint him as Minister.
It is reported above that Dr Francis Zammit Dimech targeted in particular Dr Manuel Mallia. One would pay $l,000,000 to see him debating Dr Mallia in some criminal law case in a Court of Law.
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Allura Zammit Dimech, ma ra xejn hazin meta Mifusd Bonnici inhatar chairman tal BOV? Ta min ifakkar li Mifsud Bonnici kien l awditur tal BOV Sicav plc li ghamlet froga fil Property Fund. Wara dan inhatar chairman tal BOV? Anki jekk il hatra kienet genwina, ma taghmilx sens. Dak in nhar Zammit Dimech ma qal xejn
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Dan persuna li qieghed jespira li xi darba jkun prim ministru. Dawn argumenti banali. Allura x ridtu jaghmel Dr MALLIA, jerhi l haddiema jiskartaw, u l poplu ihallas
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Zammit Dimech his usual clownish self. "Is this the new style of governing? I don't know..." Zammit Dimech said dismissively...... I am not surprised as the ex-minister is used to staying in his air-conditioned office distributing teddy bears and shoes and only leaves it for some "zigarella" cutting . Love to see him as PN leader , 20 years of PL government guaranteed.
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It must be hard to impress someone like the Hon. Francis Zammit Dimech who is very unimpressive himself.
One must impress the electorate first to have any legitimacy to be impressed by what happens in parliament.
Getting elected on the warped Maltese constitution of rewarding extra seats by popular votes or votes inherited through your fellow party consetants are by no means very impressive.
Lifetime impressions are hard to come by and extremely hard to understand when you are simply an end to a disastrous election result.
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Biex timpresjona ruhek Hon Francesku, billi ikollok xi driver u ikollu karrozza tal-kiri ghal gurnata, kollha, il-gimgha kollox, ix-xahar kollu u is-sena kollha bil-lejl u bin nhar u il-poplu ihallas it-taxxi u tal-qalba igawdu il-familja kollhabil-lejl u bin nhar. Flimkien kollox possibli Gonz
