PN’s fixation on political appointments ‘hypocritical’, says Alfred Sant

Former prime minister says keen interests on who gets appointed by ministers is ‘senseless’

5 September 2013, 12:00am
by Staff Reporter

1 min read

Alfred Sant is a Labour candidate for the European Parliament

Former prime minister now candidate for the European Parliament Alfred Sant has blasted the media interest in Labour's political appointments as "hypocritical and senseless."

Sant, 65, poured cold water over the umbrage expressed by PN representatives and their "fellow travellers" on the appointments of Labour candidates and other businesspeople close to the party establishment onto government boards and corporations.

"Sometimes I really don't believe what's happening... every appointment being made, and there's little they like, is 'political' and condemnable. I don't know how they can be taken seriously - the Central Bank governor is a former Nationalist minister; the chief executive of the PBS led a 'GonziPN' campaign; the head of the National Statistics Office was a PN councillor; and the Children's Commissioner was a junior minister," Sant wrote in his inewsmalta.com blog.

"A list of the names we had before the change in government in March would have ended up with the cream of GonziPN activsts. So senseless are these stories on 'political appointments' you'd have to wonder whether these sources are actually living in Malta."

The most recent appointment to raise eyebrows has been Labour MP and pyrotechnics lobbyist Michael Falzon to chair a working group tasked with devising a new policy on fireworks factories. The policy will cover the granting of permits to new factories; however, the appointment has raised questions of potential conflict of interest.

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Dr Sant I shall repeat it ad nuseum and you are proving me right...Simon PN is just empty space filled with loud mouths.

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@ Corbusier. Actually, if you stop and truly examine Dr Sant's candidacy for the EU parliament you'll see that he is the perfect choice. Dr Sant is not, and has never been, taken in by the EU hype. He will not be the perfect lapdog that Simon B was. He will be a bulldog that will get things done in Malta's favour. He will not be lamenting that the PL have put "Ten years of discussions" in jeopardy as the present leader of the PN has said. Action and not ten years of talk, talk and more talk will get us the proper results that Malta so justly deserves.

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This hypocrisy only exposes the weakness of the PN leadership. They can’t very well criticize the mess they left in all the state entities including health care or the cruel way they have dealt with their party employees. Such daily fixations on appointments, one must ask the PN executive committee one question. “Ladies and gentlemen, is this the best that the PN can offer in leadership while sitting on the opposition benches?” Because if the answer is affirmative, then be prepared to stay irrelevant for a very long time. What an ill prepared bunch of incompetence and now that they cannot manipulate the media any longer, the wheels have fallen off, the motor is sputtering and the PN vehicle is heading straight into the wall.

Luke Camilleri •

HYPOCHRISY ~ it's the PN brand! Always was and will continue to be!

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Every time I think that the PN can't possibly appear any more hypocritical and ridiculous they prove me wrong. The election was only a few months ago do they really expect us to forget the blatant partisan appointment they made up until the last minute! Why doesn't Simon grow up and behave like a serious statesman instead of the lost little boy from the EU ivory tower. Perhaps the opposition now wants the right to appoint all and every public vacancy. Of course, should they ever win power again they would want that right rescinded forthwith. Well, so much for the much hyped "New" PN. It's the same old malicious, vindictive, mud slinging and elitist party it has always been and will always continue to be.

Paul Sammut •

No one takes the PN and its media (what's left of it) seriously anymore. Actually Simon should do the right thing and appoint a Labourite to run his bankrupt party. Would definitely perform better then the one mismanaging it under the GonziPN gang. LOL.

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Look who is talking --- the personification of 'hypocritical'. A politician who devoted all his energies to persuade us not to join the EU and now is yearning to jump on the gravy train to benefit all the perks of an MEP. Yes, Dr Sant you are most 'credible.'

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So what Mr Sant is saying is that the PL is capable of unethical politics as much as the PN and furthermore enjoy his blessing. This is pure kindergarten thinking and coming from a seasoned politician like Mr Sant, it highlights the kind of partisan politics we still practice here in Malta. And this gentleman is aspiring to represent Malta on the European theater?

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Sure its hypocritical, but the people's fixation isn't.. which is why PN was voted out of government. Citizens are quite tired of Maltese politicians... most of us are left wondering where our hard earned tax money is going to.. whether to blue or to red appointee...

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The PN in opposition after 25 years cannot stomach this fact. They want to keep total control. But the people are getting more and more angry at the CURRENT administration for the PN appointments it has made. It is indeed hypocritical of Simon Busuttil and his CLIKKA that has remained almost identical as before to cry foul when they, in power, abused every single appointment on the books. It is unfair for those who waited in the sidelines to have a chance only to find that even now, Malta Ghada Taghhom Ilkoll.

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Ara Psaila Savona, Bonello Depius, Richard Muscat, Noel Butitgieg Scicluna, Profs Bonnici, Guanito Camilleri,Attard tal-PBS, Corinne Vella, il-kunsulenzi tal-bocca u l-partner tieghu , Claudio Grech,Delia, dawn ma kienux political appointees? Dawn kienu kollha diehards Laburisti! Lol