Use of AFM helicopter ‘sheer abuse of power’ – Simon Busuttil

Army helicopter deployed to fly backbencher Justyne Caruana to MIA after the MP was forced to come back to Malta and travel back to a parliamentary assembly on Tuesday.

23 January 2014, 12:00am
by Staff Reporter

2 min read

Labour MP Justyne Caruana, head of the Maltese delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean.

The deployment of an AFM helicopter on the instructions of the Office of the Prime Minister has raised the ire of the Opposition, decrying the action as "sheer abuse of power".

Taking to Twitter, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil expressed his indignation over the government action: "Sheer abuse of power: Army helicopter flies Labour MP from Gozo to the airport. Whatever next?!"

Sheer abuse of power: Army helicopter flies Labour MP from Gozo to the airport. Whatever next?! — Simon Busuttil (@SimonBusuttil) January 23, 2014

According to a report in The Times of Malta, Labour MP Justyne Caruana was flown from Gozo to the Malta International Airport by an army helicopter. The newspaper described the occurrence as an "unprecedented transport service" on instructions of the Office of the Prime Minister.

A spokesperson for the government informed the paper that the decision was taken so that Caruana could make it in time to the airport and catch a flight to Marseille.

Together with Labour MP Etienne Grech, Caruana was in Marseille to attend a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean. She also chairs the committee on the Middle East and had to present the parliamentary assembly with two reports.

It transpires that the government ordered back both MPs to Malta in case a vote on the Opposition's motion on the citizenship scheme were to be taken on Monday evening.

No votes were taken on Monday evening and on Tuesday morning the government decided that Caruana should return back to Marseille and take part in the conference.

"Since the decision for Dr Caruana's participation at the Marseille conference, deemed of high importance for the Maltese Government, was taken late on Tuesday morning, the only means for the Gozitan MP to arrive in time at Malta International Airport for the Brussels flight connecting to Marseille was by dispatching an AFM helicopter. The AFM applied the same procedures as used to happen for members of the previous administration in similar occasions when the necessity arose," an OPM spokesperson told The Times.

According to Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi, an AFM flight between the two islands costs €1,200.

Titjira bil-helicopter tal- AFM minn Malta ghal Ghawdex u lura tiswa madwar 1,200 euro... — Jason Azzopardi (@AzzopardiJason) January 23, 2014

Justyne Caruana: il-helicopter tagħna lkoll ! http://t.co/ARF76B3gqv — Arnold Cassola (@ArnoldCassola) January 23, 2014

More from Staff Reporter

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Xmun, taf x'inhu abbuz ta' poter, meta jkollok it-tifek tal-Prim Ministru jitħalla jagħmel uzu mil-Palazz tal-Girgenti għar-riċeviment tat-tieġ tiegħu. Dan il-Palazz mhux propjeta' privata tal-Prim Ministru u għalhekk ma kellu ebda dritt li jippermetti lill-ibnu biex juza dan il-Palazz. Dak hu propjeta' tal-istat u jintuza għall raġunijiet li għandhom x'jaqsmu ma li-istat u mhux biex jinqeda xi ħadd li ma għandu ebda funzjoni statali.

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Xmun, taf x'inhu abbuz ta' poter, meta jkollok it-tifek tal-Prim Ministru jitħalla jagħmel uzu mil-Palazz tal-Girgenti għar-riċeviment tat-tieġ tiegħu. Dan il-Palazz mhux propjeta' private tal-Prim Ministru u għalhekk ma kellu ebda dritt li jippermetti lill-ibnu biex juza dan il-Palazz. Dak hu propjeta' tal-istat u jintuza għall raġunijiet li għandhom x'jaqsmu ma li-istat u mhux biex jinqeda xi ħadd li ma għandu ebda funzjoni statali.

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Fi zmien gvern Nazzjonalista, producer li kellha ammirazzjoni kbira lejn il-Prim Ministru ta' dak iz-zmien, mhux biss uzat il-ħelikopter biex tiġbed xeni mill-ajru teleserial li kienet qed tagħmel, idza wkoll patrol boat u diversi karozzi tal-Puluzija mit-taqsima tal-mobile. Dan kollu kien ġara wara telefonata min Kastilja wara li it-talba tagħha kienet ġiet irrifjutata mil-Armata. Din kienet arroganza Xmun li-sparrow.

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Fi zmien gvern precidenti kienet intbaghtet Patrol boat bi crew ta hames membri tal Forzi Armati ghassa ma tajra (pellegrin falcon) ghal madwar tnax il siegha taht l irdum ta Ta Cenc. Jista xi hadd jghid kemm sewa lil pajjiz dak id 'detail'. Indagaw fil logbook tac centru ta l operazjoni u min fejn giet l ordni. Biex tiskongra trid tkun PUR Sur Busuttil & compony.

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Dr Simon Busuttil. Billi nahsbu li int mhux subajk biss dritt imma kollok kemm inti dritt, nistennew il-kummenti tieghek dwar l-uzu tal-helicopter minn Gonzi. Hawn ghandhekk lista mhux hazin imma jekk tara ir-risposta Parlamentari issib li hemm uzu ghal 40 darba. Dr Cassola, nistennew kumment minn nahha tieghek ukoll.

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xmun Busullotti (AKA GUDA) ghax ma tghidilniex Richard Cachia Caruana (il grandmastru) kemm ghamel titjiriet bil private jets fuq dhar il poplu jew kemm tar gonzi bih biex jattendi buttigieg . @Cassola Purcinell ma gbajtx taqa ghaz zuffjett ?

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Shame on Simon Busutill who tried to shed bad light on the government for the AFM helicopter to enable Justyn to reach her flight and niw we learn that Gonzi used it 45 times. But it seems that PN could do whatever it wants but Pl cannot even breath. Shame on Arnold cassola. Yes multiply 45 x 1200 flights by Gonzi and you get euro 54,000. Isthu jekk tafu.

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What absolute double-faced cheek by Simon Busuttil! Hasn't he read the list of trips undertaken by his predecessor Dr Gonzi in previous years? They are mainly crossings over for operatic evenings, cultural events, funerals and other non-government functions. Dr Caruana was brought over on government business because of circumstances beyond her control, so the trip is more than justified. And it's certainly cheaper than using private jets to go to Brussels when commercial flights were available at a fraction of the cost.

Mark Fenech •

Insomma huwa ċar daqs il-kristal, li dan il-pajjiż ma jistax jikber, jibqa dejjem magħmul minn tribujiet, u biex it-Times tagħtija dik l-importanza kollha u tpoġġija fil-front page, allura dan juri kemm ghadna lura. Mela sewwa Gonzi jmur u jiġi bil-helicopter, u qisu ħadd qatt ma tkellem għax l-affarijiet hekk immorru. Imbagħad ikollha bżonn tuża helicopter membru parlamentari tal-gvern, u jqumu t-tribujiet tal-PN u l-Alternattiva. Imma jiena ma nistax nifhem kif dawn ma jistħux juru wiċċhom barra.

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The Alchemist, ara ftit http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/newsdetails/news/national/Gonzi-used-helicopter-for-opera-and-weddings-says-OPM-20140123 u http://www.inewsmalta.com/dart/20140123-il-elikopter-tal-kontroversja-minn-tie-sa-funeral

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Simon, abbuz u probabbli illegali kien meta l-armata kienet imgiela tfittex lil Franco Debono halli jmur jivvota fil-parlament. Mhux talli hekk imma kaxkruh lejn il-parlament kontra il-volonta tieghu. Ara tal-labou8r il-veru cwiec biex oxxenita bhal din ma gabuhiex ghal-kndanna tal-parlament ewropew. Lil hodor din qabzitilhom.... bhas-soltu.

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The Leader of the Opposition is wasting his time on trivial things. But then, may I ask whether the former PN PM or ministers used any of the AFM helicopters, and if so can we invoke abuse?

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keep on being dumb and dumber simple simon.Your gonzi used it 45 times .

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Cassola nothing better to say ha this morning not criticizing malta this morning ha reality check trader it is Taghna lkoll bunch of hypocrites at least she did not use it to go party more power to you Justyn hell yes let those miserable haters hate they have nothing better to do obviously their party's slogan moving forward should be proud losers not afraid to show it someone put together a song for them maybe they'll cheer up and move on its almost a year and still they cannot accept the landslide DEFEAT well get used to already .

Paul Sammut •

When is Simon going to stop playing Pizzi pizzi Kanna and Jason Doloresta` Sant Anna? Haven't they caused enough damage to the once glorious PN?. Do they have to bring it down in ridicule as well?

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Dr Gonzi uza dan is servizz HAFNA drabi....... naf x qed nghid.... RCC gieli uzah??? DR Gonzi zewweg lit tfal f pallazi u gonna tal poplu Malti ... etc etc etc

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Ara min qed jitkellem? min iqassam l-artijiet lill bazuli Cassola? hadd ma jghati kasu

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But for Pete's sake can't these really silly things be avoided once and for all? I unreservedly condemn such acts. One can always wake up earlier to meet an appointment. AND this has all been done at the expense of the taxpayers! Now 'the purer than a virgin' have conveniently forgotten the incessant jet trips to and for Malta/Brussels. But these 'holier than thou' never change. But two wrongs NEVER justify one single right.

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Taf min ghamel u qed jaghmel abbuz? Min qighed fil-parlament ewropew U qed jaghmel min kollox sabiex jiprova ifixkel lil gvern Malti milli johloq il- gid ghac cittadini tieghu. Misna nirringrazjawh lil Onorevoli Prim Ministru ta dan il-programm meraviljuz li ser igib dan il-gid lil Malta, li tant ghanda bzonn. Dak huwa abbuz serjissimu f'parlament ewropew takkuza u tehoda kontra l-gid ta Pajjizek! Ejja ha noholqu il-gid u nkatru x-xoghol , edukazzjoni u nkomplu bis-servizz tas-sahha li dejjem ghandu jitjieb. GRAZZI GHAL PROGRAMM BHAL MA GHAMEL Hon.Prim Ministru Dr.Joseph Muscat u t-Team tieghu. Saviour Falzon min Hal-Qormi.

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Mela insejtu ja qatta oqbra imbajda kemm krejtu jets privati biex tigru l-hawn u l-hemm u tippruvaw tahbuhom??????? Sur Arnold assola, jekk tahseb li sejjer ikun hemm xi nazzjonalist sejjer ittik il vot sejjer imqarraq. Insejt x'ghamlullek in nazzjonaalisti ftit qabel l-ellezzjoni, xi haga tal VAT kienet???

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Jista l-onor. Azzopardi u l-bella kumpanija jahilfu li HADD u QATT ma intuza l-Helicopter ta l-Armata ghal politici meta kienu fil poter?

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Veru li hemm kandidat nazzjonalista ghal-MEP li kuljum imorru ghalih bil-karozza tal-Gvern hdejn il-vapur t'Ghawdex biex jehduh ghax-xoghol f'Malta u lura u anki f'Ghawdex jaghmlulu l-istess? Tghidilna xi haga Jason? Tghidilna xi haga Arnold?

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The Hon. Justyne Caruana is an MP and when on government business is entitled for such privilege. When will the leader of the opposition stop acting so hollow and will the Hon. Jason Azzopardi compare the cost of this helicopter flight with the cost of the lands he transferred serving on the previous administration, without the minister’s knowledge

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Xmunie must have forgotten all the hugely expensive and unwarranted private jet-setting by Gonzi and his band of money sucking Ministers, and sycophants employed in said Ministerial offices!!!

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May I ask Mr Busuttil the following? WASNT IT ABUSE OF POWER, WHEN OLD GONZI USED TO JET AROUND IN THE PRIVATE JET INSTEAD OF USING THE NORMAL AIR MALTA PLANES/ TIT FOR TAT

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Dr. Busutiil, u Dr. Azzopardi: Did you forget that your ex-leader made use of the same helicopter during the election? At least, Dr. Caruana used it for a good reason (probably) but not during election times. Or is it that what was ok fro you when you were in power is not good for anyone else? Or are you applying to become members of the pharisees?

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Seems for certain now that the PN has gone psychotic.

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Il-PM jerġa’ jitlob il-ħelikopter biex jitla’ Għawdex 09:43 | 20.01.2013 dan gar sena illu ta simon u graw hafna drabi mela dan mhux l istess ja ipporiti issa izejjed kollu zejjed

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U kemm kienu jiswew it-titjiriet ta Gonzi u Giovanna Debono Dr Azzopardi? Bis-sahha tal-midja ta kwalita- irnexxilkom taghmlu 'gatekeeping' tajjeb ghal 25 sena shah! Kienu 'state secrets' it-titjiriiet b'xejn tal-minsitri u l-Prim Ministru go Sqallijja? Kienu jinzammu personalment resonsabli is-suldati li jikxfux x'kien jaghmel Gonzi? Kulhadd jaf li lis-suldati kontu tibdluhom biex ikunu tal-qalba biex ma jikxfux!...Taghkom kif dejjem ifugh?

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The expression is "What next?"

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X'gharuka tabilhaqq hux Simon. L-uzu ta' private jet biex jiehu lil RCC jew lil Gonz lejn Brussels kienet haga tajba, mhux hekk? Iktar ma tifthu halqkom iktar tohrog l-ipokresija.