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[Watch] Gatt’s ‘mea culpa’ on transport reform, says 'maybe we were too avant-garde'
Transport minister Austin Gatt has admitted to a partial ‘mea culpa’ over the transport reform fiasco, announcing that penalties against the transport operator are to kick-in.
15 October 2011, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
2 min read
Addressing the media this morning, Austin Gatt said that he shoulders the responsibility for the changes in the system, but there are also responsibilities that must be shouldered by Arriva.
Gatt – who faces a motion of no confidence by the Opposition – said that he will resign should the motion pass, given the announced abstention of Nationalist backbencher Franco Debono.
Speaking to reporters, Austin Gatt admitted that his ministry designed the new routes. “It was us who made the changes to the routes, changes however, which were rejected by the public...”
Gatt added: “maybe we were too avant-garde, and too innovative, and when it came to the interchanges, we under estimated the reaction by commuters.”
In another statement, the embattled transport minister admitted to have been “too ambitious to change the public transport system from day one, and wrongly judged the situation.”
Gatt said Tranport Malta had originally opted for the interchange system because it is a system commonly used abroad: “We believed that that the old system – the hub and spoke system – had failed as less people were making use of the service provided by ATP.”
Surveys showed that only 12% used to make uses of the services offered by ATP and added that the interchange system reduced pollution, and increased routes and its usage.
“But we underestimated the reaction by commuters over the interchange system. Because of the problems that arose we went back to the drawing board and reintroduced the hub and spoke system. The interchange system will be kept for the new services which are working well,” he said, adding that the public transport system is “not some political ball”.
As of November 6, all localities will now have direct routes to Valletta, Mater Dei Hospital and the University. In all, 112 routes have been adjusted following comments and complaints received by the Ministry and Transport Malta: “The changes implemented will also result in shorter routes and increased frequencies.”
Gatt also announced changes in the Gozo routes as to be better coordinated with the Gozo Channel schedule. He however could not quantify how much the changes in routes will cost government, even though it will not be absorbing the whole cost.
Gatt also announced that a number of penalties against Arriva have already been issued, mainly having to do with drivers caught smoking, lack of fire extinguishers on buses and faulty or lack of handles.
Other penalties will be introduced following the November 6 changes including buses arriving late or if a driver decides to skip a bus stop even though the bus would not be full. The system will be enforced through constant monitoring by both Tansport Malta and Arriva.
“We will penalize Arriva if it does not deliver on time – something which we didn’t do with the previous service provider,” Gatt said.
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
Luke Camilleri •
Not Avant Garde .... just Arro Gante!
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Bus patronage increases by 22% over summer 2011 - Does this mean than Manwel Delia, Austin gatt and other cronies from the TM are using the Arriva Bus service not that Dr. Gatt with his Buzollotti has transformed it into a STATE - OF- THE -SMART ASS service ?
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Cajta ohra ta Wistinu?
Ghalkemm Ministru bla talent jaf idahhaq
Fallimenti f'kollox
Make hay while the sun shines
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Dan il-bluff kollu tieghek sur F Wanker! Hdejk Franco huwa boy scout imma jekk xejn irrnexxielu jgibek thabbat irkoptejk ma' xulxin. Ta' F Wanker li int, qed ixxomma gejja tieghek u din hija "apologija" halli Franco ma' jiftahlekx it-tap tas-snk!!
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Do us a favour Dr Austin, resign and please vanish from the political scene.
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If you do so you will unshackle Malta and the PN!!
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It`s not just you Mr.Gatt who should apologise for this ARRIVA fiasco,it`s just the tip of the iceberg.
You`re whole PN party should apologise to the Maltese people for bringing this country down on it`s knees,when all PN MPs think of is how to fill their bank accounts before the election,and leaving the people with leftovers if there is any left.
The PN party should be held responsable for their actions even when they loose the elections,not just sit at the opposition`s side at the parlament as if nothing happened.
TO MALTESE PEOPLE THESE LAST 25 YEARS WERE A NIGHTMARE.
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The shit never stops flowing from this clown.
What avant garde is he talking about? They replaced orange buses with blue buses - which seem to break down with amazing regularity for supposedly new buses. They also managed to grid lock the transport system of the country - and wasted million of hours for people in Malta - doing massive economical damage to a country at a time when the country was already in trouble.
Maybe the avante garde stuff is hidden in the hundreds of thousands of legal fees charged by his friend George? I am still curious to know what this work was about - MT, any chance of getting us this information?
What about the overall Millions we have spend on changing from one bus service to another - how did you manage to spend this money? - it must be some really avant garde expense computation method.
BTW - thanks you for the price hike in bus tickets. Well when you have visiting dignitaries coming over to your new parliament - there won't be those pesky buses in the way - and those equally pesky Maltese. Nope - just super expensive (avant garde?) trees!
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Avant garde?
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You should have said a stone age Flintstones service.
Isabelle Borg •
So Ms. Abela Garret was right after all. The wanker is afraid of Debono.
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Of course. This is as far as it goes. Accept your mistake but no resignations. The pay is too good to give up!
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So Dr Debono's howling has in fact galvanised Dr Gatt into action.
Though I cannot see any avant garde in the coming of Arriva. Does he know what ' avant-garde' means? Did Arriva introduce any special service not yet used anywhere in the word. What's novel about Arriva? Is 'a state of the art' with refurbished second hand buses now seen as 'avant-garde?
It's no often that we see the Minister easting humble pie!
Abdullah alhrbi •
LOL Avant-garde ! Austin Gatt seems to be thinking in military mode now, General Gatt and his TM company limping in after an inglorious charge, Avant garde indeed! Whatever happened to the front flank of the army , the advance guard beat retreat did it , fell on the conceited sword of 'Delian' intuitive non strategy and gross miscalculation on the way, no entry to a brave new world of transport ? No heights of heaven reached? Firing at the 'noises' that were heard per chance?
'Rameau central de combat TM
Contact par l’´ecoute
On tire dans la direction “des bruits entendus”'
With apologies to Appolinaire
PS sack Manuel Delia his performance is abysmal God forbid should any public servant or technocrat use him as a model for good practice or excellence. More of a case of how European Malta keeps building altars to the mediocrity. Honestly how long would Delia have lasted in a private organization with that spectacular flop? Why should tax payers money fund the salary of incompetents?
Abdullah alhrbi •
LOL Avant-garde ! Austin Gatt seems to be thinking in military mode now, General Gatt and his TM company limping in after an inglorious charge, Avant garde indeed! Whatever happened to the front flank of the army , the advance guard beat retreat did it , fell on the conceited sword of 'Delian' intuitive non strategy and gross miscalculation on the way, no entry to a brave new world of transport ? No heights of heaven reached? Firing at the 'noises' that were heard per chance?
'Rameau central de combat TM
Contact par l’´ecoute
On tire dans la direction “des bruits entendus”'
With apologies to Appolinaire
PS sack Manuel Delia his performance is abysmal God forbid should any public servant or technocrat use him as a model for good practice or excellence. More of a case of how European Malta keeps building altars to the mediocrity. Honestly how long would Delia have lasted in a private organization with that spectacular flop? Why should tax payers money fund the salary of incompetents?
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Well I guess if anyone needed any proof about how disconnected our politicians are from OUR daily life Ta DAAAAAAAAAA.
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regret two typo mistakes in my previous blog for destructive and comfortable. Sorry.
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Hey people, don't get all hyped up about Austin's comments.
he didn't mean to say ávant-garde'. He is so media shy that by mistake he used the terms avant-garde and too innovative instead of ARROGANT & DESTRACTIVE.
Of course, one would not expect such silly slips of the tongue from a person who sleeps so confortable at night!
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Still waiting for him to resign over the divorce issue.
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First of all, Austin Gatt knows he will not have to resign – neither Franco Debono, nor anyone else within the GonziPN regime is ready to lose out on such a cushy “little” earner as their inflated salaries.
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In any case, even if Debono does have the balls to actually abstain, the motion will still b e defeated by the Speaker’s vote. PL knows that its motion cannot be voted through, but at least it has finally forced Mr. Arrogance and his tribe of incompetent little faceless gnomes to finally start at least talking about the issue.
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Mr. Arrogance is claiming that perhaps they were too avant-garde and innovative!! The guy simply does not get it. He is practically saying that the general population is not as clever as him and his gnomes. If Mr. Arrogance thinks that the farcical service they have forced upon us is innovative then he someone should put him out of misery and slowly explain to him (and his gnomes) the meaning of innovation.
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The fact remains that he, who for the last 20 years plus has been chauffeured everywhere, at our expense, has no idea of what a transport system requires.
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Not only is he totally detached from everyday life and its challenges, even the gnomes he surrounds himself with, are totally detached. They all have their taxpayer-funded perks, such as cars, business-class travel, premium health insurances and all sorts of perks.
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What the hell do they know about the transport needs of REAL people?
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If they had a shred of self-respect left, they would have all resigned, but hey, get off the gravy train, no way amigo..
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Oh Smart Transport on the Rocks!
and yet he keeps blaming commuters rather than his cronies! YOu may wish to note that interchange is used abroad but who was the Bravu who thought that it could well work here? The fulcrum still remains Valletta whether we like it or not. There is by far the largest concentration of smart gov departments. what about the busses. Are they OK in rainy weather. I think that we are going o hear a lot during the comng winter
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For thos interested: http://c256.r56.cf3.rackcdn.com/ff4ffe1f2dcdbf3af06a9002ceb8edd83348356850.pdf
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Rather then the term avant-garde I would use the appropriate term which is amateurish. Maybe I am wrong but I think it suits best considering the set of events leading up to this admission.
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“It was us who made the changes to the routes, changes however, which were rejected by the public...”
And yet you continued in your stubborness.
Gatt added: “maybe we were too avant-garde, and too innovative, and when it came to the interchanges, we under estimated the reaction by commuters.”
'Avant-garde'??? 'Innovative'??? You can call this fiasco anything but that Mr Minister! The only problem is that you have placed yourself too high on the pedestal and you do not give two hoots what happens down there.
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Last time Franco ruffled his feathures Gonzi and Katey made a courtesy visit at his residence, this time I think the visit was made to Austin Wanker Gatt as Gonzi realised that Franco was right, as all the maltese people are.
Gatt failed (once more).
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“maybe we were too avant-garde. No Dr Gatt not too avant grade but absolutely the opposite. how can one explain that a commuter who needs to get to Valletta has to leave his home 2 hour before the actual time, when in the past the same trip took only 25 to 30 minuets and now after the ne system was introduced it took one two hours. This is sure not avant grade Mr Gatt sure
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Finally the arrogant wanker admitts failure.
Of course he states that he will resign if the PL motion is passed, he knows that the speakers vote will save the day as no other nationalist MP has voiced any concern about the situation.
Manuel Delia should also throw in his resignation as the architect of the new route system and shame on him refusing to appear on a TV talk show about the reform with the feeble excuse that he was held back by another rirval talk show presenter, since when has a TV presenter has to give permission to a CEO to appear on some other talk show?
Pastizz!!!
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Interchanges would work here in Malta too but only if they are proper interchanges and not a main bus stop.
I am sorry to say but to blame this transport on the Maltese citiziens is not right.
The problem with the whole fiasco was that:
a. First of all no one did any information sessions / TV programmes to explain the new service so that perhaps this would have been more easily adapted to by the paying public.
b. Routes were designed to cater for less busses on the roads.
c. Villages were completly left without a service.
d. Fewer buses were available than previously with the result that they had to have less frequent service.
e. routes designed by people who do not use the transport system as otherwise they would have identified the problems before implementation
f. complete overnight changeover instead of progressive changeover that would have been able to sort teething problems before having the whole system changed.
g. h. i. j. and so many others
But definetely no because of the transport users!!!!!!!!!!
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So now the least the Pn can do is to award Gieh Ir Republika lill Abela Garret. Franco Debono will now vote for A.Gatt. The buzulotti minister will be given another €500 per week rise. E. Delia will be offered another FAT contract .........Qeghed taraw li flimkien kollox possibli.
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qrajt it title biss u se nikkummenta fuqu bis . u padre figlio, spitio santo.!
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Isn't it just Neil.
He thinks he is the Schulhoff of Malta. lol
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Avant-guard!! Simply hilarious. Father please forgive them for they know not what they do.
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Sur cowboy irrezenja bla paroli...u ezilja ruhek..ghax hlief frejjeg ma ghamiltx kemm ilek fil politka...il haga tajba li ghamilt hu li kabbart il kont tal bank
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Does University also include University Junior College? Students at the JC are far more likely to be without their own transport.
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Avaunt-guard!!!!!!???
How the hell can Austin Gatt be avaunt-guard, when i am sure he does not know what that means!!!
Yes Mr. WANKER.
We are all stupid, takes nerve. lol
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Thank you, Miss Abela Garret!
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Avant garde?..he has to be joking, the whole thing from the size of the buses to the un air conditioned with small windows to the stupid routes suggest that not only he but his cohorts resign now just as in England Fox did his trot.
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This apology is ony meant as a way out of the no confidence motion. Franco Debono said that he would abstain if the minister did not accept the responsability of the fiasco........................ so now he can vote against the motion as the minister has accepted to say sorry..............
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ok the point is here! DR Gatt Admited that its his fault, in court the person wich is guilty faces a sort of a punishment fine/imprisonment. so the minister since he admited his fault and said he will resign if the motion would pass. i expect that all members of the house will vote with the opositon on this issue. i hope that others follow dr franco debono so the motion could pass and dr Gatt resign. if you are in a court and the criminal admits that he stole i dont see the judge letting him go just like nothing happend. so since dr Gatt Admited. he should resign. the speaker if he vote to replace Franco Debono's abstenation should forget that he was an ex PN minister and vote according to the guilt of the person. wich dr Gatt admited he has guilt. imagine in a football game if a football player do the same thing wich Zidane did in World Cup Final, The Player Admit his fault and no actions from the refferee cause the refferee is an ex france player. it wouldnt be impartial and there would be conflict of interest. so dr frendo the speaker of the house should be neutral, forgetting his past and vote with the opposition on this issue since the person involved admited his wrong doing. be neutral it's how it should be in a democratic country. if the speaker dr frendo votes with the goverment. im sorry to say but there is no Democracy at all in this country.
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Even in accepting blame he still does not finds fault with others!!
A. Gatt said that he shoulders the responsibility for the changes in the system, but there are also responsibilities that must be shouldered by Arriva...... so its not just hm and his ministry..
B. “maybe we were too avant-guarde, and too innovative, and when it came to the interchanges, we under estimated the reaction by commuters.” again he is calling the customers of being not avant-guarde and unwilling to be innovative.
This is not the first time that apologies of this type were made........ the arrogance continues.
Apologies should be total with any blaming anthing on others. He is the minister responsible for this sector so final blame should be shouldered by the Minister. even if he was not personally involved in the setting up of the transport system.
What a difference in attitudes between the local MPs and their counterparts in teh UK!!!!! I am positive that if this happened in the UK the Minister would have had to resign if not the whole government!!!!!!
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At last , admitting a fiasco is no joke . But dear Minister , be a little bit more humble and tell us how many situations you have wrongly judged .
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Austin, turn your TV on and tune in to Sky News....listen to what liam Fox did and try to understand his action....you could learn a hell of a lot from the news today
Igor P. Shuvalov •
Arriva - a blessing in disguise.. at least it made somebody lose a bit of his arrogance.
Kull deni hudu b'gid.
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MELL IL WANKER QIAD JIBZA MIN FRANCO DEBONO. WANKER KONT GHADEK U TIPQA.
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“It was us who made the changes to the routes, changes however, which were rejected by the public...” Mr Gut, routes were not REJECTED by the public. Routes NEVER made any sense from DAY ONE.
“maybe we were too avant-guarde, and too innovative, and when it came to the interchanges, we under estimated the reaction by commuters.” Mr Gut, wrong again. The ONLY truth is that people who worked out the system are ONLY fools.
One good thing you did: admitted you failed. One thing you need to do, still: RESIGN!!
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See how losing a bit of sleep can improve a person's character?
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Partial 'mea culpa'?????
Some people will do anything and everything to cling on to power.
Partial 'mea culpa'!!! Why doesn't he confess downright that it was all and completely his responsibility and doings that brought about all this mess. His and his lackeys.
Partial 'mea culpa'. What a cheek.
