Malta Upside Down

Malta Upside Down

A Constitutional Convention has been promised. All the preparatory work and more has long been ready. Even though the Opposition expressed some reservations, they never ever declared they would boycott. (1)

In the meantime the Justice Minister hastily presents a Judicial Appointments Bill, heavily overshadowed by, and probably as a reaction to,  the unconstitutional magisterial nomination of Zammit Young, a Bill which, whilst requiring a two thirds majority ( if dealing with judicial appointments art 96, 97 and 100 of the Cosntitution) , has received widespread criticism to the extent of being described as unconstitutional, autocratic and fake by none other than eminent jurist Giovanni Bonello. The Opposition’s reaction to the Bill – ‘unacceptable’!

So not only has the Constitutional Convention been completely ignored in a matter where it could have been the ideal forum of discussion, but a Bill requiring a two thirds majority has been presented in Parliament without apparently consulting anyone, considering the barrage of criticism from all quarters. Upside down!

I honestly hope hurdles are overcome and consensus reached, but is this the right spirit of constitutional reform? Unconstitutional magisterial nominations and bulldozing?

Whilst it should now be clear to all that it is this arrogant attitude that  is hindering constitutional reform, and nothing else,  one could also ask whether since judicial appointments would have been a core theme for the Convention to discuss, there is still scope for a Convention at all.

(1)”Asked if he would boycott the Constitutional Convention coordinated by Franco Debono, Dr Busuttil said the new PN leader must assess the situation and discuss the way forward with the Government. “I do not want to close the door on this because this is really big and really important,” he said.” – Times of Malta

8 Comments
  • Patriot M
    Posted at 12:34h, 07 March

    Its about time to have the people’s voice in parliament too.

    It is not just and fair for the people to elect a candidate and party once every 5 years and leave them to do what they want.

    There is a need to be a system that the people will have the right to vote in every decision being taken in parliament. With today’s technology it should be fast, safe and secure to vote electronically.

    The government will not be overthrown if the final vote is not in their favor, they will remain in governance.

    This way the people will have a fair voice throughout.

    Can this be accomplished Franco?

    This is true Democracy!….

  • And pigs fly
    Posted at 00:58h, 06 March

    Sorry, but no. The Nationalist Party has no credibility to organise a protest against corruption…just as it had no credibility to organise a protest against the ODZ development at Zonqor Point, after having expanded the development boundaries by 16.6% in 2005/6.

    http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/blogs/62778/wanted_a_quantum_leap_forward#.Vttjvdm9LCQ

  • PN m'ghandhomx jedd
    Posted at 18:48h, 05 March

    Describing the political duopoly as a “shambles”, he said that both the PN and PL refuse to change the board game as it suits them both well.

    “They know it is totally under their control. This sytem has led to a shambles, to a system of dispensation of favours and clientilism instead of a transparent, modern and pluralist democracy.”

    http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/62873/busuttil_treating_people_like_children_over_protest_claims__ad#.VtsNGtm9LCQ

  • Panama hats
    Posted at 18:19h, 05 March

    They come in all shapes and sizes……

    http://www.panamahats.org/pages/panamahats.html#classicFedora

  • My body is my temple
    Posted at 15:30h, 05 March

    Dan il-gvern sfrutta pajjiz kemm felah ghal-gwadann tal-klikka.
    Issa bi skuza li jrid jirregolarizza il-gentlemens clubs, ha jpaxxi lil xi imprendituri li ilhom f’dan ix-xoghol u li kull m’ghandhom bzonn huwa timbru min hemm fuq.
    Id-dinjita tal-mara hija sagra, u l-ebda regolarizzazjoni m’hi ha tnaqqas l-abbuzi. Ma nisimghux b’womens clubs! Nahseb tistghu timmaginaw ghalfejn.
    Ghax dawk t’hemm fuq, li jghamlu l-ligijiet huma iktar irgiel milli nisa u l-imprendituri huma irgiel iktar milli nisa.
    Qed ifottu l-pajjiz

    http://youtu.be/L-5M1_DKvb0

  • Open letter
    Posted at 15:06h, 05 March

    Sinjura Caruana Galizia

    Jiena m’inhiex ta’ l-istess fehma politika tieghek u rari naqbel ma dak li tikteb. Izda z-zejjed kollu zejjed u il-gvern immexxi minn Joseph Muscat issa qabez kull limitu ta’ decenza. Jiena ktibt lil President u tlabta tiehu azzjoni izda perez li ktibt b’mod anonimu (verament m’ghandiex triq ohra) niddubita kemm l-ittra tieghi ser tasal ghanda. Ghalhekk hassejt li ghandi nibghatha wkoll lilek biex forsi tikkonsidra tippubluikaha. Jien naf li inti dejjem ipprotegejt is-sorsi tieghek, ghalhekk gejt ghandek. Ghamel dak li thoss li huwa xieraq, xejn aktar.

    ———

    Eċċellenza,

    Qed niktiblek bħala ċittadin Malti u bħala bniedem ta’ fehmiet politiċi xellugin. Ma nistax nirrivela l-identita’ tiegħi għaliex nokkupa kariga pubblika li ma tippermettilix nagħmel dan.

    Jiena qatt ma ltqajt miegħek iżda smajt ħafna dwar kemm inti dejjem ħdimt minn qalbek biex tgħin il-batut. Meta ġejt maħtura bħala president, jiena, bħal ħafna oħrjan ħassejt li ser tkun moħlija f’din il-kariga għax emmint li stajt tagħmel ħafna aktar ġid bħala Ministru tal-Familija u Solidarjeta’ Soċjali. Issa naħseb li wasal il-mument fejn inti tista’ tniżżel ismek fl-istorja ta’ pajjiżna, u qed niktiblek biex nitolbok tagħmel dan.

    Il-Partit Laburista u l-Gvern waqgħa f-idejn nies li jien ma nemminx huma vera ta’ fehma Socjalista Demokratika. Dan huwa gvern tas-sinjuri, tal-kuntratturi, tan-nies tan-negozju u ta’ dawk li jridu jakkwistaw kemm jifilħu minn fuq dar il-poplu. Ir-rivelazzjonijiet ta’ dawn l-aħħar ġranet u l-posizzjoni li ħa l-Prim Ministru huma xieha ta’ dan, u huma wkoll prova ta’ kemm waqajna fil-baxx.

    Issa huwa ż-żmien li bħala President bid-dmir li tipproteġi l-kostituzzjoni, u bħala bniedma li żgur trid tmexxijja favur il-ħaddiem, inti issemma leħħnek u tikkundanna dan l-aġir inaċċettabli. Hemm bżonn li dawn in-nies jiġu mwarrba immedjatament. Jiena nixtieq nemmen li hemm nies oħra bħalek fi ħdan il-Partit Laburista, li darba konna nsejjħulu l-partit tal-ħaddiema, li lesti jagħmlu dak li hemm bżonn biex jieħdu l-partit u l-gvern f’idejhom. Jekk mhux ser isir hekk, wisq nibża li f-elezzjoni oħra il-Partit Laburista ser jerġa jintbgħat fl-opposizzjoni għall-bosta snin oħra.

    Fis-snin tmenin inti għażilt li ma titkellimx kontra l-abbużi, l-korruzzjoni u l-vjolenza ta’ ftit nies fil-partit. Nemmen li inti għamilt hekk għax ħassejt li l-gvern kien qed jagħmel ħafna ġid biex itejjeb il-kundizzjoni taż-żgħir, u li dawn l-abbużi ma kienux tali li kellhom ifixklu l-ħidma tal-gvern l-istorja uriet li dak seta kien żball. Issa huwa ċ-ċans li ma tagħmilx l-istess żball, u li tuża l-posizzjoni influwenti tiegħek biex tagħmel differenza. Pajjiżek qed isejjaħlek biex tagħmel dak li taf li huwa sewwa.

    Kif jingħad bl-ingliż – The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. Nispera li inti ma tagħżilx li ma tagħmel xejn.

    Nirringrazzjak tali smajtni.

    Malti u soċjalist ta’ veru.

  • Romblu iehor
    Posted at 09:52h, 05 March

    Ministru Owen Bonnici Romblu u arroganti

    • Carmen
      Posted at 13:15h, 05 March

      Bhal Hermann schiavone mela arroganti iehor,basta ghamel facebook meta tikkumenta u ma jaqbilx ghal widnejh ,iqactek min friend bhal ma ghamel lili