maltatoday special report 07/07/2002 A vote of ‘confidence’ In this fifth episode and Prime Minister acknowledges what is fidence in his govern- of the record that , step into obvious and pins his ment, Sant makes it bears witness to the the spotlight and take authority and man- very clear that it’s fall of the house of up cudgels. Fenech date on the Cottonera going to be his way, Labour, Mintoff Adami is keen to project. Increasing or no way. Lino Spi- momentarily bows out sound the alarm bell the tensions and pres- teri makes a predic- and the then Leader to democracy and the sure by declaring the tion which, with hind- of the Opposition, stable state. Alfred vote on the Cottonera sight, proved not to Sant cynically project a vote of con- be very accurate. . . 16 maltatoday Sunday 07 July 2002

maltatoday special report A motion of urgent national imp

EDDIE FENECH ADAMI: Madam speaker, I think this is the right time for me to present a motion according to Standing Order 13, so that there will be a discussion about something of great public importance and urgency.

Madam Speaker, as we had the opportunity to hear the interven- tion of , leader of the Opposition, last Tuesday … (Interruptions) Excuse me, I meant to say the Prime Minister Alfred Sant (Shouting) I apolo- gise. (Interruptions) Now I also will go to as I did three Sat- urdays ago with a group of youths and we had a guide explain to us all that there is on the quay, we entered the Mar- itime Museum and we toured around Birgu. Today I am in a position to talk about the motion that we have in front of us not only because I was there and can better appreciate the signifi- cance of Birgu, but also because my grandfather hails from Birgu and as a young child I spent many years going there to attend the feast of St Lawrence with him, but this is irrelevant.

MADAM SPEAKER: Dr Fenech Adami, please come to the motion you proposed and defined as being of urgent national importance.

FENECH ADAMI: Madam Speaker, On the 9th of June, the Prime Minister went to Birgu where he was meant to hold a press conference but instead held a mass meeting. In the address he gave, part of which was repeated in Bormla yester- day, he made declarations which are of great importance to this nation. The Prime Minister thought out and calculated and majority; where the Prime Minis- ty unified, but I am not keeping it declared in Birgu that: which led to the situation where ter asks his colleagues to whole." MADAM SPEA he no longer has a majority. appoint another in his stead and ourable Dr Eddie "Parliament is always run From the debates that were held where his colleagues tell him that The only logical consequence according to who has the majori- in this Parliament, from the writ- there is nobody to replace him of the Prime Minister’s declara- EDDIE FENEC ty of votes in Parliament." ings and the declarations that without coming to the logical and tions is that he immediately offers Madam Speaker, w were made in this Parliament and democratic consequences of this his resignation to the President of Minister has said outside, it is known that the situation. Naturally this is something that ." what I am saying Prime Minister does not have the everybody knows, but then he cussed as it is an support of the majority of this According to the Permanent MADAM SPEAKER: went on to say that things hap- The matter. I am read Parliament with the regard to his Order Number 13 I am meant to Prime Minister. again about the m pened the way they did since foreign policy and in particular make a written declaration that I November to the present placed before us with his relation with Europe; the prepared and which I am going ALFRED SANT: Mrs Presi- because they were planned, they In fact in the last m Prime Minister does not have the to read: dent, this side of the house is house business c were thought out and because support of the majority of this they were calculated so that this suggesting that we don’t follow just took place tha Parliament when it comes to his "The House should adjourn to the suggestion of the leader of standpoint there w majority would not remain whole. fiscal policy; the Prime Minister discuss the political crisis which He continues: the opposition. We acknowledge prolong maters on does not have the support of this the Prime Minister created with that there is a political crisis in But this motion ha Parliament when it come to the the public declarations that he the country but the reason for with the state of a "I am responsible to preserve measures he took with regards to made in Birgu on the 9th Of this crisis is not because of the Prime Minister des that majority but I am not keep- the electricity and water bills. I June, 1998. words that the leader of the has existed and w ing it together." was not at all surprised, there- opposition quoted – which, after nises that has exis fore, when he finally recognised The Prime Minister was right all, he himself said in the evening This is the declaration where the facts for what they are. I when he said "Parliament is run since November o the Prime Minister of this country – but because of what happens position of the opp would like to say, Madam Speak- according to who has the greater in this parliament. This side of is stating that he is no longer er, that he created this crisis majority of votes in Parliament" known and we reit the house is proposing the next supported by the majority of this because that is what he decided and he added "I am aware that say from now that motion, meaning the resolution Parliament, and this not with to create by making these decla- things have happened the way going to vote in fa regards to the Cottonera ques- rations and I am saying that this they happened from November concerning the docks and the motion as we don tion that we have in front of us. is important and urgent because onwards in a way that was yacht marina in Birgu and the quays of Birgu – n In fact he said that as Prime Min- these matters have plunged the planned, in a way that was discussion about it is going to be buildings, not som ister he noticed that from Novem- country into an intolerable situa- thought in a way that was calcu- presented as and taken as a built upon, not som ber to the present, things hap- tion. The country cannot live in lated so that the majority would vote of confidence in the Labour turned into a car p pened the way they did – let me this state of uncertainty where not remain whole." And he con- Government. So at once the be given as privat use the exact words he used – in the Prime Minister says that he cluded by saying "It is my political crisis can be discussed 99 years, but we w a method that was planned, no longer has the support of a responsibility to keep that majori- from that angle. them remaining th Sunday 07 July 2002 maltatoday 17

maltatoday special report portance

speeches were all concerned with whether this project is a pro- ject that will prove to be the sal- vation of Kottonera. I declare that the opposition is in favour Of two leaders that the project at Cottonera goes ahead (Interruptions). We are not in favour that the quays are given away on lease because we don’t agree to the conditions, because, as Dom Mintoff put it, it seems that the government was not able to dis- cuss and secure the best condi- tions. However it is the choice of the Prime Minister to confuse one thing with another. If the Prime Minister chooses to tie his posi- tion that he himself is saying is no longer democratic with the Cottonera project, then the peo- ple will understand who really does not want the Cottonera pro- ject to go ahead. (members: Hear, Hear)

MADAM SPEAKER: The Honourable Lino Spiteri.

LINO SPITERI: A comment has just been made, Madam Speaker, that we should not mix one thing with another, and we should not mix one thing with another. The leader of the oppo- sition based the motion that he is presenting on the situation that in this parliament there isn’t a par- liamentary majority and he men- tioned three things. He men- In December last year MaltaToday interviewed Emy tioned the relationship with the Bezzina. The following is an excerpt from that interview , he mentioned the fiscal policy and he men- in which Dr Bezzina speaks about his relations with tioned a motion that has nothing Alfred Sant and Dom Mintoff. to do with confidence. As you don’t have to be very wise to “Some Birzebbuga can- doesn’t and so the Conserva- understand that when he men- vassers quoted something I’d tive Party in England is con- tioned relationship with the Euro- said on a radio show out of demned to many years of pean Union and fiscal policy, he context and Alfred Sant then opposition. Alfred Sant too was referring to the comments declared that he didn’t con- has developed his own that I make, to the articles that I sider me a Labour candidate charisma. I think that today the Maltese public. (Interrup- anymore. We did not meet or he is affirmed in his status as AKER: The hon- tions) If the government decided write and to the things that I say speak for quite a while then." leader. And if he needs the Fenech Adami. that it wants to discuss the to offer alternatives in the discus- I take the opportunity of ask- help of friends, he shouldn’t motion, we are hear to discuss it, sions that are held within my own ing him what he thinks of hesitate to come forward. CH ADAMI: but now the position is that the party, and because it is clear that Alfred Sant as Labour Leader. After all, a leader cannot lead what the Prime country is in a crisis that was he is doing this, I need to repeat The two, it appears, have without a circle of trusted that there is no doubt that my known each other since their people." confirms that called, wanted and opened by vote when it comes to these days at University when the At the same time, he doesn’t should be dis- the Prime Minister. And it cannot things is with the government opposition leader used to hide the fact that he still n urgent public be that we allow this country to because I am a deputy of the write plays and Emy Bezzina admires Mintoff. He can dy to speak would act in them. The lawyer never accept the violence move on in a haphazard manner government and my vote is with motion that was insists that he never wanted that happened in the 70s, he without knowing the position the government. (members: in Parliament. taken by the Prime Minister. this distance to grow quickly says. But besides the Hear, hear) between him and Dr Sant. But violence he also remembers meeting of the his voice then brightens as how Mintoff carved an identi- committee which MADAM SPEAKER: The With regards to the reference to he tells me that not long ago ty for Malta in Europe. at from our Prime Minister. the actual motion that we have in he chanced upon him in Val- "Top statesmen remember was no need to front of us, this motion is of a letta and "Dr Sant did give me him to this day. Only two n the motion. ALFRED SANT: This crisis very particular and interesting his very nice smile." years ago I was at a confer- as nothing to do that the leader of the opposition nature. This is a motion that con- Did he ever expect Dr Sant ence abroad and Edward affairs that the is mentioning is easily resolved to be leader? The lawyer Heath asked me how Mintoff cerns Cottonera, this is a motions does not hesitate to answer in was doing. This is a former scribed that by the proposal the Government that concerns Malta. Several the negative and to state that English Prime Minister we’re which he recog- side is making; that we discuss comments have been made in he himself had backed talking about, one who did sted at least the next motion on the basis of a this regard and even I have com- . Dr Bezzina not even see eye to eye with of last year. The vote of confidence. Our sugges- mented and asked questions was at the time chairman of Mintoff. And yet he still asks position is tion is that we proceed with the about it but this is not a question the candidate’s section of the after him. Mintoff gave us our terate it. I can suggestion to forward the motion of confidence. On the other and he remem- Maltese identity: he gave us t we are not bers Alfred Sant as the qui- our own airline, our broad- at once. (members: Hear, Hear) hand it has been repeatedly etest candidate of the whole casting, the wireless, Maltese avour of the declared in this parliament that group. When he was elected banks the silos… This is what n’t agree that the MADAM SPEAKER: The hon- we should proceed with it and successor to Karmenu Mif- forges a country after all. Is it not some other ourable Fenech Adami. find where we stand, therefore sud Bonnici there were a lot any wonder I still admire the me land to be one should proceed with it and of surprised faces that "the man?" he asks. me land to be find out where one stands. I man who came in from the park – should EDDIE FENECH ADAMI: have no doubt that with this cold", as the lawyer put it, Madam Speaker, I have followed motion as a test of confidence, should be given the helm. te property for "A leader needs charisma. want to see all the speeches the Prime Minis- the opposition is not going to get Tony Blair has it, Hague he property of ter has made recently. These satisfaction.