‘PN lives to lie and lies to live’

Within just a few weeks, Nationalist Party exponents, including their leader, have given the Maltese and Gozitans seven fake news stories or lies.

The first and most important one was confirmed by Magistrate Rachel Montebello’s damning judgment on Jason Azzopardi’s despicable story about Labour MP Carmelo Abela.

The second lie was the story about the unfortunate death of Stephen Mangion at Mater Dei Hospital’s emergency department, when Adrian Delia put the blame on workers and doctors for the death. The inquiring magistrate found Delia’s claims to be totally unfounded.

Nationalist MEP Peter Agius claimed that what was supposed to be a sheep farm was, instead, a villa built with EU money. This claim too has been rubbished by the European commissioner responsible for the sector.

The fourth fake news or lie was the story that a business in Gozo was closing down. This story too was rubbished by the owner of the business.

The fifth one was the claim by Nationalist MP Karol Aquilina, who said that Justice Minister Jonathan Attard was about to introduce criminal libel to make it possible for journalists to be sent to prison. Attard vehemently and immediately dismissed Aquilina’s claim.

Bernard Grech addressing a public meeting. Photo: Partit Nazzjonalista/Facebook

The sixth lie was the PN’s claim that the government had “doubled” the salary of the police commissioner. In fact, the government had increased the salaries of all police officers, including those holding top posts such as deputy police commissioners and superintendents, including police commissioner Angelo Gafà.

The seventh and final fake news or lie – up to the time of writing this letter – was Bernard Grech’s hilarious claim that he had “everything ready to start governing the country, whenever the election is called”. We have just got to know that the PN still has to start writing its electoral manifesto, a task it has entrusted to university lecturer on politics, George Vital Zammit.

No wonder Parliamentary Secretary Glenn Beddingfield keeps repeating: “The PN lives to lie and lies to live.”

Eddy Privitera – Naxxar

From the online comments

Over €1 billion in income tax owed to government – most ‘uncollectable’

What about the tax owed by political parties including his own, what’s the deal? Time for them to go bust and do us all a favour! – Mick Quinn

Putting a stop is not enough. The minister should have enough guts to sack the Commissioner of Taxes and set the ball rolling to recover all taxes due. If he cannot do that, then he is not fit for the post and should resign. – Luciano Chetcuti

Maybe they could make up the arrears by not buying any more band clubs. Maybe the debts are owed by people they dare not ask. No reason has been given for the defaults, well no acceptable reason. – B.J. Simmons

I was once present for an EU Fiscalis in Portugal and the Portuguese said that first they take your bank account money, then the car to make up for the tax due. If this won’t be enough they take immovable property.

What is being done in Malta?

Tax is collected from those with a P3 while the bigger fish escape. Start doing a real search on those who declare peanuts and then their immovable property, bank accounts as well as movables are always on the increase.

Aren’t heads of the department responsible for the lack of taxes not collected? Where is the accountability by the past and present heads? – Mario Attard