I have known Robert Micallef for the past seventeen years. During this time, I have always known him to be a highly intelligent, and deeply reflective person.
Our first encounter dates back to 1992 when we were both elected onto the executive council of the Kunsill Studenti Universitarji. It was a different era in student politics, one in which there was still room for minority representation on the Council, something which unfortunately is no longer the case today given that the rules of the game have now been changed into a first past the post system.
During our time in office, Robert, myself and a small number of others hailing from the 'left' wing of the political arena strove hard to put on the KSU's agenda issues that would have otherwise not have been tackled. In fact, if memory serves me right, one such item of discussion - that of having condom vending machines within student house - is, I am very much ashamed to note, still very much an issue of controversy today.
Soon thereafter, I was to get in close contact with Robert in another forum. At the time of our election on the KSU's executive council, Robert was already involved within the youth section of the Malta Labour Party of which he was the International Secretary. At the time though, my energies were largely reserved to student politics, and my local party club. All of that was to change quite drastically early in 1993 when I was approached to serve as Organisational Secretary of the Labour Youth Forum, and within a few short weeks found myself elevated to the post of General Secretary, and consequently became a member of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee. I have no qualm in admitting that throughout, I always found Robert to be a reliable source of suggestions and advise.
As time went by, we both sought our different paths. We both ended up contesting General Elections on behalf of the Malta Labour Party, and professionally we both went on to pursue our goals with a modicum of success.
When in 2004 Robert's name was put forward for the consideration by the Party delegates to be chosen as an MEP hopeful for the Party, I was not surprised. Robert's expertise in the international arena is second to none, and his interest in European issues was deep rooted. This aspect of Robert's personal curriculum was quite naturally recognised by the Party delegates, but unfortunately, given the nature of Maltese politics, was not easily recognised by the population at large. Had Robert been elected as an MEP, there is no doubt in my mind that he would have been a very good ambassador for Malta within the European Parliament.
In this context, thus, I cannot but be taken aback by the news that apparently Robert Micallef has allowed himself to become associated with the new political party Libertas, by accepting to act as a Secretary of a think-thank advising it on European issues, and being photographed in the company of Party Leader, and MEP hopeful, Mary Gauci and Libertas founder Declan Ganley, a renowned anti-Lisbon treaty campaigner.
We live in a democracy, and far be it for me to criticise anyone for deciding to pin his colours to any particular political grouping. As with everybody else, Robert has every right to support whichever political party and/or candidate he so wishes. However, in the present instance, I feel that given his past political allegiance to the Malta Labour Party, a member of the European family of Socialist parties, it may be pertinent to ask him to come out in the clear and declare his intentions come next June.
Of course, Robert has every right to decide not to declare his voting intentions. Should he decide not to comment, I will understand and fully respect his decision. However, given his public profile and the very obvious differences, at least in my mind, between the views embraced by the Party of European Socialists of which the Labour Party in Malta is a member, and those espoused by Libertas, as a Labour Party delegate, I must admit to be very interested in learning whether Robert Micallef will be voting for this new political organisation or whether he will still be supporting the Labour Party and its list of candidates next June?
If it is the case of the former, I would like to question Robert as to the reasons motivating this shift in his political allegiance, if the latter, then I would really have to ask him to explain how he can feel comfortable advising a political grouping which he himself will not be supporting.
Our first encounter dates back to 1992 when we were both elected onto the executive council of the Kunsill Studenti Universitarji. It was a different era in student politics, one in which there was still room for minority representation on the Council, something which unfortunately is no longer the case today given that the rules of the game have now been changed into a first past the post system.
During our time in office, Robert, myself and a small number of others hailing from the 'left' wing of the political arena strove hard to put on the KSU's agenda issues that would have otherwise not have been tackled. In fact, if memory serves me right, one such item of discussion - that of having condom vending machines within student house - is, I am very much ashamed to note, still very much an issue of controversy today.
Soon thereafter, I was to get in close contact with Robert in another forum. At the time of our election on the KSU's executive council, Robert was already involved within the youth section of the Malta Labour Party of which he was the International Secretary. At the time though, my energies were largely reserved to student politics, and my local party club. All of that was to change quite drastically early in 1993 when I was approached to serve as Organisational Secretary of the Labour Youth Forum, and within a few short weeks found myself elevated to the post of General Secretary, and consequently became a member of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee. I have no qualm in admitting that throughout, I always found Robert to be a reliable source of suggestions and advise.
As time went by, we both sought our different paths. We both ended up contesting General Elections on behalf of the Malta Labour Party, and professionally we both went on to pursue our goals with a modicum of success.
When in 2004 Robert's name was put forward for the consideration by the Party delegates to be chosen as an MEP hopeful for the Party, I was not surprised. Robert's expertise in the international arena is second to none, and his interest in European issues was deep rooted. This aspect of Robert's personal curriculum was quite naturally recognised by the Party delegates, but unfortunately, given the nature of Maltese politics, was not easily recognised by the population at large. Had Robert been elected as an MEP, there is no doubt in my mind that he would have been a very good ambassador for Malta within the European Parliament.
In this context, thus, I cannot but be taken aback by the news that apparently Robert Micallef has allowed himself to become associated with the new political party Libertas, by accepting to act as a Secretary of a think-thank advising it on European issues, and being photographed in the company of Party Leader, and MEP hopeful, Mary Gauci and Libertas founder Declan Ganley, a renowned anti-Lisbon treaty campaigner.
We live in a democracy, and far be it for me to criticise anyone for deciding to pin his colours to any particular political grouping. As with everybody else, Robert has every right to support whichever political party and/or candidate he so wishes. However, in the present instance, I feel that given his past political allegiance to the Malta Labour Party, a member of the European family of Socialist parties, it may be pertinent to ask him to come out in the clear and declare his intentions come next June.
Of course, Robert has every right to decide not to declare his voting intentions. Should he decide not to comment, I will understand and fully respect his decision. However, given his public profile and the very obvious differences, at least in my mind, between the views embraced by the Party of European Socialists of which the Labour Party in Malta is a member, and those espoused by Libertas, as a Labour Party delegate, I must admit to be very interested in learning whether Robert Micallef will be voting for this new political organisation or whether he will still be supporting the Labour Party and its list of candidates next June?
If it is the case of the former, I would like to question Robert as to the reasons motivating this shift in his political allegiance, if the latter, then I would really have to ask him to explain how he can feel comfortable advising a political grouping which he himself will not be supporting.
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