Giovanna Debono
PN candidate for Gozo

On saying yes to Hondoq ir-Rummien project:
“I only feel safe making such a pronouncement in favour of a project because I have the peace of mind that any decision on the matter will be taken by MEPA.”
25 March 2007, MaltaToday

On lobbying MEPA
“I only speak up when somebody has applied for a permit at MEPA and has not yet been given an answer. Of course I do that – can a person apply for something and not receive an answer? People have to be respected. These are taxpayers who pay for our salaries. We would be neglecting our duties.”
6 February 2005, MaltaToday

On her husband’s role
“People do speak to people – if they don’t find me, they will give me a message through my husband. I think that is quite normal for any Minister, be they female or male.”
6 February 2005, MaltaToday

On MEPA
“Thank God we created MEPA to regulate development. Just look at what happened at Xlendi some years ago. Now we have a mechanism that can say: this development is good or that this development is not good. It can even say that this scale of a development should be reduced, or that it should not take place at all.”
25 March 2007, MaltaToday

On helping constituents
“I do not help people in return for their vote. Persons who do not even vote in Gozo come to me to talk about their problems. Why should I not take heed of what they say?” But I am very clear with everyone who comes to speak to me.
“If someone asks me for something to which he is entitled by right, I help him. If this is not the case, I tell him that I can’t help him. We have to respect everybody’s dignity”

25 March 2007, MaltaToday
On road contracts in Gozo
“It just happens that the majority of contracts are won by one of the two bidders. It’s definitely not the case that the contractor is being favoured by anyone because he is my friend. He wins these contracts because he deserves them.”
25 March 2007, MaltaToday

Chris Said
PN candidate for Gozo

On PN’s new faces
“There is a part of the electorate will continue to identify itself with the established candidates.. there is also a category of voters who are not 100% satisfied by what the established candidates have accomplished who will be given an opportunity to vote for new candidates.”
16 September 2007, MaltaToday

On his ambitions to become Gozo’s Minister
“Every Gozitan MP primarily works to improve the situation in Gozo. I believe that this is the best place from where one can give his best input to further Gozo’s interests.”
16 September 2007, MaltaToday

On political dynasties
“Giovanna’s family has been in parliament for 45 years. The same applies to Anton Tabone’s family whose father was also elected in parliament in 1962. Nobody in my family has been involved in politics.”
16 September 2007, MaltaToday

On reporting his own brother
“I am revealing this today. I was the one who reported my brothers’ company to MEPA’s senior enforcement officer in Gozo.  I reported the illegal actions of my brothers’ company. I am still in possession of an email I had sent to MEPA in 2005 reporting the illegality.”
16 September 2007, MaltaToday

On defending an ODZ cemetery
“Surely Nadur needed a cemetery as Gozo lacks a central cemetery and every parish has its own cemetery.  In the case of Nadur the present cemetery is very small and lies in a residential area.”
16 September 2007, MaltaToday

On the Ta’ Cenc
“I absolutely disagree with increasing the amount of villas in this area. Gozo needs a certain amount of villas to attract a certain category of high spending tourists. But surely there are other places where the impact will be lesser than at Mgarr ix-Xini.”
16 September 2007, MaltaToday

Leo Brincat
MLP candidate 9th and 10th district

On the 1997 budget
“We were unsophisticated in the approach adopted. We did not spin before the budget. This government is using a totally different approach.”
21 November 2004, MaltaToday

On the 1996-1998 government
“Like a surgeon in the middle of an operation we were judged while still performing the incision.”
21 November 2004, MaltaToday

On ratifying the EU constitution
“If the party does not approve the Constitution it will be surrendering to extremist elements. By endorsing the constitution the party would be sending an unequivocal message reassuring floating voters, disgruntled Nationalists and all those who have embraced Labour’s adjourned position on the European Union. Otherwise we will never be trusted by these people again.”
17 April 2005, MaltaToday

On Turkey’s membership in the European Union
Asked about whether Turkey fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria for EU membership, “no racist criteria should be used to keep Turkey out of the European Union.”
17 April 2005, MaltaToday
On SmartCity
“The Labour party had voted for the project in parliament even if it had expressed reservation. The Labour Party is committed to ensure that the project achieves its targets and is not shackled by bureaucracy”
16 January 2008, MLP statement

Helena Dalli
MLP candidate on 2nd and 3rd districts

On WE programmes under Labour
“Where’s Everybody and other companies should apply for those programmes which are farmed out. Yet whenever possible current affairs programmes should be conducted by PBS workers,”
30 September 2007, Illum

On floating voters
“The MLP’s greatest problem is how to convey its message. Our media is not enough to address the floating voter. These voters get their message from the independent media”
30 September 2007, Illum

On Alfred Sant
“Alfred Sant is a feminist.”
30 September 2007, Illum

On Dom Mintoff
“The more I got to know Dom Mintoff the more I got involved in politics and the more I took on from him without realising... He couldn’t stand it if I complained about some injustice or other. ‘And what are you going to do about it?’ he would ask.”
29 July 2001, MaltaToday

Ralph Cassar
AD candidate on 7th district

On Caqnu in government:
“You cannot trust Gonzi, Pullicino and Sant. If you want Caqnu in government vote for them.”
www.ralphcassar.com

On the wasted vote
“Our voting system allows voters to ensure that their vote is not lost or wasted. By voting for AD and then continuing to vote for other candidates from other parties, one ensures that if the AD candidate is not elected, the second preference candidate will “inherit” his vote and has a chance of being elected.
20 February 2008, The Times

On the possibility of electing a Green MP
“If approximately 2,500 in one district vote for AD then it is very likely that AD will elect a member to Parliament. Considering that AD has been working very hard to explain and promote its vision for a coalition government for all the Maltese people, the prospects of this happening are very good.”
20 February 2008, The Times

On instability
“It would be self-defeating for AD to hold its coalition partner to ransom and act unreasonably as this would translate into a certain defeat at the polls the next time round. There are many countries such as Ireland and Germany where coalition governments ensure representation of a greater part of the electorate and which are stable and efficient
20 February 2008, The Times

Maria Gauci
AN candidate for Gozo

On divorce
“I disagree with divorce. We are a country with a tradition and Catholic values. Although there are cases of marriage breakdowns divorce is not the solution…We should introduce communication skills not only before but after marriage.”
24 February 2008, Illum

On housewives
“If a woman chooses to dedicate herself for the upbringing of children by working at home, she should receive assistance from the state in the form of a tax rebate which would be equivalent to the minimum wage”
24 February 2008, Illum

On women quotas in parliament
“I agree because women tend to look at things from a different angle.”
24 February 2008, Illum