Hypocrites can afford to be magnificent in their promises because they never intend to keep them. Talk is cheap. In February 2010 John Dalli was appointed EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs. Commissioners are appointed, not elected, this makes their powerful position undemocratic.
What is Democracy? Democracy does not have the meaning it is supposed to have. In recent years democracy has been turned into a legalised DICTATORSHIP especially when a political party stays in power for more than two term. The same political party being elected time and again does not mean that they are the best thing for that country.
Mainly, a political party is elected successively because of electoral fraud and by making promises to the electorate knowing that they are not able to honour them. However, the general public believes them and they are elected again because people are afraid of change. They end up believing that it is better to have the devil they know instead of change.
John Dalli has been given a portfolio that covers health and consumer affairs. His health experience was from March 2008 to January 2010 when he was Minister of Social Policy in Malta. Prior to that he was Minister of Finance for three terms. He is a qualified accountant with a gift for manipulating figures to cover up his incompetence in keeping to the targets and budgets he had set himself.
Dalli's portfolio is very broad and it covers, GM crops, pharmaceuticals, animal health and welfare, food safety, human living conditions and welfare, agriculture, patients' care, consumer protection, health and safety at work and in the home and much more. Dalli's experience in many of these fields is negligible.
Prior to his appointment and thereafter he made many statements, such as, "I won't tell consumers what to eat, but I'll tell them what they are eating" "Patients first, consumers first." "Consumers cannot think that they are buying something when they are in fact buying something else," He also promised transparency before dictatorial approach. "I'll be the guardian of consumers interest." So he said.
On the 15th March 2010, in his address to the European Economic and Social Committee on European Consumer Day in Madrid he stated. "It is an undisputed fact that law without enforcement is ineffective." Well-done Mr. Dalli for pointing this out.
Despite these statements and many others, a few days after his appointment as commissioner, John Dalli approved the production of the "Amflora" GM potato. It is to be used in industrial applications and as animal feed. This genius took this decision despite the fact that most member states and environmental bodies are against GM crops.
The Commission must have had a mountain of scientific reports on this subject during the past twelve years. How did Dalli manage to find the time to read and understand all of these reports and make an important decision like this in such a short space of time? Did money change hands? It is possible this did happen as it did in the Daewoo Scandal in Malta (evidence to support the Daewoo allegations is available) where John Dalli was employed as a consultant when he was shadow Minister of Finance.
How a person like John Dalli with limited knowledge, experience and qualifications in this subject could give his approval to such a controversial hot potato is a breach of trust and confirmation that his promises are worthless. Despite all the wonderful statements he made, he steam rolled over everyone, including the sovereignty of member states. His arrogant audacity has no limits.
Dalli is an accountant with a gift for manipulating figures to cover up his incompetence to keep within the budgets and targets he had set himself. So much so, that during the twelve years he was Minister of Finance, Malta's deficit and national debt reached record levels. Due to losing the country's finance, in 1996 a general election was called a year early.
Heike Moldenhauer (Friends of the Earth) confirmed "With this decision Commissioner Dalli has not only snubbed European citizens, the vast majority of who rejected GMO's, he has snubbed member states as well. The new Commission promised to let national governments decide on whether to grow GM crops on their territory but at first possible opportunity they have broken this promise. Dalli has introduced himself as a Commissioner who can't be trusted." Friends of the Earth GM potato comments
"I won't tell consumers what to eat, but I tell them what they are eating." WRONG. What John Dalli meant to say was "I will force consumers to eat what I want them to eat." The general public opinion means nothing to this undemocratic politician. After all he was appointed as commissioner not elected.GM Watch GM Potato Opinion
Greenpeace. "These human-made organisms can reproduce interbreed with natural organisms, thereby spreading to new environments and future generations in an unprecedented and uncontrollable way. Because we know so little about how these novel organisms will act in the environment, and because these living organisms can multiply and spread, the potentially harmful effects of GE organisms many not be discovered when it is too late." Greenpeace GM Potato Opinion
John Dalli's approval of "Amflora" raises many suspicions. Was there a backhander involved? Brussels should investigate.
The Greens. "There are serious concerns about an Amflora gene that is resistant to antibiotics, including one recognised by the World Health Organisation and others essential to medicine, for example in the treatment of tuberculosis. Serious doubts remain on possible consequences for human health and the environment. Since certain non-GM varieties have already proven to have the same characteristics sought by Amflora, I can only conclude that its authorisation is at best unnecessary and at worst dangerous." The Greens GM Potato Opinion
“The proper business of a statesman is to contrive the means by which certain ends may be effected, leaving it to the general voice of the country to determine what those ends shall be and shaping his own conduct, not according to his own principles, but according to the wishes of the people for whom he legislates and who he is bound to obey.” Edmund Burke
