The famous slogan Malta l-ewwel u qabel kollox, coined by the late Dom Mintoff, has evaporated into thin air. Today, politicians have decided to change this slogan to read Jiena l-ewwel u qabel kollox. As proof of this new slogan, we are now watching with great enthusiasm and admiration the Swiss Leaks, the sale of Australia Hall, the €4.2 million Cafe Premier, commissions, and so on.

Unfortunately, greed and stupidity are destroying the career of various respected politicians and other high-ranking officials (oil scandal, bribing of judges, etc). Loyal citizens in Malta and elsewhere around the globe, who pay their tax promptly when it is due, have nothing but contempt for the political class and expect no better.

Once elected to high office, some Members of Parliament tend to forget that their full-time job is in Parliament, for which they are paid a high salary. Their role as MPs is not to provide further means of enrichment or a way of climbing the social ladder.

Some MPs are failing their true purpose, that of serving the people honestly and to the best of their abilities. I’d admire them if they could put their mind solely to running the country efficiently and honestly and not engage in business activities to enrich themselves by huge commissions and tax evasion.

 

Jos Edmond Zarb

 

Birkirkara