Opposition leader Simon Busuttil laid into parliamentary secretary Michael Falzon this morning, saying that every week, he sinks further into his own mud and that his "days are numbered".
He also said that in just two years, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had created a government so riddled with corruption that the last time Malta had experienced it was in the times of Dom Mintoff and Lorry Sant.
Making a fresh call for Dr Falzon's resignation, Dr Busuttil said the parliamentary secretary was involved in one scandal after another, all the while, negotiating his own €260,000 early retirement package from Bank of Valletta.
Speaking during a telephone interview on Radio 101, Dr Busuttil said that one only had to read the three English language newspapers to see the weight of scandals that the government and Dr Falzon are embroiled in.
He said that The Malta Independent reported that BOV managers have been told not to give information to the bank's directors and that such information can only be issued through the company secretary.
Another story, he said, claimed that Parliamentary Dr Falzon was negotiating a 65-year lease for House of the Four Winds for BOV, while at the same time negotiating his early retirement package.
He said that yet another story showed the cosy links between the Gaffarena family and the Zammit police family, where the father Ray was still given a high position following his faux pas while his son was boarded out and was then given a €60,000 salary for a position within Enemalta.
Dr Busuttil said he cannot understand how Dr Falzon has not shouldered responsibility and packed his bags and left. Dr Busuttil said he was saying what he was saying with full responsibility and that he was choosing his words carefully.
"He must resign, it is inevitable. Every week, he sinks further in more of his own mud. He was involved clearly in the Gaffarena. He went abroad with him, he met him before the Old Mint Street deal was struck. He sent a person from the Lands Department with Gaffarena to see the property. He signed off on the deal, and then he says he has nothing to do with it," said Dr Busuttil.
He asked how all this can take place while Dr Falzon was negotiating his own early retirement package. "But is it early retirement or not? He has been given €260,000, yet he reserved the right to return to work there. Have your retired or not?" he asked. He said that all the while, he was negotiating the BOV deal to keep House of the Winds on a 65 year emphyteusis. "His days are numbered," said Dr Busuttil.
Opportunities for some, or for all?
Dr Busuttil said that many Maltese parents and grandparents were asking themselves what future their children were going to have in Malta.
"Are there opportunities for some or for all? I want all doors of opportunity to be wide open for everyone irrespective of who you are and who you know. In just two years, Joseph's Muscat's cry of Malta Taghna lkoll turned out to be a lie," said Dr Busuttil.
He continued: "The opportunities are not there for all of us, just for some. Look at Minister Konrad Mizzi's wife Sai, who is on a salary of €13,000 per month. It took me two years to get an appointment with her and I had to travel to China. Before I had two objections about her, but now I have three. She is inept and does not know what she is doing."
Pointing at another appointment which he said was brazen nepotism, Dr Busuttil brought up the issue of an 18-year-old relative of a Minister Chris Cardona's Chief of Staff being appointed company secretary of a government company.
"We have all been hit by a triple whammy. Let me explain. First, there are no opportunities for people. Second, taxpayers are paying for all the nepotism that is going on, and third, you are not getting a return for your investment. These people are inept," said Dr Busuttil.
€88 million bank guarantee
He then turned to the €88 million bank guarantee issued to Enemalta. Again, Dr Busuttil quoted The Malta Independent, which has asked the government for specific details into the deal. The Government said it would not accede to our request because divulging such details could have a "harmful effect on the economy".
Dr Busuttil said: "The PM said he would build power station within two years. It is still not there. He decided who he wanted to build it, but after two years, there was no progress and he panicked so much that the government issued a €88 million guarantee."
He said that Dr Muscat promised that Enemalta would simply be purchasing electricity from a private company, but the reality is that taxpayers are funding it.
"In a lucid moment, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said he would not divulge info because it would harm the economy. That shows how worrying the situation is and that it was a bad decision. This was a farce from beginning to end," he said.
Dr Busuttil said that now, the main company in the consortium was "removed or retired", but it was still not clear which was which. "In any case, the tender should have been declared null because the conditions changed and a player pulled out of the equation," he said.
Dr Busuttil asked whether Malta was being led by a "bunch of amateurs". He said that opposition MP Marlene Farrugia was right to criticise the government and to call for an investigation into the €400 million project by the auditor general.
Pensions and bailouts
He said that in just two years, the government had issued €10 million for the PL to "snatch" Australia Hall. In addition, Gaffarena was given €3.5 million for half a property in Valletta and that over €4 million had been shelled out for Cafe Premier in Valletta. "That amounts to €18 million in total. Our pensioners are in poverty, receiving only €500 per month. Look at the difference you could have made with €18m," said Dr Busuttil.
The opposition leader said that in only two years, Joseph Muscat had created the most corrupt government since the times of Dom Mintoff and Lorry Sant. "In only two years, he has dragged us down to that level again and just imagine what they can do in another three years and God forbid, another five on top of that," concluded Dr Busuttil.