The Nationalist Party has coined the expression “Kriżi ta’ Korruzzjoni”. Whoever came up with this expression does not know English or Maltese. A search on the Internet shows that BBC used the expression in relation to the Fifa scandal but the BBC title was slightly different and ran “Fifa Corruption Crisis”. The word “crisis” in English was used in reference to Fifa and not to corruption while in the Maltese version it is referring to corruption. It is a clear case where a title has been wrongly applied in the Maltese language.
This is a case in point where literal or partial translations do not work. In Maltese the expression Kriżi ta’ Korruzzjoni carries a different meaning from the one that the Nationalist Party wants to convey. It means that corruption is in crisis. But I do not think that this is the meaning that the PN wants to attribute to the present state of Muscat’s government. Ironically that would be the day when corruption in Malta enters into a crisis! Honest citizens could ask for nothing more.
Literally the title in Maltese means that we had corruption, but now, thanks to the work of the Labour Party in Government, corruption has entered into a period of crisis and this is only happening because of the good work that the government is doing in an attempt to eliminate it. But I do not believe that this is the message that the PN wants to convey through using such an expression. I am surprised that Labour did not capitalize on such a mistake.
If, for example, one uses parallel expressions like morality crisis, which in Maltese is translated into kriżimorali, the true meaning can be better understood. The word morality carries a positive meaning and is juxtaposed by the word crisis, which has a negative connotation. Thus, the meaning here is that something positive has became a negative premise. If one turns this into a mathematical equation, a positive and a negative give a negative answer. Now, the word corruption has a negative semantic meaning. This is juxtaposed by a word, crisis, which too carries a negative significance. But two negatives make a positive reply, both in English and Maltese. But I don’t think that the PN wants to portray any positive connotation to this message, unless for those who see in corruption a way to make easy money.
This was the message that Dr. Konrad Mizzi tried to inculcate in his desperate political strategy to defend himself. He is desperately trying to shift the blame on others. Last Sunday, the newspaper Illum reported that according to Dr Mizzi there are at least three Nationalists MPs who have trusts and/or shell companies. The implication here is that these MPs have not declared their companies in the declaration of assets presented to Parliament and that these accounts or companies are registered abroad. Dr Mizzi continued and stated that these MPs expressed their solidarity to him and expressed their worries that these types of misdeeds can lead to a political attack on their persona and generate a case of revenge politics.
The bottom line is that these MPs spoke to Dr Mizzi to disassociate themselves from the PN and rally Mizzi’s sympathy so that their secret assets are not revealed by Labour. There is only one word to describe this situation - “omerta’”.
Assuming that what Mizzi has said is true, we have to thank Dr Simon Busuttil for challenging this political “omerta’”. It is the duty of the Malta Labour Party to denounce all the wrong doings of the Opposition. By his statement, Dr Konrad Mizzi has implicitly admitted that what he had done is wrong. More importantly, he has admitted there is a mafia in Parliament, where MPs involved in illicit behaviour seek to conglomerate and support each other.
Inadvertently, Dr Mizzi has opened a can of worms, which only he can close, by disclosing the names of these three MPs. By releasing such a statement, Dr Mizzi thought that he would be harming the Opposition, while revitalising the Labour core. Immediately, Labour supporters started parroting Mizzi in the belief that by this, Labour would be exposing corruption within the PN. Furthermore, these same supporters invited metaphorically their friends to buy popcorn while watchingMizziflogging the Nationalists MPs. None of this has happened. Mizzi did not reveal any names.
Dr Mizzi and his Labour supporters should be reminded of what Eddie Fenech Adami used to say in the good old days: ‘”min ma jiġġielidx il-korruzzjoni hu korrott” or “those who do not fight corruption are corrupt”. Dr Mizzi is duty bound to expose those within the PN who have undeclared trusts or funds. Failing to do so would mean that he is either lying or is in association with the corrupt.
Instead, the emphasis has now shifted on a presumed businessman, who till now, has not been named. According to L-Orizzont, this businessman is in panic after the minister got to know that he has spilled the beans. All Labour’s discourse about the Whistle Blower Act got buried in the sand. Now Labour supporters are asking to know the name of this whistle blower to literally lynch him. All this Labourbehaviour is confirming one thing. What Dr. Mizzi has done is morally and politically unacceptable.
What Labour needs to stop doing is to attempt to shift the focus away from serious issues under the spotlight. This no longer works. When the Gaffarena case broke into the open, Labour spokespersons sought to shift the emphasis onto the economy and demonstrate how strong it was. However using this same carrot cannot work now for Dr. Mizzi does not seem to have faith in Malta's financial structures, since he opened his company and trust fund in faraway countries. He has even admitted to having brokenfinancial laws, which in itself, is a serious confession that should be followed by resignation.
Attempting to shift the focus on Austin Gatt can no longer workeither,as Gatt is no longer in politics. Labour cannot mention John Dalli, Ninu Zammit or Michael Falzon. When in Opposition Labour accused Dalli of dirty finance. Falzon and Zammit had secret Swiss accounts but these three politicians have somehow been embraced within the different facets of Muscat’s movement. Now, thanks to the Malta Independent, there is another link that brings these men closer to Mizzi. Like Mizzi, they had foreign accounts, and like Mizzi, they were responsible either for the procurement of fuel or for Mater Dei. What we have here is more than a Kriżi ta’ Korruzzjoni!