The government has decided to challenge public opinion and the Auditor General’s report and show that it felt no shame in renewing Richard Muscat’s appointment as ambassador to the Republic of Ireland, said Malta Labour Party spokesman for foreign affairs Leo Brincat.

He quoted the Auditor General’s report that Mr Muscat’s management of the radio station Voice of the Mediterranean was not according to good governance and there had even been cases of mismanagement.

Mr Brincat said that Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo had not been involved in the original appointment of Mr Muscat, so had a chance of washing his hands of the appointment by not renewing it, as Mr Brincat had suggested in Parliament. However, he said, it seemed that Minister Frendo did not care, and he had renewed Mr Muscat’s appointment.

In doing this, said Mr Brincat, the minister and the government had sent a dreadful signal – that they did not believe in transparency and accountability. He added that this was also a negative example to the public service in

general, especially to the diplomatic corps.

Mr Brincat said such irresponsible action by the Nationalist government showed that it was a shameless government, and reinforced the determination of a new Labour government to give people an efficient, transparent and accountable administration of foreign affairs.