The now defunct project of the extension of the St John’s Co-Cathedral museum raised a lot of questions, with some of them still unanswered. The vast majority of the people and civil society were against this project from the outset. However the government was deaf and opted not to comment at the beginning. The opposition, rightly so, took great interest in the arguments put forward by civil society and other interested parties. Soon afterwards, a motion was tabled in parliament by Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat. The government was not at all comfortable with this motion, which led to an over-reaction by the Prime Minister himself when he presented a procedural motion to change the days when parliament meets, the quorum rule and when votes are taken.

But finally the motion presented by Dr Muscat to stop the project to dig a five-storey pothole, as if we don’t have enough in our roads, was scheduled to be debated. The Prime Minister felt the pressure more and more as the debate approached. This motion was put on the Parliamentary agenda of Wednesday, 11 February. But as the divine light hit St Paul on his way to Damascus, on 10 February, when the feast of St Paul Shipwreck was being celebrated, finally some kind of light hit the Prime Minister and he discussed this issue with the Archbishop. It was a known fact, thanks to Dr Muscat once again, that the Curia was against this project. The Archbishop therefore convinced the Prime Minister that it would be better if this project were to be stopped.

And so be it. Just two hours before the debate began in Parliament a statement issued by the DOI confirmed that the Prime Minister and the Archbishop had given instructions to their representatives on the Foundation that administers the Co-Cathedral to stop pursuing this project. When the debate was about to start the Opposition Leader said that the scope of the motion was reached and as such the motion could be withdrawn. Nearly all the people were happy that the right decision was taken.

However two days later Richard Cachia Caruana, who is also one of the government representatives on the St John’s Foundation, opted to comment. Of course he, like everyone else, has the right to comment and voice his opinion but I was mostly struck not by the comments but more so by the arrogant tone that he used. This shows that this man has no respect for Parliament and also for the right of Parliamentarians to debate national issues. We Parliamentarians were given the right to do so by the people after contesting an election so therefore I ask who gave RCC the right to speak so arrogantly, especially when he said that “it is sad when decisions are not allowed to be taken by professionals?”

Well, I suppose that many of you are aware that this man is behind many important decisions taken by the current administration. Being not an elected man this is very undemocratic since a politician is given power by the people but in this case power was taken by himself. Thank God that in this country we have a positive and effective opposition that prevented the continuation of a project which seems to have been wanted by an unelected man only.

Jobless

The current situation is not at all rosy where jobs are concerned. The news of companies, small and larger ones that are shedding jobs or reducing to a four-day week is very worrying. As a country we should do what it takes to protect jobs and this should be at the very top of the national agenda. The government until now did not pronounce itself on this in spite of various appeals coming from the opposition and the Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry.

Not only, but when in February the statistics for unemployment for the month of September 2008 were published the euphoria in the Nationalist media was at its best. They were saying that in spite of the international crisis Malta is doing well since, according to the unemployment statistics when comparing September 2008 to the same period in 2007 unemployment dropped by 533. But while everyone should be happy with this let us not forget those who are still trying hard to find a decent job.

Furthermore in September 2008 the international crisis had not hit our shores as badly as it is doing now. As such it was not a fair comment, nor a good analysis to say that in spite of the crisis Malta is still doing well where unemployment is concerned. Another question that also was brought to my attention was why the September 2008 figures are published in February 2009? Why do these figures take this long to be published when data is available at the push of a button? To this question I had no answer and I thought that if I write about it maybe someone will give an answer. Whatever the answer on the issue of unemployment we have to be serious and responsible.

Carmelo Abela is deputy speaker and Labour main spokesperson for industry and foreign investment

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