On 12 October, in a court case, a judge condemned all Maltese prime ministers since 1970 for depriving a number of MEB (now Enemalta) employees of their service pension.

Back in 1969, a service pension was awarded to employees of MEB (similar to that for fellow civil servants) by the then Cabinet led by Dr G. Borg Olivier. The law that granted such a pension had to have the approval of the PM. This approval has never been signed by any PM since 1969. This court decision came at a very critical time for both PN and PL political parties, that is, on the eve of a general election.

Permit me to ask the following questions in connection with this case:

·        Does a prime minister lead and take part in cabinet meetings? If so, why was any approval needed?

·        Was a pension for MEB workers the ransom for a PN re-election?

·        Where have the workers’ unions and their legal advisers been for the last 40 years? Have they been looking after their masters’ agendas and not their members’ rights?

·        Is it possible that a PM and the Secretary to the Cabinet were unaware of a pending Cabinet decision in favour of a number of civil servants?

·        Was the 1969 PN Cabinet decision still valid and thus to be respected by the new PM (Dr E. Fenech Adami), when the PN came back into office in 1987?

·        Has that 1969 Cabinet decision ever been brought to the attention of any prime minister by any serving Member of Parliament who cares about the interests of his constituents?

·        What do Dr K. Mifsud Bonnici, Dr E. Fenech Adami, Dr A. Sant and Dr L. Gonzi have to say about this court’s condemnation?

·        What is the opinion of the Maltese Church on this case? Is it going to remain diplomatically dumb, considering its boast that it runs a greenhouse for prominent political figures? Does an apparent betraying attitude on the part of celebrated church college alumni go against the Church’s moral and social teachings?

·        Will these questions be answered? 

I guess that the answer to the last question will be: No. “Omerta” is the word. The whole case will be comfortably lost in the oblivion of silent archives.

Recent statistics show that the future of politics and religion in Malta is bleak. Through experience, the old are not convinced by church front-row politicians and their sterile Sunday sermons. The young are tough enough to believe in anything and, furthermore, may be influenced by their parents’ disappointing experiences.

We are supposed to be celebrating the year of faith. Considering all the ongoing back-stabbing, in whom should we have faith?  

Is it time for some good deeds? 

Michael Agius

St PAUL’S BAY