Finally, there is a judge with guts who has no qualms in calling a spade a spade. Judge Michael Mallia’s report breaks the covert alliance that was, until recently, in existence between a section of the police force and some businessmen. I am normally critical of the Prime Minister’s work but I cannot hide my admiration for his having appointed Judge Mallia to look into this mess, thus breaking away from the traditional system where politicians usually appointed judges whom they knew beforehand would readily submit a ‘friendly’ report.

Let us be frank. Hugo Chetcuti built his empire during the PN administration. Only with the change of Government did his name start to crop up in the media. I find Hugo Chetcuti’s allegation, made through his lawyer, both preposterous and verging on the ridiculous. Hugo Chetcuti is claiming that Judge Mallia has defamed him and is threatening the honourable judge with libel.

It should be remembered that the PN is mounting its campaign against Roderick Zammit, and his father Ray Zammit, who was the Acting Commissioner of Police during the time, when his cousin, Manuel Mallia, was minister of Police. Following Judge Mallia’s report, Beppe Fenech Adami and Jason Azzopardi have rightly asked for Ray Zammit’s resignation or removal from his new postings; that of acting director of prison and as head of the local enforcement agency. Ray Zammit should have offered his resignation. In case he refuses, the Government is duty bound to sack him. It is shameful that the Minister of Justice and Culture ended up defending him. In these circumstances, Simon Busuttil is right to ask:"What does former Acting Police Commissioner know about the government for him to be given this protection?"

Chetcuti’s advocate, Dr Fenech argued that the fact that a former police inspector held a birthday party at Mr Chetcuti’s residency disproves the Judge’s interpretation. His lawyer seems to imply that the wrongdoing, in this case, could only be ascertained had the said inspector held his party in one of Chetcuti’s clubs. The Malta Independent reported that according to Chetcuti’s lawyer “the birthday party held for Roderick Zammit was held in his private property, not at one of his establishments, and no one asks for an entry fee when organizing a party at his own house. All expenses for the party were paid for by Daniel Zammit”. The problem with this event was that it was held in a private residence. Had it been held in a public place, Zammit could have produced a receipt – as was the case of Chris Cardona who produced a contract – but as it was held in a private residence, this type of ploy cannot work. Private properties and residences are not licensed to host such private parties. And having a police inspector holding parties in a residence of someone who happens to be the owner of more than one gentlemen’s club in Paceville speaks volumes.

Incidentally, the Centre Right was normally in favour of these sorts of clubs.  Herbert Ganado, for example, argued in favour of having authorized brothels in Malta. Ganado represented the Catholic Church’s voice in Malta. Socialists and the entire Left were the political group normally opposing these clubs. The reason was not linked to concepts of liberalism or sexual freedom but to the fact that brothels led to the exploitation of women. In fact, the categories of women that are normally employed in these clubs were until recently mostly Eastern Europeans. On the premise of ethnicity, one can fathom whether there is exploitation or not behind this so-called business.

Ironically, we have a Minister for Culture who, in the name of sexual freedom, will be making it easier to exploit women and vulnerable persons through his decision to make brothels legal. This legislation will not benefit women but will only profit individuals and businessmen who will be guaranteed even greater revenue.

I refer our Minister of Culture, Dr Peter Fenech and his client Hugo Chetcuti to a quote from a letter sent by Edmund Burke to the French National Assembly at the height of the French Revolution:

“Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites, — in proportion as their love to justice is above their rapacity, — in proportion as their soundness and sobriety of understanding is above their vanity and presumption, — in proportion as they are more disposed to listen to the counsels of the wise and good, in preference to the flattery of knaves. Society cannot exist, unless a controlling power upon will and appetite be placed somewhere; and the less of it there is within, the more there must be without. It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters”

Edmund Burke, Letter to a Member of the National Assembly (1791)

An Arab proverb reduces this rather complicated and philosophical maxim to a down-to-earth saying "If sheep are dispersed, they will be led by scruffy goats".