Another week, another scandal. Another resignation. I write this column every week and, each time, I find myself asking, “How low can this government go?” Well, looks like “low” for Labour means very, very low. And there is always a new low to reach.
On Wednesday came the publication of the much awaited National Auditor’s report on the Gaffarena/Old Mint Street/Michael Falzon scandal. The damning report does not only confirm what the Opposition has been saying all along. It goes further. The report’s executive summary is enough to expose the sheer swamp of sleaze that has engulfed Joseph Muscat’s government.
The NAO report speaks of how “collusive action” and lack of “standards expected in terms of good governance” actually “put Gaffarena at an unfair advantage”. The report also seriously questions the “necessity and utility” of the acquisition of the property.
Even more damning, the report established that Michael Falzon, along with the Director of (government) Estate Management and the Director General at the Government Property Department played “a key role in the expropriation” and the “conclusion of these negotiations would not have been possible without the endorsement of the DG GPD and final authorization by the PS OPM” (ie Michael Falzon).
Isn’t this what the Opposition has been saying for the past eight months?
Muscat and Falzon were somehow hoping the truth would not come out but, when it did, they gave a press conference announcing the resignation of the Parliamentary Secretary. Following the press conference, Muscat rushed to tweet: “Times have changed. The country has changed”. To which I would add: “Sure … down a very slippery slope thanks to Joseph Muscat.”
Muscat’s elves also rushed to support him with tweets and posts on how the Prime Minister reacted “promptly”. Who do they think they’re fooling? For the past eight months we have had a charade of events with statements on how Falzon did not really know Gaffarena but actually went on a hunting trip with him, etc, etc.
At this point we have to look at the bigger picture. Do you know who the Minister responsible for the Lands department is? It is none other than the Prime Minister himself, Joseph Muscat.
In Parliament, if I put a question to the Parliamentary Secretary for Health (Chris Fearne), I actually have to address it to the Minister for Energy and Health (Konrad Mizzi). Likewise, it is the Prime Minister who answers for the Parliamentary Secretary for Planning. The Minister, in this case the Prime Minister, is politically fully responsible for the decisions taken by his junior Minister, (ie) Michael Falzon.
The very obvious question therefore is: “How will Muscat take political responsibility for this huge scandal?” The Gaffarena scandal happened under his watch. This mess boils down to Muscat’s bad judgement. I have no doubt that Muscat will not resign. His hubris simply will not let him. He will make cosmetic changes to try and hide the obvious fact that his government is sliding down a very slippery slope greased by corruption.
Two music icons died recently, David Bowie and Glenn Frey. One of Bowie’s great songs is called Under Pressure and one of Frey’s is The Heat is On. Don’t hold your breath for One Radio to play them, though.