In my previous article last Tuesday, I had forecasted that the PM will not dismiss either Minister Konrad Mizzi or his chief of staff Keith Schembri, both seriously embroiled in the Panama Papers scandal. The PM anticipated my predictions and confirmed my hunch during the press conference he addressed last Thursday. The PM moved Dr Mizzi laterally and retained Mr Schembri in his post. The Prime Minister was all along playing for time since the Panama Papers scandal surfaced.
The PM’s decision to keep Minister Mizzi and chief of staff Schembri continues to cloud Malta’s visibility in the international fora, with both gentlemen declining to assume their political and administrative responsibility, respectively. It looks as if both are indispensable to the prime minister. In the process, political and fiscal morality has been savagely attacked, with very wrong signals sent to all and sundry.
The Panama Papers scandal has been rumbling on for more than eight weeks and the PM’s decision to keep both has avowed that this scandal will continue to haunt the PM, government and the PL.
This is a serious matter, so weighty that, prior to the PM’s announcement of the cabinet reshuffle, senior ministers felt the need to make public their concerns about the Panama Papers scandal. From the outset, the PN has voiced the people’s concerns and the serious negative implications for Malta emanating from this world-wide scandal. Notwithstanding the public outcry, the PM procrastinated to take a decision. It was clear what action was to be taken in the circumstances, all that is except for the PM and his aides.
To add insult to injury, when on Thursday the PM announced the cabinet reshuffle, Dr Mizzi was moved from the position of health and energy minister to an analogous ministerial grade with the responsibility to carry out special projects, the first of which was that of the power station. This is nothing but an affront to society.
The PM had clearly lost control of the situation and the postponement of a decision was not in any way making things easier. Pressure was mounting and since the press conference last Thursday, the general public is now infuriated. Unfortunately, the prime minister has skirted the scandal.
Since Independence, the time I have vivid recollections, I hold, with one exception, whose premiership was marked with politically motivated violence, all former prime ministers in high esteem and give them credit for their genuine efforts and leadership skills. But the current PM’s decision is the epitome of decadent leadership.
Last Thursday’s press conference by the PM did not address the people’s concerns. On the contrary, this may be the very beginning of a series of protests by civil society.
It was around mid-April that, in this sense, Chamber of Commerce president Anton Borg sought the assurance of the Leader of the Opposition Dr Simon Busuttil that the PN will not resort to a nation-wide general strike. Reportedly, Dr Busuttil assured Mr Borg that the PN had no intention to resort to a general strike. Dr Busuttil, rightly so, dismissed any rumours of the sort.
If anything, political parties can resort to civil disobedience but not to a general strike. Let me be clear, I am not in any way soliciting the PN leadership to take this route, but the Opposition cannot allow itself to be ignored on an issue that is maligning Malta’s reputation.
While on the subject it is pertinent to note that the current Employment and Industrial Relations Act does not provide for political parties to resort to any form of industrial action, let alone a general strike. Registered trade unions and employers’ bodies are the only organisations that can resort to different forms of industrial action, from wild-cat strikes to nation-wide general strikes by trade unions to lock-outs from employers.
In normal circumstances, trade unions resort to a nation-wide general strike when all avenues have failed to reach a compromise acceptable to both parties, unless a fundamental right is being challenged or attacked wherein no compromise can be sought. Trade unions can resort to a general strike on the premiss that their action is in furtherance of an industrial trade dispute.
Back to the cosmetic reshuffle, in the eyes of many this government is far off the mark on the good governance scoreboard. The last resort that our society has to bring government to a right frame of mind is civil society. Civil society has the power to push government to reclaim good governance and bring back political stability.
It is now up to civil society - you and me, to make our voice heard and put an end to this travesty.
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