Air Malta workers are being used, yet again, as a political football, ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said Saturday.

Whereas before the general election Air Malta workers were promised employment on the same terms and conditions as their Air Malta job, government is now realising that this is an impossible promise to keep, he said.

The media reports that Minister Clyde Caruana is now reneging on the commitment he made with Air Malta employees in February, a few weeks before elections, is testament to a cynical political ploy. It is yet another confirmation that the clientalist political system is still as strong as ever.

We have now become used to governments paying lip service to the principles of good governance, but then unashamedly practicing vote buying, reneging on their impossible promises once the election is over.

Dr Ralph Cassar, ADPD - The Green Party Secretary General said that the government’s attitude in relation to Air Malta is another consequence of the PLPN system. “The Air Malta problem is what it is because of years on years of political clientelism. Air Malta has been plagued by this nepotistic and cleintelist political interference since its inception in fact. PLPN have milked Air Malta dry. It was their cash-cow in their respective bids to cling to power. We are all victims of these shameful PLPN practices, because our public funds and taxes have been used to buy votes through the Air Malta ‘cow’.”

Carmel Cacopardo concluded by insisting that “political clientelism is a direct consequence of a parliament totally dominated by two parties. They have consistently joined forces to resist electoral reform because they know that a pluralist parliament will mean an end to their nepotistic and clientelist politics.”