Obscene Muscatocracy ousts Meritocracy

The worst thing that happened to Joseph Muscat, the Labour Party and, unfortunately, to Malta, was that Labour won the 2013 election with an overwhelming majority of 35,107 votes. This result went to Muscat’s head. Arrogantly, he thinks he can do anything

Addressing a press conference shortly after being sworn in as Prime Minister on 11 March, Muscat exchanged his first thoughts with journalists. “We promised the people of Malta and Gozo that we shall govern as a movement and that is what we shall be doing. It is the new Government’s desire, and mine as Prime Minister, to work with the Opposition and with all those who, though they do not agree with us, want to work with us. This historic result places more responsibility on the new government’s shoulders than the responsibility held by previous governments. We are ready to serve and to fulfil our dream, our vision that Malta belongs to us all (Malta tagħna lkoll)”.

Muscat further elaborated that, “In our challenges we want to involve the Opposition as our belief is to look for and discover common ground with everybody. As Prime Minister, I have a responsibility even towards those who disagree with me. Our promise that ‘one might not agree with us but one can still work with us’ will be a state of fact and the new government is committed to prove this. We shall argue but shall discuss in a civil manner and not with senseless and personal attacks.” I never believed him.

Muscat contradicts his words

As soon as shameless Muscat took over the seat of power, he started ignoring pre-electoral promises and the worthless declarations he made just after being sworn in. The new Administration immediately started on a comprehensive exercise appointing new Boards of authorities and committees. It came as no surprise to me, and not expected by many after Muscat’s fake promise of meritocracy, that the absolute majority of board members were removed and new ones appointed.

Abuse of power took over the sense of reasoning of Muscat and his Government. Some board members who were removed were not even officially informed of their removal or, out of courtesy, sent a letter of thanks for services rendered. Some learnt of their removal through the media or the government gazette. Labour Party membership or assistance given during the electoral campaign were the appointees’ required competences. Being a friend, or a friend of a friend, or a member of the clique that had just assumed power was indispensable.

The day after Muscat was sworn in as Prime Minister, the Permanent Secretaries heading the civil service in every Ministry, notwithstanding their contracts, were asked whether they were prepared to resign and to do so by 3 pm of that same day. The new Administration was so madly excited demanding resignations that even the Board Members of the Broadcasting Authority were asked to submit their resignation – something anti-constitutional as these are appointed by the President. A multitude of vindictive transfers followed.

Meritocracy Muscat style

Prior to the election, Muscat pontificated about meritocracy and about those who, he slyly said, could still work with Labour even if they did not agree with Labour. He also emphasised this with the journalists after being sworn in as Prime Minister. Muscat insisted that a Labour government under his leadership would be “an inclusive one” and what mattered would be what one knew and not who one knew.

A few weeks prior to the election Muscat wrote that “to be Labour or Nationalist would be secondary for me; the important thing is what one can do – meritocracy.” Together with Muscat’s battle cry of “Malta belongs to us all” (Malta tagħna lkoll), these words impacted on the electorate and were crucial for the Labour victory.

The majority of the electorate believed Muscat’s promise that when the Labour Government would be making appointments, it would ignore political allegiances as “the time of partisanship and pique is over”. The majority believed that Muscat’s government would be guided solely by competence and merit. A very far cry!

Many of those who believed Muscat’s pre-election promises, some Labour followers included, immediately realised the deception in Muscat’s promises. Once achieved his aim and became Prime Minister, supposedly for all Maltese and Gozitans, his deception was conspicuous. Meritocracy was dead and buried.

A number of appointments, in line with Muscat’s sham claim of meritocracy, were given to those who consented to appear on Labour electoral billboards around the Maltese islands. A lady having the words “Because I believe in meritocracy” under her picture on a billboard was one of the numerous appointees. Other appointments were given to those who declared on the Labour TV that they shall be voting Labour for the first time. Even unsuccessful Labour candidates were compensated. Muscat and his clan hurriedly invented positions to accommodate “friends” who worked for the Labour victory. This was Muscat’s way of saying thank you, with the taxpayers forking the respective senseless salaries.

Disgusting Muscatocracy

During the past four years of Labour Administration we had baffling appointments. A “friend” was appointed to find a garage where bands could practice. Another “friend” got a position of trust as dog-handler at the Office of the Prime Minister. Incredible, to say the least. An unending list of positions of trust in the various Ministries and elsewhere were created. Listing all the obscene appointments during these four years, including Ministers’ wives receiving appointments and promotions, is impossible. However, those handed out to members of the same family are outrageous.

Joseph Vella Bonnici, an unsuccessful Labour candidate, was appointed Executive Chairman at Identity Malta. His wife, previously employed as secretary in the private sector, was appointed Personal Assistant to the Chief Executive at Malta Industrial Parks. Their son, Zabbar Labour Mayor, was appointed assistant on special projects with the Ambassador to Malta for Azerbaijan and Ukraine. Three brothers of Joseph Vella Bonnici were employed with Identity Malta where their brother is Executive Chairman.

One of Vella Bonnici’s brothers-in-law was employed with the Directorate for Civil Aviation and also appointed Board Member of Transport Malta, whilst another was appointed Artistic Director with Valletta 2018. This, not to mention, that one of Vella Bonnici’s nieces was appointed with CHOGM 2015 but resigned soon after. I do not know what else to call this except sheer arrogance and abuse of power.

What a shame!

With the obscene appointments and promotions handed out and still being issued, one understands why certain people worked hard for a Labour victory. Everything was planned beforehand, including the promise of compensation after the election.

Whoever followed closely what was said during Labour activities prior to the election should have realised what was in the pipeline. Jason Micallef, Labour’s ex-General Secretary, declared, “We shall be a government for Labour people” (se nkunu gvern tal-laburisti). Silvio Parnis explicitly stated “we are already prepared who will go in which department.”

I thank my parents for guiding me, when I was young, that to progress in life I had to study hard to obtain meaningful qualifications. Also, they stressed, that once in employment, I should work hard and ethically with honesty and integrity throughout. This good advice I have passed on to my children.

However, the friends of friends of Muscat’s Labour progressed in a different way. They worked hard for Labour to get in power and are ensuring it stays there. They have a lot to lose if it does not. Margaret Thatcher said that the stink of scandals starts cropping up after ten years in power. With Muscat’s Labour government, scandals started from day one. Muscat’s promise of meritocracy was indeed atrocious. The cruelty about it being that it was believed by the majority of the electorate.

Muscat declared that to be Labour or Nationalist was something secondary for him. Now we understand why he said that. What is primarily important for him is that one forms part of the Labour scandalous clique.

This is not the movement that offers aspiration to whoever wished to move forward as promised in Labour’s electoral programme.This is a bogus movement.

In our challenges we want to involve the Opposition as our belief is to look for and discover common ground with everybody. As Prime Minister, I have a responsibility even towards those who disagree with me. Our promise that “one might not agree with us but one can still work with us” will be a state of fact and the new government is committed to prove this.