Delia accuses government of raping institutions

On the day when the latest opinion survey showed that the Nationalist Party’s trust rating had improved, leader Adrian Delia spoke in Paola and accused the government of taking over of institutions.

A MaltaToday survey showed that the PN seemed to have reversed a downward trend that had been developing since May. In this latest survey, the PN registered a 29 per cent support rate, up four points on the September survey. Last May, the party had registered a 32.1 per cent support rate, the highest since Delia became party leader. Since then, the party appeared to have slipped and, in September, reached the lowest point of 24.8 per cent.

The Labour Party remained in the same position, with 47.3 per cent, so any ground gained by the PN did not come about at PL’s expense.

Speaking in Paola, Delia focused largely court-related issues, leaving the would-be teachers’ strike to be discussed by the party’s secretary general Clyde Puli.

Delia began by referring to the decision by the Constitutional Appeals Court, which last week confirmed a preceding decision by the Constitutional Court that Assistant Commissioner of Police Silvio Valletta, who is married to Gozo Minister Justyne Caruana, should have no role in the investigation into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Attorney General Peter Grech had appealed this decision.

Since the appeals court decision, there had been no reaction from the attorney general, the justice minister or the government, Delia said.

Next, Opposition leader blasted Finance Minister Edward Scicluna’s ‘surprise’ at the perception of Malta by people he met on his travels around the world (including a taxi driver in Latin America). There is no need to be surprised, he said, when the European Banking Authority has now condemned both the MFSA and the FIAU and steps are being taken to ensure that the Maltese institutions act according to law. Minister Scicluna was the first minister to be targeted by a European institution, he added.

He then blasted the Planning Authority for bringing back to Malta on a private jet a PA board member so that she could cast her vote on the controversial db Group tower in Paceville, costing the taxpayer no less than €8,750, when she could have easily crossed over from Sicily for €200. Planning Authority Johann Buttigieg had initially defended his decision but was later criticised by the prime minister. Buttigieg later said that in future he would consult the prime minister. Everything in Malta was run by one or two people, Delia commented.

He then reminded his audience of the promised health centre hub that had been held back because of a tendering issue.

A recent court decision heavily criticised the government for appointing incompetent persons to adjudication boards. Again, the government had not, he said.

Delia only mentioned the teachers’ issue, which was extensively dealt with by party secretary general Puli, except to ask if the government intended to bring in teachers from Pakistan or Bangladesh as had happening with bus drivers.

He was roundly condemned by a Labour Party statement describing him as a racist on the one hand, but also insisting this would not happen on the other.

The PN, as part of its campaign for a caring society, is holding talks with stakeholders urging a common front against a government that intends to take over all institutions and steamroll over the public. The PN intends to fight this attempt not just through the courts, but by doing what was done in the past to safeguard Malta’s democracy.

In his speech, Mr Puli criticised the lack of progress in building new schools and in furnishing school labs but reserved his most cutting comments for the teachers’ issue which almost led to a strike.

The government intended to act by stealth to make the teachers’ warrants temporary and they could be re-issued or withheld by a board appointed by the government itself so that people approved by the government could be promoted and those not liked by the government held back or even sacked.

The government had retreated because the teachers had put up a fight, he said, adding that this was a valuable lesson for all.