The Prime Minister must take on the role of a serious leader – ADPD

Prime Minister Robert Abela must take on the role of a serious leader in a serious country instead of taking decisions and positions that are clearly partisan in nature, ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci said.

ADPD – The Green Party Deputy Secretary General Mario Mallia said that the decision of the parliamentary committee, which includes government representatives, to accept the report by the Standards Commissioner “on the phantom job given to the wife of the Minister Clayton Bartolo, was a step in the right direction.”

“This means that there is agreement on what is clearly obvious.”  Mallia stated that in the context of this decision, “what noticeably stands out is the position taken by the Prime Minister, which is in total contrast to the position taken by Parliament’s Standards Committee consisting of deputies from both sides.  We have come to a point where the country is in agreement that there was abuse, however the Prime Minister has kept on insisting that Amanda Muscat has conducted the work she has been paid for.  For some reason, the Prime Minister keeps on denying the fact that Mrs Muscat was paid for work that she has not done, and moreover, for work that she was not qualified to do. Consultancy work has not been done, reiterated Mallia. “

Seeing that government representatives on Parliament’s Standards Committee have unanimously agreed on the Standards Commissioner’s report in its entirety, one cannot help but ask what is keeping the Prime Minister from publicly declaring that this is unacceptable.  Mallia asked why the Prime Minister has not taken the necessary disciplinary steps with the Ministers involved, and have the money paid for consultancy refunded.  It is clear, Mallia reiterated, that the Prime Minister has abdicated from all responsibility concerning accountability and ethical behaviour amongst parliamentarians.  This implies a weak leadership that gives a clear message to all that anything goes and whoever acts unethically will find protection

Gauci asked what is keeping the Prime Minister from reigning in the Cabinet from recruiting more persons of trust than necessary.  It is obvious, Gauci said, that for a number of years “the Prime Minister has closed an eye to the abusive practices involved in putting people on the public payroll, especially when it concerns people close to Ministers and the party in power. It seems that the Prime Minister is more concerned with the people in inner circles rather than meritocracy in the name of national interest.  These weaknesses are contributing to a culture of corruption and impunity.”  It comes as no surprise, said Gauci, that many young people are put off politics and also leaving the island.  “It is clear that the country is not appealing to them in many ways, including a sense of justice, meritocracy and standards of public life.”

Therefore, Gauci insisted that the Prime Minister must take on the role of a serious leader in a serious country instead of taking decisions and positions that are clearly partisan in nature.  He should take immediate, decisive, and concrete steps himself against those individuals, even if they are close to him, without having to wait for other people to do their job.  And finally, Gauci asked the Prime Minister to give an explanation how his office in Castille was responsible for the approval of thousands of euros to the minister’s wife, as a person who was neither qualified nor expert in the field concerned, especially when such payments are reserved only for exceptional cases of consultancy.    

“As the saying goes, the fish rots from the head down,” concluded Gauci.