Fir-Repubblika tal-Banana

Meta l-mexxej Laburista Robert Abela indirizza lill-partitarji fil-Każin Laburista ta’ Birkirkara, nhar il-Ħadd li għadda, kellu raġun jilmenta li s-sentenzi f’kawżi kriminali, bosta drabi jidhru baxxi jew laxki. Xi drabi qed jingħata l-messaġġ li qiesu ma ġara xejn. Il-Prim Ministru għandu bosta postijiet iktar addattati fejn jista’ jwassal il-preokkupazzjoni tiegħu dwar il-ħtieġa ta’ politika iktar addattata dwar is-sentenzi li qed jingħataw mill-Qrati.

Seta ġibed l-attenzjoni tal-President tar-Repubblika biex il-materja tkun ikkunsidrata fil-Kummissjoni għall-Amministrazzjoni tal-Ġustizzja. Seta qajjem il-materja f’laqgħa formali mal-Prim Imħallef. Seta ukoll illeġisla biex inaqqas il-flessibilità li għandha l-Qorti meta tapplika l-pieni li hemm fil-liġi. Fil-fatt kellu għad-disposizzjoni tiegħu bosta għodda jew mezzi biex jasal għall-bidla mixtieqa. Imma li joqgħod ipeċlaq fil-każin laburista ta’ B’Kara bil-prietka ta’ nhar ta’ Ħadd mhux wieħed minnhom.

F’Birkirkara Robert Abela tkellem ukoll dwar il-kunflitt ta’ interess li Membri Parlamentari li jipprattikaw il-liġi kriminali huma esposti għalih. Matul in-nofstanhar ta’ filgħodu b’abbiltà, dawn l-avukati, jiddefendu lill-klijenti tagħhom u jippreżentaw sottomissjonijiet quddiem il-Qrati dwar pieni baxxi jew tnaqqis fil-pieni inkella dwar sentenzi sospiżi.  Imbagħad, waranofsinnhar, emfasizza Robert Abela, dawn l-istess Membri Parlamentari jiġu fil-Parliament jargumentaw b’qawwa fuq il-perikli ta’ żieda fil-kriminalità.

Dwar dan għandu raġun. Imma din il-linja ta’ ħsieb ma tapplikax biss għall-avukati li jipprattikaw il-liġi kriminali.  Tapplika ukoll għal avukati fiċ-ċivil u fil-liġi kummerċjali kif ukoll għal membri parlamentari fi professjonijiet oħra kif kellna l-opportunità li naraw bosta drabi tul is-snin! Din hi esperjenza li diġà għaddejna minnha matul is-snin.

Il-Membri Parlamentari għandhom jiddedikaw il-ħin kollu tagħhom għall-ħidma parlamentari. M’għandux ikun possibli li Membri Parlamentari jibqgħu jagħmlu kwalunkwe xogħol ieħor, kemm jekk dan ikun imħallas kif ukoll jekk le. Bħala partit dan aħna ilna ngħiduh is-snin, għax nemmnu li fil-prattika hu l-uniku mod kif tista’ tindirizza u tnaqqas b’mod effettiv il-kunflitt ta’ interess ovvju li jirriżulta illi Membru tal-Parlament hu espost għalih fis-sistema tagħna kif inhi illum.

Robert Abela qal iktar minn hekk. Irrefera għad-diskursata li kellu ma’ Maġistrat dwar is-sentenzi baxxi li ħerġin mill-Qrati Kriminali. Il-Maġistrat, qal Abela, iddefendiet ruħha billi emfasizzat li s-sentenzi mogħtija qed jitbaxxew mill-Qorti tal-Appell, li fid-dawl ta’ sentenzi oħra ġja mogħtija qed tnaqqas sentenzi li jkunu ngħataw mill-Maġistrati.

Robert Abela żbalja meta ikkomunika direttament mal-Maġistrat. Żbalja iktar meta tkellem dwar dan fil-pubbliku għax b’hekk bagħat messaġġ żbaljat u inkwetanti li l-Qrati qed jirċievu ordnijiet diretti mingħand l-eżekuttiv. Dan fi kliem sempliċi hu ta’ theddida għall-indipendenza tal-ġudikatura.  Bħala avukat, bla dubju, Robert Abela jirrealizza li qabeż il-linja ta’ dak li hu tollerabbli mill-politiku f’soċjetà demokratika.

F’pajjiż demokratiku fejn is-saltna tad-dritt hi realtà mhux ħrafa, Robert Abela kien jirreżenja fi ftit siegħat minn x’ħin pubblikament ammetta  li hu għamel pressjoni fuq il-Maġistrat. Il-Maġistrat li min-naħa tagħha kompliet miegħu fid-diskussjoni s’issa, kienet tkun ġiet identifikata u dixxiplinata.

Imma, kif tafu, minn dan kollu, ma ġara xejn.

Nhar it-Tnejn fi stqarrija għall-istampa, jiena tlabt lill-President tar-Repubblika biex isejjaħ laqgħa urġenti tal-Kummissjoni għall-Amministrazzjoni tal-Ġustizzja biex din tkun tista’ tieħu l-passi neċessarja dwar dak li ġara.

S’issa għad ma ġara xejn. Forsi l-President kien imsiefer, inkella kien imħabbat b’xi attività dwar il-larinġ li nsibu fil-ġonna Presidenzjali ta’ Sant Anton.

Issa forsi jmiss iċ-ċelebrazzjoni tal-ġimgħa tal-banana fl-aġenda Presidenzjali. Bla dubju din tieħu prijorità fuq l-indipendenza tal-ġudikatura fir-Repubblika tal-Banana!

ippubblikat fuq Illum: 4 ta’ Frar 2023

In a Banana Republic

When Labour Leader Robert Abela addressed the party faithful at the Birkirkara Labour Party Club last Sunday, he was right to complain that the sentencing policy currently applied by the judiciary may at times appear as being too lenient. However, as Prime Minister he had other fora through which to convey his preoccupation and to emphasise the need of an up-to-date sentencing policy.

He could have drawn the attention of the President of the Republic in order that he may refer the matter for the consideration of the Commission for the Administration of Justice. He could have legitimately brought up the matter in a formal meeting with the Chief Justice. He could also legislate in order to restrict the current flexibility which the Courts have when applying the law. In fact, he has at his disposal various tools to bring about the change he spoke about: pontificating at the Birkirkara Labour Party Club through a Sunday political sermon is not one of these tools.

At Birkirkara Robert Abela also spoke on the conflict of interest which Members of Parliament who are practising criminal lawyers are continuously exposed to. They ably defend their clients during the morning in Court pleading in favour of minimal sentencing, including the application of suspended sentences. Then, in the afternoon, emphasised Robert Abela, in Parliament, these same Members of Parliament vociferously argue on the dangers of an increasing criminality.

He is definitely right on that. But this line of reasoning does not only apply to criminal lawyers. It is also applicable to MPs who are civil and commercial lawyers as well as to other professionals in their specific area of practice. We have been exposed to this over the years in a number of cases. Is it not about time that parliament is made up of full-timers? No Member of Parliament should carry out any other work (paid or unpaid) except that resulting from his/her parliamentary duties. My party has been emphasising this for a considerable number of years. We believe that it is the only way to effectively address the obvious conflict of interest which abounds in Parliament.

Robert Abela said more. He referred to a tete-a-tete with a sitting Magistrate with whom he discussed the lenient sentencing which the Criminal Law Courts are applying. The Magistrate, said Abela, defensively replied that it is all the fault of the appeals court as they consider themselves bound by precedent when they revise the decisions delivered by the inferior courts, ending up in lighter sentences.

Robert Abela was wrong when he conveyed his views directly to one of the Magistrates currently sitting in judgement at the inferior Courts. Bragging about it in public makes it even worse as it conveys the wrong message that the judiciary is at the beck and call of the Executive. This, in plain language, threatens the independence of the judiciary. As a lawyer, Robert Abela is undoubtedly aware that he has gone far beyond the red line.

In any other democratic country where rule of law is fact, not fiction, Robert Abela would have resigned within a couple of hours after having publicly admitting pressuring a sitting Magistrate. Similarly, the Magistrate who allowed the discussion to proceed would by now have been identified and disciplined.

But, as you are aware, nothing has happened yet.

On Monday in a press statement, I have called on the President of the Republic to convene an urgent meeting of the Commission for the Administration of Justice to take the necessary and required action. So far there has been no reaction whatsoever. Possibly his Excellency the President is currently abroad, or, maybe he is extremely busy with some activity promoting the citrous products of the presidential kitchen garden at the San Anton Presidential Palace!

As things stand banana week would definitely be a future activity in the Presidential agenda: this takes priority over the independence of the judiciary, in this Banana Republic!

published in the Malta Independent on Sunday: 5 February 2023

Abusive continuity

The distribution of multiple cheques to every household by the Labour Government on the eve of the general election is more than abusing the power of incumbency. Through the said distribution, the power of incumbency is being transformed into a corrupt practice, specifically intended to unduly influence voters.

What, in normal circumstances should be a simple administrative act is being transformed into blatant political propaganda, at public expense, straight into your letterbox. A covering letter signed by Robert Abela and Clyde Caruana says it all. A Banana Republic in all but name!

Why should such handouts be distributed on the eve of elections if not to influence voters?

Even if one were to accept that such handouts are acceptable, it is certainly not in any way justifiable to plan their distribution specifically on the eve of an election. This goes against the basic principles of good governance.

The power of incumbency is the executive power of a government seeking re-election. Incumbents always have an advantage. The manner in which they handle it defines their governance credentials.

This has been a government characterised by bad governance throughout its term in office. Right from the very beginning, on 13 March 2013. I consider the full 9 years as one continuum. This was reinforced by Robert Abela himself who emphasised that his leadership of the Labour Party seeks to continue the “achievements” of his predecessor and mentor Joseph Muscat. Continuity was his declared mission.

On its first days in office, Labour started off on its Panama tracks. The secret Panama companies set up by Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri and someone else, known as the (mysterious) owner of Egrant, went on to rock Labour over the years.

The Electrogas saga and its link to the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia intertwined with the Panama debacle.

It is now clearly established that the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia was directly linked to her investigative journalism. Her investigations led her to identify the governance credentials of various holders of political office and their links with big business. Defining their relationship as being too close for comfort would be a gross understatement.

As emphasised in the investigation report on the Daphne Caruana Galizia assassination, over the years, a culture of impunity has developed in these islands. This has led to misbehaviour in public office being normalised. It has also led to considerable resistance in the shouldering of political responsibility by holders of political office, whenever they were caught with their hand in the cookie jar! Rosianne Cutajar and Justyne Caruana being the latest examples, as amply proven by the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life George Hyzler.

To add insult to injury Cutajar and Caruana were the recipients of generous termination benefits, notwithstanding that their term of political office ended in disgrace. Caruana received terminal benefits twice in the span of a short time, as she established a national record of resigning twice from Robert Abela’s Cabinet!

With this track record one should not have expected otherwise from the Muscat/Abela administration. With the abusive distribution of cheques on the eve of the general election Labour’s current term is approaching a fitting end.

The Labour Party in government has consistently acted abusively. Robert Abela has followed in the footsteps of his predecessor and mentor Joseph Muscat. Continuity has been ensured, as promised.

published in Malta Today : Sunday 20 March 2022

Kif ser tinħatar il-ġudikatura?

Qalulna dan l-aħħar li ftehmu. Il-Ministru tal-Ġustizzja Edward Zammit Lewis qal li mal-PN ftiehem. Li l-PN u l-PL ftehmu bejniethom u li soġġett għall-approvazzjoni tal-Kummissjoni Venezja tal-Kunsill tal-Ewropa l-kaz hu prattikament magħluq.

Jiġifieri ftehmu bil-biebien magħluqa. Dan mhux sewwa u huwa inaċċettabbli anke jekk ġew ispirati mill-Kummissjoni Venezja innifisha, kif qal Zammit Lewis.

Ilkoll kemm aħna jinteressana li nikkontribwixxu għad-diskussjoni dwar kif għandhom jinħatru l-membri tal-ġudikatur. Allura għalfejn dawn id-diskussjonijiet isiru bil-bibien magħluqin?

Dawn affarijiet li jiġru f’repubblika tal-banana.

Il-pastizzi fir-Repubblika tal-Banana

Veru qegħdin ottu. L-aħħar polemika fir-Repubblika tal-Banana hi dwar il-pastizzi tas-Serkin, skond Ann Fenech.

GħaI bosta ma tagħmel l-ebda differenza fejn Joseph u ħbiebu jmorru għall-pastizzi.

Imma min-naħa l-oħra l-imġieba tal-politiku u l-pastizzi ta’ Velbert kellha tittieħed iktar bis-serjetá. Il-libelli ma jsolvu xejn ħlief itawwlu ftit iż–żmien. L-importanti imma hu li fir-Repubblika tal-Banana għandna l-aqwa Kabinett fl-Ewropa!

Xejn m’hu xejn: fir-Republika tal-Banana

 

Għall-Partit Laburista fil-Gvern, jidher li xejn m’hu xejn. Għall-Partit Nazzjonalista fl-Opposizzjoni, fil-pajjiż hawn rieħa taqsam ta’ korruzzjoni li tinxtamm wara kull kantuniera. Tlett snin ilu l-affarijiet kienu bil-maqlub. Dakinnhar għall-Partit Nazzjonalista fil-Gvern kollox kien miexi fuq ir-rubini u għall-Partit Laburista fl-Opposizzjoni l-pajjiz kien qabad it-triq tan-niżla.

Il-vizjoni taż-żewġ partiti politiċi fil-Parlament hi waħda mċajpra. Dak li jagħmlu huma hu kollu tajjeb. Huwa biss dak li tagħmel in-naħa l-oħra li hu ħażin.

Il-Prim Ministru qed jgħidilna li l-Ministru Konrad Mizzi ma għamel xejn ħażin meta akkwista jew irreġistra kumpanija fil-Panama.

Għalfejn ikunu akkwistati jew reġistrati kumpaniji fil-Panama? Jekk tfittxu u taqraw daqsxejn issibu li l-Panama, pajjiż fl-Amerika Ċentrali, huwa ħafna drabi mfittex minn min irid jaħbi l-ġid li jkun akkumula, ikun xi jkun is-sors li minnu dan joriġina. Il-Panama għandha leġislazzjoni finanzjarja żviluppata li tipprovdi fost oħrajn għal eżenzjoni minn kull taxxa lil dawk il-kumpaniji li filwaqt li jkunu reġistrati fil-Panama ma joperawx hemmhekk.

Il-Ministru Konrad Mizzi, u issa żdied miegħu ċ-Ċhief of Staff tal-Prim Ministru Keith Schembri, fil-komunikazzjonijiet tagħhom mal-istampa spjegaw li l-kumpaniji tagħhom (s’issa) la għandhom assi u l-anqas ma għamlu l-ebda transazzjoni. Mizzi qal li l-kumpanija fil-Panama u t-trust assoċjata magħha li qegħda fi New Zealand huma intenzjonati biex jamministraw il-ġid tal-familja fil-waqt li Keith Schembri qed jgħid li da parti tiegħu kellu bżonn alternattiva għal trust preżentement ibbażat f’Malta li l-bank li bħalissa qed jamministrah qed jikkunsidra li jgħaddieh f’idejn ħaddieħor.

L-opinjoni pubblika kemmxet xuftejha għal dawn l-ispjegazzjonijiet għax dawn bl-ebda mod ma jiġġustifikaw il-ħolqien ta’ kumpaniji fil-Panama li ngħiduha kif inhi, iktar huma assoċjati mal-ħabi tal-ġid milli għal xi kwalunkwe skop ieħor. Filwaqt li s’issa ħadd għadu ma ġieb l-ebda prova ta’ xi fondi illeċiti assoċjati ma dawn il-kumpaniji fil-Panama kull min għandu rasu fuq għonqu qed jistaqsi għaliex inħolqot din l-assoċjazzjoni perikoluża minn Mizzi u Schembri.

Tweġiba konvinċenti s’issa ma hemmx. Imma hu ovvju għal kulħadd li l-qasba ma ċċaqċaqx għalxejn.

Il-persuna fil-ħajja pubblika ma tiżbaljax biss meta tikser il-liġi, imma ukoll meta jibgħat messaġġi żbaljati. Hu messaġġ żbaljat dak li qed jibgħatu Konrad Mizzi u Keith Schembri meta qed jassoċjaw ruħhom mal-Panama, pajjiż li l-Unjoni Ewropea tqiesu bħala tax haven, u mal-ħasil tal-flus maħmuġin. Pajjiż li d-dinja demokratika tqiesu bħala wieħed fejn jinħbew il-flus li joriġinaw minn attività illeċita.

Hu żball oħxon tal-Prim Ministru li ma jara xejn ħażin f’dak li hu għaddej. Dan hu rifless tal-kumpass etiku tal-Prim Ministru, u sfortunatament ukoll il-kumpass etiku tal-amministrazzjoni li hu qiegħed imexxi.

Fi kwalunkwe pajjiż demokratiku ieħor, pajjiż li jirrispetta lilu nnifsu, Konrad Mizzi, anke biss bħala riżultat ta’ dak li hu magħruf s’issa, kien ikun xkupat il-barra mill-Kabinett, illum qabel għada. Minflok inħatar bħala Deputat Mexxej tal-Partit fil-Gvern.

Qed insiru pajjiż fejn xejn m’hu xejn, fejn kollox jgħaddi. Fi ftit kliem sirna qiesna Repubblika tal-Banana f’nofs il-Mediterran.

Malta: Repubblika tal-Banana fil-Mediterran

Bil-mod il-mod qiegħed jidher ċar it-twemmin politiku tal-Partit Laburista ta’ Joseph.

Alfred Sant għaddielu partit li ried jittrasforma lil Malta bħala Svizzera fil-Mediterran. Joseph jidher li hu iffukat biex jittrasforma lil din ir-Repubblika bħala r-Repubblika tal-Banana fil-Mediterran. Anzi, fl-Unjoni Ewropeja.

Ir-Repubblika tal-Banana oriġinali għandha l-oriġini tagħha fl-Amerika Ċentrali u hi deskritta fil-kitba tal-awtur Amerikan O.Henry biex jiddiskrivi r-Repubblika fittizija ta’ Anchuria fil-ktieb tiegħu Cabbages and Kings, ġabra ta’ novelli ispirati mill-perjodu li hu għex fil-Honduras, maħrub mill-ġustizzja Amerikana in konnessjoni ma’ frodi ta’ bank.

Fil-politika d-deskrizzjoni Repubblika tal-Banana tfisser li fit-tmexxija tal-pajjiż l-interessi privati ta’ dawk li jmexxu u ta’ madwarhom jiġu qabel il-ġid komuni. Terminu li intuża spiss dwar diversi pajjiżi fl-Amerika Latina u Ċentrali.

Fir-Repubblika tal-Banana l-Prim Ministru jikri lilu innifsu bħala Prim Ministru l-karozza privata tiegħu stess. Kif qed jagħmel Joseph Muscat.

Fir-Repubblika tal-Banana fl-ewwel jum tas-setgħa jixkupa lil kulħadd mit-tmexxija tad-Dipartimenti tal-Gvern. Qiesu sar kolp ta’ stat. Kif għamel Joseph Muscat. Inkluż fl-Armata ta’ Malta.

Issa għandna l-aħħar waħda.

Fir-Repubblika tal-Banana meta tinqabad tmexxi Lukanda illegali bħal-Lukanda Damiani f’Buġibba qiesu ma ġara xejn. Jekk inti Direttur tal-Awtorita’ tat-Trasport  tista’ tibqa’ hemm bħala Direttur għax l-etika fit-tmexxija tal-korpi pubbliċi hi biss materja ta’ interess akkademiku.

Repubblika tal-Banana  …………….. fil-Mediterran. L-aħjar fl-Ewropa!