Min jitwieled tond, ma jmutx kwadru

Uħud ma kienux qed jistennew li Malta tiżdied fuq il-lista l-griża tal-Financial Action Task Force (FATF).  Il-kitba, iżda, ilha fuq il-ħajt għal bosta żmien. Sfortunatament il-linġwaġġ tal-governanza tajba ma jinftiehemx minn kulħadd. B’mod partikolari, min l-unika valur li jifhem fih hu dak tal-flus, ftit li xejn ser jifhem u jagħti kaz.  

Uħud donnhom jgħixu kontinwament fid-dellijiet. Donnhom jippreferu li jinsatru fid-dell tal-kważi anonimità. It-taħwid f’dan it-tip ta’ ambjent hu ferm iktar faċli.

Skond rapporti fil-media, l-awditur intern tal-Awtorità tal-Artijiet,  Charlene Muscat, qed tingħata l-ġemb u ġiet miżmuma milli taqdi r-responsibbiltajiet tagħha. Qed jingħad li dan ilu jseħħ numru ta’ xhur.  Wara li ħejjiet rapport kritiku dwar ħidmet l-Awtorità tal-Artijiet issa ser tispiċċa trasferita x’imkien ieħor fis-servizz pubbliku.  

Charlene Muscat, li kienet ġurnalista mal-One kif ukoll hi ex-Sindku Laburista tal-Imqabba kienet impjegata biex tiffaċilita l-governanza tajba fl-Awtorità tal-Artijiet u dan billi tagħmel il-verifiki interni ta’ ħidmet l-awtorità.  Ġiet miżmuma milli tagħmel xogħolha billi, fost oħrajn ma tħallietx tattendi laqgħat tal-Bord u nżammilha aċċess għall-files meħtieġa biex tagħmel xogħolha. Fi ftit kliem xi ħadd iddeċieda li xogħol l-awditur intern ma kienx iktar meħtieġ. Nifhem dan xi jfisser għax dan għaddejt minnu jiena ukoll f’ċirkustanzi oħra xi żmien ilu.

Dan hu eżempju ieħor ta’ Gvern li jgħid ħaġa u jagħmel oħra: jikkuntrasta ma dak kollu li ntqal dwar il-posizzjoni ta’ Malta fuq il-lista l-griża tal-FATF. Il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela ilu jxerred id-dmugħ tal-kukkudrilli dwar kemm Malta ġiet ittrattata ħażin meta tqegħdet fuq din il-lista l-griża, għax ma ħaqqiex hekk. Imbagħad, fl-istess ħin il-Gvern tiegħu stess jirresisti proċessi ta’ verifika trasparenti, tant essenzjali biex tkun assigurata governanza tajba.  Mingħajr  governanza tajba, trasparenza u kontabilità, ftit hemm ċans li neħilsu minn posizzjoni fuq il-lista l-griża!

L-Awtorità tal-Artijiet twaqqfet ftit wara li tfaċċa l-iskandlu Gaffarena, bħala rimedju għat-taħwid li kien tfaċċa dakinnhar. Għad hemm lok għal bosta spjegazzjonijiet anke dwar dan, għax il-ħolqien tal-Awtorità jidher li ma solviet xejn, għax min jitwieled tond, ma jmutx kwadru.

Dak li kien CEO tal-Awtorità tal-Artijiet, James Piscopo, kien warrab mill-kariga tiegħu ftit inqas minn sena ilu. Il-kuntratt tiegħu ma kienx ġie mġedded, u dan meta bdew jissemmew numru ta’ allegazzjonijiet serji fil-konfront tiegħu.  Kien intqal li t-taqsima tar-reati ekonomiċi fil-korp tal-Pulizija kienet qed tinvestiga numru ta’ transazzjonijiet offshore. Investigazzjoni kumplessa li jekk u meta tkun konkluża setgħet possibilment titfa’ dawl fuq  bosta ħwejjeġ. Dak li kien skrivan mal-Air Malta għad hemm bosta ħwejjeġ x’jispjega!

Iil-qarrejja bla dubju jiftakru x’għadda bejn is-sidien tal-Lukanda Fortina u l-Awtorità tal-Artijiet. Kif art pubblika li oriġinalment ngħatat b’kundizzjonijiet favorevoli għat-turiżmu spiċċat tiġi sviluppata b’mod spekulattiv għal ufiċċini u appartamenti. Żvilupp li qed iwassal għal qliegħ ta’ miljuni, a spejjes tal-kaxxa ta’ Malta. S’issa għad mhux ċar kif dan seħħ u min kien responsabbli biex ippermettieħ. L-Awtorità tal-Artijiet għad trid tispjega x’ġara eżattament.

Fid-dell, kważi mistura, hemm numru ta’ interessi kummerċjali marbutin flimkien. Interessi li nifhem li bdew ifeġġu fuq l-iskrijn tal-komputer ta’ dik li kienet l-awditur intern tal-Awtorità tal-Artijiet. L-ispjegazzjonijiet iżda qatt ma ngħataw.

Meta nħolqot l-Awtorità tal-Artijiet, flok dak li kien id-Dipartiment tal-Artijiet, kien intqal b’ħafna pompa li ser tiddaħħal iktar serjetà fl-amministrazzjoni tal-art pubblika. Ma kienx ser ikollna iktar “King tal-Lands”, għax kollox kien ser jgħaddi f’idejn ir-Repubblika!  Fir-rapporti annwali tal-Awtorità tal-Artijiet hu emfasizzat li din hi mibnija fuq prinċipji sodi: fuq sens ta’ ġustizzja, kontabilità u trasparenza. Probabbilment li dik li kienet awditur intern ma taqbel xejn ma dan!  

ippubblikat fuq Illum: il-Ħadd 4 ta’ Lulju 2021

Sakemm għandkom il-flus fil-but ………………

Fil-mass meeting ta’ Kastilja l-bieraħ Joseph Muscat sab il-ħin jitkellem fuq kollox ħlief fuq l-iskandlu tal-kumpaniji tal-Panama.

Mhux ser ngħid li għamel ħażin li tkellem fuq ix-xogħol u l-ekonomija. Jew fuq fejn wasal s’issa l-Gvern u x’baqa’ jagħmel, b’mod partikolari dwar il-prekarjat. Kien il-mument opportun li jitkellem dwar dan. Imma l-messaġġ kien wieħed ċar u li jmur lil hinn mill-ekonomija w x-xogħol: sakemm għandkom il-flus fil-but dawn l-iskandli m’huma xejn.

Għalhekk żied jgħid li hu u sħabu ser ipattu għall-iżbalji billi jaħdmu iktar.

Issa sfortunatament, dawn l-iżbalji qed jiżdiedu u huma wieħed agħar mill-ieħor (Cafè Premier, Gaffarena, Panama). Interessanti ukoll li dawn l-iżbalji kbar, f’kull wieħed minnhom hemm imdeffes l-Uffiċċju tal-Prim Ministru.

Tajjeb li niftakru x’qal Michael Falzon Segretarju Parlamentari li spiċċa mill-kariga minħabba wieħed minn dawn l-iskandli: li hu kien qed jerfa’ s-salib ta’ ħaddieħor.

 

Michael Falzon vittma?

Qed jingħad li Michael Falzon hu vittma, għax kellu jirriżenja minkejja li ma għamel xejn ħażin. Huwa stess emfasizza li fl-ebda ħin ma ndaħal, la biex saru l-istimi u fl-ebda materja oħra konnessa mal-esproprijazzjoni.

Kull persuna politika f’kariga eżekuttiva trid iġġorr ir-responsabbiltà politika għall-ħidma tad-dipartimenti li jkunu responsabbli għalihom. Spiss insegwu politiċi jiftaħru bil-ħidma tad-dipartimenti differenti. Konferenzi stampa ma jispiċċaw qatt, artikli fl-ewwel paġna tal-gazzetti u xandir ta’ aħbarijiet fuq ir-radju u it-TV. Anke meta l-politiku ma jkun għamel xejn, jippretendi li jieħu l-mertu.

Bl-istess mod li l-politiku jieħu l-mertu meta l-ħidma tagħti riżultati tajbin irid jieħu t-tort meta l-effetti jkunu negattivi.

Il-politiku f’kariga eżekuttiva jkollu l-għajnuna fil-ħidma tiegħu. Din hi l-funzjoni tas-segretarjat privat tal-Ministri u s-Segretarji Parlamentari. Smajna tul il-ġimgħat li għaddew kif il-Ministri u s-Segretarji Parlamentari għandhom id-dritt li dawk ta’ madwarhom ikunu persuni li huma jkollhom fiduċja fihom. Il-ħatriet ta’ dawn il-persuni qrib il-politiċi spiss jirreferu għalihom bħala trusted persons li jokkupaw positions of trust. Il-Ministri u s-Segretarji Parlamentari għandhom bżonn madwarhom lil dawn il-persuni li fihom ikollhom fiduċja, biex ikollhom min jassistihom fit-twettiq tal-missjoni politika tagħhom. Dan jagħmluh billi jgħinu lill-Ministri u lis-Segretarji Parlamentari fit-twettiq tal-politika tal-Gvern, iżommuhom infurmati dwar x’ikun qed jiġri fid-Dipartimenti u Awtoritiajiet differenti u jagħtuhom il-pariri meħtieġa dwar dak li jinqala’ minn żmien għal żmien.

Allura l-mistoqsija li teħtieġ tweġiba mhiex jekk Michael Falzon kienx vittma, imma ta’ min kien vittma.

X’għamlu l-persuni ta’ fiduċja madwar Michael Falzon biex jassiguraw ruħhom li kien infurmat sewwa dwar id-deċiżjonijiet li kien mitlub jieħu dwar l-esproprijazzjoni ta’ 36 Triq iz-Zekka l-Qadima l-Belt Valletta? It-tweġiba issibuha fir-rapport tal-Awditur Ġenerali.

Insibu, per eżempju, fir-rapport tal-Awditur Ġenerali, li wieħed mill-impjegati fis-segretarjat privat ta’ Michael Falzon [li minn sorsi oħra jidher li kien magħruf bħala l-King tal-Lands, żagħżugħ ta’ 23 sena] akkumpanja lil Marco Gaffarena f’laqgħat fid-Dipartiment ma’ Direttur Ġenerali u Direttur li issa irriżenjaw. Imkien ma jidher li nżammu minuti ta’ dawn il-laqgħat. Għalhekk mhux magħruf x’intqal u x’ġie diskuss f’dawn il-laqgħat.

Il-persuni ta’ madwarek jistgħu jagħmlulek ġid kbir. Imma jistgħu ukoll ifarrkuk. Skond kemm ikunu kapaċi.

Ikun tajjeb kieku l-Ministri u s-Segretarji Parlamentari jifhmu li filwaqt li huwa sewwa li jkollhom il-persuni tal-fiduċja tagħhom madwarhom dawn għandhom ikunu kapaċi għal xogħolhom. Għax fl-aħħar dak li tiżra’ taħsad.

Imbagħad inutli toqgħod teqred li inti vittma.

Political responsibility

 

Good governance is clearly going to the dogs. It is not just a case of matters that could have been handled better, as Prime Minister Joseph Muscat stated in the aftermath of the Cafè Premier scandal.

In February 2015 the National Audit Office had underlined notable shortcomings in terms of governance with respect to Joseph Muscat’s government’s failure to involve the Government Property Division in the negotiations to re-acquire Cafè Premier in Valletta.

The purpose of holding inquires, irrespective of their format, is not just to identify those responsible for shortcomings relative to matters under investigation. High on the list of objectives of inquires is the identification and subsequent doing away with administrative practices which are liable to be abused.

The Manwel Mallia inquiry, which was commissioned by the Prime Minister in terms of the Inquires Act, was handled by three former judges and focused on the behaviour of the then Honourable Minister Manwel Mallia. It is pertinent to point out that in their report dated 8 December 2014, the three judges had emphasised that Manwel Mallia had to shoulder ministerial or political responsibility in respect of the behaviour of those persons who he had nominated to a position of trust. Tongue-in-cheek, the panel of judges carrying out the Mallia inquiry had commented that Maltese politicians, when in Opposition, emphasise the need to shoulder political responsibility only to forget all about it when they make it to government.

In fact, in view of the conclusions of that inquiry, former Minister Manwel Mallia, in defiance of the basic rules of good governance, refused to resign from office and was subsequently fired by the Prime Minister – who had no other option at his disposal.

The current Gaffarena scandal may lead to similar considerations. Two politicians are under the spotlight: Joseph Muscat, who, in addition to being Prime Minister is also Minister for Lands, and Michael Falzon, who is the Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Lands. Both have to shoulder political responsibility for the operation of the Government Property Division for which they are jointly politically responsible. Twenty seven months into Labour’s mandate it is not justifiable that they shift the blame onto their predecessors. Labour in government has had sufficient time to carry out basic operational changes, if they considered that these were necessary.

Two inquires are under way. One has been requested by the Opposition and is being carried out by the National Audit Office. The other has been requested by the government and is being carried out by the Internal Audit and Investigation Department.

The two inquires will necessarily overlap but, due to differing terms of reference they should be complimenting each other.

There are too many coincidences in this latest Gaffarena scandal and consequently various issues need to be explained. The Government Property Division seems to have preferred Marco Gaffarena, giving him time to purchase a second portion of the Valletta property before expropriating it, when it could have easily expropriated it directly from the then owners! Likewise, it is clear that someone took the decision to pay Marco Gaffarena partly in kind, by allowing him to select amongst government property that land which suited him most. Who took this decision?  The civil service does not normally take such decisions. This particular decision, in my view, has political fingerprints.

The values attributed to both the expropriated property and to the government properties used to facilitate payment have raised eyebrows. Detailed explanation is required to establish whether there is some computational error or whether there is some other explanation.

Throughout the past week, the press has pointed at a particular member of the private secretariat of Parliamentary Secretary Michael Falzon who, too often, was observed accompanying Marco Gaffarena at the Government Property Division. This person, appointed in a position of trust by the Honourable Michael Falzon, did not reply to questions from the press intended to clarify whether – and to what extent – he opened doors for Gaffarena. In particular, the queries sought to clarify whether he facilitated the pick and choose land deal between the Government Property Division and Marco Gaffarena.

The conclusions of the two investigations should undoubtedly shed light on the decisions taken, as well as on those who facilitated them. The fact that this is the second case concerning the Government Property Division being investigated by the National Audit Office in the space of a few months should ring the alarm bells because, essentially, it signifies that no lessons were learnt from the Cafè Premier debacle.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday : 14 June 2015

Joseph Muscat u Marco Gaffarena

Fil-Parlament iktar kmieni din il-ġimgħa meta kien hemm diversi mistoqsijiet dwar il-każ ta’ Marco Gaffarena il-Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat qal li ankè hu għandu ħafna mistoqsijiet dwar il-każ.

Mela nesa Joseph Muscat li hu l-Ministru tal-Artijiet? Nesa Joseph Muscat li hu suppost qed jagħti direzzjoni lid-Dipartiment tal-Artijiet?

Mingħand Joseph Muscat mhux mistoqsijiet nistennew, iżda t-tweġibiet.