During a press conference in front of Parliament in Valletta this morning, ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo insisted that the Police must once and for all stop treating Cabinet members and their entourage as untouchable demi-gods.

ADPD – The Green Party Public Relations Officer Brian Decelis said that the driving licence test case brought up in Court this week is very disturbing. “From what we have been hearing over the past years it seems that some consider it acceptable to cheat and feel that they are out of the reach of the law when dishing out driving licences as political favours. This impunity raises questions about whether this kind of impunity and law-breaking is also rife in other areas of the public service, such as in the planning and development permits, more so given the number of questionable decisions which we read about week after week.

It is deplorable that in this day and age ministers are still considered demi-gods, akin to village patron saints. They are considered as above the law and untouchables, rather than as public servants who lead by example. It is scandalous that political expediency and nepotism is practised even at the expense of the safety on our roads.

Carmel Cacopardo insisted that the licences scandal is a serious case of clientelism and corruption that appears to be spread widely among members of Cabinet and senior officials within ministries, and in the yet-unnamed political party. It seems that the Police’s restraint in not mentioning politicians’ names at this stage is meant to avoid a political earthquake of epic proportions.

According to unofficial sources there are various current members of the cabinet of ministers, and former ministers involved in this case. Two diaries have revealed detailed information on those who may have benefited undeservedly from assistance to pass these driving tests.

It is no coincidence that almost each ministry has a “customer care unit”. Voters are treated as clients who need to be ‘served’ by the politician in return for their vote. It is a formal system of nepotism and corruption.

To top it all one of those being accused of aiding and abetting corruption is being legally assisted by the shadow minister for Home Affairs for the Nationalist Party. It is undoubtedly highly unethical that someone who sees themselves as some crusader against corruption ends up defending someone who is accused of facilitating nepotism and corruption. The shadow minister has a problem with credibility and ethical behaviour. He is part of the problem with politics in this country.

Cacopardo insisted that the police must once and for all stop treating cabinet members and their entourage as some special breed of citizens. It is about time that those who present themselves as an example of political rectitude while, behind the scenes operate a whole system dishing out favours are not only named and shamed, but action is taken against them without delay.

He said that only full-time members of parliament will be able to make this highest institution of our country credible and effective – a measure that ADPD has been insisting upon for many years. Members of parliament should be unshackled from any other activities which may impact on their political commitment.

***

Il-Klijenteliżmu inevitabbilment iwassal għall-korruzzjoni

“Hemm bżonn li l-forzi tal-ordni jieqfu darba għal dejjem jittrattaw b’mod speċjali lill-membri tal-Kabinett u lil dawk ta’ madwarhom.” Dan intqal miċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD -The Green Party Carmel Cacopardo waqt konferenza stampa quddiem il-Parlament dalgħodu huwa u jitkellem dwar ir-rabta bejn il-klijenteliżmu u l-korruzzjoni.

Brian Decelis, uffiċjal għar-relazzjonijiet pubbliċi ta’ ADPD – The Green Party qal li dak li ġara in konessjoni mal-każ tal-eżami għall-liċenzji tas-sewqan,żvelat fil-Qorti din il-ġimgħa, huwa ta’ tħassib kbir. Minn dak li ilna nisimgħu f’dawn l-aħħar snin tista’ tgħid li għal uħud qisu sar aċċettabbli li tqarraq f’kull qasam: qisu xejn mhu xejn. Dan jagħtik x’taħseb dwar min jaf x’qiegħed jiġri f’oqsma oħra fejn ilhom jittieħdu deċizjonijiet li ma tantx jagħmlu sens bħal ngħidu aħna deċiżjoniet dwar żvilupp.

Huwa ta’ stmerrija kif politiċi ministri huma kkunsidrati allat li għandek tbaxxi rasek lejhom minflok ikunu huma li jagħtu l-eżempju bħala qaddejja tal-poplu. Huwa ta’ kundanna ukoll li biex jaqdu lil dawk li jidhrilhom għandhom jiġu aġevolati bla mistħoqq saħansitra lesti jpoġġu ħajjet in-nies fil-periklu bħal fil-każ tat-test tas-sewqan.

Carmel Cacopardo qal li dan huwa każ gravi ta’ klijenteliżmu u korruzzjoni li jidher li għandu għeruq mifruxin sew fost membri tal-kabinett kif ukoll fost uffiċjali għolja kemm fi ħdan il-ministeri kif ukoll f’partit politiku li s’issa ma issemmiex. Jidher li l-kawtela murija mill-pulizija li ma semmewx l-ismijiet ta’ dawn il-politiċi hija minħabba li dan jista’ jwassal għal terremot politiku li bħalu għadna qatt ma rajna.

Skont informazzjoni mhux uffiċjali jidher li jista’ jkun hemm involuti diversi membri tal-kabinett kurrenti, kif ukoll oħrajn minn kabinett preċedenti. Instabu żewġ djarji b’informazzjoni dettaljata ta’ dawk li setgħu ibbenefikaw minn għajnuna mhux mistħoqqa li tassigura li dawn jgħaddu minn dawn it-testijiet tas-sewqan.

Dan kollu ma seħħx b’kumbinazzjoni. Kważi kull Ministeru għandu “customer care unit”. Lill-votanti dawn jittrattawhom ta’ klijenti li jeħtiegu jinqdew mill-politiku bi tpartit mal-vot. Din hi parti mill-kawża tal-korruzzjoni li qed isseħħ quddiem għajnejna u li preżentement hi manifestata f’dan l-iskandlu tal-liċenzji .

U biex tgħaxxaqha wieħed minn dawk akkużati b’din il-korruzzjoni qiegħed jiġi assistit mid-difiża legali tas-shadow minister tal-Intern fi ħdan il-grupp parlamentari tal-Partit Nazzjonalista. Huwa bla dubju nuqqas kbir ta’ etika li min jippretendi li ikun fuq quddiem fil-ġlieda politika kontra l-korruzzjoni fil-politika Maltija, imbagħad jiddefendi lil min qiegħed jiġi akkużat li huwa parti minn din l-istess korruzzjoni. Bla dubju ta’ xejn dan itellef mill-kredibbiltà tal-individwu konċernat u jagħmel ħsara kbira lis-serjetà fil-politika.

Cacopardo saħaq li hemm bżonn li l-forzi tal-ordni jieqfu darba għal dejjem jittrattaw b’mod speċjali lil membri tal-kabinett u lil dawk ta’ madwarhom. Wasal iż-żmien li dawk il-persuni li jippreżentaw ruħhom bħala xempju ta’ korrettezza politika filwaqt li minn taħt kontinwament iħawdu mhux biss jissemmew imma immedjatament jittieħdu l-passi meħtieġa kontrihom.

Cacopardo żied jgħid li membri tal-parlament fuq bażi full-time biss jista’ jrendi din l-għola istituzzjoni ta’ pajjiżna bħala waħda kredibbli u effettiva, miżura li ADPD ilha tisħaq fuqha għal ħafna snin. B’hekk biss jistgħu l-membri parlamentari jinqatgħu mill-irbit li l-professjoni u jew impjieg preċedenti tagħhom jista’ jħalli fuq l-impenn politiku tagħhom.