F’konferenza tal-aħbarijiet, kelliema tal-ADPD – The Green Party sostnew li d-deċiżjoni li ttieħdet mill-kumitat parlamentari rigward l-iskandlu tal-eks ministru Clayton Bartolo u s-Sinjura Amanda Muscat, hija skandaluża. Dan jgħodd speċjalment għall-vot tal-ispeaker Anġlu Farrugia, li permezz tal-casting vote tiegħu irrenda proċess ta’ sorveljanza saqqu biex min jabbuża ma jiħux tisbita kif ħaqqu. B’mod partikolari, tirreferi għall-Ministru Clint Camilleri, li anke jekk huwa implikat b’mod dirett fl-iskandlu, l-ispeaker u d-deputati tal-gvern fuq il-kumitat parlamentari ħassew li kellhom japplikaw deċiżjoni kajmana li ma tirriflettix il-gravità ta’ dak li ġara.
Il-PRO tal-ADPD Brian Decelis saħaq li jekk il-ministru Camilleri ma jirriżenjax minn jeddu, hija r-responsabbiltà tal-Prim Ministru, li jneħħih. Fin-nuqqas ta’ dan, joħroġ biċ-ċar x’inhu l-iktar importanti għall-Prim ministru, bejn rettitudni u etika fil-politika; u lealtà lejn in-nies ta’ madwaru. ADPD jfakkar li l-Ministru Camilleri aċċetta li Amanda Muscat tiġi impjegata fil-ministeru tiegħu filwaqt li kompliet tagħmel xogħol ta’ assistent personali tal-eks-ministru tat-turiżmu u minn fuq, taqla’ l-flus ta’ konsulenza li ma wettqitx u li ma kinetx kwalifikata tagħmel. Dan jagħmel il-ministru Clint Camilleri kompliċi f’din il-balbuljata.
Decelis sostna li l-importanza li l-każ ta’ Clayton Bartolo u Amanda Muscat ma’ jingħalaqx hawn, iżda li l-passi meħtieġa jittieħdu. Il-passi li ttieħdu mill-kumitat tal-istandards pubbliċi huma l-miżuri minimi li għandhom jittieħdu. Abbużi ta’ poter ma jistgħux jibqgħu jittieħdu b’mod superfiċjali u ridotti għal nuqqasijiet. Abbuż ta’ etika għandu jittieħed b’serjetà bħal dik kriminali.
Ftit jiem ilu rajna r-riżenja ta’ Clayton Bartolo mill-kariga ta’ Ministru kif ukoll it-tkeċċija mill-grupp parlamentari Laburista. Dan kien pass importanti ħafna, però huwa biss il-bidu sabiex issir il-ġustizzja. Decelis sostna li Clint Camilleri wkoll għandu jerfa’ r-responsabbiltà tal-atti tiegħu u jirriżenja mill-kariga ta’ Ministru minnufih. Decelis kompla billi talab li l-Prim Ministru jieqaf jiddefendi lill-Ministri tiegħu, kemm dawk investigati fuq akkużi kriminali, kif ukoll dawk akkużati bi ksur tal-etika.
Is-Segretarju Ġenerali tal-ADPD, Ralph Cassar, kompla bit-talba li l-Kummissarju tal-Pulizija jagħmel ix-xogħol li huwa inkarigat biex jagħmel u jiftaħ kawżi kriminali kontra Amanda Muscat, Clayton Bartolo, u Clint Camilleri. Huma għandhom jitressqu fuq ir-reat ta’ assoċjazzjoni kriminali kif ukoll reati oħrajn bħal frodi. Għalfejn hemm bżonn kwerela mill-NGO Repubblika biex il-kummissarju jagħmel xogħlu? Prattikament urewh pass pass kif xogħlu għandu jagħmlu. Il-Kummissarju lest li jaqdi dmiru jew se jibqa’ l-paladin ta’ min jiffroda ‘l-pubbliku? Dan hu każ ieħor fejn il-kummissarju jidher bla sinsla mal-kbar u bully ma’ min jisraq landa tonn taż-żejt għax bil-ġuħ.
“Il-logħob partiġjan għandu jieqaf,” sostna Cassar hekk kif irrifletta fuq ġimgħa ta’ żewġ partiti jippuntaw subgħajhom lejn xulxin fuq abbużi li twettqu minn rappreżentanti taż-żewġ naħat. Dan il-każ jerga’ juri kemm tul is-snin, ADPD kellha raġun kull meta sostniet li hemm bżonn tibdil kostituzzjonali sabiex ic-checks and balances neċessarji biex jitnaqqas l-abbuż jidħlu fis-seħħ, speċjalment il-bżonn li l-parlament Malti jkun miftuħ għal iktar vuċijiet minn żewġ partiti li għal deċennji sħaħ ħallew sistema titnawwar.
Cassar għalaq billi fakkar li filwaqt li l-gvern qiegħed jisraq il-flus pubbliċi, studenti ġewwa l-MCAST kellhom jipprotestaw għaċ-ċertezza fl-edukazzjoni tagħhom, hekk kif ftit tal-jiem ilu l-istudenti ħassew il-ħtieġa li jagħlqu t-triq sabiex il-Gvern jinduna bihom.
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The Police Commissioner needs to do his job
In a new conference, speakers for ADPD – The Green Party insisted that the decision taken by the parliamentary committee about ex-Minister Clayton Bartolo and Mrs Amanda Muscat is nothing short of scandalous. This is especially evident in the vote of the speaker, Anglu Farrugia, whose casting vote has practically granted guilty parties an easy pass. This can be seen in the manner the Speaker of the House and the government deputies on the parliamentary committee treated Minister Clint Camilleri, who has a direct link to the recent scandal, with a decision that does not reflect the gravity of the situation.
ADPD PRO Brian Decelis said that if Minister Camilleri does not resign of his own free will, it is the responsibility of the Prime Minister to have him removed from his position. If this does not happen, it becomes clear what is more important to the Prime Minister when having to choose between rectitude and ethical politics, and loyalty to the people around him. ADPD pointed out that it was Minister Camilleri who accepted Amanda Muscat as an employee in his ministry whilst she continued to work as a personal assistant of the ex-Minister for Tourism, and getting paid for consultancy work that she neither conducted nor was qualified to do. This clearly shows that Minister Clint Camilleri is complicit.
Decelis also said that the issues regarding Clayton Bartolo and Amanda Muscat cannot stop here, further steps must be taken. The steps taken by the Standards Committee are the minimum. The abuse of power cannot be treated superficially and taken simply as a misunderstanding. It must be treated as a crime. A few days ago, we saw the resignation of Clayton Bartolo from Minister and his expulsion from the Labour parliamentary group. This was a very important step; however, it is only the first step towards justice. Decelis insisted that Minister Camilleri must also take responsibility for his actions and resign immediately. Decelis also asked for the Prime Minister to stop defending his ministers, whether they are being investigated for criminal accusations or breach of ethical behaviour.
ADPD – The Green Party Secretary General, Ralph Cassar, asked the Police Commissioner to do the job he was appointed for and initiate criminal proceedings against Amanda Muscat, Clayton Bartolo, and Clint Camilleri. They should be charged for criminal association as well as for other crimes, such as fraud. Is there the need for a complaint to be raised by the NGO Repubblika for the Commissioner to do his job? They have practically shown him how to do his job. Is the Commissioner ready to do his duty, or is he going to remain the defender of those who defraud the people? This is another case in which the Commissioner appears to be spineless with those in power and a bully to those who steal a tin of tuna because they are hungry.
“Partisan games need to be stopped,” said Cassar whilst reflecting on how over the past week the two major parties pointed fingers at each other on the abuse of power conducted by representatives from both sides of the House. This recent case once again proves that ADPD was right when they said that there is the need for constitutional change for the necessary checks and balances before the abuse happens, and highlights the need for the Maltese Parliament to be open to more voices than those that hail from the two parties that have allowed the system to deteriorate for decades.
Cassar concluded by pointing out that while the government is stealing money from the people, students at MCAST had to protest for certainty in their education, so much so that they had to close the road so that the government would take note of them.
