Crooks should not be prime ministers
I realise on hindsight that I may have made some mistakes. A few judgements of errors. And that my best friend betrayed me, compounding matters.
That’s the narrative Joseph Muscat is trying to sell to his faithful. That he’s a humble man, ready to admit his shortcomings, despite being a great man who transformed Malta into an island of immense prosperity, whose citizens have so much money it’s coming out of their ears.
But the truth of the matter is that knowingly protecting criminals is not a mistake or judgement of error.
And Muscat did know that his then Minister for energy and chief of staff Keith Schembri were neck-deep in corruption. As did every member of his cabinet.
It’s not possible that the fact that Mizzi and Schembri created identical secret companies at the same time, and through the services of the same financial practitioner was not enough for him to realise that corruption was afoot.
It’s not possible that the fact that somebody would be paying 5,000 euros a day into the coffers of each of these companies belonging to Mizzi and Schembri was not enough for him to realise that corruption was afoot.
It’s not possible that the fact that the person who was going to pay Mizzi and Schembri 5,000 euros a day each – Yorgen Fenech – was one of the main investors in a consortium that won a massive government tender was not enough for him to realise that corruption was afoot.
These are all facts, not mere allegations. They are substantiated by official documents as well as reports drawn up by the FIAU (Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit).
No Joseph, you are no martyr, and neither do you deserve to leave the stage in glory. You knowingly protected crooks rather than taking action against them.
That, in my books, makes you a crook.
Crooks should not be prime ministers. Not even for a day. That’s why you shouldn’t be in office for a single minute more. That’s why you must leave now, and not in forty two days’ time.
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