Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1196490
3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 29 DECEMBER 2019 sy making an unusual offer of FBI assistance to apprehend the mastermind, and the gov- ernment having a change of heart by accepting a public inquiry on Caruana Galizia's death, and even changing its composition to the satisfac- tion of the family. The real meltdown started the moment Yorgen Fenech was arrested trying to escape from Portomaso after Muscat offered a presidential pardon to Melvin Theuma, the mid- dleman. Initially Muscat insisted that he would stay on as PM un- til the case is solved, playing the script that the institu- tions were working and that he had a duty to have the case solved. The parliamentary group granted him a confi- dence vote, followed by the resignation of Keith Schembri with whom the Prime Minis- ter met the night before at his Burmarrad home, and Konrad Mizzi resigning after resisted any calls to step down. Muscat's future was sealed in a six hour-long Cabinet meeting convened to discuss a request for a pardon for Fenech. A diminished Muscat emerged from the meeting at 3:30 am holding a press con- ference in which he reiterated his intention to stay to see that the case is closed under his tenure. But after details of the dramatic and mutinous meeting emerged in the me- dia, showing a horrific resent- ment of Schembri in the Cab- inet, Muscat was cornered. The way he announced his resignation left critics angri- er. Not only did Muscat chose the medium of a solitary, pre- recorded and solemnly pack- aged message reminiscent of his New Year address, he also delayed his resignation un- til after the election of a new leader in January. The deci- sion triggered more protests demanding his immediate resignation. Muscat held on, making his best to fan the adulation of the crowd by embarking on a farewell tour in different Mal- tese and Gozitan localities, boosted by surveys which still showed his party enjoying a comfortable lead over the op- position. Muscat's primary consideration may have been to ensure a dignified exit for himself, but his prolonged stay in Castille coupled with Schembri's release from ar- rest, raised suspicion that he was still pulling the strings on the investigation. Faced with mounting evi- dence against his chief of staff, Muscat himself ac- knowledged to a delegation of visiting MEPs that he felt be- trayed by Schembri. Muscat – who had thanked Schem- bri following his resignation from chief of staff – has yet to explain that betrayal. At best Muscat will be re- membered for making grave error of judgement, which leads one to believe that he was a naïve person. At worse he will continue facing ques- tions on his relationship with Schembri, which may lead one to believe that he closed an eye, or maybe two eyes, or was even complicit. It will be hard to reconcile his oth- erwise formidable career as a politician, with this kind of unforgivable error of judge- ment. Ironically Muscat's obses- sion with his legacy, a theme that dominated his speeches in the past months, backfired. His decision not to resign im- mediately brought the coun- try to the brink of civil unrest, bringing back memories of the confrontational style of politics of the 1980s or La- bour's celebrations marking the 'victory' of its partnership model after the EU referen- dum. Such memories may well cloud the judgement of a whole generation of activists and intellectuals, including many on the left. The sudden collapse of his 'house of cards' and the cir- cumstances behind it, has inevitably rekindled memo- ries of Labour's more tragic moments, which obscure the great social reforms enacted under Labour administra- tions – including Muscat's – who did change Malta for the better in many areas but fa- tally undermined trust in the institutions. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt NEWS Keeping Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi in office after Muscat knew that they had an offshore business relationship with a potential murderer was unforgivable