Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1506996
POLITICIANS, their underlings and public servants who aided and abet- ted benefit fraud should be charged in court and have the book thrown at them. There are no two ways in trying to justify the well-crafted scheme ped- dled by former Labour MP Silvio Grixti to provide constituents with forged medical documents so that they can claim severe disability ben- efits they were not entitled to. Rather than use his clout as an MP to argue in parliament and within government to change or introduce benefits for people requiring that extra push, Grixti opted for a cli- entelistic approach that helps only those who go begging. In the words of ADPD's Mina Jack Tolu: 'The welfare system should work for everyone, and not only those with connections to the La- bour Party.' Grixti ignored the rules and mis- used his authority as a doctor and MP to 'help' around 800 individuals, who are now dealing with the crim- inal consequences of their actions. But what about the rest of the pop- ulation? What about those who de- serve the benefit but are unable to access it? What about those who are told there is not enough money yet to address their particular needs? Clientelism is the antithesis of so- cial justice – clientelism destroys so- cial justice and makes citizens sub- servient to a corrupt political class. Grixti and all those involved in this horrible scheme should face the full brunt of the law because their actions hurt society – they led vul- nerable people into fraudulent be- haviour; they did a grave injustice against others who may have been deserving of the benefits; and cheat- ed all taxpayers who have to contend with their hard-earned cash going into undeserving pockets. Police action against those who benefitted from the abuse is the cor- rect thing to do. These people can hardly claim ignorance. They know- ingly benefitted from hundreds and thousands of euros they did not de- serve and did not bet an eyelid when accepting the money. They may have been vulnerable but they are also guilty. But it would be a very grave mis- take if this investigation stops at the beneficiaries. The big fish; the poli- ticians and the public servants in- volved should be equally charged. If Robert Abela wants to be believed when he says his government will not accept abuse, he should put pressure on the police force – like he did on the magistrate in the Jean Paul Sofia case – to press charges against the organisers of the fraudulent scheme. This is theft of public funds and a slap in the face of honest taxpaying citizens, who are struggling to main- tain their lifestyle as inflation con- tinues to bite hard into their pockets. Unless the authorities want to make a mockery of justice, criminal action must be taken now against the masterminds. In Grixti's case he should also be stripped of his medi- cal warrant – he not only produced fake medical certificates but even forged the signatures of other med- ical colleagues. However, it would be an even great- er injustice if the systems in place to evaluate eligibility for benefits is not overhauled. These systems have to be lean but rigorous; efficient but thorough. Those deserving social benefits should be able to receive them in the shortest time possible and where la- cunas transpire, it is the job of politi- cians to push for administrative and political reform so that everyone can benefit. Ordinary citizens must not be made to beg to access their rights. And where their demands are not catered for by existing policies, it is the pol- itician's job to understand whether there is a case to be made for legal changes. More significantly, politicians have a duty to end the system of clien- telism that is the bane of Maltese society. Clientelism destroys social justice 11 LETTERS & EDITORIAL maltatoday MaltaToday, MediaToday Co. Ltd, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 MANAGING EDITOR: SAVIOUR BALZAN EXECUTIVE EDITOR: KURT SANSONE EDITOR: PAUL COCKS Tel: (356) 21 382741-3, 21 382745-6 Website: www.maltatoday.com.mt E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 6 SEPTEMBER 2023