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6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 MARCH 2022 OPINION 2 maltatoday EXECUTIVE EDITOR KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt Letters to the Editor, MaltaToday, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt Letters must be concise, no pen names accepted, include full name and address maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 JANUARY 2024 The country can do without the burden of a Muscat candidacy Editorial JOSEPH Muscat is a complex larger-than-life figure, whose energy and intelligence changed the country for the better on several aspects of life. He revolutionised civil liberties and spared work- ing-class people from austerity. He created the condi- tions for wealth generation that allowed the govern- ment to turn a surplus without raising taxes. Several social measures, including free childcare, the introduc- tion of in-work benefits, the tapering of unemployment benefits and the removal of exam fees allowed people on the lower and middle classes to move up in life. He also had the quality of being a good listener, will- ing to change his thoughts if convinced otherwise. This is not a eulogy to Muscat but necessary context to understand why the former prime minister is still loved by many. Muscat is not loved because he was cor- rupt. He is loved because he did some very good things. But one does not have to be aligned with Repubblika or be a blinded Nationalist Party supporter to realise that Muscat's legacy is problematic on several other aspects. It is a legacy with some dark chapters that have yet to be closed. Even among those we call hard core Labour voters there are many who can see the problematic side of Muscat's legacy even if their heart still beats for the former party leader. Muscat failed to act decisively when the Panama Papers scandal erupted, giving rise to justified claims that he was in cahoots and thus unable to act forcefully to remove Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri. Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed on his watch by an organised crime gang that had at its heart some people very close to the powers in Castille. Major projects that characterised the Muscat ad- ministration – the Electrogas power station and the Vitals hospitals contract – are embroiled in corruption allegations, with the latter still awaiting the outcome of a magisterial inquiry that can potentially recommend criminal action against Muscat and former ministers Chris Cardona, Konrad Mizzi and Edward Scicluna. On Saturday, Robert Abela effectively rolled out the red carpet for Muscat to contest the European election on a Labour ticket. The Prime Minister was reacting to comments Muscat gave to MaltaToday on Friday, that a return to politics was not something he had been considering but he could not ignore the people's senti- ment. Muscat's words can be interpreted that he will con- test the MEP election, making a return to politics a mere four years after resigning from prime minister. However, it may also be another act of political postur- ing to show he still enjoys widespread public support in an attempt to condition the ongoing inquiry. What Muscat will do remains to be seen but the onus of responsibility lies with Robert Abela, who until the end of last year had maintained a safe distance from his predecessor. The tide changed at the turn of the year when Abela endearingly referred to Muscat as his "friend", in what appeared to be an act of absolution. Abela may have his own strategic considerations for toying with the idea of a Muscat candidature next June. It will definitely help reel in the hard-core vote and possibly cement Labour's fourth seat. Undoubtedly, the Labour Party will make short- term gains by cruising to an easier victory in June. But beyond the strategic considerations, there is also the impact on the nation's democratic fabric. Does the country really need a relapse into the polar- ising climate of 2017? Do we really have to look back- ward? Do we really need a referendum on Muscat's guilt or innocence in elections meant to choose our MEPs? The bitter aftertaste this will inevitably leave should be enough for Abela to tell his friend to back off. Do we really want to spend the next months discussing Egrant, Panama and Muscat's consultancy on exotic birds? The country deserves better than this. When Muscat was elected leader in 2008, his prede- cessor Alfred Sant remained an MP but purposely took a backseat. Muscat himself has often thanked Sant for giving him the space to lead the party without interfer- ence. Muscat should have taken Sant's example. Instead, over the past four years he has made sporadic but stra- tegic forays into the national spotlight and most of the time these have been linked to judicial developments or damning media reports. The latest foray is possibly the strongest and most meaningful yet. Craftily, Muscat suggests that he can't ignore the voice of the people clamouring for his return. This, in itself, is an invitation for supporters to make their voic- es heard. It creates momentum and noise. It may well be the case that Muscat is more interested in showing how much love there is for him than in actually con- testing - a show of strength in the face of impending judicial trouble. Muscat knows that he will be most vulnerable when alone. Like Trump and Berlusconi, Muscat knows he is much stronger when in the limelight, shielded by the love of supporters. Labour Party exponents have always insisted the par- ty is larger than the individual – it was this reasoning that partially led to Muscat's resignation from prime minister in 2020 after anti-corruption protests risked destabilising the country and harming the party. If Robert Abela does not have the strength to turn down Muscat, the Labour Party should take that deci- sion for him. Rather than rolling out Muscat as some sort of peo- ple's tribune, the government would do well to address the problems that are really angering people, some of which, like overdevelopment, stem from Muscat's lais- sez-faire policies and intimacy with big business. A Muscat candidacy may generate enthusiasm and boost the election turnout but it may well create new problems the country is in no mood to face. Quote of the Week "We need drastic action to address corruption… the people [involved in corruption] are known; people in the field tell you who is going to win the [football] league this year." PN MP David Agius implying that Malta's top-flight football league is fixed, while speaking in parliament on amendments to the law on sports integrity. MaltaToday 10 years ago 26 January 2014 Over 1,200 MEPA enforcement orders deleted from server THE Commissioner of Police Peter Paul Zammit is leading a massive security probe at the Malta Environment and Planning Au- thority, after over 1,200 records on enforce- ment orders were deleted from a computer server. The deletions were said to have taken place before the 8 March, 2013 general elec- tions, suggesting – although there is no smoking gun – a political overtone to the se- curity breach. MEPA officials only noticed the deletions after a discrepancy in annual revenues related to the payment of fines cropped up at the end of the year. It is estimated that MEPA may have lost hundreds of thousands in euros in the collec- tion of fines related to enforcements. Of more concern in the long term is that potential property buyers may have been misled when purchasing property, if they purchased homes that were previously under an enforcement order. Normally such properties would face se- vere devaluation on their sale value, or not sell at all. In a letter to the Commissioner of Police dated 10 January, 2014, MEPA chief execu- tive Johann Buttigieg said that the deletion of the enforcement orders took place before March 2013. "The public in general may been misled when checking our system for any enforce- ment action, and properties may have been bought with the knowledge that the site may have been subjected to enforce- ment action. This is seen as a very serious offence, to which only a few limited person eleted such records." ...