Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1540705
AFTER resigning in disgrace from public office towards the end of 2019 when the Labour government was mired in crisis, Keith Schembri has largely avoided the spotlight. Whenever he was thrust into the spotlight it was because of court charg- es. He is facing several criminal charges in separate cases that range from brib- ery to corruption, to money laundering and leaking of sensitive information to Yorgen Fenech related to police inves- tigations into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. But even in these cases, Schembri maintained his silence when micro- phones were thrust in front of him. The only forays in the public realm have for the past five years been limit- ed to the occasional curated statement on Facebook whenever an investigative story about him hit the headlines. Oth- erwise, we've had radio silence from the man who was Joseph Muscat's number one fixer. But last week, Schembri broke his silence by going on Ricky Caruana's podcast for an 80-minute chummy interview with a very accommodating host. Ricky took pains to play the nice guy throughout the podcast, disparaging "the medias" for twisting the truth and agreeing with Schembri when he played the victim card. Fishing for sympathy On his part, Schembri avoided any talk on his pending cases, limiting him- self to complaining about the freezing orders on his wealth and that of his family. Undoubtedly, Schembri would have been advised by his lawyers to stray away from any loose talk that might compromise his position in a court of law. But even Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder was sidestepped completely by Schembri and his host as the chro- nology of events fast-forwarded from the 2017 election victory to December 2019 when Joseph Muscat resigned. Schembri's reference to the Panama Papers scandal was limited to his oft-re- peated explanation that he opened the trust in New Zealand and the company in Panama because information about a trust he held at Bank of Valletta had been leaked to the PN. He emphasised that the Panama company never traded but made no reference to the fact that secretive Du- bai companies 17 Black, belonging to Yorgen Fenech, and Macbridge were listed as target clients. For a casual observer, the little crumbs Schembri was willing to scatter about his legal woes were intended to mas- sage public opinion in his favour. "To- day, it's all Keith's fault," he repeated, as he fished for sympathy on a podcast where guests are rarely challenged. It could have been his strategy of soften- ing his image ahead of Yorgen Fenech's trial sometime next year, which could open Pandora's Box. Sounding box for complaints Instead, Schembri shared his wisdom on how Malta should have bi-partisan agreement on a mass transportation system that is part underground, part overground; how a handful of public gardens could have multi-storey car parks below them; how Maltese-owned supermarkets should enjoy the same 5% effective income tax rate as foreign chains; how more elderly care homes need to be built to cater for an aging population. He also dropped the names of people in government he has been in contact with: Robert Abela, Amanda Spiteri Grech and Clyde Caruana. "I am still a Labourite and I am help- ing Robert [Abela]… and will be doing my utmost for Labour to win," Schem- bri casually told his host. The prime minister admitted communicating with Schembri, justifying it on the basis that he communicates with everyone. I speak to Clyde [Caruana] regularly," Schembri noted when talking about the tax regime for Maltese companies he would like to see changed. He then mentioned the personal in- itiative taken by Labour MP Amanda Spiteri Grech to push for a law that en- ables cancer survivors to be forgotten once they are cured. "I am helping Amanda Spiteri Grech with her proposal for cancer survivors to be forgotten… and I am discussing with her to extend this proposal to chil- dren who face higher insurance premi- ums because of hereditary diseases," Schembri said, suggesting he was still in the thick of things. Schembri then declared that he is "like government's customer care"; a sounding box for people's complaints. At one point he even underscored that "many Nationalists love me". I'm still here' But it was his advice on what Labour needs to do to win the next general elec- tion that ostensibly gave the strongest hint as to why Schembri broke his si- lence. It was his way of showing that he still has political relevance to the party he helped win every election between 2009 and 2019. "Doing an election is a piece of art," Schembri said with glistening eyes. He added that four things are needed for a Labour victory, although he only got to mention two—strengthen the core vote and "neutralise the antis". "If Labour strengthens its core, no- body will touch it," Schembri insisted. He later elaborated that the PL's loss of votes in last year's European election was the result of Labour abandoning its own voters. "If nothing changes, Labour will win the next election with a 20,000-vote margin; if it takes care of its own it will win with 30,000 votes," Schembri prophesied. He also said it was a mis- take for the PL to attack the Nationalist Party leader Alex Borg, adding "Robert does not need to fear Alex". Asked point blank by his host wheth- er he would return to politics after his legal woes are over, Schembri replied curtly: "Never." His unequivocal reply leaves you wondering why he chose to go for an 80-minute jaunt on Ricky's podcast speaking as if he is still in a po- sition of influence. 7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 OCTOBER 2025 ANALYSIS KURT SANSONE ksansone@mediatoday.com.mt Keith Schembri goes to Ricky in search for relevance Keith Schembri emerged from his relative silence and used an 80-minute appearance on Ricky Caruana Podcast to dispense advice, tell us how loved he still is, even by Nationalists, and how easy it is to blame him for every ill