Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/668635
6 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 20 APRIL 2016 News GWU berates Marlene Farrugia over Enemalta workers' claim THE General Workers' Union has hit out at independent MP Mar- lene Farrugia for suggesting that the union had failed to safeguard the rights of Enemalta workers who were transferred to undigni- fied jobs. During a parliamentary debate on Monday, Farrugia accused La- bour of lying to Enemalta employ- ees when it had pledged that they would not lose their jobs. She referred to a Times of Malta report that claimed that around 40 mostly skilled engineers have in the past year been transferred from Enemalta to the Office of the President, where they are doing maintenance work and gardening. "What a betrayal of the work- ers. Where is the General Work- ers' Union? What has happened to these workers' representatives today?" she asked. "Employees today are scared of speaking out, because that's what the Labour Party has done to the working class today." The GWU in a statement con- demned Farrugia's "attack" as proof that she is getting her infor- mation solely off third parties and media reports. "If Farrugia truly had work- ers' interests at heart, she could have asked the union how it had handled the Enemalta restruc- turing process," it said. "During these negotiations, the GWU took steps to ensure that employees don't lose their jobs or suffer sal- ary reductions. This means that although the nature of the work of some of Enemalta's employees has changed, their financial con- ditions have remained the same." CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 "This government has done a lot of good work, such as introduc- ing ethics as a subject in pri- mary schools to teach children right from wrong. However, all of this is getting lost in the Panama case that has para- lysed the government. "What is the alternative though? This government has a five-year mandate, but it must act as the movement it was prior to the election and stick to its pre-electoral prom- ises of transparency, meritoc- racy, accountability and 'Mal- ta Taghna Lkoll '." Farrugia, an outspoken critic of the Labour government, de- livered a critical speech in the House on Monday in which she claimed that people in power are trying to dupe the electorate. "We have to view Panama- gate from a wider perspective. While we as MPs were elected to represent the people, I was not part of that closed group inside Labour that was already taking decisions about its en- ergy policies, and I was shad- owing the utilities sector." "Opening a company in Pan- ama is enough for the Prime Minister to request the res- ignation of Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri. But if nothing happened so far, then it is easy to surmise that there is some- thing worse afoot…" Farrugia: 'Panamagate has paralysed government' Minister says Muscat 'will take decision' on Panamagate despite winning vote TIM DIACONO PRIME Minister Joseph Muscat "will take a decision" on the po- litical futures of energy minister Konrad Mizzi and OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri despite win- ning a no confidence vote, tour- ism minister Edward Zammit Lewis said. "The Prime Minister would have exercised his prerogative to take a decision irrespective of the outcome of tonight's vote," Zam- mit Lewis said on Monday night's edition of 'Reporter', that was broadcast following the Opposi- tion's failed motion of no confi- dence against the government. "His eventual decision was al- ways going to be irrespective of the motion. He is currently ana- lysing the facts and listening to the people. The Prime Minister never had a problem taking the necessary decisions." The Opposition tabled the no confidence motion against the Labour government, following revelations that energy minis- ter Konrad Mizzi and the Prime Minister's chief of staff, Keith Schembri, own offshore compa- nies in Panama. Opposition leader Simon Bu- suttil argued that Muscat had "lost moral authority" after having failed to sack Mizzi and Schembri eight weeks after the scandal first broke. In his speech to the House on Monday, Busuttil specifically urged veteran Labour MPs George Vella, Louis Grech and Leo Brincat to vote with the Opposition. However, the government won the no confidence motion with a comfortable 38-31 majority, with all Labour MPs voting for the amended motion in favour of the government. Muscat told the press after the vote that his government's vic- tory "isn't an excuse for inaction". "Although nobody in the debate made allegations that [Mizzi and Schembri] broke the law, I believe that politicians should not only behave legally but also correctly. I will take the necessary action when I have all the information I need to take an informed deci- sion." YOUR FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY www.maltatoday.com.mt Tourism minister Edward Zammit Lewis (left) with Saviour Balzan on 'Reporter' Konrad Mizzi (above) and (below) Keith Schembri