The Commissioner of Police has resigned

The word being put about is that he resigned because he was put under pressure NOT to investigate. If I read the situation correctly (and I think I do), you will probably find that he resigned because of the opposite reason: that he was under great pressure to investigate, but didn’t want to do so. Another man might have seen this as his chance to shine with a history-making case which he could really sink his teeth into. But he didn’t want to do it, and he didn’t see how he could avoid investigating given the pressure to take action. So he left.

Michael Cassar has disappointed a lot of people who thought highly of him.

The Prime Minister is going to have a hard time finding somebody to take up the poisoned chalice, not only after the skittle-effect of John Rizzo, Peter Paul Zammit, Ray Zammit and Michael Cassar – in just three years – but also with the pressure to investigate in the wake of the Panama Papers revelations. Muscat is not going to be looking for a proper policeman, either – precisely because of the pressure to investigate the Panama Papers revelations, which Muscat doesn’t want investigated – and at the same time he can’t risk appointing another risk who will be out by the new year, leaving him with a track record of five resignations/removals.

Whoever he appoints is going to be somebody so corrupt and unfit for purpose that he will fend off all pressure to investigate and brazen it out. Peter Paul Zammit agreed not to investigate John Dalli, which is why he was appointed, but then even he couldn’t cope.