Meanwhile, in Spain…
We like to say that our attitude is ‘southern European’ or ‘Mediterranean’, when all it is is corrupt and not at all bothered by what we consider to be the niceties, rather than the fundamentals, of democracy.
By this I mean we who are not politicians or otherwise involved in the decision-making processes of the country. We forget that when corrupt, abusive decisions are made by politicians and decision-makers in full public view (and beyond it), this is possible because the public tolerates the situation.
The Labour government is not defying public opinion but testing the limit of its tolerance which they know, because there is an electoral result to prove it and because they found people so greedy and gullible, so generally unsophisticated and keen to be flattered, has a pretty high threshold.
In Malta, when politicians stay away from abusive or outright corrupt decisions, from nepotism and cronyism, it is not because they are controlled by public opinion but because they themselves won’t do the wrong thing.
Maltese society is ripe, has always been ripe within living memory, for those with no moral or ethical boundaries to do as they please and get away with it. You don’t only see this in politics, but in everyday life and certainly in social life, which has become increasingly squalid. People feel detached from those decisions, almost helpless in the face of them and worse, they say that they would do the same and see nothing wrong.
Some news from Spain, meanwhile – and bear in mind that this is the appointment of somebody fit for purpose.
The niece of Economy Minister Luis de Guindos, Beatriz de Guindos, has resigned as director of competition of the new controversial super-watchdog, the National Commission for the Markets and Competition (CNMC), just a day after being named to the post.
Sources close to the minister’s niece said she had decided to stand down in order not to damage the image of the new supervisory body.
Her resignation leaves up in the air the future of Micaela Arias, the daughter of Agriculture and Environment Minister Miguel Arias Cañete, whom De Guindos named as sub-director of competition.
The appointment of two relatives of government ministers to the CNMC prompted a media storm of nepotism allegations.The post of director of competition is regarded as the most important at the CNMC after that of its board members.
A state economist, Beatriz de Guindos began her professional career in 2003 at the old Competition Service, which was under the wing of the Economy Ministry when her uncle was secretary of state for the economy in the government of Prime Minister José María Aznar. She was well considered professionally.
The possible damage to the image of the CNMC from accusations of nepotism was heightened by the controversy surrounding the creation of what is officially an independent organization.
Some of the members of the board are close to the government and the rationale behind the decision to merge several supervisory bodies was questioned by the European Commission, which imposed certain changes to its design.
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“Some of the members of the board are close to the government and the rationale behind the decision to merge several supervisory bodies was questioned by the European Commission, which imposed certain changes to its design.”
We are waiting for some comments from Europe regarding the extreme nepotism that we are seeing here.
Can we also have some changes to the design of our Identity Malta super agency?
Which is why the opposition can step it up.
Corner Labour and expose the paradox for what it is.
Muscat’s campaign was contradictory when it came to key issues like transportation, energy and the environment.
Malta cannot avoid or hush these and expect industry, tourism or investment to flourish.
Corruption, moral or material and approximative reasoning carry limits. Something Labour cherishes, feeding off exploitation.
By stepping up, not just challenging the state of affairs, but actively taking over policy, the intellectually stunted should react, uncovering the limits.
It’s not the PN’s remit to subscribe, it’s more an obligation to intercept and understand. Form is meaning, the way Labour encourages its perverse lowest denominator to abuse has to be counteracted by one which provides a correct alternative.
A very fine line indeed. But Malta’s fragility demands the risk.
Otherwise, any idea to compromise will produce political facadism, just like those ridiculous town houses crowned with unimaginative concrete and everyone’s expected to be happy.
We’ve seen it, everyone rushing in to ‘help’ Joseph, lest the plebiscite reflects badly, or, and this is why it won’t work, keep away from the PN to avoid contaminating the movement.
It’s that perverse. And unsustainable, as if this self-imposed detente can last five years. There’s so many Kenneth Zammit Tabona’s around.
The PN needs semiotics. Subject matter available.
http://video.foxnews.com/v/2702508991001/maltas-pm-has-money-lesson-for-america/
No mention of the good governance of the ‘gvern preċedenti’?