The burning question: did Muscat know that Nair is debarred by the World Bank when he sought his advice in Opposition and then made him consultant to the Malta government?
There are just three possible broad scenarios here.
1. Joseph Muscat was aware that Shiv Nair is debarred permanently by the World Bank for fraud and corruption, yet considered it not important enough to interfere with his plans to make Nair a consultant to his government, to him as prime minister, and to Malta Enterprise.
2. Joseph Muscat was not aware of the World Bank debarring, which means that the obvious alarm bells that should have rung around Nair did not ring at all (worrying in itself), and beyond that, no standard background checks were run on him.
3. Joseph Muscat knew about the debarring when he encountered Nair in Opposition, but needed him, his possible access to campaign funding, or both, too much to care about the rest. Then, when he got into government, it was too late to do anything about it.
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Coming up next, no doubt and inevitably: the link between Dalli and Nair.
Incidentally both Dalli and Nair live at Portomaso. I’m sure they know each other.
This is the second such scandal.
Wasn’t the Chinese company that is giving Joseph Muscat’s government a ‘free’ feasibility study for a bridge also black-listed on similar grounds?
Yes. But Joseph Muscat thought it was of no consequence because, he said, due diligence should refer to the company’s owner. He meant China, as though China is some paragon of virtue.
That makes three broad scenarios – all of them very disturbing indeed. But more worrying still is the overall scenario that has been created by Joseph Muscat and his PL government.
The international relationships being fostered, as also the dubious and the incompetent individuals appointed to key posts in the infrastructure of the state have brought about a climate of distrust.
This is not only driving off potential investors, but is casting serious doubt on the future of Malta itself, and on Malta’s continued membership in the European Union.
Not to mention the Schengen privilege. Because if we were no longer in it, it would have been grossly abused.
If Muscat didn’t know then, he certainly knows now and would do well to cut all ties with this fraudster.
But how does he do that now? They must be really close.
Shiv Nair would meet Muscat at least once a week when he was in Malta. Yet anyone meeting the Nairs and Muscats together would immediately sense that theirs was not a ‘natural’ friendship, in the way that people from the same background and culture would feel comfortable together.
Something altogether different brings this lot together.
Scenario 3: Most likely.
Scenario 2: Too many pacts with just as many demons, so he cannot possibly have been in the dark about all of them.
Scenario 1: That was a pun, wasn’t it?
Could our Prime Minister kindly explain to us lesser mortals what is it in his “Movement” that is proving to be so attractive to these shady characters in the world of international finance and, please, who is soliciting whose patronage? And while he is about that chore could he please extend his reply to include the shady characters buzzing round his anointed John Dalli?