No Baxxter, I do not believe that to be the case. And I do believe that a succession plan for the chairman’s position is necessary.

I am also aware that there are a number of plans at the Malta Financial Services Authority, the first such one being the appointment of the deputy director general who will replace the current DG when he retires this August.

Others will follow, including I am certain that of the chairman, who will hopefully be selected not on his or her political leaning but on his or her capability as was the case with Professor Bannister.

Baxxter, I might also add that this succession planning should fall within the remit of the General Council of the MFSA as and when they consider it to be in the best interest of the MFSA and of the industry.

Changing at the time there was a change in government with the way this government has awarded directorships and positions would not have been in the best interest of the industry as the person so appointed would have been tainted by the ridiculous appointments made to date. Immaterial of whether the person was competent or not.

Oh for heaven’s sake. Bannister’s been at his post since 1999. That’s FIFTEEN YEARS. Or do you people think that government officials are like kings or popes, to hold the post until death?

Demm zaghzugh indeed.

It doesn’t seem to matter a lot to him if he is made to eat humble pie and made the fall guy when this citizenship-sale saga comes to its inevitable end, one way or another.

It seems that retaining his post and salary are more important than retaining his dignity.

You are wrong, Baxxter. Professor Bannister was a valid choice by the Nationalists and he remains a valid choice now.

He has a sterling reputation both in and outside of Malta, including with the top international financial players. Frankly speaking I shudder to think who Muscat could have replaced him with.

I for one am happy that he has retained his position and my mind is at rest that there is someone in this position who holds Malta’s reputation at heart and who is not in it purely for the money.

Professor Bannister has been instrumental in bringing over some very big names to Malta. I state this through first hand experience I have had with him, when bringing over large multinationals interested in setting up in Malta.

Brian Schembri is a champ. And he doesn’t seem to harbour any resentment against colleagues/underlings/competitors, which is very un-Maltese.

In the end, the National Orchestra has shown itself to be more meritocratic than any other publicly-funded body. Everywhere else, appointments are for life.

And it’s not just a Labour thing.

Fine, and how do they plan to convince the industry that it’s OK to risk and moor their ships next to the one envisaged as storage to perform an operation which, to date, has always been designed to take place miles out, or isolated from inhabited areas?

It’s not a luxury, it’s painstaking standards which made of the LNG sector a direct competitor and global player.

Don’t give me insurance, LNG suppliers and operators know they have a problem with public perception and taking such risks isn’t exactly a stategic move.

More time eh? I bet design troubleshooting on a defined repeated simulation cannot be performed either. Is there anyone designing protocols and developing emergency operational time lags?

When this design philosophy takes over, it’s not if, but when.

Apparently the US embassy insisted they are given the particulars of US citizens who apply for this infamous scheme.

Whoever is confirmed in that position by this Government will be a mouthpiece.

It’s too close to heart, and have we seen evidence to the contrary?

The only meritocratic appointment was that of Brian Schembri: the genuine socialist professional.