Joseph says he did make one ‘PN-leaning’ appointment: Frank Portelli
Muscat’s definition of ‘varied talent’ – the man second from right, Jeremy Dalli, has been appointed to the board of Malta Industrial Parks Ltd. His qualifications? He is a shareholder in Footloose Bar and Qube Bar, Paceville, and a close friend of the minister responsible for that state corporation, Chris Cardona.
From a report in The Times:
Asked whether he was really raising the bar, considering the partisanship seen in board appointments and the fact that at least two ministers breached the code of ethics, Dr Muscat said this was a “caricature” of the situation.
He said the code of ethics was being obeyed except for Franco Mercieca who was given a special waiver due to his specialisations. Listing a number of PN-leaning people who had been appointed to boards – including former MP Frans Agius and former PN president Frank Portelli – Dr Muscat said a Government had never opened its arms so much to such varied talent.
Cue the canned laughter. Frank Portelli has had a rented seat on Super One TV for the last three years or more. In the last year or so before the election, he was particularly unhelpful.
To say that Frank Portelli is PN-leaning is like saying that John Dalli, Jesmond Mugliett, Robert Musumeci, Jeffrey Pullicino (Orlando) and Franco Debono are PN-leaning.
In any case, it’s worth repeating ad nauseam that the issue is not whether appointments are made on the basis of political sympathies. The issue is whether they are made on the basis of suitability, fitness for purpose, and competence.
I and most others would have no problem at all with the appointment of X, Y or Z, however Labour their sympathies, if they were excellent, or at the very least competent, at what they do.
The problem with the long, long list of this government’s new appointments is that it reads like a reward system: a reward not for being Labour, but for doing something to help Labour get into power, either via public testimonials, campaign work, or vocal ‘switching’.
It is not their politics, I must repeat, that are the issue here, but the fact that public appointments and public money are being used as a reward system not for talents, skills, ability and services rendered to the organisations in question, but as thanks for help given to the party in its successful quest for power.
The Americans do this – rewarding their fund-raisers and campaign help-meets – which is why Malta has for years had some appallingly bad and useless US ambassadors. With the end of the Mintoff/Communist/Labour government danger in 1987 or thereabouts, the United States stopped choosing its ambassadors to Malta from the career diplomatic corps and began sending political appointees instead – fund-raisers and campaign helpers for the Democrats or the Republicans or whoever won the election. It’s only now, with all the action in North Africa, that they’ve switched back to choosing ambassadors to Malta from the diplomatic corps. If you don’t believe what I’ve just written – that the United States has just sent us their first career diplomat ambassador since 1987, check the link below.
But the political reward system is simply unEuropean. Yes, Malta does have political appointees as ambassadors, but it is not a blatant reward system for giving money or help to the winning party.
Nor is a blatant reward system for fund-raisers, campaign helpers and people who ‘give witness’ (I have to borrow a term from religious zealotry because that is exactly what so many of them sounded like when speaking about why and how they had ‘converted to the religion of Joseph’) accepted with breezy abandon in the European context. Quite the reverse, in fact. It is associated with the more corrupt, shadier and dodgy-dealing parts of Europe, like Berlusca’s Italy.
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http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130530/local/political-corruption-cases-no-longer-time-barred.471849
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Ambassador_to_Malta
Was this photo taken when Franco Debono went into this restaurant which was reserved for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and told them that he was sent by the Maltese government?
[Daphne – Yes. Because, you know, it’s normal for a man who lives in Hal Ghaxaq to be prowling about Valletta alone late at night all dressed up in a suit, just in case he bumps into an American film star.]
Franco Debono is very good-looking.
[Daphne – Please, Mark. Don’t forget the man has a literal mind. You don’t want him ringing me for your number.]
Why don’t we all phone him , he might not like the questions but he could brag about the quantity of calls .
Franco Debono is so good-looking that Brad and Angelina have positioned themselves on either side of him because they both have the hots for him. I myself am gushing torrents as I write this.
“Applying Franco-ego-nomics mindset”
Who is that man next to Franco?
Where’s John Bundy?
Frank Portelli jghid lin-nies jivvutaw labour kien jonqsu. Ma tilifx opportunita’ wahda biex jghid kontra Gonzi. Anke wara li Gonzi tilef l-elezzjoni baqa sejjer bl-istess mantra. Kien nazzjonalist, xi darba imma.
Gino Cauchi on TVHemm. Only one word to describe him, ‘skifus’.
And Robert Musumeci …. saying a lot and nothing of real substance.
According to Joe, political corruption will not be time barred.
So will ex-thug ministers from the 80s and their circles be investigated (it was my understanding that some of these have recently been rewarded)?
Will public land sold for peanuts be reclaimed (this affects many places such as most of the Wied il-Ghajn promenade) and people involved brought to justice ?
Will the neo-PL appointees who lack the necessary credentials for the posts they’ve been handed be investigated?
I still wonder why he did that. Shouldn’t he be worried about him and his party members being prosecuted when PN are finally in government?
Couldn’t stand him. Who is he trying to fool with his arguments. Meritocracy? Look it up in the dictionary, Gino, and pass it on to Joseph.
Angelina and Brad are so happy in this photo…
Wrong Paddling Duck, Angelina looks anything but happy. She gives me the impression she’s VERY bored and that Franco’s wandering hands are pissing her off.
I can only imagine what ambassadors are reporting back to their countries about Malta.
Dr Muscat will not be able to find 35,000 appointments in boards. Will he have un-iced buns for them?
Ah, the famous Franco Debono. How exciting. Who are the others in the photo with him?
They must feel so happy and privileged to have had the opportunity to be photographed such a brilliant and exciting man.
Brad Pitt’s expression: Oh what the f… take a photo.
Angelina’s expression: Will it take long?