The circus goes on

A day is a long time in politics. So much has been said and done this last day, that every additional day with GonziPN holding on to power, is far too long.  The Gonzi administration is well past its ‘sell by’ date.

This weekend Lawrence Gonzi has made it clear that he is treating the Maltese parliament as a circus with an emphasis on clowning. During his weekend speeches and interviews he tries to make fun of the Labour Party and its policies. As if on cue, his audience laughs. He is now trying to fool the people with a reckless budget that will not be approved. This makes people cry because he is taking them for fools. His planned budget would be merely an illusion, with which he will try to deceive by promising a false impression of reality.

Lawrence Gonzi has shown he has no respect for authority. He has said that nobody is greater than the party but he thinks of himself as greater than the country. He acts as if he is above the law. Last June, Parliament decided by a clear majority to oust Richard Cachia Caruana from his position as the government’s representative at the European Union. Despite a decision taken by the highest authority in the country, Gonzi has decided to keep Cachia Caruana as his consultant on EU affairs. He even has the cheek to grant RCC the title of Ambassador. Gonzi says that Cachia Caruana has refused remuneration, although the government is still paying for his expenses, but the issue is different. Parliament did not vote Cachia Caruana out because of his pay, but because of his actions as Malta’s EU Ambassador. This is a total disrespect for parliament and the people. These are actions of third world leaders who govern in a dictatorial manner. Anywhere else, the Prime Minister would have resigned immediately.

Also within the last 24 hours, a government appointed member of Parliament’s House Audit Committee, resigned because he felt he could not be a party to a decision that was not beneficial to the government. Jesmond Mugliett also said that he did not receive replies to questions he had asked before the approval of the extension to the Floriana car park.

As if this were not enough for one day, the Government also announced the rental, with an option to buy, of St. Philip’s Hospital from Dr. Frank Portelli, a former PN MP and President of the Executive Committee. The way that this was engineered, through an ‘expression of interest’ is an insult to the intelligence of the people. It has also set a serious and dangerous precedent that the Public Acquisition Requirements are not subject to Public Contracts Regulations, since these regulations do not apply to the purchase or rental of land or property. So does this mean that the cabinet can decide what to do with public funds without going for parliamentary approval?

With GonziPN, wonders never cease.