The survivors

Gravy trains, hypocrites and the dark days when democracy was still wishful thinking all get SAVIOUR BALZAN’s treatment this week

Sharon Ellul Bonici is the first Maltese to benefit from the goodness of the European Union. She will be working with the EDD, a group that represents right-wingers in the European parliament.

Sharon, an avowed Labourite and eurosceptic, has vociferously campaigned against European membership. One of her fossilised arguments is the gravy train accusation. In other words, the people who want Malta to be in the European Union are doing all this for their own benefit and selfish interests.

Well, what could be a sweeter revenge. It is Sharon who has jumped on the gravy train and it will be the declared candidate for Labour who will be receiving a handsome salary.

Perhaps she can be so kind as to disclose her income just like Arnold Cassola did when he recently spoke to some journalists, proudly telling them that his tax rate was something like 60%.

So, what next? Will the Labour party or its loyal soldiers reserve some bile for Sharon as it did for Arnold?

We’ll see.

When it comes to accusing others, we are undoubtedly and I quote Vanessa Macdonald on this, the biggest hypocrites. Alfred Mifsud is a case in point. The last time I happened to arrive home early and tune in to Super One I saw him in this advertorial at the ‘barraka ta’ fuq’ professing Swiss in the Med. He was talking as a newly wed candidate for the Labour party. He appeared sorely out of place with Joe Sammut, Myriam Spitert Debono and Chris Cardona. His smallish, knotted tie was also far too red.

But what he did not say is that the real Alfred Mifsud has never believed in this ‘Swiss in the Med’ approach. The only reason that Mr Mifsud should be in the favour of this silly ‘Swiss in the Med’ thing is because he owns and runs a fund management company which specialises in giving advice to Maltese to invest their funds in a Swiss Bank.The well-timed attack on Emmanuel Ellul, a former Labour-appointed Central Bank governor, by Leo Brincat is to be noted.

Mr Brincat who reminds me of a morse code machine tends to take me back to visions of the Addam’s family. In fact I could very well imagine him in the good company of Morticia (three guesses who Morticia could be).

This former Finance minister has, in the past, had the privilege of using the good services of lawyer Patrick Spiteri. This lawyer is facing one case of fraud and is probably involved in another.

Mr Brincat is also responsible for appointing, as Metco head, Norman Zammit, investigated for his involvement in the alleged possession of priceless stolen paintings.

Mr Brincat who has spilt venom at Emmanuel Ellul the head of the privatisation unit, accusing him of being a survivor, has the knack of shooting himself in the foot.

Unbelievably for us, Mr Brincat, an HSBC employee, believes that anyone who works for government is a mercenary and a yes man.

Mr Ellul, as far as we know, is a Labourite by conviction.

And since we are on the topic of survivors, it is useful to recall Mr Brincat’s survival instincts from his time as a junior minister responsible for housing and information in 1986. Probably the darkest year one can ever remember in the short history of housing and misinformation in Malta.

Saviour Balzan