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Karl Schembri
Labour’s former Secretary General, Jimmy Magro, claims he is paying the price for having served 13 years in a public office by having to face “a thick wall of political hatred and political discrimination” from public, private and civil fronts.
Since he was ousted by the MLP party delegates in November 2003, Magro says he has applied for more than 150 advertised job vacancies “which were all refused by the local entrepreneurial/managerial class”.
In a bitter letter sent to the editor of The Malta Independent on Sunday last week rebuking the newspaper for a report about his application to become Head of the EU mission in Malta, Magro claimed being a victim of outright political discrimination.
“Why have I been specifically brought to the front-line, when I have left public life and am now seeking to find suitable employment commensurate with my qualifications, experience, competencies and skills” Magro wrote, listing examples of government jobs he was refused over the last months.
“Let there be more feasts, petards, Masses and prayers as this is Christian Malta, where political discrimination is rife and officially propagated,” he wrote.
Not the most media-friendly politico during his time in office, Magro would not discuss the discrimination he is facing when contacted by MaltaToday.
“I have nothing to add to that letter,” he said.
His successor, Jason Micallef, had a word of solidarity for Magro.
“I condemn discrimination against politicians from all political backgrounds, and I can confirm that this is not the first case where someone formerly involved in politics is facing these problems,” Micallef said.
“Even some former ministers and their aides are known to have faced this kind of problem, although it seems that Labourites suffer more of this than Nationalists.”
Indeed this is not the first case of a former political figure having to face the cruel side of political afterlife. Magro’s situation is similar to that of several other Maltese formerly involved in politics and who are not professionals or financially independent, ending up unemployed after leaving public life.
karl@newsworksltd.com
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