Down memory lane

The front-page story in this newspaper refers to the court submissions of the elderly brothers of the Farrugia family, known in years gone by as John’s garage. The brothers were dragged into the criminal court and accused of collusion with their corrupt brother George Farrugia.

Those who have failing memories should remember that in 2013 just before the general election, MaltaToday published an exclusive story which revealed a web of corruption with a certain George Farrugia at its centre. It was based on court proceedings which had been in the public domain and had been conveniently not reported by the mainstream media. It showed how George Farrugia acted as the brains behind a scheme, which saw multinational oil companies pay kickbacks to middlemen to ensure sale of fuel to Enemalta.  

The minister responsible for Enemalta at the time was Austin Gatt and the prime minister was Lawrence Gonzi.

Now, since 2013 we have witnessed scandals and corruption like no other involving the highest echelons of the Labour administration. But before 2013, the Nationalist administration was far from being virginal. Comparisons are odious, but back then, discussing corruption or attributing corruption to the government was treated with unforgivable reprisal. First there were the attacks by government apologists—Lou Bondi on TVM, Daphne Caruana Galizia on The Independent and her blog; and of course, the whole party structure. When I look back, I wonder how I took it all in.

For his mortal sins, George Farrugia, who shafted his brothers and devised a structure to syphon kickbacks in return for confirming the purchase of fuel for Enemalta, was given a presidential pardon a month before the national elections. He was saved by the kind benevolence of Gonzi himself.

His presidential pardon absolved him for any crime as long as he revealed everything. He did nothing of the sort.

George Farrugia and his wife were well known to Gonzi. Indeed, Lawrence Gonzi’s secretary when he worked privately with Mizzi Organisation and served as Speaker—these things happened then too but it was okay—was Cathy Farrugia, George’s wife. She was responsible for the administration that allowed George to operate his devious scheme.

Farrugia did not reveal everything; in fact he did the complete opposite and declared less takings from the lucrative sale of fuel and more importantly he gave no information about the contents and monies of his secret Swiss account. 

Today’s front-page story, reveals how George Farrugia’s idea of revealing all was by simply providing a brochure of the bank where he held an account in Switzerland.

Revealing such a story in 2013 was tough. It meant accepting the abuse and unheard accusations from those who later would militate in Repubblika. To them, corruption that took place under a Nationalist administration was of no consequence. To them the notion that corruption is inbred and endemic was not a consideration.

Twelve years later, many of George Farrugia’s elderly brothers are frail and a pale reflection of their former self.  Their families await justice to be meted out to absolve the brothers from collusion. They await justice and real hope that the real rat in this ugly episode will be revealed for what he is.

Unfortunately, the presidential pardon brokered personally by Lawrence Gonzi will save George Farrugia from being prosecuted and sent to prison. But unlike most of us, George Farrugia is a religious man who finds the time for prayer meetings and Jesus-talk. Perhaps the judgement that evades him this world will catch up with him in the next.

Yet, for all the political traction the Joseph Muscat administration gained from this scandal, the case simply dragged on indefinitely in the Maltese courts. It is a sad reflection on the police and the judicial system.

Gonzi went on to lose the national election in 2013 and I am happy for that. I have no regrets for having contributed to his defeat, but Muscat’s victory would turn out to be the biggest disappointment.

One thing is for sure, the oil scandal and the implications of that ugly but unforgettable episode are relevant to what is happening today.  All the players have simply reinvented themselves with no shame. For them life goes on.

Sometimes I ask myself if we are simply in the business of storytelling and that there is nothing more to it.  Changing the world is not a dream that will ever come true, it seems.