Leftist activists call on government to ditch privatisation policies

Moviment Graffitti today organised a press conference where it presented an open letter signed by around 400 individuals coming from diverse backgrounds and social realities, and who all embrace and identify with Socialist, leftist or progressive values.

The open letter, addressed to Cabinet, is a reaction to the recent court ruling rescinding the privatisation of three state hospitals.

“The letter expresses our outrage at the fact that what has been plainly apparent from the first moment this deal was announced has taken this long to be addressed,” the individuals said.

“Years of investment in the country’s health infrastructure have been lost, with the people who most rely on Malta’s public health service being the ultimate victims.”

Former union militant and veteran Labourite Sammy Meilaq addressed activists beneath the statue of leftist political visionary Manuel Dimech at Castille Square.

Meilaq and Yana Mintoff joined Graffitti activists in calling on government to stop the sale of public property and introduce reforms to curb corruption.

Meilaq warned that ordinary Labourites were fed up with the current situation and the support the party enjoyed was not because of the instances of bad governance.

Signatories of the letter have demanded all privatisation deals in which Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri, Chris Cardona, Joseph Muscat, and Projects Malta (now Malta Strategic Partnership Projects) had any role must be investigated to determine whether fraud or corruption played any part in the process. “These include, inter alia, the AUM concession, the sale of the former ITS site to db Group, and the Electrogas and security of gas supply agreements.”

“Should an illicit nature be found in any of these deals, we expect the assets so disposed of to be taken back into state ownership, and criminal proceedings to be brought against those involved, no matter their current or previous position,” the letter reads.

With regard to the Vitals-Steward deal, they said the Government should not only take back the hospitals, but also pursue all avenues to regain every cent spent from those responsible, with the reparations to be used on long-neglected elements of the public health service.

“We also believe that this judgement should be taken as a sign and an opportunity for the Labour Party to shift its stance on privatisation, and immediately stop all current and future deals that involve the sale of public assets,” they said.

The activists said privatisation deals have come at a huge cost for the country, with core infrastructure allowed to be run down, precious land sold for a pittance, hundreds of millions of euro found their way into the pockets of the local and global rich, institutions have been undermined, and a journalist killed.

“The judgement on the hospitals deal is a wakeup call. It is time to change lanes,” they said.