Muscat not worthy of being Malta’s prime minister – Fenech Adami

Joseph Muscat is not worthy of being Malta’s prime minister as he has rewarded corruption and presided over the most corrupt government in the country’s history, PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami said.

Addressing the party faithful in the wake of Muscat announcing a Cabinet re-shuffle in response to Panamagate, the PN deputy leader hit out at the prime minister for retaining Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri, and claimed that Muscat is being held “hostage by corruption.”

“It is a shame that we have a prime minister who has lost control over the most corrupt government in the country’s history. Those who defend and refuse to fight corruption are corrupt, while those who reward corruption are not worthy of being prime minister,” Fenech Adami said.

In what was labelled as a “blow to Malta’s dignity” by PN leader Simon Busuttil, Thursday’s Cabinet re-shuffle saw the prime minister choosing to retain his closest allies, notwithstanding their ownership of offshore Panama companies. Konrad Mizzi, the minister under pressure to resign for having opened a company in Panama, was retained as a ‘minister’ without portfolio, while Keith Schembri was retained as the prime minister’s chief of staff.

“I appeal to those genuine Labourites who feel that they were betrayed by Muscat. We are not perfect, but we are in politics to do what’s best for the country. You have a clear choice: the deceit of Joseph Muscat or the PN’s honest politics,” he said.

Delivering his address on Workers’ Day to the party faithful, Fenech Adami accused the government of endangering the livelihood of all those working in the financial services sector, and claimed that the government had deceived workers when it pledged to eradicate precarious employment. Similarly, he said, Enemalta workers were being taken for a ride, while Air Malta workers were facing uncertainty.

“What’s the point of having a strong economy when the dividends are being enjoyed by Labour’s inner circles? What’s the point of having the economy generating millions when these are given to Gaffarena or the Café Premier owners?” Fenech Adami said.

On her part, Nationalist MP Kristy Debono accused the government of “betraying” workers and insisted that the Nationalist Party always had the workers’ interests at heart and that the time has come for Malta to have honest politicians working towards better employment conditions.

Hitting out at the police, Debono questioned why Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri were not investigated after admitting to opening a company in Panama, insisting that it was ironic that Simon Busuttil’s driver had to face a magisterial inquiry following allegations of discrepancies between fuel consumed and mileage reported fro the PN leader’s official car.

The inquiry found no wrongdoing and Busuttil’s driver was cleared of all charges.