Democratic Party hits out at PL, PN: 'Clientelism is Malta’s bane'

The Democratic Party says that for every person who is allowed to skip the hospital queue or is given a job on the basis of who the person knows, somebody else is suffering the consequences • Calls on parties to get together and create a fairer society

Thumbs up: Almost a third of Wasteserv employees engaged before the last election came from Jose Herrera's constituency
Thumbs up: Almost a third of Wasteserv employees engaged before the last election came from Jose Herrera's constituency

There can be no rule of law when politicians across the board admit they will give preference to those who vote for them, the Democratic Party said.

In a strongly-worded statement, the PD said it believed clientelism was the “bane of democracy” and the root of the country’s problems.

“Clientelism is a cancer to the goal of meritocracy and it undermines the success of the nation - for what point is there to work hard or study hard or pay one's taxes if a few phone calls can make the need for all of that irrelevant,” the PD said.

The party was reacting to the revelation in MaltaToday of a cache of emails showing how Nationalist Party politicians put pressure on Wasteserv to employ constituents between 2009 and 2013 and the testimony of Wasteserv CEO Tonio Montebello at the Public Accounts Committee in Parliament that 30% of those employed on the eve of the last election came from Environment Minister Jose Herrera’s constituency.

PD said it will lead the charge in the name of good governance. “For all mistakes which have been made in the past, PD believes the time has come for all politicians in Malta - now that they have admitted their mistakes - to come together around the table and institute the necessary checks and balances to prevent future abuses,” the statement said.

The political parties can agree on a road to good governance to ensure Malta became a fairer society.