In her book The Origins of Totalitarianism, Hannah Arendt noted that “Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty.”
She was referring to both the Nazi and Soviet regimes that ruthlessly removed highly experienced and respected officials and replaced them with incompetent, unqualified and often corrupt loyalists. People were given jobs and promoted into power not for being good at something – for being an excellent consultant or a superb policymaker – but for their absolute fealty to the leader or their proximity to his ministers.
It’s impossible to read Arendt’s commentary and not think of Amanda Muscat being appointed consultant, not once but twice, with two different ministries.
She is the epitome of incompetence, inexperience and unsuitability for her post. Yet her partner (now husband), Clayton Bartolo still shamelessly argued she was experienced, competent and deserving of the post – “degrees and diplomas are not everything”. Meanwhile his leader bragged that he was the one who terminated the very post his own OPM approved.
Amanda Muscat is just one of many – an army of incompetent, unqualified loyalists appointed way above their grade in a frantic rush to funnel as much of our money as possible into their pockets. The industrial looting of public funds is not the worst damage Labour’s incompetents wreak on the state. Their presence on boards of directors, at the highest offices, at the helm of institutions degrades the quality of the civil service and the entire state.
The list is endless. Joanne Galdes, Minister Roderick Galdes’ wife, is entirely unqualified but she is director at WasteServ. Joseph Cuschieri’s daughter, barely in her twenties, is Minister Miriam Dalli’s “consultant”. In addition she’s been made Business Development Manager at Infrastructure Malta. She also sits on the board of another government company, Clearflow Plc, a subsidiary of Water Services Corporation. Joseph Cuschieri himself now leads Project Green after his debacle at the MFSA.
Carmen Ciantar’s daughter, a young dentist, was put on the sensitive Treatment Abroad Committee by Ciantar’s friend Chris Fearne. Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando was given a 70,000 euro package as Executive Chairman of the National Skills Council despite working privately as a dentist and after occupying top position at the Malta Council of Science and Technology. A damning NAO report found utter mismanagement and possible abuse in direct orders at MCST while JPO was chairman. Instead of kicking him out, Labour gave him another lucrative post.
Karl Stagno Navarra, previously Labour’s anchor at ONE, was given lucrative posts at Malta Enterprise, Air Malta, the OHSA and now at the Plant Protection Directorate. Even Helen Caruana, Edward Zammit Lewis’ sister, is director at Wasteserv. Ian Borg appointed as his consultant the sister of his co-deputy leader Alex Agius Saliba. Deandra Schembri, Silvio Schembri’s wife, is a manager at the Malta Business Registry which falls under her own husband’s remit. Maxilene Bonett, Minister Chris Bonett’s wife was made consultant with Minister Anton Refalo.
Aaron Farrugia was appeased with an ambassadorial role with the IMO. Randolph Debattista was made ambassador to Geneva. Even the octogenarian Joe Debono Grech is still on the Gozo Channel board, besides being paid another 40,000 euro as the “Special Delegate of the Prime Minister”. Former Labour MP Jean Claude Micallef is now CEO of the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sports. Ryan Pace, Robert Abela’s junior lawyer at his private legal firm, has been given 11 government jobs.
Instead of solving problems and improving the lives of Maltese citizens, Labour’s army of parasites simply does the bidding of the Leader. Their role is not to serve the state – it’s to make hay while the sun shines and to ensure their Leader and his party maintain power. But many of them have another important role – ensuring party funders and backers grow wealthier by the day and keep backing Labour.
By implementing policies that are in one way or another, in the interest of the Leader and his friends, they ensure that donations, in money or in kind, keep flowing into the party’s war-chest. The shameless direct orders, manipulated tenders, public land, development permits regularly go to the Leader’s friends – the Bonnici brothers, Paul and Mark Gauci (tal-Gedida), Joseph Portelli, Anton Camilleri tal-Franciz, Paul Attard, Silvio Debono, TEC Ltd.
The situation is only getting worse. As the Leader’s position gets increasingly more precarious, he gets more desperate. His obstinate refusal to take action against Clint Camilleri, even in the face of massive public outrage, is a shrewd investment on Abela’s part. He knows he can now count on Camilleri’s absolute fealty.
Abela is the typical authoritarian surrounding himself with yes-men. He’s blessed with a cabinet of mostly compromised rogues. He knows none of them will utter a word of protest as he rides roughshod over the people.
Who can object to his depraved defence of his two ministers? Ian Borg, who’s got an illegal swimming pool in his back garden and who’s deeply mired in the driving licence racket? Michael Falzon, whose ministry is involved in the massive disability allowance scandal? Owen Bonnici, who was found guilty of breaching human rights and who appointed his girlfriend on the board of the national orchestra? Chris Bonett, who messed up the ta’ Kandja shooting range and then used his official car to go on holiday to Sicily? Miriam Dalli who hands the deplorable Joseph Cuschieri posts even more lucrative than what she’s given his daughter? Roderick Galdes who orchestrated the Siggiewi social housing scandal?
Robert Abela’s Labour government fuses petty partisan interests with incalculable material greed. Instead of using power to serve the nation, Labour diverts national funds for the enrichment of party donors and loyalists on whom the next electoral victory depends. Labour rudely dumps those with experience and integrity like Desmond Zammit Marmara and celebrates those who breach ethics, embarrass the party and harm the nation.