Those of us in the Labour Party back then were all wrong to support the government as it conceived these frauds, so we are all morally guilty in many ways. I hold no moral superiority over my friends, who throughout this saga have acted very decently.
Previous Permanent Secretary Alfred Camilleri will be indicted in court for misappropriation of funds and facilitating money-laundering like previous Health Minister Chris Fearne. Both of them have made no statement attacking the Inquiring Magistrate and haven’t displayed any infantile drama, contrary to other more seemingly guilty parties. Both of them share the experience of being duped by colleagues they trusted and assumed had goodwill, such as former Minister for Finance Edward Scicluna, who has recently revealed his true character.
Edward Scicluna was supposed to have been the person to raise the red flags over this project in the cabinet. His colleagues who were less financially literate than him trusted his technocratic pose and aura, yet it turned out that he was just full of shit who got his friends into a lot of trouble just because he was too afraid to speak out.
He never disclosed this publicly, but eventually, Alfred Camilleri had to retire against the government’s wishes due to health reasons. He ended up mentally stressed for what he got involved into, and at one point in time his health collapsed. Good men aren’t made for bad things.
Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. John Stuart Mill.
What’s next? The beatification of Alfred Camilleri?
Camilleri has a lot to answer for. He held back Lawrence Gonzi from slightly expanding government spending in its twilight years, only to break open the taps once Labour were elected.
He was perfectly aware Labour were burning millions upon millions of euros in corrupt deals and contracts. We remember Electrogas and Vitals-Stewart because of mammoth numbers involved but there were tens of other smaller transactions but corrupt nonetheless we conveniently forgot: Australia Hall, Cafe Premier, the film festivals, the road contracts, etc etc etc.
And they all bear his signature.
And If I remember well there were reports Joseph Muscat used to bypass his own finance minister and confer with Camilleri directly.
As the top man at the finance ministry he could have put a stop to this disaster YEARS ago
He did not.
And now we’re meant to cry over his health?
I do tend to agree with you here Andrew. Yet, however we humans do unfortunately tend to overlook the repercussions a poor, honest employee has to face when he stands up and holds his ground and says ‘No’ to his superiors.
There is always that fear for ‘offending’ the establishment for not towing the line. There is fear for not being a ‘Yes’ man. There is fear for being ridiculed by the establishment for speaking out the truth. There is fear when there is a great probability that one is ‘conveniently’ made redundant for not being a team player. There is fear if one is made redundant and cannot support one’s family or the bank mortgage on one’s residence.
It always seems that the onus is always on that poor ‘bastard’ who stood up and stated ‘No’! Whilst the establishment gets away with ‘murder’ and a prosit.
The only reason I feel free to criticise is that when I was in the same situation, I didn’t hold back and paid the price. But I sleep at night and my name has never featured on a criminal indictment.
Andrew I raise my hat to you Dear Sir. My previous statement was apolitical as I unfortunately paid the same price for holding my ground and integrity when I was employed in the private sector.
Unfortunately there is no place for sheep amongst wolves.
Oh look, he also sat on the Project Malta board, too. And look who his cronies were.
https://timesofmalta.com/article/edward-sciclunas-top-civil-servant-was-part-of-opaque-projects-malta.812172
Alfred Camilleri innocent? Yes, and pigs fly.