Why we need a law against the mafia and organised crime in politics

Our political system has become so dysfunctional that Robert Abela is heading for elections with a proposed cabinet of criminals. Rosianne Cutajar is not only contesting elections but she has also been promised a ministry by Robert. After two years of leading the government, Robert has successfully normalised corruption and rent-seeking and criminal political life is here to stay. In the November-December crisis of 2019, civil society and Labour rebels forced out a Prime Minister and his two corrupt henchmen. Since Robert took over the government, he has been reversing our gains by chipping away at them slowly. The Labour rebels no longer exist and Evarist Bartolo has become ever more delusional whilst living in the foreign-desk bubble. Varist still thinks that he is in the same Labour Party he militated under Alfred Sant, only that the Labour Party of today is unrecognisable from what it was in the past, because today, it doesn’t stand for anything other than for Robert himself.

Then there is Chris Fearne who has been restricted to dealing with a virus pandemic, while critics within the Party have been purged. Ian Borg isn’t motivated to stay in politics on a long-time frame and rumour has it that this may be his last election. Meanwhile, Miriam Dalli is happily supporting Robert’s schemes of covering up for Joseph Muscat as Minister of Energy. So, there is no one in the Party with any distinct influence from Robert and he has gained absolute control over it, consolidating it even further by bringing in his family members and cronies. Today, nothing remains of the Labour Party other than the hallow voices of Robert’s delusions and propaganda. This was the perfect set-up for Joseph Muscat’s cabal to hold its ground with some of its members like Rosianne and Edward Żammit-Lewis retaining positions of power and going ahead to elections with the promise that they will have ministerial portfolios once elected.

The press and civil society are gradually coming to terms with the fact that Robert Abela is nothing but a criminal operator and professional rent seeker and has been so all his life. In a recent article, environmentalist Edward Mallia outs Robert Abela for colluding with members of the board of the Planning Authority to approve the corrupt DB deal where public land was sold at a discount for a DB high-rise development in the place of Malta’s Tourism of Institute. DB owner Silvio Debono is a well known big Labour Party donor, and the court eventually revoked the permit over the conflict of interests by the board of the planning authority.

Here we are on the cusp of losing a great battle for our political system. If Robert is going to get his way and gets elected to office, we are going to lose another five years of our history with criminals and professional rent-seekers still in charge. The billboards showing up on the offices of Labour MPs in towns and villages reek of desperation and they are indeed desperate. They have created a system of government with criminal and rent seeking activity and are bewildered at the prospect of being out of government, alone in the wilderness with the inevitable coming of the reckoning of the past. If you spend a career in politics and government indulging in corruption and facilitating criminal activity, you are going to live in fear the moment that the political power which you used to protect yourself is taken away from you by the democratic decisions of the people.

Labour is heading to elections with a host of criminals who will very well become ministers once again. Here’s a roll-call.

Rosianne Cutajar

Took a €50,000 bribe from Yorgen Fenech and had an intimate relationship with him in exchange for defending him in public and in political life.

Edward Żammit-Lewis

Defending Yorgen Fenech in public and in political life, colluded with him, discussed political and public matters with him outside political and regular channels, and ingratiated with him for the potential rewards of gifts and a job with Tumas Group.

Owen Bonnici

Contracted corrupt Brian Tonna for public work on orders from the OPM. Covered up for Brian Tonna, Nexia BT, Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi by hampering investigations through a compliant Attorney-General, and breaking the rights of protesters over Daphne’s memorial according to a court decision.

Michael Falzon

Gave a public property for free to Mark Gaffarena, a decision which was then revoked by the court. Signing away a €260 million contract with Labour Party donors DB and James Caterers over the supposed restoration over the government’s old people’s home. Publicly-funding pro-life organisations which illegally promote and give out medical advice.

Their Boss

Robert Abela made a career facilitating planning permits of Labour Party donors and friends. He was then a pseudo-consultant to Joseph Muscat until he was anointed leader of the Labour Party by his boss. And he has absolutely no idea what he is doing.