Bernard Grech has slammed the “business as usual” approach taken by the prime minister over a political patronage scandal involving two of his ministers.
Speaking at the end of the PN’s general council, the Opposition leader said it was unacceptable that ministers Clayton Bartolo and Clint Camilleri plotted to give a €70,000 job to Bartolo’s then-girlfriend.
Grech said the lack of good governance had become of trademark of this government.
“The country’s money is not there for them to give to each other, just because they became friends with benefits,” Grech said.
Bartolo and Camilleri are under the spotlight after a standards commissioner report found the ministers abused their power and breached ministerial ethics over a consultancy job given to Bartolo’s then-girlfriend.
Amanda Muscat, who is now Bartolo’s wife, was first promoted from his personal assistant to his consultant with a generously beefed-up salary of almost €62,000 in 2020 and again, with an even higher salary of €68,000, with Camilleri in 2021.
The commissioner has raised serious doubts about whether Muscat actually did the work that came with her role as a policy consultant.
The Opposition leader said the salary awarded to Muscat was three times that of a teacher and far more than that of police officers who put their lives on the line for people.
Grech said Robert Abela’s defence of his two ministers rendered him complicit in their fraudulent behaviour.
Bartolo has offered a conditional apology over the scandal but denied breaching any rules.
“If saying sorry is enough for you, I can assure you it is not enough for us. People are made to pay for their mistakes. Just like people pay a fine when they are caught speeding. They don’t just say sorry, and everything is forgiven," Grech said.
‘PN will be different'
In defining his vision for the country, Grech urged people not to fall into the trap of thinking all politicians and governments were the same.
He said a PN government would not just focus on the here and now, but also on ensuring a sustainable future for Malta.
Grech said the country was in dire need of real change, with a government that listened to people and planned for the future.
“We need concrete actions to address the real problems faced by our country. We need to take stock of today’s realities".
“This government has created many problems impacting our daily lives - from power cuts to drainage flowing into the sea, traffic and a health service not keeping up with today’s demands”.
Grech said Malta could not remain dependent on an economy based on the importation of foreign workers into low-paying jobs.
He said Malta’s economy was suffocating youths, forcing many of them to leave the country.
Grech vowed that a PN government would prioritise key challenges like healthcare, transport and education.