Maltese ambassadors must be thanking their lucky stars for COVID. It’s sparing them from having to attend diplomatic functions where they’d have to explain how we voted in a government and got a mafia racket instead.
It’s hard to save face now. Malta is the butt of jokes from Honolulu to Helsinki. Our cultural ambassador can sing himself hoarse – the only culture people associate us with now is that of the mafia.
Perhaps the defining moment on Saturday, when Keith Schembri, the chief of staff of Joseph Muscat, and his mates were dragged to court, was when state prosecutor Elaine Mercieca Rizzo roasted the domineering defence lawyer Edward Gatt.
“Shouting won’t get you anywhere,” she told him dismissively, marking the beginning of the end of an era of bullies.
Then, denied bail, we watched that van take them all to jail, where the blue prison stripes replaced their Armani shirts. In a country where the most powerful people appear to have been in collusion with criminals, we could – finally – afford, albeit momentarily, a sigh of relief.
Did it need to take four years to get here? No. Did the courts have to practically order the police to do what effectively is their job – arraigning criminals? No.
The police had all evidence in hand in 2017, they did not need to wait for the inquiry conclusions. And, in effect, many decent and diligent police officers were chomping at the bit to carry out investigations – but wherever they turned, doors were being slammed in their faces. Judging by what we hear, we are justified in concluding that the most powerful men at the time, Muscat and Schembri, together with their ministerial mates, were doing all they could to obstruct justice.
Judging by what we hear, we are justified in concluding that the most powerful men at the time, Muscat and Schembri, together with their ministerial mates, were doing all they could to obstruct justice.
As of last Saturday, justice could be obstructed no more and suddenly the noose is tightening. We can conclude that from the fact that every criminal and his dog associated with the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia now wants a pardon in exchange for information about masterminds of that plot and other crimes. It means that, right up till Saturday, they believed they had been protected.
But I’m baffled: is it possible that all these crimes have to be solved through pardons? That would mean that in less than a decade’s time, all these gangsters would be scot-free, going about their day job of cold-blooded murdering and a nice cup of tea after.
I’m sure that we have more than capable police officers who can dig evidence deep enough to incriminate. I mean, we all know the people mentioned in this horror show state of affairs – here, let me list them for ease of reference – Chris Cardona, Lawrence Cutajar, Silvio Valletta, Ian Abdilla, Peter Grech, Owen Bonnici, the Gasans, the Apap Bolognas, etc.
A list which, incidentally, brings me neatly to Muscat. His reaction to his best friend’s arraignment? Was it an apology, admitting that if he had allowed justice to take its course back in May 2017 and if his best friend had been arrested then, Daphne would still be alive? No. Ma tarax.
Muscat was clearly surrounded by crooks, which means he’s either one of them or he was pathetically naïve. Either way, it’s criminal- Kristina Chetcuti
He took to Facebook to point fingers at everyone except himself. Then, he dramatically ended his post by informing us that he’ll keep on “talking about Egrant until my dying breath”.
But when it was suggested that the inquiry should be reopened, instead of jumping at the opportunity and going: “Yes please do!” Muscat threw a hissy fit and said that this was “PN revenge” because “I beat them at elections”.
Bless, a man of 46 who still thinks he’s in the school playground. (Note to his dying breath: throw in a banner with ‘erbgħin elf’ as well please).
Let’s face it, he must be having quite a bit to answer for at home: “Isma, Mich, you know our friend Keith who used to be around all the time, er, he’s in jail… and you know our friend Brian… er, he’s in jail and you know our other friend…”
Money laundering, forgery, fraud, lying under oath were all happening under Muscat’s nose. He was clearly surrounded by crooks, which means he’s either one of them or he was pathetically naïve. Either way, it’s criminal.
Muscat as Public Officer Number 1 paid from our taxes, and by virtue of his prime ministerial office, had the sole duty to keep watch and to stop any illegal offence. According to the Maltese Criminal Code, when a public officer – including a prime minister – turns a blind eye, then he is one degree more guilty than the person who commits the actual crime.
This applies to his successor, Robert Abela, too. Abela seems to think that we are a nation of dimwits and keeps hiding behind the cry that “the institutions are working”. There’s a sea of difference between ‘are working’ and ‘are now forced to work’.
Abela supported Muscat every inch of the way right up till his fall from grace in 2019. He was also the legal representative of the Maksar brothers – who allegedly supplied the bomb used in Daphne’s assassination. You could not make up the darkness of this nightmare web.
What is clear is that all these people who call themselves ‘socialists’ are anything but. They are an insult to the very word. The workers’ party has been hijacked by mafia: hobnobbing with criminals and all lining their pockets with our money.
This is not about winning or losing elections. The mafia that festered under Muscat not only betrayed the country, they even betrayed their own. When they were screeching “traitors” at all and sundry, they were really lying even to their own conscience.
krischetcuti@gmail.com
twitter: @krischetcuti