‘Error related negativity’ is an electrical impulse triggered when we make mistakes by a part of the brain called the cingulate cortex. It is the neurological engine that helps us learn from mistakes.
Unfortunately, some people lack this impulse. These people recognise their behaviour is harmful yet persist in repeating it, harming themselves and others.
Robert Abela immediately recognised Joseph Muscat’s serious mistakes. On his first day in office, Abela vowed he would tell EU leaders that “we made mistakes that could have damaged our reputation – these will not be repeated”. To the country’s relief, Abela’s cingulate cortex appeared to be in full working order.
But, barely a few months later, his youngest MP and parliamentary secretary Rosianne Cutajar is sorely testing his cortex.
Cutajar has been up to some fairly dishonourable activities, putting it mildly. To list but a few of the allegations:
• Cutajar used her official ministerial chauffeur-driven car to pick up Joseph Camilleri, owner of an Mdina property, with €46,000 in his possession, and drove him to a Marsamxett restaurant. The bagful of cash was passed on to Cutajar, as brokerage fees for her part in the sale of Camilleri’s property to Yorgen Fenech, while she was a full-time commissioner for simplification and reduction of bureaucracy and a part-time Labour MP;
• Cutajar also accepted €9,000 in cash from Fenech, when his ownership of 17 Black was already public knowledge and when Muscat had signed a phone tapping order when Fenech became a murder suspect;
• Cutajar was soliciting cash from Fenech to conduct surveys in her electoral district despite being aware of his ownership of 17 Black and the ongoing investigations;
• Cutajar failed to include the thousands of euros in cash in her declaration of assets or her tax return;
• when David Thake accused Adrian Delia of accepting €50,000 in cash from Fenech to damage David Casa’s electoral prospects, Cutajar offered to help Fenech to rebut corruption allegations;
• days after receiving cash from Fenech, Cutajar was denying the police had identified “so-called masterminds” in the Caruana Galizia assassination at the Council of Europe during a debate on the assassination.
If the allegations above are true, Cutajar lied to Prime Minister Robert Abela. On December 21, 2020, Abela stated: “If she received the money, something she is denying, then that would be another matter.”
Cutajar’s fateful speech, the one and only, at the Council of Europe debate on Malta’s rule of law, is painful to watch.
Rosianne Cutajar’s fateful speech, the one and only, at the Council of Europe debate on Malta’s rule of law is painful to watch
“The press suggested that the interior minister had confirmed reports that the police had identified two so-called masterminds – he never said such a thing,” Cutajar insisted.
Why was Cutajar so keen to deny that “masterminds” had been identified? Her performance at the Council of Europe was on June 26, 2019.
At that stage, Fenech had been suspected of involvement in the assassination for over a year and his phone had been tapped since May 2018 by the security service.
Just days earlier, Fenech had written to Cutajar: “I will always be there to help you” and “I had to give you some money.”
To the latter, Cutajar replied that they could speak about this a few days later.
Fenech allegedly handed Cutajar €40,000 in cash, out of which she took €9,000. When contacted by the press, Cutajar refused to answer questions. Her only comment was that she “never did business” with Fenech. This was very different from her bold defence only weeks earlier: “I always acted legally, ethically and politically and I am willing to defend my reputation as and when necessary”.
If defending her name were ever necessary, now is the time.
Denials come cheap. On November 9, 2018, Fenech declared: “I never had, or intend to have any untoward business relation with any PEP or politically affiliated individual or entity.” When presented with evidence of his ownership of 17 Black by Reuters, he demanded they “present clear supporting evidence to corroborate their misleading allegations”.
Muscat, who had kept up his close relationship and chats with Fenech, despite knowing of his suspected criminal activities, had claimed through his spokesman that he “has no idea who owns 17 Black”.
When Keith Schembri was asked the same question, he replied: “I’ve been answering your stupid questions for four years.” When confronted by journalists who asked him how he would spend the €1 million he planned to earn from his 17 Black links, Schembri answered: “Maybe I used them to pay your wage like I did for the past three years.”
Konrad Mizzi was asked the same question: “Times of Malta invents stories, I do not know who owns 17 Black.”
In June 2019, Cutajar decided to stand up to defend the indefensible.
Even allies of the Labour Party, such as Lord George Foulkes were shocked: “The party in government (in Malta) is a sister party of my own UK Labour Party, that’s why it’s doubly disappointing for us. This is bringing a stain on the reputation of Malta”.
Paul Gavan, the Irish MP, stated: “I’ve been taken aback by the attempted defence by my colleague from Malta” after hearing the shameless Maltese MP’s speech.
“My god,” he went on, “there’s an old saying, when you’re in a hole, stop digging.”
Cutajar hasn’t stopped digging. She’s dug herself into a quarry and is pulling Abela down with her.
“It’s clear what’s happening in Malta – you need to recognise it and face up to it,” Gavan advised.
Soon after taking office, Abela boldly sacked Adrian Hillman from his Malta Gaming Authority consultancy and bragged that he would make “all necessary decisions” to address governance issues.
Faced with Fenech’s friend, Cutajar, Abela hesitates and procrastinates.
Let us hope Abela’s cingulate cortex springs into action before it’s too late.
This article was written before Rosianne Cutajar resigned pending the outcome of an investigation by the Commissioner for Standards in Public Life.
Kevin Cassar is a professor of surgery and former PN candidate.