Claire Caruana gets some reactions to former prime minister Joseph Muscat’s departure from active politics
‘Created climate for murder’ – Simon Busuttil
“About time! Joseph Muscat’s resignation from parliament came four years too late.
“He should have resigned the instant Daphne [Caruana Galizia] exposed his cabinet friends with secret Panama companies back in February 2016. That’s what we should expect in our country. I remember going to parliament that day and demanding explanations and resignations on behalf of the opposition.
“Instead, for four long years, Muscat defended the crooks by his side and unleashed an incredibly vicious campaign to vilify both Daphne and myself. That campaign created a dangerous climate of hatred and impunity that poisoned our society and shamed us the world over.
“Had he done the right thing and left, he would have spared the country untold damage. Most importantly, the forces of evil who teamed up to assassinate Daphne would have been stopped in their tracks and she would still be alive.
“As a minimum, Joseph Muscat bears responsibility for creating the climate that led to her assassination and his hands will forever be stained with her blood.
“Now he is finally gone. About time! But he must still face justice.”
Simon Busuttil is the former leader of the PN
‘Great contribution’ – Alfred Sant
“I’ve known Joseph Muscat since he was a cub reporter with One News. He was always among the best and the brightest.
“He’s been getting lots of flak recently from the Times of Malta and other media, but his contribution to Malta and to the Labour Party has been great, despite any mistakes he may have made.
“It is sad to see him leave politics so soon.”
Alfred Sant is a former Labour prime minister
‘Opportunity thrown to the dogs’ – Marlene Farrugia
“It is a moment of great sadness. Like watching a boy, burnt, covered in ashes, walking away from a smoking, smouldering heap of what used to be his village.
“Joseph Muscat had an opportunity of incredible magnitude to overhaul the multi-layered and multi-dimensional local political landscape and performance.
“That opportunity was not simply lost, but literally thrown to the dogs for the most vicious ongoing mauling in contemporary history.
“Apart from the opportunity cost we all have to pay, there is also the price of the maladministration fired by greed that replaced what we had dreamed would be the new way of governing.
“Labour’s hope for the rehabilitation of the party’s name after the debacle of the ’80s is now, also, completely decimated.
“Our country’s reputation is permanently scarred because no future level of governance can bring back a murdered journalist, done during a stretch of terrible political weather in an awful political climate.
“Joseph Muscat could have created a sustainable economy that guaranteed a good, healthy life…
“Very sad… but glad to see him go. Maybe there will be less hypocrisy, less posturing, less betrayal, less national and institutionalised pillage.”
Marlene Farrugia is an independent MP
‘Excessive corruption’ – Mark Camilleri
“Joseph Muscat started his tenure as prime minister really well, pulling out the country from a deep economic slump by bringing in more foreign direct investment, uplifting economic conditions of thousands of precarious workers and radically improving the efficiency of government’s entities. He also ushered in a new wave of liberal legislation which pulled Malta out of a semi-theocratic regime.
“However, some side-effects of his economic policy were very negative such as pricing out young people from the property market.
“On the other hand, Muscat was also responsible for one of the worst political crises in our history with the excessive corruption which took place under his wing and indirectly or directly causing the murder of a journalist.
“Nowadays, we should ensure to avoid the same mistakes by increasing politicians’ salaries. I think the prime minister should at least earn €250,000 a year in order to discourage corruption.”
Mark Camilleri is a member of the Labour Party and chairman of the National Book Council
‘Greatest PM that might have been’ – Jeremy Camilleri
“A man with absolutely immaculate communication and organisational skills.
“His major credits are his revolution with regard to social acceptance for minorities, and the way he revived a flailing economy.
“His initial years in government led us to believe that he was also a no-nonsense prime minister who would not sanction any doubtful transgressions from members of his cabinet.
“However, his inability to act when serious revelations involving his closest aide and his favourite minister came to light raised serious doubts and cast a gargantuan shadow on his premiership, inevitably leading to his premature and brutal exit.
“The greatest prime minister that might have been.”
Jeremy Camilleri is a former GWU official