Stuff their mouths with gold

I never had special illusions about a change in government.

I was pretty certain that the Gonzi administration deserved to be booted out. 

When something is rotten, it has to go. And the Gonzi administration was more than awful.

We judge politicians on their actions, or lack of them.

The only people who defended the Gonzi administration at the time were of two types: those who continued to believe that there is a difference between a Labourite and a Nationalist and those who had a lot to lose with a change in government.

When you have served as a journalist for over 25 years you have no delusions that the mistakes of the past will – sooner rather than later – repeat themselves.

Today in 2014 a similar story repeats itself, this time with young Labour upstarts who wear expensive suits and don a blue tie and earn a bigger salary than the prime minister himself.

It is only because we continue to have faith in people as people that we allow ourselves to be duped in believing that politicians mean well.

That Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has made changes since being elected is not up for discussion. Nothing can beat the lethargy and ineffectiveness of the former prime minister’s secretariat and nothing compared to the anti-business approach by the former administration.

It was as if Gonzi was trying his best to reverse the ‘culture change’ that had propelled the PN to fame in 1987 and 1992.

Having said this, there are issues which have irked many normal folk.

Joseph Muscat’s administration was obliged to redress the imbalance, but in doing so it appeared to be more interested in neutralising those who were a nuisance or those who made it their mission to stamp their feet.

I was reminded of Lord Bevan’s famous words: “I stuffed their mouths with gold.”

And that is just what Joseph Muscat did to so many of his adversaries and supporters.  He did a Lord Bevan.  He did it with Lou Bondi, he did it with Joe Zammit Tabone and he did with so many others who are so perfectly comfortable than they would rather not raise any complaints about the administration.

Now Muscat’s actions are perfectly normal in a democracy.

But to experience such a heavy dose of political patronage at such an early stage of the legislature does not augur well. 

If only I could, I would stand in the European elections on an independent ticket to jump on this bandwagon of discontent, and cause as much chaos as possible.

I remember that way back in 1987 when the PN was elected after 16 years of a Labour government, patronage continued.  It was after years of accusing Mintoff of the same malaise, I remember for example the young Nationalist activists from the MZPN who were landed with a directorship on the Freeport. They still had baby faces and looked like teenagers.

Today in 2014 a similar story repeats itself, this time with young Labour upstarts who wear expensive suits and don a blue tie and earn a bigger salary than the prime minister himself.

It is surreal… so uncannily similar.

Labour’s new brand of political appointees attract a lot of gossip. Some of that talk is unjustified and simply driven by envy. In other cases, however, it is very much justified.

The more justified comments tend to emerge from ‘pedigree’ Labourites. They feel aggrieved at seeing those who militated with the PN crowned for no reason whatsoever.  Some are not only over-remunerated, but even doubly salaried. 

The case of Franco Debono is perhaps appropriate. He is now the commissioner of laws (with a driver at his disposal) and the Prime Minister’s consultant on justice and reform – a rather unbelievable state of affairs. 

The same applies to so many who until only recently were pounding on their chest that they were Nationalists and that the enemy was Labour.

Special mention this week goes to Cyrus Engerer.  To describe him as a first-class opportunist would be too kind.

On Friday he stood next to Lino Farrugia – the extremist leader of the hunter’s lobby – and presented him with a 1,500-signature strong petition which supports the so-called ‘rights of all minorities’. It is all about a referendum being organised by the hunters to counter the referendum to ban spring hunting.

Now Cyrus knows that the petition organised by the coalition against spring hunting has nothing to do with minorities. 

It is about stopping the massacre of birds by a bunch of morons who know no better. (Just to be clear; I am not, of course, referring to Lino Farrugia, who has always been an exemplary hunter). A hunter carrying a gun is not about ‘rights’. It’s a consideration that simply cannot be interpreted to be a right. It is a privilege, and privileges are not forever.

Cyrus also happens to be aware that the traditional Maltese hunter is the most intolerant group of individuals who believe they have a right to walk in the countryside and shoot at will.

Of course the only reason that Cyrus turned up dressed up like a goon at the hunter’s federation office is to gain some brownie points. 

He also believes that by appearing with hunters he will gain their electoral support.

No sooner had I noticed his public flirtation with Lino that I declared that I will not be voting for Cyrus and I asked everyone to spread the word around that he should not be voted for.

The last time I met Cyrus, I listened to a man and his boyfriend – both of whom expressed their disappointment with Malta and more importantly with the Labour crowd. Indeed they should be.

The difference is that we are willing to change this country. He, on the other hand, is very willing to live elsewhere, and live it easy.

In reality, Cyrus is simply using Labour as a vehicle to get himself installed in Brussels.

As with many others, he is eyeing Brussels because he wants to leave Malta… and more importantly, to receive a handsome wage and pension.

He said he had left the PN because he considered Labour to be more liberal than the PN. But at the end of the day, his escapade with the hunters has shown that his liberal streak is only limited to his sexual orientation.

When I first listened to his arguments I thought there was more substance in the man. Now I know it is all about himself and his quest to get to Brussels at all costs.

If only I could, I would stand in the European elections on an independent ticket to jump on this bandwagon of discontent, and cause as much chaos as possible.