We're being run by lobotomised 'yes-men'

I am sure that there are very few people who believe politicians to be clones of Maria Goretti. Others are unwilling to judge people by what they say or do, but what they look like and whom they represent. There are some who cannot decipher between right and wrong, left and right, true and false.

Many are willing to look the other way in the face of irrefutable evidence against the politicians who refuse to admit that they have committed a mistake… even if that mistake is not at all related to a criminal offence. Indeed, most of the mistakes carried out by politicians in the western world are related to bad judgement and ill-thought comments.

But then again, we are in Malta and our world is far different from the world of other democracies. Today’s news story on Tonio Fenech makes interesting reading, for it is a reflection of our political system. It will come as a complete coincidence (I know no one will believe it) that a year ago the same minister was faced with a very serious allegation.

That allegation clearly was about a subcontractor not being paid for his works by the Montebello brothers, after being asked to carry out renovation and decoration work on Minister Tonio Fenech’s new home in Balzan. 

The story goes that the Montebello brothers informed the subcontractor that he was carrying out these works at the minister’s home in return for a favour.  

It could very well be that the Montebello brothers are as suicidal and flippant in business as they are in the words they choose. They were the ones who allegedly informed Charles Magro of this ‘decoration for favour’ agreement. Could they have been inventing the whole story?

If the Montebellos are truly flippant and delusional as I think they are, then this is very much a case of bad judgement on the part of Tonio Fenech. 

The Montebello brothers have financially overstretched themselves with their amazing mega projects. They are now searching for a way out of this grandiose mess.

Now, serious allegations about favours involving ministers should not just go away. But this one did. However, what is more interesting is that a year ago (precisely), the Prime Minister supported his finance minister all the way.

Dr Gonzi did not think twice and he swiftly backed Mr Fenech without any reservations. In this regard you have to respect the Prime Minister for standing by his most loyal captain. Fenech is one of those captains that is wholeheartedly behind Gonzi. The Prime Minister defended his top minister and put the story to rest by stating that he believed his minister’s version of the facts. And also thanks to the fact that none of the other press, namely Natalino Fenech’s PBS and the Times, chose not to delve deeper into the story. They should have, but they more interested in gate-keeping.

Well, the truth is that the PM has little or no choice in the matter. Without Fenech, Gonzi’s government is no government at all.

But the news story that is published today confirms one thing: if we are to believe Fenech, politicians are poor judges of character, and are surrounded by constituents who are only interested in getting as much as they can from them once they are elected to parliament.

The news story states that an individual from Fenech’s secretariat visited Montebello to collect a donation in the form of a cheque.  The story talks of him doing this on more than one occasion.

On being contacted by MaltaToday, the former member of Tonio Fenech’s secretariat confirmed that he had collected cheques addressed to him to finance parties and events for Tonio Fenech’s political campaigns. He said that he had collected money from other people as well.

And finally, in the front page story there is a fleeting reference to Tonio Fenech’s concern about the €42 million euro call-in. About time too, I think. At least, the simple fact that he has commented may lead other sections of the media to say something about this worrying development.

As things stand, however, the very fact that no one has so far said a thing is proof that this country is run by lobotomised ‘Yes men’. So many individuals have lost money in this Montebello disaster, that the government should be doing something. If not, at least it should be saying something.  In such a small country, a €42 million call-in is equivalent to the fall of Enron in the US.

Rumour has it that there are at least another Lm8 million owed to the banks by the Montebello brothers. The very fact that these brothers were allowed to get so far and make such a mess is indicative of how serious our financial institutions are, and how gullible other businesses are, too.

And if you think that a €42 million story is insignificant and has no bearing on the economy on this petty story about Tonio Fenech… yes, probably you are right.

Which is why, Natalino Fenech – the PBS’s answer to Remig Sacco – chose to ignore it and why all the sycophants at PBS have promised us that they will not be tackling this theme.

Which is just as well, because we now know that Lou Bondi has taken it upon to confront Joseph Muscat. Or rather Mr Bondi has declared himself to be a pawn for the Nationalist party, which is really news to all of us.

Because until yesterday I thought Mr Bondi to be the most impartial, independent journalist around. I think I was gullible and ridiculously stupid as Tonio Fenech, who allowed himself to believe in the Montebellos!