‘Hugely irresponsible’: Bernard Grech hits out at government’s COVID handling

Government's current handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has been "hugely irresponsible", Opposition leader Bernard Grech said after Malta registered 582 cases in one day.

During a TV interview on Wednesday, the Nationalist Party leader said that the Prime Minister and Minister for Health have been irresponsible and dishonest about the COVID-19 situation in Malta.

“Instead of being honest with people on the COVID situation, they are just letting things slide.”

Grech said the situation is out of control, and that the Labour government knows this. “There are huge uncertainties,” he added. 

He remarked on recent political scandals, including Justyne Caruana’s resignation as Education Minister.

“Tell me how a person who resigned twice in her political career was ever a good candidate to be minister in the first place,” Grech quipped. 

He also commented on the US government’s recent decision to designate Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri as ineligible for travel due to “corrupt acts”.

“When you let problems accumulate, with a continuation of corruption coming from all sides, something is going to give. And that’s what happened unfortunately.”

Grech questioned how the Prime Minister defended Rosianne Cutajar, Edward Zammit Lewis, and Konrad Mizzi, in spite of close connections with Yorgen Fenech, but then “threw away” Silvio Grixti.

Grixti resigned from his parliamentary seat after he was interrogated by police as part of an investigation linked to probable fraudulent sickness certificates. 

“Does he [Grixti] not know enough about Robert Abela?” Grech said, implying that Grixti was expendable for Abela while Cutajar and Zammit Lewis were not. 

“If you’re a small business owner, with a salon or grover, they will crucify you and make an example of you to show that the institutions are working. But for people like Ian Castaldi Paris, they just get a slap on the wrist. 

Labour MP Castaldi Paris also entered the spotlight this week after a tax probe into his financial affairs found that he must pay €300,000 in unpaid taxes and fines.

He promptly announced that he will not contest the coming general election after the reports surfaced.

“The government is like a goalkeeper without defence, trying to keep up with the balls coming his way.”