Muscat shattered promise of meritocracy - PN
Ronnie Pellegrini appointed on Malta Freeport board, PN says government has thrown meritocracy out of the window.
23 May 2013, 12:00am
Jurgen Balzan
Jurgen Balzan
2 min read
Lorry Sant's former right-hand man Lorry Pellegrini was appointed Freeport director.
Former Lorry Sant canvasser Ronnie Pellegrini has been awarded a directorship at the Malta Freeport, drawing harsh criticism from the Nationalist Opposition.
"Before the election, Joseph Muscat pledged meritocracy, however as soon as he became Prime Minister, the promise was shattered and instead persons in his clique were rewarded at the expense of competent persons who are not close to Muscat," the PN said.
Yesterday, Pellegrini, a GWU employee and former right-hand man of the infamous Labour minister Lorry Sant, was appointed on the Freeport's board following speculation that he would be appointed as the chairman of the board.
The government yesterday announced that architect Robert Sersero had been appointed chairman of Malta Freeport Corporation, while Mario Grima and Ronnie Pellegrini were appointed as directors.
In a strongly worded statement, the PN said the Labour government measures people's credentials according to whether "you are a Labourite who is part of the Joseph Muscat clique and/or someone who appeared on a billboard declaring that he or she would be voting Labour for the first time."
Citing Pellegrini's appointment as the latest example in a series of appointments, the PN said that he got the job because of his links with the General Workers Union, former Labour minister Lorry Sant and former PL secretary-general Jason Micallef.
"What credentials does Pellegrini have to merit a directorship at such a sensitive and important entity for the Maltese economy?" the PN asked.
Pellegrini's appointment came on the same day that Mario Vella, a former Labour Party president, was appointed as Malta Enterprise chairperson, the PN noted.
The Opposition also slammed the appointment of Jason Micallef as chairman of the V18 Foundation, whom the party said was Pellegrini's "mate".
Pelligrini was formerly a section secretary of the General Workers Union, seconded to the Labour Party in 2008 while still on the union's payroll. He then doubled up as an assistant to then secretary-general Jason Micallef. He was later involved as a union man to negotiate a collective agreement with the General Workers' Union for One Productions.
Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.
Emmanuel Mallia •
Did Gatt had any sound experience and merits to perform his fiasco ?
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@ eugenesapiano This is not about the past, but about the future that the PL promised. It LIED!!!
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In certain government departments the Nationalist Party even had "unofficial" laison officers ; meritocracy at its best!
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@ xprun @ Xifajk @Rita @maltesecross You should all be ashamed of yourselves, trying to defend the indefensible, just because it is Labour that is doing it! This is not about what the PN might have done in the past, but about what the MLP government is DOING RIGHT NOW!!! With the difference, also, that the MLP LIED TO THE PEOPLE and said it would work on the basis of meritocracy – and WAS ELECTED ON THE BASIS OF THIS. So, in the face of all these political appointments, of people who have no other qualification but the fact that they are Labour, is the MLP government doing what is said it would? If you think so, please tell us why…
The fact is that you have no leg to stand on, and you know it!!!
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@ xprun @ Xifajk @Rita @maltesecross You should all be ashamed of yourselves, trying to defend the indefensible, just because it is Labour that is doing it! This is not about what the PN might have done in the past, but about what the MLP government is DOING RIGHT NOW!!! With the difference, also, that the MLP LIED TO THE PEOPLE and said it would work on the basis of meritocracy – and WAS ELECTED ON THE BASIS OF THIS. So, in the face of all these political appointments, of people who have no other qualification but the fact that they are Labour, is the MLP government doing what is said it would? If you think so, please tell us why… The fact is that you have no leg to stand on, and you know it!!!
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@ .Thorny - “Muscat is just tapping other … TALENTS”. You cannot be serious!!! What talents are we talking about? What qualification has this man got to be a director of the Freeport except that he is ‘tal-qalba’ and that he was intimately associated with Lorry Sant (who is widely thought of as the most corrupt person the island has ever seen)? Is this the PL flavour of meritocracy? It is not, therefore, about what you know, but about who you know – exactly the thing that the PL said was wrong before the election. The fact is that the PL used everything it could, including the word ‘meritocracy’, to get into power, and now it does not care a fig about anything it said. The PL was dishonest, and has remained dishonest! Hanzir taqtaghlu denbu, hanzir jibqa!
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@ .Thorny - “Muscat is just tapping other … TALENTS”. You cannot be serious!!! What talents are we talking about? What qualification has this man got to be a director of the Freeport except that he is ‘tal-qalba’ and that he was intimately associated with Lorry Sant (who is widely thought of as the most corrupt person the island has ever seen)? Is this the PL flavour of meritocracy? It is not, therefore, about what you know, but about who you know – exactly the thing that the PL said was wrong before the election. The fact is that the PL used everything it could, including the word ‘meritocracy’, to get into power, and now it does not care a fig about anything it said. The PL was dishonest, and has remained dishonest! Hanzir taqtaghlu denbu, hanzir jibqa!
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Mamma mia, x'biza. Joseph I did not support you to put people with this kind of cv in such places even though I agree with putting people loyal to MALTA.
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Blallikieku mhux kulhadd jiftakar certu persuna canvasser ta super ministru - li kellu tlett jobs(full time???) u li kien il-kapo FrePort.In-Nazzjonalist tant kemm kiem merikoratiku jiekol f' hluq- li anke tawh garage il-belt u qabzu lil ghaqda NGO biex ipaxxuh ghax ma kienx jista jiccaqlaq: imma imbaghad kienu jarawh ghaddej pass mghaggel f'Ghar id-Dud jiipassigga!!
Semmu laburist wiehed li kien fuq xi board ghal kwar ta seklu! Mhux ta b'xejn li l-ghira u l- lanzit fil-lsienkom qed ikompli jiekol l-partit minn gewwa u ikompli ibeighed il-partit minn nies 'normali'!
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LOOK WHO'S TALKING!
Boy , some people sure have short memories .... !
Wasn't it the ex- Prime Minister Gonzi that COMPLAINED of 'limited talent pool' from which to select ministers?????
Dr. Muscat is just tapping other sources.....TALENTS which were never given the space or appreciated by PN administration and the members of its OLIGARCHY !
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In 1987 a magistrate and former Nationalist MP (appointed by Mintoff!)was appointed ambassador for France ; was he experienced in diplomacy?
I have known Mr Pellegrini since 1982 and he was for some time Personnel Officer in a textile factory.
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It looks like meritocracy at the Freeport for the so-called "Team"PN means the consolidation of its Kazin Nazzjonalista image. Looks like these guys still think that we suffer from selective amnesia just as they did when the were GonziPN.
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@ABC356. The biggest shame this country has ever endured was when GonziPN granted a hefty increase of €500 per week to Nationalist ministers.
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The problem with these appointments is not that all of these persons are labourites but that most of them are incompetent in occupying such posts!!!
When things will start going wrong they will start telling us that this is the result of decisions taken by the previous governement!! Wait and see!
Priscilla Darmenia •
The PN in government did not remotely know the meaning of what meritocracy. Suddenly going to the opposition benches they learned the meaning of the word. – Good for them and I hope they remember its meaning if ever they are returned to govern this country again. – On this point I cannot I cannot but agree with the PN. – Up to now the PL appointed people whose main qualification is being a PL activist.
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@ malteseatheist count me as one of the newly lost 35k, VERY disappointed (and frankly not surprised)at the talk BEFORE the elections and facts AFTER. Sorry pl, never again.
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Meritokrazija skond il-PN tfisser li min ilu fuq boardijiet tal-Gvern ghal dawn l-ahhar 25 sena, jibqa hemm u jeskludu kull laburist li ma kien fuq l-ebda board ghal dawn l-ahhar 25 sena! Anke is-suwed ghandhom il-positive descrimination; fl-Afrika ta Isfel, u anke l-Amerika fejn jidhlu l-universitajiet!
Il-PN iridu li il-Laburisti jibqghu barra il-boardijiet ghax ahna inferjuri? Ajma il-creme de la creme fejn gabuna! Diga board gdid ghamel history billi allegatament qabad 10 jisirqu mill-kafetterija tal-Gozo Channel! Kellu ikun board laburist biex jiehu azzjoni? Halluna nghixu!
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Mhux talli biex tahdem fil-Freeport kont tkun trid tkellem xi ras kbira fil-PN, talli kien hemm min kellu jittessera ruhu fil-PN.
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Inthom il meritokrazzija lanqas tafu biss xi tfisser ahseb u ara titkelmu fuqha. Kellkom nies min taghkom stess li ghajrukhom bihaw issa tridu tipridkaw. IPOKRITi, u nies bhal zejt f'wicckom.
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What does PN expect that PN supporters remain on boards? Mur ara jekk inhalli lil PN fuq il boards
x'jigi? Thid mhux hekk.
Joseph MELI •
More fool anyone who actually believes pre-election promises-regardless or who or what party issues them!
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Pellegrini'[s appointment as a Direcgtor of Freeport is nothing less than a SHAME on the PL. Pellegrini has no credentials to merit this appointment. He is known for his arrogance and for his divisive methods. His appointment was not accepted not even by PL supporters. It's shameful for whoever was responsible for this appointment. I believe that the Government has the right to appoint people of trust on these boards, but surely not people like Pellegrini. The LP has many capable persons within its ranks to occupy such posts. This appointment is enough for me not to trust political parties any further. SHAME, SHAME, and more SHAME.
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Wara 25 sena ta' hnizrijiet fl-appointments fuq bordijiet ta' Nazzjonalisti tal-qalba biss, issa li xi ftit Laburisti qed isibu posthom fuq bordijiet, il-PN qed jiskrupla. Dan sinjal tajjeb ghax s'issa din kienet l-unika kritika bazwija li rnexxilhom jaghmlu kontra l-Gvern tal-PL. Jien ukoll ma naqbilx mall-hatra ta' Pellegrini bhala Direttur, imma meta tkun taf kif il-Freeport matul iz-zmien sar il-bejta tal-PN, u biex tmur tahdem hemm trid referenza minn xi ministru jew bidillu nazzjonalist, nghidlek sewwa poggew bniedem bhal Pellegrini fuq il-Bord biex jara li dawn il-hnizrijiet ma jkomplux isehhu hemm gew. U f'qalbi nghid ukoll li mhux ta' b'xejn li din il-hatra qed ittiehom tant f'ghajnhom.
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Infamous Labour Minister, Lorry Sant:Jien nista' nghid fi zgur li l-Kabinett kollu tal-1980 kien "infamous" meta hadu il-gurament ta' allejanza lejn il-Kabinett stess u hallew lil Dom Mintoff barra, biex ghaddew mozzjoni halli jiffrejmjaw lill-missieri, Karm Grima, biex jehel li kien hu li ipperpetwa l-irvellijiet fejn tkissret it-Times u harqalu bictejn ghamara lil Dr.EFA. u hekk jahbi wiccu il-Labour ta' dak iz-zmien mil-misthija li garrab quddiem ghajnejn id-dinja.Ministru wiehed minhom, qalli.
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It seems muscat only wants to spend 5 years in government. With every one of these shady appointments he is making he's loosing a lot of those 35k majority.
