Government has lost its sense of shame - Dr Busuttil

The government led by Joseph Muscat lacks moral fibre and had lost the sense of shame; Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said this morning in Zebbug.

Addressing the regular Sunday press conference Dr Busuttil said the people are on the look out for the government's move in view of events, which unfolded after a Gozo Ferry, was asked to return to Cirkewwa to pick the Minister for Gozo and other passengers. "A local newspaper, has called for the minister's resignation as standards continue to spiral down below any understandable level", the leader of the Opposition said.

Dr Busuttil then targeted Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi, accusing him of lying when stating that his wife's job carries a salary of €33,000. "What we were not told was that she was engages on the same terms as ambassadors. When one filters in her allowances, the salary package would reach €155,000", he said. Addressing Minister Mizzi with his own chant of 'shame on you, minister', the PN leader continued that the engagement of Sai Mizzi cheated the local population as no a call for applications was issued for the €3,000 a week job. Yet the government complained of shortage of funds for out of stock medicinals, Dr Busuttil stated.

The Opposition leader then went through a list of people the government blamed for its shortcomings. Disciplinary proceedings were taken against a police officer who arraigned the correct person, another civil servant was blamed for saying that certain students would no longer be eligible for stipends and other were framed for the Gozo Ferry polemic. However the PN has information that Minister Refalo himself phoned the devil and not the Gozo Channel duty officer. Dr Busuttil was referring to a PL Canvasser and Gozo Ferry employee, nicknamed 'ix-Xitan'.

Fast tracked promotions in the Armed Forces were next on Busuttil's Sunday agenda. The PN leader accused the government of attempting to clamp down the opposition's voice in parliament. "We will neither be intimidated nor coerced into shutting up by a ruling. We will contest the Speaker's ruling in Parliament, and will take it to the law courts and the European Court for Human rights should we deem it necessary", he said.

Dr Busuttil also mentioned the case of former Commissioner John Dalli. He said that the evidence given in court by John Rizzo substantiates the opposition's claims in view of Dalli and the Labour Party. Rizzo and two other investigators, Anglu Gafa and Michael Cassar were removed from the police after the March elections. The newly appointed Commissioner is close to the newly elected government. Following this change, Dalli who till then claimed to be unfit for travel, returned to Malta and made a consultant for the government.

The government has to stop taking citizens for a ride and find its sense of shame and responsibility, the Opposition leader concluded.