Why Muscat won’t repeat Sant’s mistake on public appointments

A recorded interview with senior MaltaToday journalist James Debono will be aired today on Super One radio, where Muscat is questioned on how his party is being perceived in its claims that it will fight corruption.

Muscat blames Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi for creating a sense of cynicism amongst the general public, for the way it views political parties as bringing nothing new to the way they govern the country.

Debono asks Muscat on his take of the cynical view of people that a change in government will be nothing but a game of musical chairs.

“It is cynicism that stems from this government’s mediocre style of governance, and it is a strategy: a strategy that both parties ‘are the same’.”

Muscat claims he will usher in drastic changes if elected prime minister, referring specifically to the €200 million contract for the Delimara power station extension to Danish firm BWSC and Vassallo Builders Group, which is now under investigation by the European Commission on suspicions of irregularities.

“If I was prime minister and had these facts presented to me, I would not defend the contract. Gonzi simply defends the status quo. I would get to the very bottom of the case. A situation where Gonzi defends this contract is unacceptable.”

Muscat does not commit himself to a clear course of action on how, if elected to government, he would reverse the BWSC contract, with works at Delimara already in progress even while Brussels investigates.

“I’m waiting for the Commission’s verdict. But the people will not pay for the mistakes of this prime minister.”

He stresses that nobody will “pay for the people who stole from the taxpayers” when presented with the scenario that a financial penalty from Brussels would still mean that it will be taxpayers who pay for the government’s infringement of EU laws.

“We’re ready to give full protection to whistleblowers who will say which politicians were involved in this case.”

In a reference to Enemalta’s chairperson Alexander Tranter, whose business links included Vassallo Builders Group, the recipient of the energy corporation tender, Muscat is also asked on how he will appoint people to drive the government’s authorities.

“What’s important is that they shoulder their responsibility. I will choose people on the basis of meritocracy, and according to their abilities.”

Even if they are not from the Labour camp?

“I will appoint people who are able to manage and believe in the government’s programme. I can’t have a ship’s captain who steers south when it must go north.”

Muscat also said he would not commit the same mistake made by Alfred Sant, when asked to comment on how the former prime minister kept civil servants who were not necessarily sympathetic to the party in government back in 1996.

“I’m not ready to appoint people just so that I can look nice for the media,” Muscat says.

Queried on how obscure party financing is at the root of many corruption scandals, Muscat is pushed on Labour’s ill-thought out decision to leave the Select Committee for the strengthening of democracy, where a law on party financing could be hammered out.

“It’s a convenient excuse made against us but government needs no opposition to present a law on party financing. People today already pay for the PN’s financing from their own pockets. And it’s because of the PN’s so called ‘JS list’ of party financers who are given public contracts.”

When Muscat is asked about Labour’s own financers, he claims the party has greater problems than the PN’s in attracting donations. “Let’s take BWSC. Zaren Vassallo is the man who will pocket the money from the Delimara contract. And it’s he who finances the PN. Full stop, fresh line…”

Muscat stops short of declaring whether he will present a private member’s bill on party financing.

He is also taken to task on how Labour councillors abstained from ousting Sliema mayor Nikki Dimech when he was accused of corruption, while the party promises a zero-tolerance on corruption.

“A local council is not a court… the PN has a majority in Sliema and needs no votes from Labour to impeach its mayor.”

But Labour is also supporting the appointment of a Nationalist deputy mayor in the same council.

“Because those nominated for mayor and deputy mayor have shown cooperation with the Labour side,” Muscat says.

The Labour leader also stops short from passing judgement over the way police investigations, as in the case of Nikki Dimech’s bribery charges, are closely liked to government and party intentions.

“We must introduce new mechanisms and discuss the introduction of the inquiring magistrate to investigate cases on its own initiative… what I find laughable is that the Permanent Commission Against Corruption has never uncovered one single case of corruption. I think the police are not paid much for a lot they do and are carrying out a thankless job.”