7/28/2019 Labour's Removal of Permanent Secretaries_editorial Sunday Times 31MAR13

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Copyright Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on - 31-03-2013 - This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Before March 9, the Labour exponents did not miss an opportunity to trumpet their motto that once in Government, they would

strive to ensure meritocracy and accountability.

The new movement pledged it would eradicate decades of partisan division and introduce a new age of meritocracy where

what matters is what you know, not who you know.

Many voters bought into it, because they had had enough of seeing the same blue-eyed boys engage in a long game of musical

chairs, with many well-qualified outsiders not even considered.

Three weeks on, the new Labour governments most significant mark seems to be its rush to put its people in key positions.

There is nothing wrong in having trusted people in top posts. What is wrong is the way good individuals with a track record are

being unceremoniously elbowed out to make way for others with political baggage.

With the odd exception of individuals like Giovanni Bonello, who has been entrusted to head a justice reform commission, the

other appointments appear like a whos who in Labours Malta Tagna Lkoll campaign.

It has become the butt of jokes that whoever openly endorsed Labour in the election campaign appears to be given some post

or other. And the queue seems to be never-ending.

Only last week, this newspapers editorial argued that the large electoral majority coupled with the state of shock and disarray

within the Nationalist Party has given Labour licence to run riot in the public sector.

During the past week, more officials were shown the door, shocking everyone but the politically myopic.

It emerged that the Government had replaced all but three permanent secretaries, the most senior civil servants in each ministry.

While one or two permanent secretaries were clearly appointed by the Nationalist administration merely for their political

allegiance, the rest had the civil service at heart, and would have only ensured continuity.

It has been confirmed that former Labour deputy leader Anlu Farrugia will be given the task of Speaker in the House of

Representatives.

Leaving aside his differences with the Prime Minister, this appointment has only accentuated the gap the Labour leader has

promised to bridge. With a nine-seat majority, there was no valid reason to exclude elected members of the House from the roleof Speaker.

This nomination was almost as scandalous as the Governments decision to award the divisive Franco Debono with

constitutional reform duties, which by their very nature require consensus.

True to belligerent form, when The Times criticised this move, pointing out a few of the people this divisive figure has attacked

through his blog, the former Nationalist MP responded by launching attacks on the very same people mentioned in the editorial.

This alone should be sufficient reason for Labour to admit its mistake and withdraw him from a role of this nature. Not only are

there other individuals who are infinitely better qualified, but equally importantly they do not cause the bitterest of tastes in the

Oppositions mouth.

It was almost a given that practically all Labour Party journalists would be taken on as communication coordinators. But what is

irking many is that the replacements are trickling down to smaller committees, even weeding out professionals with no politicalconnections.

Mark Anthony Falzon, a widely-respected anthropologist and columnist is the latest victim. He was booted out of the Ornis

Committee, the body that advises government on matters related to birds and conservation, irrespective of the fact he is the only

social scientist in Malta who studies hunting and trapping as cultural practices. No reason was given for his dismissal.

As Prof. Falzon put it in his opinion piece today, Joseph Muscat risks turning into a figure of all words with no substance. And

people are rightly concluding that Malta Tagna Lkoll is turning out to be a sham.

Labours blue-eyed boys?

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ours blue-eyed boys? - timesofmalta.com http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130331/editorial/Labour...

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