13th July 2007
The 
We are unique. Absolutely unique. If we do not defy the laws of natural
physics, we certainly defy the laws of economics.
Take the property market. In theUS
Because we are unique, certain things can only happen here. Where in the world would the government parade with pride and expensive glitz the official opening of a hospital project which has gone wildly beyond its budget of time and expense, before it is ready to receive its first patients? It sounds like the joke that when the project reaches 90 per cent efficiency it will be ready to take its first patient.
In which country in the world would a public transport service be started to a hospital which is ready from construction but months away from receiving its first clients?
Where in the world would accusations by a former Finance Minister that his successors messed up the contracting of this hospital project involving substantial additional expense, pass by as if nothing matters? Writing in The Sunday Times on 1 July former Minister John Dalli wrote:
“The commitment to the budgeted figure was lifted and Skanska were allowed to overrun the Lm93 million target, which they themselves had established, on which we had decided to continue with the project. The Finance Ministry could have sought my advice during these negotiations as the one with a deep knowledge about this situation, but as at that time I was out, they did not. It is their (and the country’s) loss because if they had sought advice, we would surely have saved the country many millions.”
Where in the world would a Finance Minister with great experience in the negotiation of this mega-hospital contract be forced to resign on the basis of unproven allegations, causing disruption in government resources for continuity in negotiations with the major contractor who clearly exploited such continuity gaps to its advantage and at the expense of Maltese taxpayers?
And on what basis does the Maltese Prime Minister decide which resignation of his ministers to accept and which to reject? Former Minister Dalli does not mince his words that he did not resign willfully but was forced to resign by the incoming Prime Minister, whom he had contested in the party leadership election, before any proper investigation was made on allegations which were subsequently proved completely false.
Yet the Prime Minister has not accepted the resignation of Minister Mugliett who has been caught making pressure on Malta Transport Authority (MTA) to suspend a decision to fire his district canvasser who was found guilty of criminal offence by the Court that ordered him banned for life from holding public office.
Minister Mugliett can try to fool himself thinking he is convincing his ‘dear readers’ that his involvement in this case was for information only and was not meant to influence due process at the MTA. The CEO of the MTA resigned because he could not accept being ‘told’ to suspend a decision for dismissal pending the outcome of presidential pardon request.
The minister had no business even to contact anyone at the authority regarding an operational decision and should have definitely not done so where one of his canvassers was involved. And if the minister has to speak to anyone at the authority he should speak only to the chairman whom he appoints and generally on matters of strategy and national interest. If the minister starts speaking to this and that executive he undermines the whole rational for creating these supposedly auto-nomous authorities.
And what is this business of presidential pardons? Shall we start leaving blank application forms for presidential pardons in our court rooms so that whoever is found guilty will have a one-stop-shop where to apply for a presidential pardon?
Last weekend through a wide international poll there has been a redesign of the seven wonders of the world withRome Malta
Joking apart, we truly have no idea how to value and promote our treasures. Our Neolithic temples are the oldest free standing structures in the world built between 5,000 and 3,500 BC. No other chosen wonder carries the same value and mystery as our temples. Can Christ the Redeemer of Rio de Janiero have any wonder value in comparison with our unique temples? Pity theTemples
Take the property market. In the
Because we are unique, certain things can only happen here. Where in the world would the government parade with pride and expensive glitz the official opening of a hospital project which has gone wildly beyond its budget of time and expense, before it is ready to receive its first patients? It sounds like the joke that when the project reaches 90 per cent efficiency it will be ready to take its first patient.
In which country in the world would a public transport service be started to a hospital which is ready from construction but months away from receiving its first clients?
Where in the world would accusations by a former Finance Minister that his successors messed up the contracting of this hospital project involving substantial additional expense, pass by as if nothing matters? Writing in The Sunday Times on 1 July former Minister John Dalli wrote:
“The commitment to the budgeted figure was lifted and Skanska were allowed to overrun the Lm93 million target, which they themselves had established, on which we had decided to continue with the project. The Finance Ministry could have sought my advice during these negotiations as the one with a deep knowledge about this situation, but as at that time I was out, they did not. It is their (and the country’s) loss because if they had sought advice, we would surely have saved the country many millions.”
Where in the world would a Finance Minister with great experience in the negotiation of this mega-hospital contract be forced to resign on the basis of unproven allegations, causing disruption in government resources for continuity in negotiations with the major contractor who clearly exploited such continuity gaps to its advantage and at the expense of Maltese taxpayers?
And on what basis does the Maltese Prime Minister decide which resignation of his ministers to accept and which to reject? Former Minister Dalli does not mince his words that he did not resign willfully but was forced to resign by the incoming Prime Minister, whom he had contested in the party leadership election, before any proper investigation was made on allegations which were subsequently proved completely false.
Yet the Prime Minister has not accepted the resignation of Minister Mugliett who has been caught making pressure on Malta Transport Authority (MTA) to suspend a decision to fire his district canvasser who was found guilty of criminal offence by the Court that ordered him banned for life from holding public office.
Minister Mugliett can try to fool himself thinking he is convincing his ‘dear readers’ that his involvement in this case was for information only and was not meant to influence due process at the MTA. The CEO of the MTA resigned because he could not accept being ‘told’ to suspend a decision for dismissal pending the outcome of presidential pardon request.
The minister had no business even to contact anyone at the authority regarding an operational decision and should have definitely not done so where one of his canvassers was involved. And if the minister has to speak to anyone at the authority he should speak only to the chairman whom he appoints and generally on matters of strategy and national interest. If the minister starts speaking to this and that executive he undermines the whole rational for creating these supposedly auto-nomous authorities.
And what is this business of presidential pardons? Shall we start leaving blank application forms for presidential pardons in our court rooms so that whoever is found guilty will have a one-stop-shop where to apply for a presidential pardon?
Last weekend through a wide international poll there has been a redesign of the seven wonders of the world with
Joking apart, we truly have no idea how to value and promote our treasures. Our Neolithic temples are the oldest free standing structures in the world built between 5,000 and 3,500 BC. No other chosen wonder carries the same value and mystery as our temples. Can Christ the Redeemer of Rio de Janiero have any wonder value in comparison with our unique temples? Pity the
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