Tuesday, 19th August 2008 - 18:27CET
OPM stops request for AD official to choose between political and teaching roles
Letter issued without PM's knowledge
(Updated from earlier story on AD statement)
The Office of the Prime Minister has put on hold an ultimatum given by the Management and Personnel Office to Victor Galea, general secretary of Alternattiva Demokratika, where he was told that in terms of regulations, his teaching post in a government school was incompatible with his political position and he had to choose between the two.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister told timesofmalta.com that the letter to Mr Galea, and two officials of Azzjoni Nazzjonali, was issued without the knowledge of the Prime Minister or his secretariat. They first learnt about it when they received questions from a newspaper.
The two AN officials, Tonio Mercieca and Mary Gauci, a senior principal and a principal respectively in the public service, have since resigned their political posts while Mr Galea, a teacher, protested, claiming discrimination.
“Somebody decided to go by the book and issued the letter to Mr Galea and the others, without questioning whether this made sense in this day and age. The Office of the Prime Minister has issued instructions for the letter to be suspended and for the position to be reviewed. There are several other people who hold positions in the public service and also occupy political positions,” the spokesman said.
Earlier today, AD said the government's attempt to put pressure on Mr Galea to renounce his job as a teacher because of his role with AD smacked of intimidation and political discrimination.
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Comments
What I am suggesting is that these are 2 similar cases. No one from MLP and PN reported that he recieved such an ultimatum. During the last election there were PN candidates who were themselves employed by the government. However this person knew only of the AD and AN activists who, when compared to the larger parties, get far less media coverage.
Ms Dimech I agree with you, that the Prime Minister should be busy working on other more important issues. However, I believe it is his important responsibility to appoint reliable people to office. The fact that his office suspended such decision proves he himself is not satisfied with the work this person delivered.
Are you suggesting that media and government offices should get rubber stamped from the prime minister himself before operating, within their remit? do you SERIOUSLY think that the prime minister of a country should get into the nitty gritties of everything that is going on? Are you reading Mao Tse-Tung by any chance???!!!!
If anyone decided to go by the book he did well, however they should do that always and with everyone. AD should really get over their persecution mania and start doing some serious work instead of crying wolf every time someone slaps them on the wrist.
You have obviously never heard of the saying " rules are for the guidance of wise men and for the observance of by fools "
Like the top civil servant involved in the Victor Galea case, you are ignoring the fact that the fundamental rights enshrined in our Constitution are superior to any rules laid out in the Estacode for civil servants.
As you know very well, several people involved in politics are civil servants or work with Government Agencies , Malta Enterprise comes to mind, and have never been issued with ultimatiums like Galea's . This was sheer political discrimination , executed with eyes wide shut , and knowing going against Constitutional rights.
u ejja b'min tridu tidhku! and doesn't it sound familiar anyway!
I think this is not much an issue of seperation of powers. Also, as far as I know the 'executive' comprises also the cabinet, whose members form also part of the legislature.
If I understood you correctly, your argument means that the Head of the Govt. and the PN leader should be different.
And what about local councils?, which (in Malta) are purely 'executive'. The PN Govt. was so content to introduce partisan politics in them. Ironic, isnt it?
In this report you say that AN officials resigned their political post, in another you report that they resigned as Civil Servants. Please clarify , as the latter report clearly indicates that they have a stainless steel spine when compared to the previous reporting.
(Editor's Note: The AN officials resigned their political posts.)
The executive should be manned by as apolitical persons as is humanly possible. The old rule that MP's should not be public servants should not have been discarded as it is a sacred principle of the separation of powers that members of the legislature should not be part of the executive and vice-versa. MP's should be adequately remunerated and not be allowed to"work" in the public service to make up for their miserbale honorarium.
In the same line of reasoning, persons who are involved in a prominent political role should be seconded to the party they adhere to but not be allowed to occupy a dual role. Of course, this is expensive but principles should be stuck to.
Doesn't this sound any similar???
Gonzi intervened and acted timely and wisely but he shouldn't allow his prestigious office to continue being contaminated by such vindictive bureaucreats. Next time this happens, he may not be around to pick up the pieces.
This was nothing but an act of will, knowingly acting in a politically discriminating manner against Victor Galea. I say this because the bureaucrat involved isn't worth his salt if he didn't realise that he was discriminating against this politician - but I guess he reasonsed spitefully :
" So what if this ultimatium goes against Galea's fundamental human right ?
He can only sue the government , not me - and until a judgement is metted out by the courts, Galea will spend the next six or seven years in court and out of a job ! hurray!"
Victor was lucky that Gonzi intervened in time - many other have not been so lucky at the hands of spitefull , vindictive people.
I,
Is the prime minister on holiday? we haven't heard him lately or is he cooling down from over exposure in the last elections so not to lose the effect now? Or else, is he busy planning a dreadful budget full of taxes to balance the financial disaster this government has got us into?
regarding Victor Galea's Case, it is so damn ironic, when we have all MP's doing private work or work in public entities. One case which concerns a young PN MP+architect+MEPA representative from Zebbug, is the architect of a project next door putting down a building and re-build a new block with excavations under our property. Funnily their permit was issued so fast...who knows how and why? Hopefully our safety is on the mind of this blessed architect+PN MP. Conclusion, if you are not PN then succumb.
I am not an AD supporter, though I share their environmental concerns, yet I am pleased that the outcome was in favour of Dr. Galea, and consequently the 2 AN officials.
@ Mr. J. J. Camilleri, fortunately Mr. V. Galea had a major weekly paper supporting his cause, which strengthened his case. Not much can be said about the two AN officials, who were rarely mentioned in the media.
Democracy is not only strengthened by widening voting rights (if at all), but also by letting people with brains participate actively in it. But apparently, if these do not fall within the MLPN closed framework, these are feared.
It is now the responsibility of whoever issued this letter to apologize and for the Prime Minister to make sure such disgraceful events will never occur.
This one little chip in the large frame of government incompetencies. Or else it's just a deception point so that Gonzi comes out of it as the Saviour.
Most probably we will have him canonised soon!! San Gonzi jaqla l-grazzji!!
I don't think we should blame the civil servants in question. What exactly are they supposed to do if not "go by the book"? They are given a set of explicit instructions to follow. At most they may be taken to task if they're not applying the rules to everyone equally. It is the book that is wrong. The PM might not have been personally aware of this incident but surely he knew about the regulation in question.
There are many laws and regulations which are anachronistic and desperately need some revision.
Not again another PN apologist, please. IMF? Are you being serious? So the government now consults with the IMF not with Maltese stake holders? And that proves government right? How pathetic. So what does the IMF say about our miserable wages and shocking inflation?
There were already 30,000 families who couldn't pay a 50% surcharge, now how many more can't pay 95%? I didn't find an answer to that in the IMF report. Maybe you have an answer for me?
And since you want a name of ONE enterprise I will give you ONE name: The Public Lotto. If you want more names just ask. Still if a couple of enterprises managed to do better in private hands, that is no excuse for the lack of government consultation. You must realise that whatever exists in this country is not Gonzi's, it is yours and mine. It can't just be sold in a matter of days to make good for the deficit which the same government accumulated during the years.
John Mizzi - are you living in the same universe as the rest of us?
Then all plea innocence of when they realize their silly mistakes. I think PN already lost the plot in this new legislature.
Hello MLP are you there? Any comments about this silliness from the OPM office?
Are we truly living in a democracy! Noooooooo only a pretend democracy.
Whats wrong if AN influence young people?
Maybe one day ABC should write a book about his definition of democracy.
Personally I hardly agree on anything with AD but surely they have a right to exist as much as AN have.
..Thank God this situation has been rectified...............and please dear PM make sure it doesn't happen again
Thank goodness resolution seems to be in sight for such a shameful botch-up. Irrespective of whether this came from an underling, Victor Galea as well as the AN officials, deserve an apology from on high.
One hopes that this incident and Victor Galea's fighting spirit will turn out to be a blessing in disguise, prompting an overhaul of such outdated and demeaning colonial legislation which is not worthy of our status as an EU member state.
The nice thing is that in Malta we have such things as the freedom of the press and means to remedy injustices and civil service silliness and that the system immediately rectiifies itself.
Much ado about nothing!
They are NOT ANR officials. Do you understand or not that AN and ANR are separate entities?
Is it only me, or is anyone else worried about the fact that AN (not AD, their democratic credentials are perfectly ok, obviously) exponents have influence over young minds?
Oh well, that's the fun of democracy, I suppose.
It is just the scenario of going forward three steps and two steps back UP THE HILL!
Enjoy the bananas
Victor Galea of all people. Such a charming and correct person . Did the Government think that Victor was about to start some campaign corrupting childrens' minds in favour of the Greens? Pathetic!
ANR and AN are two separate entities, although they have members which are in both groups.
“Take for example the Surcharge? Where was the consultation?”
Errmmm… did you see IMFs last report on Malta and the surcharge issue? And please do realise the integrity and great importance of IMF. Surely IMF being the consultation entity proves the government is in the right, but don't take my word, have a look - http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080813/business/imf-assesses-malta-elimination-of-subsidies-welcomed/
“Another example is the privatisation of various govt companies? Where is the consultation?”
Name me one privitisation that went through that did not bring it a major well being to the public in general.
By the way, when you speak of consultation, can you define who should the government exactly confer with?
And yet still no official comment from the other parties...Pity!!!
Dr. Inġ Patrick Attard AD
http://patrickattard.blogspot.com
OPM is being discriminatory against Victor Galea as there are many other civil servants who are active in politics - and who have been so for years. When I was a civil servant I myself was never asked to make such a ridiculous choice. Luckily, as a university lecturer, I am exempt from these antiquated rules. But does it make sense to have two weights two measures? Unfortunately, somebody has chosen to pick on Victor Galea...
I urge the Nationalist and Labour Parties to condemn such discrimination, and the Office of the Prime Minister to revise its outdated regulations on political activism, which, after all, is a basic civil right.
This is the tactic used by the PN when dealt with anything it perceives as a potential threat.
I suggest that all Alternattiva activists check their accounts rigorously for fear of getting arrested by an inefficient(was that the word used) police force on the eve of the next election.
On the other hand, however, the Labour party should definitely speak out.
If something is wrong, (and in this case, political discrimination looks to be rather evident)it is always wrong, even if not affecting you directly!!!
In this case, If the Malta Labour remains silent, it is an accomplice in this wrongdoing.
Why is the Goverment asking Mr.Galea to resign because he forms part of a political party. Is there no Nationalist member of parliament or activist or council member with a goverment post in his pocket?
I ask personally Dr.Gonzi to intervene and publically apologize to Mr. Galea for this ill tasted act. Anyone who follows the local political scene knows perfectly that Mr.Galea is always balanced and never agressive when he conveys his party's message.
As a Nationalist voter I am ashmed that the Goverment I voted in power has fallen so low.
AD/Greens are there only because no other party had adopted genuine Green policies, and obviously not just in Malta.
The trouble is everyone knows, but won't admit it, that the only politics that will survive in the future are those based on Green ethics, especially when the whole world is confronted by the dire consequences of its own plunder of the planet for quick and easy financial gain. The immutable law of cause and effect never changes, and so 'we ain't seen nothing yet' and the worst is still to come.
Does anyone doubt we have made a mess of the planet and squandered most of its resources on a quick-fix, 'buy-now-pay-later', warped mentality?
By denying a teaching job to Victor Galea, the government is doing a vendication to all students and potential students who will be denied the privilege of learning from such a wonderful capable teacher.
Maybe AD administration can go around the rules and replace Mr. Gelea's title from Secretary General to something like Prime Volunteer administrator !
Maybe the people at the top brass of Gonzi's team should try beating arguments with arguments, and not with bureaucratic silencers.
Would it be wishful thinking for Paul Borg Olivier the new PN Secretary General to take a public position on the matter ?
But what worries me most is the complete silence on this political discrimination by the 'newly' elected administration of the Maltese Labour Party. I thought that my party was a socialist one. Pity.
However it is a scandal that PN and MLP officials are not asked to do the same.