Christian Peregin
Matters of resignation?
A file photo showing Edgar Galea Curmi (right) with Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.
With the Prime Minister’s chief of staff under pressure to resign and the Sliema deputy mayor Cyrus Engerer facing criminal charges, Christian Peregin picks the brains of political commentators.
The case of the PM’s head of secretariat, Edgar Galea Curmi
Mr Galea Curmi phoned the Police Commissioner and asked him to assure the lawyer in the case of Cyrus Engerer’s father that his arrest over marijuana possession was not politically-motivated. The Police Commissioner felt uncomfortable with the request and did not accept.
Mr Galea Curmi, a close family friend of the Engerers, made the call in the presence of Cyrus Engerer after they met in Mdina and discussed the arrest of his father whose lawyer feared the police raid was prompted by his son’s resignation from the Nationalist Party and joining Labour.
Former adviser to the government Martin Scicluna
Mr Galea Curmi’s direct intervention in the affair with the Police Commissioner was, at best, ill-judged and, at worst, the exercise of undue interference into the wheels of justice.
As somebody who is so close to the Prime Minister, this is embarrassing and his personal position must, sadly, be judged as precarious. Only the forthcoming inquiry can explain what lay behind it.
Columnist Claire Bonello
Mr Galea Curmi has done a Silvio Berlusconi (Italian Prime Minister). Instead of intervening with the police on behalf of an underage call girl, Mr Galea Curmi intervened on behalf of his godson.
Regardless of Mr Galea Curmi’s links or relationship with Cyrus Engerer, he did not act in the appropriate manner as his actions could be viewed as those of an influential member of the Prime Minister’s secretariat attempting to influence a police investigation.
In a country where standards in public ethics are observed, this would definitely be a resigning matter.
Blogger Fr Joe Borg
I think it was in the interest of the police to be informed of the allegation that the Prime Minister’s office was instigating the actions of the police against Cyrus Engerer’s father. Describing such a telephone call as a means of exerting pressure or an attempt to interfere in the work of the police is a colossal exaggeration. The Police Commissioner took the call for what it was: a suggestion made to nip in the bud a potentially damaging allegation against the police. The controversy about this telephone call is a typical storm in a tea cup, which is quite convenient for certain sections of the media to fill space or air time at this usually quiet time of year.
Former Labour minister Lino Spiteri
This is Malta. This is happening all the time. It shouldn’t happen but it is the culture that has to change. I will not get into whether he should resign or not.
The case of Sliema deputy mayor Cyrus Engerer
Mr Engerer is facing a series of charges, including computer misuse and circulation of pornography. He allegedly circulated pornographic images of his former boyfriend to employers and friends to harm his reputation after their break-up. Mr Engerer never told the PN about this criminal case. Nor did he inform Labour leader Joseph Muscat when he defected. The charges were made public days after his father’s arrest over mar-ijuana possession. The lawyers of his alleged victim said they were willing to drop charges but the police denied receiving such a request and said they would proceed anyway ex-officio.
Martin Scicluna
The crossing of party lines by Cyrus Engerer and the arrest of both his father and himself just a few days after leaves one with an extraordinary whiff of political chicanery, payback and pressure about the whole family episode.
Claire Bonello
If Cyrus Engerer is in fact found guilty of circulating naked pictures of his former lover, then he cannot expect to be considered as a blameless victim of a conspiracy to bring him down. Although the timing of the police investigations of the Engerers is highly suspect and understandably reinforces the public’s lack of trust in the force and its links to the political class, I do not subscribe to the view (expressed by Dr Muscat) that the circulation of the photos of an ex-lover is a purely private matter. It constitutes a criminal act and reflects badly on the person committing it. It is also proof, if any was needed, of the abysmal vetting of candidates of both parties.
Fr Joe Borg
I think any person elected on the ticket of a political party should immediately inform the leader if s/he is being investigated by the police.
The same applies to any high profile person – especially an elected official – who decides to change one’s party. Mr Engerer should have informed both the secretary of the PN and the Labour leader about these investigations.
Lino Spiteri
These are personal matters. If the peccadilloes of each one of us were aired, the newspapers would not have enough space to carry them. We must also not forget a person is innocent until proven guilty. However, it would have been better had he briefed the Labour leader, even though it remains, as I said, a personal matter.
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Jessica Debattista
Jul 28th 2011, 16:34
So what is all this fuss about? Why is it being blown out of proportion? Does Cyrus Engerer really rate all this exposure? So WHAT if he deflected for whichever reason he chooses to mention!
Rather than calling for the resignation of Mr Galea Curmi who seems to have acted on impulse to calm his godson’s state of agitation at the time, one should do well to consider other issues.
I should think that the real issue is not anybody’s resignation (at least not Mr Galea Cumbo’s) but rather the lack of integrity that Cyrus has shown by his spiteful distribution of pornogrhic material after having been jilted by his ex-lover.
Pornography is easily available, but one has a choice whether to look for it or not. However, being e-mailed unasked for pornographic material is not exactly something to be ignored. And if there is malice behind it........ Well!!!!!
Mr Joe Morana
Jul 28th 2011, 14:57
Character assasintion is definitely a tool used in the dirty world of politics the world over! It exacerbates itself here in Malta because we have wise people who condemn the practice, and have the influence, power and wherewithal to put an end to it, but.........the beat goes on, it seems!
Mr Victor Laiviera
Jul 28th 2011, 14:21
No surprise that "Father" Joe Borg, the PN apologist par excellence, should try to downplay this issue.
Amusingly, he calls this "a quiet time of the year" - where has he been living?
Emma Grima
Jul 28th 2011, 14:16
Mr Galea Curmi....you succeeded to put both feet in it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 28th 2011, 14:12
The person who should resign is not in the photo.
He's Cyrus Engerer.
.
Denise Vella
Jul 28th 2011, 14:02
Mr Spiteri, 'This is Malta' is a jaded outlook. Older people may have ample reasons for such a wry point of view but surely the young should be encouraged to hope for better.
Mr Henry Mifsud
Jul 28th 2011, 13:58
The comments gathered send out a very clear message as to what should be done next. What will be done is another story. We simply do not have the culture for resignations. punto e basta!
Sitting on the left-hand side whilst being the right-hand of someone is no easy task!
The question is: Who should be the one to decide? The one sitting on the left-hand side or the one sitting on right-hand side to him?
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 28th 2011, 13:11
Claire Bonello: "I do not subscribe to the view (expressed by Dr Muscat) that the circulation of the photos of an ex-lover is a purely private matter. It constitutes a criminal act and reflects badly on the person committing it. It is also proof, if any was needed, of the abysmal vetting of candidates".
Very well said, and this coming from someone whlo is certainly NOT Nationalist-leaning.
Joseph Muscat is accepting as a Labour candidate someone who is alleged to engage in this sort of sordid payback after his boyfriend left him.
.
Mr Henry Mifsud
Jul 28th 2011, 14:14
Simply pathetic!
Somehow you are reminding me of someone who goes about poking her nose into other people's business all the time whilst ignoring the stench emanating from under her arm-pits. No need to elaborate further.
Mr David Bezzina
Jul 28th 2011, 14:42
To put matters in perspective,Cyrus Engerer was a PN councillor when this alleged incident took place.
With your argumentation,Gonzi also accepted Cyrus Engerer as a PN councillor.
Albert Spiteri
Jul 28th 2011, 16:39
Since when does the media charge, judge and condemn people? I totally agree with Dr. Joseph Muscat. This is a personal and private matter. Cyrus is an adult, as long as his partner or the people with whom he shares common interests and confides in are adults, I do mind it and do not care about it. It's his life, he can do what he likes with it. There was a time, before Mintoff kicked it out into the middle ages, when homosexuals were by law criminals. This case is bringing back the middle ages. All we need is a witch hunt and a burning at the stake. THREE CHEERS FOR GONZIPN!
E. Azzopardi
Jul 28th 2011, 12:54
It is about time we start on this "new politics" we were promised!!
Mario Grima
Jul 28th 2011, 12:15
Once a blue always a blue, what do you think Fr. Joe Borg? The typical storm in a tea you are refering to is the order of the day in democratic Europe, excluding Malta. Give us a break!!!!!!
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 28th 2011, 13:08
Attacking the person, rather than the argument, Mr Grima.
Typical.
.
Mr Henry Mifsud
Jul 28th 2011, 13:31
Typical of you Ms. Camenzuli. Joe Borg was the only one commenting in favour of EGC's blunder and as yet you decided to come to the rescue. I shall not ask why as all those who read your blogs have by now realized what is your true agenda. How more blinkered can you be?
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 28th 2011, 14:29
EGC's blunder?
To get clarifications from the Police Commissioner
in front of Cyrus Engerer and after Cyrus Engerer phoned him?
What about Cyrus Engerer himself
resigning (supposedly on d'ivorce')
AFTER being questioned by Police
Do you defend Cyrus Engerer?
.
Jon Briffa
Jul 28th 2011, 12:10
Conspiracy theorists may suggest that if a member of the PN was caught only with drugs after switching sides to labour, what if there are other political members of the PN trafficking drugs freely and the risk of being caught is only if they switch to labour?
Mr M Farrugia
Jul 28th 2011, 12:09
Fr. Borg hafna mill-gurnalisti tal-lum jiktbu sabiex jimlew l-ispazju darba jew ohra meta kien fil-kors tal-Universita li inti tghallem fih. Qatt ma ghidilhom sabiex ma jaghmlux hekk. Hemm bloggers ukoll li jaghmlu bhalhom, anzi xi whud minn dawn aghar ghax jindahlu jew inkellha jippretendu li jifmu f'kollox minbarra f'dak li huma iggradwati fih
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 28th 2011, 11:45
Mr Galea Curmi phoned the Police Commissioner after Cyrus Engerer showed his suspicions that the drug case against Chris Engerer, his father, was politically motivated. Throughout the telephone call, Cyrus Engerer was there beside Mr Galea Curmi.
When assured the case was not politically motivated by the Police Commissioner, Mr Galea Curmi asked the Police Commissioner if he could get in touch with Chris Engerer's lawyer to explain that the case was the result of a report filed on the 6th July, well before Cyrus Engerer resigned from the PN.
The Commissioner declined to do this because it's not Police practice to phone suspects' or accused's lawyers.
Those are the facts.
.
Mr Victor Laiviera
Jul 28th 2011, 12:49
Only one fact is relevant. Galea Curmi, a top civil servant, called the Commissioner of Police and tried to influence his actions.
He should resign immediately.
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 28th 2011, 13:06
Mr Victor Laiviera:
Cyrus Engerer got hold of Edgar Galea Curmi, his godfather,
to ask if his father's case was politically motivated.
Edgar Galea Curmi phoned the Police Commissioner
to see if this was, or was not, the case
and he did this IN FRONT OF Cyrus Engerer.
You are saying that Edgar Galea Curmi influenced the Police
IN FAVOUR OF Cyrus Engerer and his father
which demolishes all that the Labour press, Labour bloggers
and Joseph Muscat were saying just before.
Thanks for demolishing your own case.
.
Mr Victor Laiviera
Jul 28th 2011, 14:03
Ms Camenzuli, listen (read) carefully and you may understand.
Edgar Galea Curmi phoned the Commissioner of Police and tried to influence his actions. It does NOT matter whether he was speaking in favour or against Engerer; it makes NO DIFFERENCE whether he did it in front of somebody else or not.
That fact that the telephone call was made - BY ITSELF - is enough to make Galea Curmi's position untenable.
He should resign immediately
(I'm afraid I can't make it any simpler than that. If you still cannot understand, get somebody else to explain.)
Mr michael catania
Jul 29th 2011, 12:28
Cyrus Engerer should resign when and after 99%of the Gonzipn ministers take the advice that you are giving Cyrus Engerer and even then I think you are utterly wrong with that advice given to him.
Stefan Limongello
Jul 28th 2011, 11:41
Fr. Joe Borg: you must really be sad these days, I am sure that you miss the Beirut days of the eighties. At least priests with your mentality are a dying breed... it must be harsh to see that all you worked for is in ruins, albeit not Lebanese ones.
Saviour Gambin
Jul 28th 2011, 11:38
I agree with Fr Joe Borg's comment that this is a storm in a teacup. I do not think that Edgar Galea Curmi exerted any pressure or interfered in the duties of the police. On the contrary he was asking the Police Commissioner to make it clear that the Engerers' case has no political linkages or innuendos. I agree that this is Malta or better still this is the same old Labour - always trying to take an easy political ride on anything that moves under the sun.
Mr Lawrence Fenech
Jul 28th 2011, 12:02
@ Gambin.
Every fjasco by Gonzi and Co according to PN supporters is a storm in a tea cup. The storm will come in two years time.
j brincat
Jul 28th 2011, 11:32
Mr Galea Curmi is the personal assistant of the PM - a very high position indeed.
His telephone call is tantamount to interference and he should therefore resign IMMEDIATELY.
Would he resign? I don't think so. Only scapegoats and the small fry resign here, the top brass are untouchable. I only remember one minister resigning. But then that was in the brief time of the Dr A Sant
Only in Malta!
(jb)
j brincat
Jul 28th 2011, 12:06
@Mary Jo
So, you don't see any coincidence in this case! Not that with your thick blue blinkers I expect you to see any.
They say that coincidence is logical. Many are not seeing any logic at all but too much coincidence! Except you, of course!
(jb)
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 28th 2011, 14:31
j brincat:
It's Cyrus Engerer who should resign from the post of Deputy Mayor of Sliema.
.
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 28th 2011, 14:33
j brincat:
the only coincidence is that Cyruis Engerer resigned from the PN
THREE WEKS AFTER he was questioned by the Police.
.
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 28th 2011, 11:31
The truth is out:
17 June - Cyrus Engerer speaks at the PN General Council criticising Labour,
23 June - the Police call in Cyrus Engerer for questioning on a report lodged by his ex boyfriend alleging Engerer emailed photos of his ex boyfriend in sex acts with others as revenge after they broke up,
9 July - on Gay Pride Day, Cyrus Engerer insists with the police to expedite his case,
15 July - Cyrus Engerer resigns from the PN purportedly because of 'divorce',
16 July - Cyrus Engerer says he met Joseph Muscat and is now a Labour candidate - but Engerer did not tell Muscat about his sex-photos case,
Cyrus Engerer knew all along about the case with the police and chose the moment and the excuse to cross over to Labour so that the police case would be seen as revenge by the Nationalists.
But there’s no perfect crime. We now know Cyrus Engerer crossed over to Labour THREE WEEKS AFTER he was questioned by the police and A WEEK AFTER he insisted with them to proceed with his case.
This is the issue, not a phone call by Mr Galea Curmi after Cyrus Engerer himself phoned Mr Galea Curmi.
.
Charles Sammut
Jul 28th 2011, 15:16
Hi MaryJoe... I believe Cyrus is being questioned by the men in blue. If they find enough evidence against him, he will be charged and taken to court. If he is proven guilty, I am certain he will resign from the party he now belongs to or else I am certain he will be kicked out of the PL.
Please bear in mind, Engerer is but a little,tiny fish in the mire, dirty pond of politics. He is swimming amongst sharks and piranhas which are always floating about together with other flotsam.
So, my dear MJ...I can assure you that if Cyrus is found guilty, his insignificant political career will be no more.
The more SERIOUS indiscretion was created by none other than Gonzi's Chief of Staff, Edgar Galea Curmi,who also happens to be Cyrus Engerer's godfather!!
This guy is one of the BIG fishes and I can further assure you, that Edgar will NEITHER RESIGN NOR WILL HE BE SACKED by his boss Lawrence!
..erm..fishes of a scale swim together...is there such as saying?!?..anyway you know what I mean.
...and the beat goes on...and the beat goes on....
j brincat
Jul 28th 2011, 11:26
Why is it that I am not surprised by the comments of Father Joe!
Birds of a feather flock together, no?
(jb)
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 28th 2011, 13:08
Attacking the person rather than the argument, j brincat.
Typical.
.
Alfred Vassallo
Jul 28th 2011, 11:21
''Christian Peregin picks the brains of political commentators''.
Some political commentators always have a political agenda to grind under the guise of one uniform or other.
Mr Joseph Aquilina
Jul 28th 2011, 11:12
“The crossing of party lines by Cyrus Engerer and the arrest of both his father and himself just a few days after leaves one with an extraordinary whiff of political chicanery, payback and pressure about the whole family episode.”
How you merit your place as a commentator in the article I don’t know … but which part of “On July 9, Mr Engerer himself asked for investigations to be concluded as quickly as possible. The police inspector was also told by Mr Engerer's lawyers to take the case to court as soon as possible” you did not understand? (from: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110726/local/police-commissioner-insists-police-actions-not-politically-motivated.377453). Maybe you do not follow the news? I do not know? But I hope you realize that your comment becomes baseless when considering Cyrus knew and asked the police to hurry the case AND his father was actually caught with drugs!!
Joseph Grech Attard
Jul 28th 2011, 10:22
Fr. Joe Borg - many people advise you to keep on your ecclesiastical clothes and please stop doing more harm both to the Malta Catholic Church and to the party you so obviously support i.e. GonziPN. Do not use two measures. What you so obviously condemn and condemned in the past vis-a-vis the PL/MLP, should be also condemned vis-a-vis GonziPN. That is called honesty. All other different comments are called ..... remember the Pharisees of the Gospels?
M Damato
Jul 28th 2011, 11:26
.... and there are so many (Pharisees) in the Labour Camp.... as the saying goes: To catch a thief you need a thief..........
jack bristow
Jul 28th 2011, 11:31
You think that in Tunisi is would be better as they have a new govt?
Or its still the same? So?
Mr Joseph Aquilina
Jul 28th 2011, 11:35
Edgar Galea Curmi did his job ... informed the police of the serious allegations made by Cyrus regarding the arrest of his father!! He, for the good of the nation, made sure that the no party was involved in the issue. He is therefore the hero of the story, not Joseph, not Cyrus, but Edgar Galea Curmi. What PL are trying to do is hide the truth ... and the truth is that they thought they are going to win some votes, and with all the media frenzy about Cyrus swap from PN to PL they forgot to see if Cyrus had something else to hide!! Joseph was so under pressure that he managed to change version within a single speech. First saying that Cyrus is a victim of PN then saying that PN tried to interfere to help Cyrus ... one can only wonder what he could do within a period of 5years ... hopefully that will never happen!!
V. Cauchi
Jul 28th 2011, 09:49
"This is Malta. This is happening all the time. It shouldn’t happen but it is the culture that has to change."
"The controversy about this telephone call is a typical storm in a tea cup, which is quite convenient for certain sections of the media to fill space or air time at this usually quiet time of year."
Much food for thought in these two statements. Our culture, especially during the summer months, gets the worst out of us. We show who we really are, the mettle we are made of, nothing which really makes us proud being Maltese.
The problem of filling media space and making scoops not only in summer, but throughout the year, need also be addressed.
Godfrey Camilleri
Jul 28th 2011, 09:38
A stupid storm in a tea cup. Agree 100% with what Mr Lino Spiteri said.
Doreen Rizzo
Jul 28th 2011, 10:05
It was NOT Lino Spiteri who passed such comment. It was indeed the PN's apologist Fr Joe Borg who commented that "The controversy about this telephone call is a typical storm in a tea cup..." X'nistennew ahjar minn Fr Joe Borg?
Mr Joseph Aquilina
Jul 28th 2011, 11:17
It IS a storm in a tea cup ... created by PL and Joseph Muscat when realizing in which situation they entered in order to try and win a few votes ... they showed they do not do their homework (accept everyone) and can see things only at face value!! In other words PL showed us Maltese once more they are not ready to govern and the party needs to continue in its evolution process ... the pitty ... and it is a very big pitty ... is that with George Abela there (current President of Malta) PL would be not only ready, but sure to win the next elections. Lino Spiteri was also a very good option!! But PL is MLP and MLP is the same thing it was in the 70s!!
Charles Sammut
Jul 28th 2011, 09:13
Political resignations on the little island in the sun?!?!.....Dream on...Dream on!
...and the beat goes on....and the beat goes on......
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 28th 2011, 13:14
Cyrus Engerer would never resign, would he?
.
Mr Peter Murray
Jul 28th 2011, 09:12
RESIGNATION-what's that exactly?As I cannot locate this word in the Maltese lexicon.
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 28th 2011, 13:14
Cyrus Engerer, you mean?
.
Carmel Grima
Jul 28th 2011, 08:52
Dan Cyrus mhux dak li jidhirli jien smajtu jghid fuq xarabank Issa jmiss same sex marriage? Mela sew qalet il-knisja : li d-divorzju jiftah il-bieb ghal iktar "drittijiet civili"
J. Galea
Jul 28th 2011, 09:48
Bongu Mr. Grima about time li tqum mir-raqda u tirrealizza naqra is-sitwazzjoni ta madwarek.
Austin Farrugia
Jul 28th 2011, 11:07
Carmel Grima
.................WHY NOT >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>maybe intime someone from your family..............then you would be writing ...........................
Pia Attard
Jul 28th 2011, 11:43
I'm failing to understand what the problem with civil rights is??
MaryJo Camenzuli
Jul 28th 2011, 13:15
Is it gay marriage he means, or gay divorce?
.