I wrote this piece last Thursday, as soon as I returned from a press conference on meritocracy in the public sector. I decided to write on the same topic after I was alerted to comments on timesofmalta.com underneath the report of this press call.

There are honest and hard-working people who feel short-changed in the area of meritocracy- Helena Dalli

I was later also told about how the Nationalist Party media butchered what I said to fit their purpose, to which I replied that I would have been surprised had they reported me faithfully.

But, back to timesofmalta.com, there were a few comments from people who are all for meritocracy and transparency, such as this one: “I am not a Labour Party supporter, nor have I ever voted Labour... However, I agree 110 per cent with Dalli... I will be staying home in the next election, as corruption and friends of friends getting government jobs really hurts me. Moreover knowing that I am more qualified than they are. I feel the PN needs to do some homework and truly doesn’t deserve another term in government.”

The rest, a plethora of negative comments, showing those posting them as being against meritocracy and happy with how things are. This is rather sad. It compounds the anything-goes culture. If you know someone high up, then you are bound to do well, no matter what you know. It proves that traditional political patronage is still very strongly embedded in our culture and psyche.

Many of those commenting online think it is wrong to say that this country must not continue losing out on the investment in human resources. It is wrong to mention that people, especially in top positions, must be fit for purpose.

They think it is wrong that these people should be chosen in a meritocratic and transparent manner.

They do not think that meritocracy is in the interest of the person concerned, the entity or department s/he are working for and the taxpayer.

They must be against all this because this is what the press conference was about.

When asked by one reporter about those who are occupying certain posts which they do not merit to be in, I replied that the rules of procedure for engagement or re-engagement are already there. They should be observed.

I cited examples of people who are highly qualified and are doing work that is way below their abilities. On the other hand, there are unqualified and inexperienced people who are given jobs beyond their competence. What’s new here? When the Nationalist Party commissioned a study to analyse where it was going wrong – after the 2004 EP election – one section of the report referred to the public sector. It said that this area was full of people at decision-making positions who didn’t merit to be in those posts. One often finds incompetent high officials who are not up to their jobs and, in the end, it is the public that bears the brunt of their inefficiency with the concomitant consequences.

The report went on to point out that these people in high places seem to be untouchable because they are loyal to someone or other who is powerful within the political class. This is what the PN was told then.

The situation has worsened since the time when one minister had said that there’s a five-seat majority and the government does what the hell it likes.

I am continually in the field, listening to people and how some of the very valid ones have been sidelined. It is not just people who voted Labour. As the PN was told in the aforementioned report, I also meet qualified and experienced Nationalist voters who are ignored, simply because they do not form part of the group of someone or other who belongs to the inner clique, as one Nationalist MP famously put it. It is about who you know, they tell me.

And what is the Prime Minister doing about this? Nothing. Because he starts every day wondering about how he can hold on to power instead of thinking about how he can serve his country well. And meritocracy, transparency, accountability and efficiency are all about serving your country well.

A good Prime Minister asks himself or herself about the challenges facing the nation and what the country needs its government to do. But ours, especially in this legislature, is too busy dealing with the political and tactical questions to think about the country and the amount of investment in human resources that is being wasted.

Could it be that the Prime Minister so badly lacks social antennae that he is not aware of the plight of the many people who feel left out, ignored, not recognised for their abilities and what they can offer this country?

Even by gut instinct, when visiting families he must understand that there are honest and hard-working people who feel short-changed in the area of meritocracy.

Has it ever crossed the Prime Minister’s mind to engage his ministers in ensuring that the heads of the entities and departments falling under their responsibility are competent and can live up to their job descriptions? He owes it to the taxpayer.

The author is shadow minister for the public sector, government investments and gender equality.

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