Young and fresh-faced, Opposition leader Joseph Muscat was extremely convincing when he promised his party would cast aside the partisan politics that plagued the island in favour of an all-inclusive country.
They raised the standards and expectations so everybody is now disappointed
Labour’s rallying cry, Malta Tagħna Lkoll (Malta Belongs To Us All), promised the electorate that meritocracy would be rewarded and it would no longer be a place of who you knew, but what you knew.
“Malta doesn’t belong to one politician or another, of one party or another – Malta Tagħna Lkoll,” Dr Muscat stressed at every opportunity he had ahead of the general election.
It was a compelling message many warmed up to and really wanted to believe, eager to treat the disease of favouritism practised by politicians in the past.
So when the new Labour Government started to thank those who appeared on a party billboard or in the promotion video by appointing them on a government board, the reaction was one of derision.
Jobs for the boys also came in the form of other divisive appointments – Mario Vella, an economist and former Labour Party president, was chosen to chair Malta Enterprise; Jason Micallef, former Labour general secretary, was appointed chairman of the V-18 foundation; and Ronnie Pellegrini, manager at the GWU’s printing company and former aide to the notorious 1980s Labour minister Lorry Sant, was made director of the Malta Freeport Corporation, among many others.
Martin Scicluna, a former government adviser and founder of the Today Public Policy Institute, believes it will be a pity if having been elected on the platform of meritocracy, Muscat does not make a real effort to change the culture. “The electorate were thirsty for this change... I think the public’s hopes were raised far too high by Joseph Muscat in the course of the campaign,” Mr Scicluna said when contacted.
“The public’s expectations were that the politics of choosing only your own side for a particular job was going to change. Of course, it hasn’t happened, which explains the disappointment,” he added.
Max Ganado, a legal expert in trusts and fiduciaries, also believes people’s outrage is a direct consequence of Labour having run a campaign based on an inclusive message.
“This appealed to a lot of people as everybody wanted a change... They raised the standards and expectations so everybody is now disappointed,” he said, adding that this was an admission that the Nationalist Party was not adopting a system of meritocracy.
“The sad thing about the PN is they’re now picking on it without admitting their own faults. What they should be doing is trying to re-establish the high ground rather than criticise them without looking at their own past.”
Dr Ganado feels that the fact Malta is still having this discussion clearly exposes its lack of maturity.
“If you disregard intelligence, merit, capacity, and qualities simply because of a narrow view to people you’ll lose a lot of resources that are available to you to succeed,” Dr Ganado said.
“We have to start appreciating that we all have different opinions and that when it comes to using our skills the issue moves away from our political opinion as we want to be proud of what we can achieve.”
Reflecting on the issue of meritocracy versus favouritism, Mr Scicluna said it was human nature for politicians to choose those who fit in with their own concept of what was required.
“The key question is: do they merit an appointment or is it simply because they’re party people? I would find it difficult to argue a person does not merit a particular appointment; how do you prove that?” he added.
“What we need is a culture change... It’s about trusting each other more; building up bi-partisan approaches, and that takes time.”
Some of Labour’s poster children
Frederick Testa – an actor who said he voted PN in the previous general election, he was one of the faces on Labour’s billboards and promotion video. He is now a member of the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts.
Albert Gauci Cunningham – a teacher who formed part of LGBT Labour, he was in a video endorsing Labour and explaining his vision for change. He is now a member of the Family Commission board.
John Bencini – former president of Forum and the Malta Union of Teachers, he had endorsed Labour during party meetings. He is now chairman of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.
William Mangion – he had appeared in a Labour promotion video in which he sang the praises of Joseph Muscat “because he delivers on his promises”. He is now the coordinator for the promotion of local bands.
Paul Bonello – a financial consultant and managing director of Finco Trust, he had openly declared his support for a change in government during a Labour mass meeting. He is now chairman of Malita Investments.
Rachel Tua – a lawyer from a Nationalist background, she contested the election on a Labour ticket and appeared in the party’s promotion video. She is now a board member with the Lotteries and Gaming Authority.
Raymond Pitre – an artist, he featured on Labour’s campaign billboards. He is now a board member of the cultural heritage and natural heritage advisory committee.
Ramona Frendo – a lawyer and partner in a law firm, she was one of the faces of Labour’s billboard promoting meritocracy. She has been appointed on the commission charged with reforming justice.
Lara Boffa – niece of former Labour leader Paul Boffa, she was among the first to give a testimonial in favour of change. She is now a board member at Enemalta.
Mario Philip Azzopardi – a film-maker who lives in Canada, he appeared in Labour’s promotion video. He is now a member of the Manoel Theatre board.
Alessandra Pace – a former athlete and former aide to deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech, she had appeared in Labour’s promotion video. She is now on the sports reform board.
Marlene Seychell – a businesswoman who runs a clothing franchise, she had publicly endorsed Labour during the launch of the party’s manifesto. She now sits on the board at Malta Enterprise.