The reaction by the leader of the Opposition, Simon Busuttil, to the inquiry report and the decision made by the Prime Minister to ask for Manuel Mallia’s resignation and the subsequent decision to dismiss him when Mallia failed to step down as minister, as well as the removal of former acting police commissioner Ray Zammit, were to be expected.

Busuttil seems to have forgotten that he had been alleging, if not making accusations, that Mallia and Kurt Farrugia were involved in a cover up. The report by the three former members of the judiciary found no involvement by both Mallia and Farrugia in any cover up whatsoever. And, yet, the leader of the Opposition, who has found in this incident something to clutch on to, has accused the Prime Minister of being “weak” and also losing his “moral authority”.

Can anyone ever remember any previous prime minister who had appointed a totally independent board of inquiry, made up of three former members of the judiciary, even asking the leader of the Opposition to choose the person to preside over such a board of inquiry? The offer was refused by Busuttil. The board was given a definite timeframe of 15 days to present the report and on the same day the Prime Minister received the report he made it public and made the decisions that had to be taken.

If in all this Busuttil sees a “weakness” and “loss of moral authority” by the Prime Minister, then he is again proving to be the most negative leader of the Opposition our country has, unfortunately, been burdened with.

A leader of the Opposition who is not fit for purpose.