Joseph Muscat said today that the Panama Papers scandal taught him that he had to be more aware of what people around him were doing.
He said it was regretful that the scandal had “cast a shadow on the Labour government’s good work”.
“I am not a control freak but it taught me that I have to keep my eyes open at all times,” Dr Muscat said when asked at a press conference what had he learnt from the Panama scandal.
Pressed further to say whether this also included not reappointing Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri to their public office roles, Dr Muscat said those decisions would be taken when and if the people re-elected him prime minister.
Asked whether he would re-state the pledge to be meritocratic and transparent, Dr Muscat replied in the affirmative but admitted the government may have let down some people.
We disappointed some people but we learnt from our mistakes and we will deliver better
"We intend to work harder to put that pledge into practice. We made a lot of strides forward. We disappointed some people but we learnt from our mistakes and we will deliver better.”
The Prime Minister said he had received an explanation from Mr Schembri after a Net TV journalist yesterday asked him whether the chief of staff had a Swiss bank account.
However, Dr Muscat would not confirm or deny the information, urging another Net TV journalist today to put the question directly to Mr Schembri.
“I am nobody’s spokesman, you can speak to Keith Schembri and he will answer.”
Dr Muscat was addressing a press conference with Finance Minister Edward Scicluna in which they presented the economic and fiscal forecasts for the next five years.
“This is an election for the future and the people have a choice to make: it is either me and my competent team or a coalition of confusion,” Dr Muscat reiterated.
On former Labour whip Godfrey Farrugia, who resigned two days ago, saying he could no longer identify with the party that “calls itself a Labour Party”, Dr Muscat said he disagreed with the statement but respected the man immensely.
“You will not hear me utter a bad word about Godfrey… I wish him the best of luck for the future,” the Prime Minister said.