Opposition leader Simon Busuttil this morning reiterated his call for the resignation of Justice Minister Owen Bonnici, who, he said, had failed to protect the Constitution.

He said during an interview on Radio 101 that Dr Bonnici should shoulder responsibility and resign.

Speaking about the nomination of Ingrid Zammit Young and Caroline Farrugia Frendo as magistrates, Dr Busuttil said either Dr Bonnici was so incompetent that he did not know what Constitution said or he knew what it said and opted to ignore it, making matters worse.

The Commission for the Administration of Justice on Friday advised the Prime Minister that there was a possibility that Dr Zammit Young, who chaired the Employment Commission, was not eligible to be made magistrate. She later wrote to the Prime Minister saying she did not want to be considered for the post.

Dr Busuttil asked whether the government was going into new scandals to make the people forget about the last one or if it was because the government was messing up big time.

“They will not stop us talking about all scandals,” he said.

The Commission’s advice to the Prime Minister, he said, was another condemnation for Joseph Muscat’s government by a constitutional body in 15 days. “This is unbelievable but true,” he said adding that those who breached constitution did not deserve to lead the country.

The nominations, Dr Busuttil said, should have led to someone’s resignation but it was as if nothing happened.

He referred to a story in today’s The Sunday Times of Malta that Dr Zammit Young received a €75,000 GO payout a week before Cabinet approved her nomination.

“Was it not enough that she was going to be appointed magistrate,” Dr Busuttil asked adding that Dr Zammit Young’s father worked in the minister’s district.

On the second nomination, that of the Speaker’s daughter, Caroline Farrugia Frendo, Dr Busuttil said the Opposition believed that even this nomination was in breach of the Constitution because, to date, she has not been lawyer for seven years.

He pointed out that the DOI press release had announced the magistrates’ appointment and not their nomination.

He referred to a story in today’s Malta Today that Dr Farrugia Frendo’s appointment came about because the Speaker was angry he did not get the Court of Auditors appointment.

“What country are we living in,” Dr Busuttil asked.

The government, he said, was willing to breach Constitution to appoint the people it wanted and did not deserve to administer the country.

“The people deserve better,” he said adding that he was committed to lead a much better government.

For starters, a new PN government would appoint members of the judiciary in line with recommendations made by the Giovanni Bonello Law Reform Commission.

GAFFARENA SCANDAL

Dr Busuttil also spoke about the Gaffarena scandal, saying this has brought down Joseph Muscat’s mask.

The Gaffarena scandal saw businessman Mark Gaffarena acquire €3.4 million in land and cash from the government for the expropriation of half a building in Valletta valued at some €900,000.

The NAO report concluded there was collusion between officials at the Government Property Department, Dr Falzon and Mr Gaffarena.

Dr Busuttil said this government was elected on the basis of many promises and now that it was in government, it was breaching all of them.

The NAO report, he said, clearly showed that the government was caught in a web of corruption.

Dr Muscat had promised a different kind of politics but was doing the worst kind of politics.

Dr Busuttil also reiterated that the scandal was not yet completely closed as a number of questions remained unanswered.

These were whether Dr Muscat knew about the deal, if the police were investigating Castille, which was the link in the chain, and if Mark Gaffarena had paid anyone commission.

This scandal, he said, was the beginning of the end of Joseph Muscat. His mask was now completely off and the people were seeing a dirty, corrupt government.

Dr Busuttil also congratulated former President Eddie Fenech Adami who is today celebrating  his 82nd birthday.

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