As a former career civil servant with over five decades of public service, I have known or worked with, closely or not so closely, and observed from relatively close quarters, a number of able public figures who gave valid contributions to the Maltese nation during the administrations of five different Prime Ministers.

Malta is a bigger loser than either (Richard) Cachia Caruana or (Carm) Mifsud Bonnici- Alfred Fiorini Lowell

More specifically, I worked for more than two years with, and mostly in the same room as, Richard Cachia Caruana when we both served in the secretariat of then Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami. I later worked with him and saw him operate from close quarters during my six years as Cabinet secretary in two Fenech Adami Cabinets. I think, therefore, that I can claim to have a somewhat informed opinion on the worth or otherwise of the person.

Mr Cachia Caruana may not be the most popular of persons. Perhaps this is partly due to the fact that he never was an elected politician and, therefore, did not need to depend on “popularity” as much as members of Parliament do. I also have no doubt that, because of the sensitive positions he occupied at the highest level over a long career, in some of his direct or indirect actions he did incur the displeasure or even wrath of some individuals.

Having said that, he had other sides to his character and I can personally vouch for the fact that some of these fall into the category of “brilliant”.

The imprint Mr Cachia Caruana left on Maltese life through his work (and when I say work I also mean work as in workaholic) is, in my opinion, very significant. Indeed, I would suggest that his influence affected positively many different aspects of Maltese life, especially but not specifically, insofar as it was so positively influenced by Malta’s position in the European Union. I would even go so far as to suggest that the present quality of life of the Maltese people as a whole – including that of his detractors inside and outside Parliament – owes something to the Cachia Caruana factor.

As in the case of all human beings, in most actions the personal interest influences to varying degrees the overall action. However, in his case, I remain convinced that his actions in the national interest heavily outweighed those actions that may have in some way been prompted by other interests.

In fact, I would suggest further that, while he does have a head start over most MPs through the high responsibilities he consistently held for such a longer period of time than they, Malta’s benefits from his work since 1987 exceed the benefits derived by Malta from the sum total of the work of the individuals whose latest actions led to his resignation.

The element of personal interest in the decisions of at least some members of Parliament was, again in my view, as transparent as Bohemian crystal.

The extent of the downside to Malta and to Maltese society in general from the removal of Mr Cachia Caruana from the post he occupied as Permanent Representative to the EU at this particularly crucial juncture in the history of Europe and of Malta will have to await the passage of time to be fully evaluated. What is certain, again in my humble opinion, is that it will be significant.

In contrast to my “knowledge” of Mr Cachia Caruana, although I know former minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici personally and have recently had occasion to carry out an assignment for his ministry, I cannot claim to have worked closely with him. I did, however, have the privilege of working very closely with his respected and eminent father, President Emeritus Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, many of whose values and capabilities his son evidently inherited. Also because of the link with the father, I feel I am entitled to venture an opinion on the son.

Carm Mifsud Bonnici’s popularity – and by popularity I mean that value, respect, commonly associated with the term “gentleman” – is acknowledged by all.

I am quite sure that in any hypothetical popularity poll of MPs on both sides of the House in the legislature he formed part of until very recently he would undoubtedly have done extremely well. At the same time, in spite of what he was accused of, Dr Mifsud Bonnici’s level of ability as minister was also very high.

And when it comes to his efforts and results in furthering the national interest, again his achievements were, in my opinion and that of many others, not unsubstantial – certainly not second to the efforts and results of any of his accusers.

Here again, the main reason for the downfall of Carm Mifsud Bonnici is surely the personal interests of those who brought about his undeserved enforced resignation from the Cabinet.

My overall conclusion in these two sorry sagas, played out, in my view, regrettably to its detriment, in the highest institution of the land, is that the determining ingredient was indeed the personal interest and that the national interest, if it were ever part of the mix, came a very poor second.

Malta is a bigger loser than either Mr Cachia Caruana or Dr Mifsud Bonnici.

As a former civil servant and not a politician, the above observations are in no way based on, or influenced by, inside knowledge of any recent political decisions or machinations to which I could not have been party. My observations are based exclusively on my knowledge, such as it is, of the two persons involved and on my reading of the political scene from the view of a retired public officer.

The author is a former Cabinet secretary and chairman of the Public Service Commission.