Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is playing a political chess game by linking Nationalist MP Joe Cassar with the Gaffarena name that became toxic after the Old Mint Street scandal, according to Alternattiva Demokratika deputy chairman Carmel Cacopardo.
He stressed that Dr Muscat’s attack on Dr Cassar was a psychological game being played by the government in anticipation of the predictable conclusions of the investigation by the National Audit Office of the €1.6 million Old Mint Street scandal revealed by this newspaper.
“This is a psychological game. The Prime Minister is setting the public’s frame of mind by linking the Gaffarena name to the PN since he can predict the conclusions of the investigation,” Mr Cacopardo said.
Dr Cassar resigned as PN culture spokesman following reports that he allegedly allowed businessman Joe Gaffarena to pay €8,150 for works carried out at his Dingli farmhouse in 2011.
The Gaffarena name became toxic after the Times of Malta exposed that the government had paid €1.6 million to buy half a property in Old Mint Street, Valletta, from Mark Gaffarena (Joe Gaffarena’s son).
The government chose to buy a certain part of the property by dealing only with Mr Gaffarena, while it never entered into negotiations with the other owners, allowing him to make a profit of €685,000 in less than two months over just one aspect of the deal.
This is the focus of two investigations: one by the government’s internal audit unit and the other by the NAO. The internal investigation has been concluded and has been handed over the NAO to aid its investigations, the government said.
Selective leaks of the internal investigation were given to Malta Today just before that newspaper published the story on Dr Cassar.
“The Prime Minister is trying to condition the public mind. He wants to show the PL is not the only one that’s corrupt. Yet Dr Cassar’s case is about unethical behaviour, not corruption,” Mr Cacopardo said.
The PM has no moral authority to point fingers at the PN. The Opposition also loses credibility when it points fingers before cleaning up its house
Edward Warrington, associate professor of public policy at the University of Malta, also said this case and the list of scandals that have rocked the Labour government were symptomatic of a loss of a genuine ethical conscience.
“The Prime Minister has no moral authority to point fingers at the PN. The Opposition also loses credibility when it points fingers at the government before cleaning up its house,” Prof. Warrington said.
Dr Cassar has denied having ever known about or consented to any payments being made on his behalf by Mr Gaffarena for any works. He said he would be seeking legal advice.
It is being alleged the work for Dr Cassar included the construction of a staircase and garden landscaping, with payment to Devlands Ltd taking the form of barter for fuel at Mr Gaffarena’s fuel pumping station.
Mr Gaffarena refused to comment when contacted by this newspaper. Devlands Ltd also refused to speak, saying the company carried out work for both political parties and “these were private matters”.
Prof. Warrington said that big business and some senior politicians were involved in big reciprocal favours.
“This was clear even before the 2013 election but now it is more so… it is more blatant,” Prof. Warrington said.