It was shame that the present government sold the brand new (BWSC) power station to Shanghai Electric, despite the huge savings it was yielding in power generation. But it was even more disgraceful that Enemalta was now actually paying good money in order to continue using it, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said this morning.
And the government had refused to publish the sale agreement or give details about how much it was paying to rent it back, he added.
Speaking in a Radio 101 interview, Dr Busuttil said all this had to be seen against the background that the deals were negotiated by minister Konrad Mizzi, who had set up secret companies in Panama and declared that income would come from 'brokerage'. This was the same minister who had promised an audit of his affairs, but this had not come about.
Dr Mizzi had held his negotiations with a Chinese official who also set up a secret Panama company, using the same intermediary company as used by Dr Mizzi.
So was anyone wrong to suspect corruption?
It was ironic that Dr Mizzi had turned up in the Gvern li jisma discussion session, but he refused to reply to questions about Panama. He did not to listen and reply.
PEOPLE'S MOOD HAS CHANGED
Dr Busuttil said the people's mood and the way they viewed the government had changed dramatically this summer.
He said the year had started badly for the government, starting with the manner of the prime minister's New Year's address and continuing with one scandal after another.
As a result, Dr Busuttil said, over the past months his determination to make the PN the people's party had been strengthened.
The PN wanted to show that it was the party that cared, the party that wanted to fight injustice and to be truly close to the people and worthy of their confidence.
His meetings with the people were always informative, both about how the people viewed the PN, and also how they viewed the government, Dr Busuttil said.
For many, the government was living a lie, based on cheap tax-funded propaganda where promises of Taghna Lkoll had become the standard joke, as had the Labour promise of transparency.
Dr Muscat promises political responsibility and a culture of resignations, but Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri and even Dr Muscat himself remained in saddle after the Panama scandal. Iceland recently proved itself inspirational in football, but it was worth recalling how it had also sacked its prime minister over the Panama Papers.
"This issue will not go away until the election, it is far too serious and reaches the highest levels of power," Dr Busuttil said.
MALTA'S REPUTATION
Dr Busuttil said Malta's reputation was harmed when he met foreign leaders accompanied by his chief of staff Keith Schembri, despite his Panama companies.
Could Malta logically assume the EU presidency while minister Konrad Mizzi, or deputy Central Bank governor Alfred Mifsud were in office?
He did not think so, Malta should not take up the presidency while these people still held sway.
Dr Busuttil said it was also a disgrace that no new Police Commissioner had been appointed for almost two months. It was clear that Dr Muscat was afraid of appointing a serious police commissioner, lest he started investigations into Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri, among others.