Updated with PL statement
The Nationalist Party this morning called for the immediate suspension of PM aide Neville Gafa following new revelations by Times of Malta that the police had raided his office at the Health Ministry.
Addressing a press conference, PN deputy leader Beppe Fenech Adami said the latest claims on a medical visa racket coordinated by the OPM representative at the Health Ministry confirmed the state of “institutionalised corruption” associated directly with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.
He said that Mr Gafa’, a member of the Labour Party executive who had been given a position of trust by the OPM soon after the elections, should be “at least suspended” from his job until the serious claims of corruption against him were investigated and concluded.
A whistle-blower, Khaled Ben Nasan alleged that the OPM representative used the money to buy a BMW and could not pay it back.
Mr Gafa is denying the claims.
Dr Fenech Adami said that instead of being suspended from his government job, Mr Gafa was given a new position of trust by Minister Konrad Mizzi with the Foundation for Medical Services.
This case, Dr Fenech Adami said, showed “a state of normalisation of deviant behaviour” and accused the Prime Minister of promoting this culture across the board to benefit “his close clique”.
Dr Fenech Adami said that Mr Gafa was still posting messages on Facebook messages boasting about how friendly he was with Dr Muscat, Konrad Mizzi and calls the PM’s chief of staff Kieth Schembri, whom he referred to as “dear friend”.
“This is not on and shows that something is seriously wrong with this government,” Dr Fenech Adami said.
PN stooping to its lowest levels in history - PL
In a reply, the Labour Party said the Opposition believed it had the right to be prosecutor, judge and jury but no one took it seriously because it lacked credibility.
While it was being aggressive on allegations which had already been denied by the person concerned and which the police and the Attorney General were still investigating, it failed to take action on cases which had been decided by competent institutions in the country.
These included that of MP Toni Bezzina who was found guilty by an inquiry of sending government employees to carry out work at the PN Żurrieq club during office hours, that of former minister Chris Said who was found guilty by the Auditor General of unwarranted intervention in councils' funding schemes, and that of Rabat mayor Samuel Azzopardi who was found guilty of driving dangerously under the effect of alcohol.
In spite of all his talk, the PL said, the Opposition leader failed to take action against people who were close to him even if their bad behaviour was proven. These were double standards he was known for and the party was stooping to its lowest levels in its history.
ivan.camilleri@timesofmalta.com