The moves announced today at Enemalta, the Water Services Corporation and Airmalta were all a result of the government’s need to safeguard the interests of its close friends, rather than to seek the interests of the state corporations, the Opposition spokesman for water and energy, George Pullicino said.

Today’s musical chairs, he said, knew its beginning within the WSC, where, some months ago, a strong antagonism built up between chairman Tony Mejaq and CEO Frederick Azzopardi, whose appointment had not followed a public call.

Mr Pullicino said he had spoken about this in Parliament but Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi had then tried to ridicule his question. Only a few days later, Mr Mejlaq’s resignation was announced in the media and the government confirmed this today.

A lot of efforts were made to convince Mr Mejlaq not to leave and embarrass the government, as two ARMS chairmen and two CEOs had already been appointed in eight months. The government would now be appointed the third chairman of Arms within eight months.

Mr Pullicino said that today’s moves confirmed that, for this government, meritocracy did not mean that one was appointed because one deserved to be so but because one was a friend.

It was clear that it had become the norm for the government to appoint CEOs without a public call and giving the positions to people who would have already served the Labour Party.