October is almost here. Many have a blank 4 to 6 weeks in the heat of summer between now and then when they don’t plan to do much. Distraction will be easy. Here’s something to worry about while basking in the sun. October ends the extended grace period within which we had to implement the [...]
In an earlier post I wrote that Judge Toni Abela heads the Association of Judges and Magistrates that is resisting calls by the Venice Commission to remove the Labour Party's power to protect judges and magistrates who commit serious wrongdoing. The Venice Commission, along with NGO Repubblika, insists that judges and magistrates should be independent [...]
Members of the Association of Judges and Magistrates are up in arms over the government’s decision to agree to implement a number of measures recommended by the Venice Commission. The association does not officially speak for all the judiciary but only represents those judges and magistrates that have signed up to join it. It is [...]
This photo of city cleaners sweeping up rubbish this morning gives a welcome chuckle in the midst of all the murderous gloom we're witnessing. The photo features on Times of Malta's live blog from court. Makes a change seeing the filth of Neville Gafà and Kenneth Camilleri heading into a garbage bag. From just that [...]
Is Malta, a presumed democratic nation-state, employing a mix of capitalist-neo-liberal economy that thrives on the entrepreneurship of influential elites co-opted with government; an ambience that generates aggregated high profits to the “powerful” while dispersing abstract material wealth leading to mass consumerism that has fabricated excessive corruption – what the French poet Louis Aragon had [...]
It is no wonder that since 2013, the Nationalist Party did not make any inroads with the electorate. Survey after survey show the same pattern, with the Labour Party leading by an average of 25 percentage points. The latest one by The Sunday Times even shows that the actual leader Adrian Delia as the 4th [...]
In theory political parties are not supposed to receive a donation from anyone in particular beyond €25,000. But political parties designed that law, so they know how to go about it. The government contracted Captain Morgan to provide illegal off-shore prisons for migrants that have since been brought ashore. There was no earthly reason to [...]
Last Friday I published this post reacting to the Reuters and Times of Malta story about corruption related to Enemalta’s spending spree in Montenegro. I pointed out that someone at Enemalta is responsible for taking the decision to spend over €10 million in a purchase of a property that 18 days later had changed hands [...]
Keith Schembri promised to tell us the truth Isn’t it surprising how people promise the bleeding obvious. A couple of days ago Joseph Muscat promised to remain available to answer question by the police. Why? Is it optional now? Can anyone avoid answering police questions by making themselves unavailable? And is Keith Schembri suggesting he [...]
Because if we don’t, Daphne’s killers will get away with it. Because they have robbed us of money they must give back. Because we can never hope for justice, if such an injustice is allowed to pass. Because if they’re not punished, present and future politicians will think they can get away with anything. [...]
From my article in The Sunday Times today: "Theuma is no hero. He’s a money launderer, an underground bookie, a whimpering lackey. He’s a murdering bastard and a snitch. His concern for his own skin is loathsome. He is a cartoon figure of a middle-aged man: a self-centred, auto-commiserating, undiagnosed narcissist in a permanent state [...]
Few people believed Joseph Muscat was innocent of all that went on around him. When he refused to fire Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri in 2016 when they got caught with Panama companies, he gave everyone a clear hint that he was up to his neck in it. We didn’t know what “it” was. We [...]
Reuters and Times of Malta have provided details of the Montenegro swindle where money belonging to Enemalta Corporation (that’s you, me and every tax payer and electricity consumer in Malta) made its way to the pockets of Yorgen Fenech, Keith Schembri, Konrad Mizzi and an accomplice from Azerbaijan. The puzzle is complicated. Intentionally. It was [...]
Recall this The Shift News story about Lionel Gerada, a small time DJ who shot to fame screaming Joseph Muscat’s name at Labour mass meetings. “Joseph! Joseph!” Such fun. He canvassed for Konrad Mizzi who contested the district. Crooks recognise each other from a mile away and an alliance formed between these two. Lionel Gerada [...]
In this article, I intend to further support with more documentary proof my assertion that Magistrate (now Judge) Aaron Bugeja was absolutely wrong in concluding that the declarations of trust of Egrant, as published by Daphne Caruana Galizia and as presented by Pierre Portelli, were “falsified” or “fabricated”. The unknown and alleged forgers of these [...]
Nigerian financial website Nairametrics reported that Henley & Partners are opening an office in Lagos to offer its passports to people living there. Lagos is an economic powerhouse reputed to have the most millionaire residents in Africa. Nairametrics has no doubt about what kind of Nigerians will benefit from these offers. Buying passports “has become [...]
The Nationalist Party issued a short and sweet statement yesterday after what Melvyn Theuma said in court in the morning. “With reference to testimony given today in Court, the Nationalist Party makes it clear it has never received any offer, much less a payment, to undermine the candidature of any one of its candidates for [...]
Melvyn Theuma made a reference to something during his testimony today to the public inquiry into the killing of Daphne Caruana Galizia that the judges did not delve deeper in. I think we should. Here’s from the Times of Malta’s live blog on what was said: “(Melvyn Theuma) recalls (Yorgen) Fenech mentions [MEP] David Casa [...]
“What I fear most is power with impunity. I fear abuse of power, and the power to abuse.” - Isabel Allende Every time Labour is in government there is a common peculiarity. Malta becomes an island of impunity: individuals and or groups of individuals become untouchable, whatever their criminal or corrupt actions are. In the [...]
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