Bartolo-Camilleri affair: Cassola says Prime Minister must fire ministers or step down
Independent election candidate Arnold Cassola says ‘spineless’ Prime Minister is running roughshod ‘over basic human values taught since childhood’ in defending ministers who breached ethics
Robert Abela must fire Clayton Bartolo and Clint Camilleri immediately or else make way for a new Labour prime minister “who can restore ethical standards”, Arnold Cassola said.
The independent election candidate said in a statement on Tuesday it was a shame Malta is led by “a spineless Prime Minister”.
Cassola was commenting on the eve of another meeting of parliament’s Standards Committee in which Bartolo and Camilleri will be given the opportunity to defend themselves.
It has been nearly three weeks since the Standards Commissioner released his findings that found both ministers abused their power when employing Bartolo’s now wife as a consultant. Both ministers have refused to resign despite mounting public pressure and calls from various quarters, including the Opposition.
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The report found that the two ministers breached ethics and misspent public funds; that Amanda Muscat, then Bartolo’s girlfriend later to become his wife, was given a job for which she was not qualified and that she did not do a penny's worth of work at the Gozo ministry since she continued acting as Bartolo’s private secretary.
“It is shameful that, after these revelations, both ministers have refused to resign and, indeed, have increased their dose of arrogance, impunity and disdain for the rules overseeing transparency and good governance,” Cassola said.
Cassola had triggered the Standards Commissioner’s investigation following a report on Muscat’s unorthodox employment that appeared in The Shift News.
“What is even sadder is the active participation of our Prime Minister in this charade,” Cassola insisted, adding Abela has bent over backwards to “cover up for the unacceptable behaviour of his two ministers”.
Cassola accused the Prime Minister of resorting to double-speak, the twisting of facts and the justification of the unjustifiable.
READ ALSO: Prime Minister ignores ministers' ethics scandal during budget estimates debate
“It is such a shame that Malta is led by such a spineless Prime Minister who, in order to cover up for his two amoral ministers and to save his own political skin, is ready to ride roughshod over basic human values that we are taught since childhood,” Cassola said.
He called on Abela to sack the ministers immediately or make way for another Labour prime minister, who will be able to restore ethical standards in public life.
On Monday, several university student groups, including the KSU, called on the ministers to resign. The organisations described the ministers' actions as "a blatant abuse of power" and called out the Prime Minister for having "failed to demand accountability".
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