Skip to main content

Is-Sena tal-Panama Papers

Dan l-artiklu deher fil-ħarġa tan-Nazzjon tal-Erbgħa 4 ta' Jannar 2017


Bdiet sena ġdida, u hekk kif issa waslu biex jgħaddu l-festi, mal-ewwel ħarsitna tmur fuq dak li ser tkun qed toffrielna din is-sena b’mod speċjali fuq sfond politiku. Mhux biss, imma bħal alla Janus, li kellu wiċċ iħares lura u ieħor iħares ‘il quddiem u li għalih hu msemmi x-xahar ta’ Jannar, nagħtu ħarsa lejn dak li għaddejna minnu matul is-sena l-oħra.

Is-sena 2016 tibqa’ msemmija madwar id-dinja bħala s-sena tal-Panama Papers. Dan kien l-ikbar leak ta’ informazzjoni fuq livell internazzjonali, li kixef kif dittaturi, oligarki, politiċi korrotti u kriminali, jaħbu flushom u d-dħul li jagħmlu b’mod illegali, kemm biex dan id-dħul mill-kriminalità ma jiġix investigat, u wkoll biex dħul ieħor li jista’ jkun legali ma titħallasx taxxa fuqu. Dan l-iskandlu wera l-inġustizzja kbira li hawn madwar id-dinja, fejn il-ħaddiem komuni jħallas it-taxxa, filwaqt li s-sinjur u l-korporazzjonijiet jevaduha.

Skandlu

F’Malta dan l-iskandlu laqatna b’mod partikolari għax fih ħareġ kif iż-żewġ min-nies l-aktar qrib ta’ Joseph Muscat, u allura l-Ministru Konrad Mizzi u c-Chief of Staff Keith Schembri, kif ukoll persuna oħra li ma nafux min hi imma lkoll nistgħu nassumu min probabli hi, kollha kienu fetħu kumpaniji moħbija fil-Panama, b’istruzzjonijiet biex dawn il-kumpaniji jibqgħu moħbija mill-awtoritajiet Maltin, u magħhom pruvaw jiftħu kontijiet bankarji madwar id-dinja biex fihom ipoġġu dħul mis-“senseriji u konsulenzi”, jiġifieri mill-korruzzjoni. Sirna nafu li anke’ l-accountant tagħhom Brian Tonna, li wkoll għandu uffiċċju Kastilja, fetaħ kumpaniji fil-British Virgin Islands fejn fost l-oħrajn qed idaħħal commissions mill-bejgħ tal-passaporti (li suppost daħħalna minnhom mijiet ta’ miljuni li ħadd ma jaf fejn marru).

Agħar minn hekk, il-Prim Ministru iddefenda dan kollu u ma ħa l-ebda passi. U dan, flimkien ma’ numru ta’ skandli oħra li impossibli nsemmuhom kollha hawn, neħħa kull dubju minn moħħ kulħadd li dan hu Gvern korrott. Illum m’hawn ħadd f’Malta li ma jemminx li l-Prim Ministru u l-Gvern tiegħu huma qatta’ korrotti moħħhom biss kif ħa jimlew buthom, litteralment f’sakra ta’ regħba ma jarawx art (saqsu ‘l Chris Cardona).

Responsabbiltà

U dan xi jfisser għalina issa li ser nibdew is-sena 2017? L-ewwel nett dan jitfa’ fuqna responsabbilità kbira. Pajjiżna ma jistax jerġa’ jagħmel ħames snin bħal dawn, inkella ser jitlef kull sens ta’ diċenza u ta’ serjetà, filwaqt li l-ħsara li qed issir lir–reputazzjoni tagħna tispiċċa tkun waħda irreparabbli. Pero’ ma nistgħux naħsbu li nistgħu nirbħu biss għax il-Gvern preżenti huwa korrott. Irridu noffru viżjoni ta’ Gvern alternattiva, irridu noffru programm ta’ ħidma li juri li meta l-politika titmexxa b’serjetà u onestà, igawdi kulħadd u jirnexxi kulħadd. Diġa’ ħriġna numru sabiħ ta’ dokumenti li jispjegaw il-viżjoni u l-politika tagħna. Matul din is-sena irridu naraw li dawn nispjegawhom sew u nwassluhom għand in-nies, biex il-viżjoni u l-ħolma tagħna issir il-viżjoni u l-ħolma tal-kumplament tal-poplu.

Hekk għamilna snin ilu, meta l-ħolma u l-viżjoni tagħna ta’ Malta fl-Ewropa, ta’ Malta Ewropea, saret il-ħolma u l-viżjoni tal-poplu kollu, minkejja kull intopp u gidba li mexxa l-Partit Laburista u Joseph Muscat dak iż-żmien. U frott ta’ dan, f’dawn is-sitt xhur Malta ħa jkollha r-riedni tal-Presidenza tal-Unjoni Ewropea. Ironika li ħa jkun proprju Joseph Muscat li jassumi dan ir-rwol wara li ħadem tant kontrieh. Pero’ dan hu r-riżultat tal-politika tagħna, li mill-frott ta’ ħidmietna jirnexxi kulħadd għal snin sħaħ wara, inkluż minn ħadem tant kontra.

Il-verità hi li ma nafux jekk l-2017 hix ser tkun is-sena tal-elezzjoni. Nistgħu biss nispekulaw. Li hu żgur hi li l-elezzjoni mihix aktar minn sena u 3 xhur ‘il bogħod, u allura din żgur ser tkun is-sena tar-rankatura finali. Sena li trid issibna preparati, biex meta jasal il-mument, nerġgħu nikkonvinċu lil poplu li t-triq vera ‘l quddiem mihix it-triq tal-korruzzjoni u l-bejgħ ta’ dak kollu li hu tagħna, imma t-triq tas-serjetà u tal-integrità, biex verament nirnexxu lkoll.

Nawgura sena mimlija saħħa, ġid u hena lilkom ilkoll.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Who's the real monster?

I usually hate comparisons, but some very different reactions from the 'great unthinking' rabble do merit some analysis. In May this year, the notorious dog Star was found buried alive . A prima facie , this looked liked the most horrific case of animal cruelty, and is still considered so by some. The perpetrator was described by the sensitive and caring animal-lovers as a villain, a heartless monster, deserving of death, stoning, or even to be 'buried alive in the same manner'. But what did Mr. Vella actually do, according to the testimony heard in Court? Star was sick. It was shedding fur, and quite old already, and its owner did not afford the treatment. In trying to save some money from paying for the dog to be put to sleep and killed properly by vets, she gave it to Mr. Vella to have it killed himself. Nothing much to make people angry till now. Mercy-killing of very sick and suffering animals is widely done and usually acceptable. You may

Shema Yisrael, the cries of the Palestinian people

You live a peaceful life in a modest home. You've never bothered anyone and you've never caused trouble. Out of the blues, a group of people claim that they should live in your house. Why? Because they have been persecuted in a war, and they claim that some 5,000 years ago, their God had told them your home was their promised land. Somehow, the whole community agrees with their wishes, and asks you to grant them your spare-bedroom. You oblige. After a few months, they take the whole top-floor. In a few year's time, they take over your kitchen. After a few more years, they own your house and keep you and your family locked in the bathroom. They don't even allow you to get out, while they strip-search you the few times they do. Even if it's a medical emergency. Sometimes not even medical personnel and ambulances are allowed to see to your needs while your children die in your hands. Desperation starts hitting you. Life seems to offer no hopes. In moments

Why I am dropping out of the Anti-ACTA protest

Like many avid internet users, I have followed with interest the debate about ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement). After reading numerous articles, watched sensational videos, and discussed ad nauseam with friends, I have realized that what I have come across is a campaign hi-jacked by lies, myths and misconceptions as to rival Malta's misinformed divorce referendum campaign. I have to say that the videos on Youtube   got me worried. I quickly signed the petition, joined the Anti-ACTA groups, and prepared myself for a full-blown fight against the big-governments who want to intrude on our privacy and freedom of expression. Like our MEP Edward Scicluna invited us to do in the University debate last Wednesday, I did not try to understand the details of ACTA but rather saw who the players behind it were. But as usual, my logical instincts took over, and his call to not try to understand ACTA actually pushed me to read the text. And here's what I now know: ACTA is