Robert Abela’s highway

The government’s insistence on pushing forward its own candidate for standards commissioner smacks of arrogance.

Credit: Mino Surkala / Shutterstock.com

‘My way or the highway’ is an idiom denoting a particular leadership trait. It highlights obstinacy. It is a ‘take it or leave it’ mentality, underlining a degree of sheer arrogance and condescension.

Is this Robert Abela’s leadership style? Is this Labour government’s modus operandi, a winner takes all mentality?

The way the government is putting forward its nominee for the next commissioner for standards, without trying to reach a consensus with the opposition on a suitable candidate is a case in point. It is a setback for our democracy.

The commissioner’s main role is to serve as a truly independent assertive guardian of the necessary standards of our elected political class.

This is a rather tall order. It requires the commissioner to be impartial, above suspicion of favouritism, assertive and enjoy the trust of all.

Sadly, the necessary consensus has not been reached, notwithstanding the Nationalist Party’s proposal of a number of high-profile persons who enjoy the trust of all. The party is also willing to propose other names until a consensus is reached. If, in the past, a consensus was reached over highly contested posts, why are we unable to do so this time round? Is it impossible to identify one single person from the whole nation? Such tribalism has led to an ever-growing list of citizens, particularly the young, who have lost faith in our political class. It is becoming evident that many people are not only disappointed and weary of politicians but have stopped participating in our democratic process. At the last election, over 60,000 citizens chose not to vote. Apathy and indifference are taking over. Surely, this is not a good omen for our young democracy. Can one blame them for such a loss of trust?

Honest citizens are more than ever reading accounts of scandals, sleaze allegations, inappropriate behaviour and clientelism by ministers, some of whom are enjoying a jet-set lifestyle which they did not have before. Others seem to have an extraordinary sense of entitlement.

All the bizarre planning permissions, change of established policies and procedures, phantom jobs, consultancies, direct orders and contracts, dealings with shady characters, persons of trust, knee-jerk decisions, dubious promotions, opening of secret bank accounts, white elephant projects and amnesties are becoming the order of the day. All such maladministration is fast eroding our citizens’ trust. Moreover, the sad part is that all those involved are getting away with murder, thanks to a culture of impunity.

It is in view of such a laissez-faire culture that having an assertive and impartial standards commissioner becomes imperative and urgent. Only a commissioner with a high moral authority and enjoying consensus will be able to restore the lost trust and hold all accountable. A ‘friendly’ commissioner is unable to do so.

Although the Labour government was elected on the solemn pledge of accountability and zero tolerance to corruption, it has failed miserably. The current Labour government refuses to be held accountable and is becoming irritated by any form of criticism. Abela is determined not to have anyone, especially a standards commissioner, breathing down his neck.

The outgoing ombudsman recently decried that all his reports, 35 of them, were ignored. The environmental ombudsman’s reports also suffered the same fate, while the recommendations of the public inquiry board into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia are gathering dust. And, during the last three months, a number of uncomfortable parliamentary questions I submitted are still unanswered.

A healthy democracy envisages that both sides sit around a table and do not leave before reaching an agreement. There is still time.

(This article was published on Times of Malta – 23 January, 2023)