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I cannot say that I know Fr Joe Borg other than through mutual friends, and better still through his involvement in the media.
What I can say however, is that I always found him to be lacking in charisma, having an overdose of dry humour, being self-centred, and excelling in arrogance, particularly with the ‘not so smart’ radio listeners who phone-in during his radio programs.
I was not at all surprised with his defiance of the Archbishop. He hardly ever fails to make it a point to reveal the extent of his (dis) respect and love for the Archbishop in his contributions to the Maltese media, whether written or otherwise.
His PBS program of the 11 October 2003 comes to mind. For some reason or other the Archbishop, then, did not accept his invitation to participate in that program.
The way he denounced His Grace, for turning-down his invitation, was shameful and definitely most unbecoming behaviour for a cleric. It no doubt expressed Fr Joe’s resentment towards the Head of the local church.
Joe Borg knows what a political hotbed PBS - and particularly the newsroom - is. I would venture to say that the way, the reorganisation strategy of the state station was handled made it so evident that the PBS’s political hot seat was not earmarked for the humble contender.
If one had to revisit Fr Joe’s recent past where the state TV and radio station is concerned, one will recall that as soon as the Archbishop terminated his RTK office, an interesting job literally landed on his lap.
I mean that of being appointed, by government, a member of a three-strong task force, which was commissioned to make suggestions as to how best PBS, could be restructured.
The report prepared by the task force recommended, among other things, the engagement with PBS of a member of this super force, to ensure the implementation of the recommended reforms. Wonder of wonders, Fr Joe got the appointment, and with an undisclosed remuneration pack too. But did the recommended reforms take place since then? Of course not. Today, some four or five year later, Fr Borg still holds on firmly to his consultancy post.
As if to justify the consultancy appointment, obviously after the suggested reforms failed to materialise, Fr Joe’s engagement was, sort of, redefined to include responsibilities of advising the board of directors, the preparation of both radio and TV schedules of programs, and the training of personnel amongst other things. In other words, Fr Joe seemed to have become the pillar of public broadcasting. With so many responsibilities, the board of directors and, at least, a couple of the executive staff should have become redundant. No wonder the station kept on crumbling.
But Joe’s luck kept on smiling at him, for with the change of ministerial responsibility Fr Joe (together with others) embarked on a new restructuring exercise, which, is now supposedly beginning to take shape. It is not the appropriate occasion to comment on the shape of the new face of PBS, but I have serious doubts whether the experiment will work out.
Again, wonder of wonders Fr Joe was destined to occupy the station’s most controversial hot seat. The composition of the editorial board also seems to have been entrusted to the whims of chummy Fr Joe. I have a feeling that Fr Joe plays chess, but I do not believe he is that good at the game, for he did falter in a few moves.
Joe Borg should thank the Lord that the Malta Labour Party has, as yet, failed to point a finger at him for the imbalance and bias reporting it claims to be suffering, for, after all, he has been on the editorial board for quite some time now.
When not so long ago Joe Borg was removed from the stewardship of the church radio, RTK, he accused the Archbishop of giving in to pressure from the MLP.
Assuming that this was the case, (though the Curia strongly denied Borg’s accusation), surely he must have exercised political bias when he managed the church media, definitely a non-political post. Otherwise, there would have been no ground for the MLP to exert pressure on the Curia. How does he intend to refrain from political bias, now that he accepted a political appointment?
It is high time for Fr Joe to stop referring to Catholic teachings and social justice, whenever it fits him best to do so, to impress readers and/or listeners.
The countless complaints filed with the Broadcasting Authority and the management of the state station, together with his defiance of his Church superiors, surely reflects otherwise. It now remains to be seen to what extent justice is exercised in the engagement/discharges of personnel that are due to take place at PBS.
The Curia has been in a deep slumber for far too long. It has had wakeup calls time and again but to no avail. Why has it not drawn the attention of Fr Joe earlier? Has he not been ‘sharing in the exercise of civil power’ for quite some time now? Perhaps, one can console with the saying that it is better late than never.
Fr Joe has challenged the Church authorities repeatedly and seems to be getting away Scot-free. His latest defiance makes the Archbishops, and all around them seem toothless. The church cannot afford further humiliation. It has to exercise adequate transparency in the manner it brings to book its defiant members. Priests falling out of step are to be disciplined the way Fr Mark Montebello was. Fr Mark was admired for the manner he humbly bowed out of the limelight when he was instructed to do so.
The Church cannot afford to allow clerics to go out of line of their commitment as minister of the church, and escape the appropriate reprimand. The case in point is just one issue. There are a few other cases that need to be attended to.
On the other hand, government has an obligation to ensure that it will not be a party to further conflicts between the Church and its ministers.
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