A turf war between the MLP’s newly appointed CEO James Piscopo and secretary general Jason Micallef has sparked new worries of more internecine battles within the already fractured Malta Labour Party.
Piscopo was chosen single-handedly by Labour leader Joseph Muscat to take over functions primarily within the remit of the secretary general, but has faced internal opposition to his role from day one.
Bickering between the two men has now reached epic proportions, with both party lieutenants bad-mouthing each other in the presence of other officials and soldiers. Labour insiders have talked of Jason Micallef having switched from one arch-enemy to another, replacing former deputy leader Michael Falzon with James Piscopo. And the relative peace that was expected with the exit of Falzon has been shattered with the return of this former Air Malta employee.
Piscopo has little political experience, but gained notoriety for having disagreed with former leader Alfred Sant. Even though he has the full backing of Joseph Muscat he is seen as an unelected official with little clout.
The first episode that exposed the rift between the CEO and the Secretary General unfolded during Joseph Muscat’s swearing-in as Leader of the Opposition.
It is understood that Micallef desisted from handling the arrangements for the live transmission on Super One, forcing Piscopo to get directly involved in the matter.
But on the day, Dr Michael Vella Haber – the Super One TV chief who eyeballs Piscopo with suspicion and is closer to Micallef – ensured that most of the station’s resources were reserved instead for the launch of the station’s new schedule and mobile phone venture, organised at Charles Polidano’s Monte Kristo Vineyard in Luqa.
This left too few resources available to cover Dr Muscat’s inauguration: a fact which explains the many technical shortcomings of the news reportage, relegating the new leader’s swearing-in ceremony to the standards of amateur cine TV.
The poor coverage of the event raised the ire of former Education Secretary Wenzu Mintoff, who wrote in sister newspaper Illum a fortnight ago lambasting the poor TV transmission.
Jason Micallef, who managed to elect himself secretary general despite strong opposition, openly expressed his view that if he were in command at Super One he would have guaranteed professional coverage of ‘il-leader!’
But Muscat’s woes may have only just begun. With the anointment of former GDR Communist educated Dr Mario Vella as his political consultant, Muscat may have antagonised other more media savvy and astute advisors to offer their services.
Vella, who was one of Sant’s closest aides, is considered by many Labourites to be mediocre and a political animal of yesteryear, and disliked for his pseudo intellectual and unintelligible prose best featured in his TV show on Super One.

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