The Labour Party’s Secretary General, Jason Micallef, was seen in a loud and heated argument with Chief Executive James Piscopo at the party’s headquarters last week, incensed at having been sidelined yet again by PL leader Joseph Muscat.
Micallef had just learnt that Piscopo was approaching party employees to donate an amount from their wages to a charity event, accusing him of keeping him out of the loop and retorting that he will shoot down his instructions. Piscopo replied he was following Muscat’s instructions.
Piscopo – a former Air Malta employee who was personally appointed by Muscat as party CEO – has been openly challenged by Micallef since his appointment, and this latest quarrel confirms the secretary general is in a direct collision course with the party leader.
Trouble between the two individuals has been come to a head as Muscat has managed to remove much of Micallef’s power base.
After appointing Piscopo, one of Muscat’s first moves was to install Mark Farrugia as his personal link to the newsroom, formerly one of Micallef’s fiefdoms. All news and news bulletins are controlled and monitored by Farrugia after consultation with Muscat.
Another move by Muscat was to temporarily stop Maltastar and appoint Maltastar editor Kurt Farrugia as a spokesman. Even Jason Micallef’s sidekick Charlon Gouder was removed from the heart of PL’s news media by being appointed a co-spokesman for the Labour Party. The latter’s transfer irritated Miriam Dalli, who is still head of news at One News.
Meanwhile, Piscopo was given the crucial role of planning a restructuring process of the PL and of taking over administrative duties that are traditionally the responsibility of the secretary general.
The evident redundant position of Jason Micallef has not stopped him from influencing the election of ‘friendly’delegates in party clubs and strengthening his power base in the general conference. He has also privately ridiculed Muscat’s choice for President.
But with last week’s sensational clash with Muscat’s right hand man and evident disregard for Muscat’s authority, Jason Micallef is pushing the party leader into taking a final decision on his fate in the party. The next few days may turn out to be decisive for Micallef’s political future.
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