The great thing about the Maltese is their remarkable ability to ignore what is happening around them and simply accept the status quo.
So when the St George’s Square renovation works were presented to the public during a lavish public ceremony with the voice of Joe Azzopardi, the most influential propagandist around, it did not really matter that the new lights installed in the square looked like a remake for a chapter from The War of the Worlds.
Neither did it really matter if George Pullicino spent public funds to regale the same public with a colourful but expensive entertainment coordinated by the usual group of companies.
It doesn’t really matter that at the end of the day St George’s Square is so special – not because of the silly lighting, ugly seating and fountains – but rather because of the architectural surroundings.
George Pullicino prides himself in insisting with everyone what a respectable minister he is and that he lives like Joe Saliba – our working-class hero – in a flat. He should know that the modern-paving in St George’s Square is insignificant when compared to the impressive architecture surrounding the ugly lighting and incongruous seating in the square. When the buildings around the square were constructed years back, I am sure the Chevaliers de Malte did next to nothing to celebrate the whole event.
Yet, as was the case in 1998 when the Labour government under Alfred Sant made a remarkable fuss over the renovated pedestrian works in Republic Street, the Nationalist government did just the same. Which is why when any government argues that it is different, it is only the same posse of diehard Labourites and Nationalists that believe that statement.
What is worrying is that at this rate, if the Renzo Piano works have to be finalised and presented to the public, there is little doubt in my mind that the celebrations would be so over the top that the same Nationalist-leaning business monoliths such as Where’s Everybody will be making a gargantuan killing on public funds.
There is absolutely no difference between George Pullicino and the former ‘Republic street-paving Minister’ who came by the name of Charles Buhagiar. Well, apart, that is, from the obvious physiognomic difference between the two men.
Pullicino is a far smarter version of Charles Buhagiar, and has the added advantage of being someone who is treated with kids’ gloves by the media. Here is a man who has blatantly appointed close friends on boards without considering their ability to manage or their understanding of the subject matter.
If Mr Pullicino would like me to list them I would be more than willing to inform the readers of whom he appointed over the years and what connection these people had either to him or the party.
In a time when people are crying for more purchasing power, at a time when shop owners everywhere are calling for some miracle to increase consumer spending, George Pullicino finds the money to go into an overspending spree for announcing the renovation of a square. The style of the renovation has the same taste and finesse as the changes that took place when Alfred Sant took over as Prime Minister in Castille in 1996. Then he did away with flowers and went for plastic fakes and he did away with the elegant classical furniture and went for cheap modern stuff.
To add insult to injury, the recipients of the monies for this event are the same individuals who we always hear about in the press; and to reconfirm how mediocre we have all become, the whole episode is televised live on State TV.
Such televised events only take place in Tehran or Tripoli, where the tyrants in those countries proclaim their goodness by showing off on the telly what they are doing for the people.
But then George knows that all has been said, people are more impressed by these expensive treats than the ranting of some opinion writers.
No matter how much we write and remind our readers that George Pullicino has failed miserably in his recycling programme and that households do little in recycling, that Maghtab is still a veritable eyesore and that his tenure at MEPA led to the most scandalous decision ever – the ‘rationalisation’ of ODZs – there is little chance that anything will change his electoral chances next time around.
The ODZ scheme is perhaps the most serious indictment on George Pullicino’s environmental reputation. One opinion writer who now writes a column in The Times had the audacity to carry a poster during a public demonstration with the words ‘Vote George, Get Lorry.’
Lorry Sant is of course the unfortunate late Labour minister who gets all the stick for the mistakes of the past, when I am sure there were others (PL and PN) who share his same penchant for maladministration. The writer who had waved that poster was making very serious allegations, none of which have been proven or are remotely true.
But what is true is that the logic behind the extension of building zones is nebulous and irrational, which gives rise to more questions than answers. The answer that we can perhaps find is that George Pullicino’s rationalisation led to the extensive deformation of our villages and towns. It also led, and I am sure Mr Pullicino will attest and insist that it was pure coincidence, to some very happy speculators – speculators who had invested in ‘green areas’ only to pleasantly realise that one fine day their land was effectively a gold mine.
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Which brings me back to George Pullicino and the Auditor General who pointed out that his ministry issued €1.2 million in direct orders which could not be traced for verification.
The story was last Sunday’s front page (www.maltatoday.com.mt/2009/12/06/t1.html). What is most surprising is that this minister, who would spend hours debating how special the goodness of Padre Sorge was and exalt the meaning of being a Christian-democrat, has found nothing wrong with issuing direct orders. Neither has the public, who after all are more interested in getting on with their lives than noticing if George Pullicino is doing the job correctly.
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In the long-winded tirade against the former Chief Justice, much has been said. Strangely, no one has looked back to see what this newspaper wrote when he was appointed Chief Justice. Perhaps someone should ask The Cardinal, the bosom friend of guess who, to explain what was his role in promoting Arrigo as a candidate for the post of Chief Justice. I say Richard Cachia Caruana, because at the time RCC was at the centre of every important decision including the appointment of John Rizzo as Commissioner of the Police and every single ambassador and member on every board.
And what is surprising is that when Arrigo was appointed, there were very few dissenting voices. And no one even dared raise the potential conflict of interest Arrigo could have had with his business interests. Again, anyone who dared meekly suggest a conflict of interest was branded a sensationalist.
Now someone with nothing better to do wants everyone to take Arrigo to the cleaners and if need be, whip him dead and cut him to pieces. If there is anyone to hit out at it has to be the Cabinet that selected him when they definitely knew better. Or the weak ministers who in private opposed his nomination but at the time did not have the balls to stand up and tell Eddie Fenech Adami that the nomination sucked.
But then… just in case someone has conveniently forgotten, it was not fashionable to mention the PN or Fenech Adami in bad light – let alone criticise!
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