Prime Minister Robert Abela last week tried to temper harsh internal criticism from his own electoral district, the Labour Party’s traditional stronghold of Cottonera, by giving disgruntled veteran MP Chris Agius a new position.
Transport Ministry said in a surprise announcement that former parliamentary secretary Chris Agius is to take the helm of Yachting Malta – a government organisation in partnership with the Royal Malta Racing Club.
For this new position, the Labour MP, who was excluded from cabinet by Robert Abela in 2022, will be earning another €6,000 on top of his remunerations for other political roles such as the €20,000 for chairing two parliamentary committees and his honorarium as an MP.
The former parliamentary secretary, known among his constituents as Il-Wefi, is not involved in the industry personally or professionally and, as such, the appointment came as a surprise for the yachting industry. It is being seen as another manoeuvre aimed at silencing his growing number of critics within the party.
Labour insiders told The Shift that Abela’s removal of Chris Agius from cabinet last year is now taking its toll on. He has apparently been facing increasing criticism from the veteran Cospicua MP and others from the district, including former minister Joe Mizzi.
“The way Abela eliminated his district ‘rivals’ has opened wounds, particularly among the victims,” one senior Labour source observed.
“To add insult to injury, Abela promoted his sister-in-law to cabinet despite her poor performance at the polls. This is just rubbing salt into the wound.”
After the 2022 election, Robert Abela made significant changes to the Second District from which he was elected.
Joe Mizzi, one of the longest-serving MPs from Cottonera was not returned to parliament, which is held to be a direct consequence of Abela having made him a backbencher in 2020. Chris Agius, who has been elected without fail since 1996, was also removed from cabinet.
Abela instead gave his sister-in-law Alison Zerafa Civelli, his wife’s sister, a cabinet post.
The move has left a bad taste in the mouths of Mizzi’s and Agius’ hundreds of constituents, mostly veteran Mintoffians who were already not seeing eye to eye with Abela’s lack of Socialist principles and policies.
According to the latest polls, Abela is losing popularity fast – particularly among those more traditional Labour voters.
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I believe those who can see through the PM?s unscrupulous tactics understand that he undermined the political career of the political veteran Chris Agius, by keeping him out of a role in Cabinet after achieving a very good result in the last general election. With his action, the PM tried to crowd out of the political scene Chris Agius, a true socialist and well respected figure amongst genuine labourites. Instead, the PM promoted his sister-in-law who achieved a far less respectable result on the second district. This particular action speaks volumes about the PM?s childish character and his totalitarian way of thinking, as he thinks that nothing will stop his utter arrogance and ignorance, no matter what.
I think it’s about time that the Gahans realised that Abela and co are not of the LP ilk, but are in fully paid up members of the Mafia probably Nangretta clan and couldn’t care less about the political ambitions many of them support
Love it, if you didn’t know it a classic Mafia tactic he will get dumped before the election trust me.
U tghid mhux se jkun hemm xi traditional labour voter li ma jivvutax labour!!
“Abela attempts to buy the silence of disgruntled former junior minister”- aka finding anther place at the trough for another MLP pig.
L’ewwel hadlu postu biex tah lil oht il mara , issa qed iddendillu l karotta ! Sawwatni u niehu gost !
Robert swapped Wefi’s junior minister position with his sister-in-law, Nahhhhh!
There are two options, being bought or being threatened into silence.
The extreme act was done to Daphne Caruana Galizia , on the other side of the spectrum is the Bondi types who sold their freedom for a good bag of silver coins worth millions by the end of this government time.
Bob the sailor man’s day will come.
I personally know both Bob and George. Two shameless greedy pigs.
If he has been bought then yes you are right but if he hasn’t taken the job then he is not an oink oink and is not a socialist albeit champagne but if he took it then it shows he is no better than the others who have been bought?
Kieku kont mil wefi anqas kont naccetta , issa ha jtih xi haga tan nejk biex jalaqlu halqu !!! Wara li hadtlu postu bhala Seg parlamentari , iktar u iktar kellu jkun Ministru , ghax fuq it tieni Distrett ma ghndna lil hadt sura ! Jiena mil Cottonera sur Bobby u iktar axaqta maghna u mintix ha tixtrina, issa tghinek oht il mara !
Tal -Yachting u hallina Bobby ! 🙂
Ghax ghandna l bahar bormla ?
U l Bahar sejrin tibzax !
Bobby, the daddy’s boy can never relate to the average worker. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
He is prime minister for one reason only – he is the insurance that Joseph Muscat and inner circle never go to prison. That is the deal struck between the two guys.
They are all emotional voters, not rational voters. It is a cult.
Two greedy pigs that Lawrence Gonzi fed handsomely, to the detriment of the PN, for which he never cared.
Lawrence Gonzi and George Abela had a joint legal practice after graduation.
Lawrence Gonzi, like Robert Abela, did not spend a day within the structures of their respective political parties throughout their. They were anointed to their positions by their predecessors.
Yes, on the Chris Agius and Mizzi situation, it was a huge political mistake. Whomever advised that have no clue on the influence of these two Labour chieftains in Southside politics. Politics is about the people’s favorite not neccessary the “political favorite” In undermining Agius and Mizzi, the Prime Minister made a fundamental error of judgment, as far as the influence of these two and Labour’s political choices and representation is concerned…
Mela bl’arroganza kollha li telghet ghall-rasu,qaccat Il-Wefi biex dahhal lill oht il- mara!U x’ghamlet ghall Partit din,hlief li tigi oht il-mara?! Ghall li jista jkun din (il-mara) mhux qed tigbed li spag minn wara l-kwinti ukoll hux?
Dak li jigri meta xihadd bla ebda esperjenza ta’ xejn jipprova jilbes zarbun li ma’ jigiehx!
Issa naraw hux ser tehodna fix-xifer u halq il-lupu – ghax m’hemmx bizzejjed minnhom tiga illum.
Lawrence Gonzi was for a long time PN General Secretary before he became PM.
Il Partit ghamel il-Gvern Burdel. Ihalsuk u taghmel li jordnawlek. Kif kien qal Muscat: Kullhadd ghandu prezz.