Labour Councillor Urges Government To Take Action On Panama Papers ‘Millstone Around Our Necks’
Labour Balzan councillor Desmond Zammit Marmara has urged the party to properly address the Panama Papers controversy, warning public confidence in good governance will remain low until then.
“Labour is very strong and united at the moment. Despite facing enormous criticism beyond Malta’s shores, it commands an impressive majority locally,” Zammit Marmara wrote in The Times of Malta. “A lot of good work has been done. Just look around you to realise that this is a country living in prosperity and where the quality of life has improved for one and all.”
“However, I sincerely believe that auto-criticism is beneficial for any political party. We need to badly improve good governance in Malta. The Panama Papers controversy has inflicted enormous damage on the reputation of this country overseas. Unless we rid ourselves of this millstone around our necks, things will never be the same again and public confidence in good governance will remain low.”
Zammit Marmara becomes the second PL official to publicly criticise his own party over the Panama Papers, after Malta Book Council chairman Mark Camilleri called for the resignations of Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi and OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri last month. Several PL insiders have expressed similar concerns to Lovin Malta but have insisted on remaining anonymous.
Zammit Marmara’s intervention is notable as he had defended Mizzi and Schembri when the Panama Papers scandal broke out two years ago, arguing back then it would only have been a problem had Mizzi not listed his offshore structure in his declaration of assets.
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