Robert Abela Says Ian Borg Was ‘Just Doing His Job’ In Response To Driving License Racket Revelation
Prime Minister Robert Abela has defended Foreign Minister Ian Borg for his part in the driving license racket, saying that he was “just doing his job.”
The racket, revealed by the Times of Malta, involves a slew of public officials who identified and allegedly unduly aided candidates in the driving license process.
Abela defended Borg and OPM customer care officials who engaged in the scheme during a labour event, according to the Times of Malta.
Here, the PM said that PN MP Beppe Fenech Adami sought Borg’s help while lawyer and PN MP Joe Giglio is defending one of the Transport Malta officials accused in court
He further dismissed the revelations, calling them recycled and explaining that authorities had already investigated the case and acted on the allegations.
In fact, Transport Malta’s former director of licensing Clint Mansueto was charged alongside two clerks with corruption; they all deny the claims.
Abela did not merely defend but also praised customer officials for “helping people”, while Borg was “just doing his job”.
This scandal involves pressure placed on Transport Malta (TM) by the Transport Ministry to help candidates obtain driving licenses. WhatsApp chats acquired by the Times of Malta are claimed to show OPM officials connecting the practice to wanting to win votes.
Similarly, one examiner was told that he would have to answer to the minister if a bus-driving candidate failed.
More chats revealed Borg, his canvasser, and his ministry regularly applying pressure on TM’s director of licensing Clint Mansueto to unduly help candidates with their tests, some of whom came from Borg’s electoral districts.
Following the revelation, several local politicians and activists called out the government and urged for the resignation of Borg while also condemning the officials involved for making Malta’s notoriously unsafe roads even more dangerous.
Many also commented on the fact that this information was not shared by the police, despite having the knowledge for at least a year.
Do you think that Borg was just “doing his job”?
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