Family before country?

PrimeMinister Laurence Gonzi's decision to allow his nephew Alexis Callus to represent the Nationalist Party (PN) in local government should not be allowed to discredit this country in Europe. Callus, a racist activist who promotes the activities of extremist Norman Lowell, has the full support of the PN to stay on as a deputy mayor in Malta's south east. If the PrimeMinister sustains his loyalty to his nephew, he could be leading his already unpopular administration into a road that could secure it as the most unpopular and untrendy Maltese Government since the early eighties. This blog aside, the opposition's secretary general Jason Micallef and the pro-Labour media have been the most vocal in condemning racism while calling for the resignation of Callus. Not much from other circles apart from the PN's official defence of Callus. Finally the silence is broken by prominent journalist and former PN media chief Lou Bondi who wrote this piece for today's Times:

Alexis Callus, a 24-year-old Nationalist Party local councillor and deputy mayor of Safi, should resign his post in the council as well as from the party. Enough facts about his beliefs and activities have emerged to prove that he flirts heavily with racist ideas and subscribes to an extreme-right wing political philosophy. It is quite clear that this young man is not politically mature enough to realise the danger of the ideas he has been playing around with...

Mr Callus is not just an extreme right-winger. He also embraces other views which are as colourful as they are despicable. NGOs who help refugees and illegal aliens in detention, for instance, are called "the new mafia". Archbishop Michael Gonzi, in this PN councillor's view, was right to deny Labourites a decent burial three decades ago. And he opines that this government looks positively at such a view. Politically, this man lives in his own world.

What has the PN done about all this? Joe Saliba, the PN secretary general, said that Mr Callus admitted his mistake and was "forgiven". This is not good enough. It would have been acceptable had Mr Callus committed one foolish mistake. The facts, however, show that he adheres to beliefs that are clearly at odds with those of the Nationalist Party. For a party to forgive someone who commits a genuine mistake and be prepared to take the flak is a magnanimous act. To accept that the PN is represented in Safi by an extreme right-winger with racist views is not.

Racism, xenophobia and neo-fascist beliefs cannot be treated lightly, particularly at present. The Nationalist Party, a Christian democratic party in government of an EU member, cannot have a man who embraces them speak in its name. Mr Callus, a deeply misguided young man, is free to join a party which shares his views. But that party cannot be the PN.


Alexis Callus - a PN policy maker by VictorVella