Roderick Galdes is still nursing his wounds

If Robert Abela thought he’d sufficiently placated Roderick Galdes by giving him a managerial position at the National Skills Council, he’s very much mistaken.

Nobody knows how much Galdes is being paid or what his official title is.  It’s also clear that Galdes is not a happy chap.

He’s been venting furiously on Facebook.  When Eman Felice lost his seat on the Labour Party’s Executive after an additional vote was miraculously found for Abela’s OPM former official Wayne Sammut, Galdes couldn’t contain himself.

“Courage, my friend,” Galdes told the disgruntled Felice, “I know what you’re going through”.

“Today I remembered once again that vile meeting of 27 April – a meeting that left me and my family with a festering sore that hasn’t healed,” he said.

At that meeting of the Party’s Executive, Galdes was barred from contesting the general elections. Galdes accused the Party of carrying out a grave injustice against him.

He alleged that he was denied the opportunity to contest because of one “invalid” vote cast by a “person” who had no right to vote.  That person was Minister Silvio Schembri, a rival of Galdes in the 6th district.

Galdes is still smarting from that alleged injustice his beloved Party meted out to him.  “We gave more than 32 years of work and service to the Labour Party. We went through difficult times. We were there when things were hard; and in every election we were given the trust of the electorate,” he declared.

“Notwithstanding, when the time came for me to contest for the seventh time, I was denied that opportunity by an invalid vote,” he added.  He accused the Party administration of being complicit in that betrayal.

“Until today,” he said, “the Labour Party has still not delivered justice to my family and me, despite the promises made.  After more than 32 years of loyalty, service and sacrifices”.

“What happened can never be erased from my memory or that of my family –  in these moments you can tell the men from the boys.”

Galdes pounced on Felice’s grievance over being robbed of his seat on Labour’s Executive. Galdes took the opportunity.  He argued that his own experience of being barred from contesting was part of a wider problem with Labour’s internal processes. He accused the Party administration of rigging votes – his own and the one for the Party Executive position.

When the first vote was taken on 27 April to determine whether Galdes would be allowed to contest, it ended in a tie.  So a secret second vote was taken – and Galdes’ candidature was rejected.

Galdes lodged a formal complaint alleging that someone ineligible to vote had cast the deciding vote that barred him from contesting.  It seems Galdes’ complaint was ignored.

Three days later, Galdes held a private meeting with Abela.  When Galdes emerged from that meeting, he claimed he still didn’t know whether he would contest. When asked directly whether he would, Galdes replied: “We will speak in future”.

The following day, Abela said Galdes had put the Party’s interests ahead of his own. “I look forward to seeing him (Galdes) contribute throughout the campaign,” Abela added. He dodged questions about whether he agreed with the Executive’s decision to block Galdes.

What is certain is that even without that “invalid vote”, Labour’s Executive vote was hardly a robust endorsement of Galdes and his 32 years of loyalty and sacrifices for the Party. It seems that even among Labour’s staunchest officials, many felt Galdes was a liability.

And let’s be honest, Labour’s Executive isn’t known for its discretion and discrimination when it comes to picking election candidates. Even Rosianne Cutajar was approved despite embarrassing the Party and the nation with her fake consultancy, her conduct at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, her proximity to Yorgen Fenech, her undeclared brokerage income and the damning NAO investigation.

Minister Clint Camilleri, who was found in breach of ethics over the consultancy he gave Clayton Bartolo’s wife, was also allowed to contest.

So was Owen Bonnici, who was found guilty of violating the right to freedom of expression.  Carmelo Abela, who was found to have misused public funds to promote himself, also ran on Labour’s ticket.

Chris Fearne, who is facing serious criminal charges, had no problems being endorsed by the Executive. Anton Refalo, found in possession of that British-era stone marker, was never challenged by Labour’s Executive over his candidature.

So if Labour’s Executive approved all of those candidates, what did Galdes do to deserve being humiliated in such a public fashion? No wonder Galdes is still licking his wounds. But that’s not the only reason he’s still making such a fuss.

He is still trying to recover his unrecoverable reputation.  By claiming he was unjustly excluded, he shifts attention from his own misconduct to Silvio Schembri, who cast that “invalid” vote. Galdes feels that his long years of loyalty should have earned him protection.

Most importantly, he wants to keep the pressure on Robert Abela. Galdes’ persistent whining makes it harder for Abela to present Galdes’ departure as a settled, harmonious decision.

Galdes is still aggrieved. He’s still seething. After all, Galdes was promised a chief executive role at Residency Malta, only for the post to go to Joseph Muscat’s former Head of Communications, Kurt Farrugia.

Now, Galdes has to settle for an insignificant position at the National Skills Council.  That’s a long way to fall from the wuthering heights of cabinet minister.