The legalisation of oppression – Kevin Cassar
Labour is passing a bill that will transform MCAST into an autocratic institution, under the direct control of the minister. As the opposition was distracted by the Prudente case, Labour stealthily proposed Bill no. 35. The bill amending the Education Act is straight out of China’s Uyghur re-education strategy. “A member of the board of governors (of MCAST) may at any time be removed by the minister,” Labour’s proposed bill reads. That is shocking enough. But there’s far worse. The minister will have the authority to sack any board member “if such member is disruptive and or a source of frequent conflict causing hindrance to the proper functioning of the board”. But that wasn’t sufficiently tyrannical. Labour needed to give the minister absolute power. The bill gives the minister the power to kick out any board member “for any other reason due to which the member would no longer be fit to occupy such office, which shall include a breach of confidentiality”. That clause means one thing and one thing alone. If you are on the board, you will do the minister’s bidding, whether you like it or not. And if you squeal on any of the multiple violations committed at MCAST, you’re...