Report on complaint refering to a denigrating comment made by Minister Clint Camilleri to a journalist

Reference is made to the complaint received from Medialink communications reproduced in full below.

In essence, the complaint refers to a denigrating comment (“Ja qatta imbeċilli”) made to by a minister to a journalist.

Procedure was followed on receipt of the complaint and Minister Clint Camilleri was contacted for his side of the story. The minister’s denial is also reproduced in full hereunder.

As in the recent case where another minister tried to palm off a blasphemy on television as a badly spelt and incompetent use of Maltese, so it appears that the Minister for Gozo is trying to deny what has been captured on video. It is more than evident that the reference is not made to any private
conversation being made with his ministerial colleague. Evidently, Minister Camilleri realised the gravity as well as the unbecoming lack of manners, of his gaffe and apologised, following a denial.

It is up to the media house concerned whether to accept the apology or not.
However, from the IĠM’s perspective, this was not the only matter for concern. The vast majority of the ministers were trooping into the Auberge de Castille, ignoring the journalist’s legitimate questions in a close approximation of totalitarian elements. A simple acknowledgement with a ‘no comment’ or similar stock reply would help the IĠM believe that government still feels somewhat accountable to the people through their journalists.

A better attitude is called for.