The Nationalist Party can scream and shout as much as it likes, but there is no doubt that one of the successes of the Labour government is an economy that is growing, an unemployment that is going down, and financial stability that is the envy of others.

Perhaps this is all because of the sound system that was built by the Gonzi administration, and that Labour has been clever enough not to touch. Even so, it is clear that while other countries are struggling and possibly facing a deeper crisis than the one that hit them a few years ago, Malta has no such fears on the horizon.

It's true that the employment of so many people in the civil service has helped keep unemployment down, but it is also true that the private industry is doing well and jobs are being created in the sector too. All the major players in the country's economy are performing better and better, tourism at the forefront, and this is highly indicative that we are on solid ground.

So much so, that the Nationalist Party must have thanked their lucky stars that the Sheehan-Mallia saga came right at the time the budget was being presented and discussed in parliament. There wasn't much to criticise in the government's financial exercise, and there was in fact little national debate on the government's plans.

As it happened, the long sessions in parliament to debate the many ministries in the Muscat administration were overshadowed by the incident that led to the sacking of the Home Affairs Minister. It was a loss for the government, because the budget was on the whole positive, but it was "lost" in the succession of happenings that followed the Tal-Qroqq tunnel incident. This is yet another reason why the government should have not taken three weeks to conclude the issue - it lost the positive vibes of the budget and lost because of the shooting. A faster conclusion to the shooting saga would have given the government more media space on the budget.

Not all decisions have been good. One wrong choice was the hedging agreement that was made for the purchase of fuel. As the price of oil on the international market goes down and down, and as the price of petrol and diesel is being slashed in several countries, here in Malta the prices will be retained more or less as they are when the new year kicks in. A two cents reduction per litre will not make much or a difference for consumers, but one of 28-30 cents per litre would, if the government had had the foresight to predict the international slump.

As it is, Maltese consumers are paying and will be paying much more than they should for their fuel. Abroad, analysts are predicting that what consumers will be saving on their fuel will be spent elsewhere and this will be a big boost for the economy. Here, we will not be experiencing the same thing, because we will still be paying high prices for our fuel.

The government should have been more careful in the circumstances, and it should take this as a lesson for the future. It is a great pity that so much money is being "wasted" on extra fuel expenses when families could be spending it on other items.

The government boasted about reducing the water and electricity rates, saying that €80 million are being pumped back into the economy because of these cuts. Well, had it been more judicious, it would have been able to blow its trumpet on this too.

But it did not get it right.