Seriously, not even the Vatican has held the Fatima secrets as close as has our Labour government in terms of its contracts for our national energy policy. There are so many others that we are now losing count - as they probably hope will happen.

Court lawyers will tell you that to win a case - even a murder case - you will need to discredit the witnesses, present an alternative suspect and throw so much useless information at the jury that they cannot process it and end up with doubt.

This is very much what we are experiencing in Parliament and from Castille on a regular basis. The irony is that we, the people, have become the victims in this case and the government of Joseph Muscat is the prosecutor, thereby working against our own interest. Deflection is the name of the game. Each time they are called to present the agreements or reply to parliamentary questions, they simply come up with some other dud excuse - sensitive information, you did worse and so forth - so much so, that they should be held in contempt of Parliament.

In some countries, contempt of Parliament is the offence of obstructing the legislature in the carrying out of its functions, or of hindering any legislator in the performance of his or her duties. The offence is known by various other names in jurisdictions in which the legislature is not called "Parliament". Actions that may constitute contempt of parliament include:deliberately misleading a house of the legislature, or a legislative committee; refusing to testify before, or to produce documents to, a house or committee; and attempting to influence amember of the legislature by bribery or threats. In some jurisdictions, a house of the legislature may declare any act to constitute contempt, and this is not subject to judicial review. In others, contempt of parliament is defined by statute; while the legislature makes the initial decision of whether to punish for contempt, the person or organisation in contempt may appeal to the courts. Some jurisdictions consider contempt of parliament to be a criminal offence.

We are all aware of the paltry documents that have been brought before parliament concerning the Energy agreements and so forth. But another grave omission has been the Hedging agreement, which has led the people to pay rates that are higher than the international market rates for petrol and diesel. So much so, that the reductions in water and electricity bills look like the ugly sister of the fairy tale at this point.

Clearly, this government has difficulty in understanding what a capitalist system is about. At election time, we were told that they would be a businessfriendly government and maintain an approach that would promote and encourage investment and so forth. But this hedging is like the old typewriters we used, albeit the Olivetti ones with the ball. It is outdated and soothes only the most fearful and incompetent who still cling to socialist ideas in a capitalist society. This hedging agreement has an effect on business, industry, exports, Airmalta, recurrent expenditure and ordinary households and consumers. We have a right to know what commitment was made and how much extra it has cost us as a country to date. Where is press conference now?

The GRTU has called on the MCESD to discuss the issue of fuel prices. As consumers, we are quite aware of how much extra we are paying for our diesel and petrol. But the cost to the economy as exports are unable to compete with other countries who are paying so much less, has not been made public yet. Or, for example, in the health sector. And what about public transport? What savings could have been made there?

The secrecy is verging on paranoia. What is so different now about Joseph Muscat's government from the Sant or Mintoff ones? Still plagued by doubt and secrecy, lacking in confidence or trying to hide reality. If they were so pleased to have made a hedging agreement, why hide it now? Are they ashamed of it?

It really is time for this government to come out and stop leading a double life. If you want to be socialists, be socialists and be proud of it but if you want to be in the centre and appeal to the right, drop these manic attitudes and table those agreements. Listen to reason and do whatever it takes to avoid further grievance. Maybe not yet, but down the line, the public will realise that they need a good lawyer.