The hectic days, particularly for the political leaders and their respective teams, are drawing to a close. All party leaders, but particularly the Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and the Leader of the Nationalist Party and Opposition Simon Busuttil, did not leave anything to chance and now are making their last bids to attract the undecided voters to their fold with the hope of breaking the deadlock at the polls.
The leaders of the political groupings will soon be hanging their political boxing gloves and rest for a short while from their busy schedule and daily commitments. They, like the rest of the electorate, will wait anxiously for the results of the general election. Once announced and confirmed by the Electoral Commission, one of the competing leaders will be sworn in as the next Prime Minister of Malta.
But the impact of this general election will determine your future, that of your dependents, your standard of living and your quality of life. To help the undecided make up their mind, here is a quick throwback to some of the events of the past days. These issues throw enough light on the current situation and how these can be ironed out on the 3 June.
As time is running out for the Prime Minister, he is clearly caught between two minds. For some unknown reason or reasons he cannot set himself, the PL, and the Moviment free from the tight grasp of Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri despite that it is widely acknowledged that their actions are condemnable. This became very evident while delivering his fiery speech during the mass meeting at Mqabba.
He went as far as to insist that, against the national outcry and the stern warning from senior ministers, he needed to keep the two most trusted of friends because they had important projects to complete.
Minister Konrad Mizzi and Keith Schembri Chief of Staff at the Office of the Prime Minister were both found to have acquired companies in the secretive jurisdiction of Panama. While, Minister Mizzi, dubbed the ‘no-portfolio minister’ after he was stripped of his energy and health portfolios, was retained in charge of energy projects - in fact, he was always present during events related to the energy sector during Malta’s EU Presidency, no action was taken against Mr Schembri.
Though an apology is always welcome, this has to be backed by meaningful actions. But the PM’s apology at the Mqabba mass meeting was insincere and short-lived.
In less than twenty four hours, the Prime Minister - flanked by Stefan Zrinzo on one side and Silvio Schembri on the other - claimed with a straight face that Minister Konrad Mizzi has already paid the political price for acquiring a Panama company.
In the early morning last Wednesday, Dr Muscat revealed that Russian spies are running around in our streets. Luckily, the Forza Nazzjonali and the electorate were not stunned with this puerile assertion; on the contrary, it brought a smirk on the face of many. This revelation verged on the ridiculous. The Russian Embassy in Malta issued a strong statement categorically denying all assertions made by Muscat.
On the same day, Dr Busuttil responded to the spies’ revelation with the publication of the electoral programme for the coming election. The Partit Nazzjonalista General Council approved over 500 proposals put forward by the Forza Nazzjonali coalition, which includes Dr Marlene Farrugia’s Partit Demokratiku.
But the day was not yet over.
For the first time ever, Prime Minister Muscat decided to send a minister in his stead for a televised press conference organised by the Broadcasting Authority. Opposition Leader Busuttil took part in a similar press conference on Monday. He faced the journalists and responded to each and every question eloquently, accurately and in a detailed manner.
But the embattled Prime Minister, at the centre of a magisterial investigation involving his wife and two others involving his chief of staff, has decided to pass the buck to one of his closest allies, Dr Edward Zammit Lewis Minister for Tourism instead of facing the journalists himself.
Dr Muscat decided to send none of his deputies in his stead. Instead he sent a minister.
That every vote counts and every vote can make the difference is not something which the electorate is not accustomed to hear or read during any electoral campaign. This cannot be more true and emphasised in this election. The stakes are simply too high.
To conclude, I truly believe that in the current political turmoil, we need a new government so that Malta will once again earn the respect of foreign and local investors, create new employment opportunities with better wages and improved conditions of work, while ensuring that social justice is at the very core of the national agenda.
In a nutshell, to ensure all this, Malta needs good governance. In the light of the foregoing, next Saturday I encourage you, your family and friends to join others and cast your vote for Malta. I choose Malta.
I trust you will find the courage to put the national interest before any other interest whether parochial, sectoral or individual. It pays to protect the national good.
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