A government that is self-congratulatory is a government on the edge of reason.  It denotes lack of self-criticism, devaluation of the opinion of others, satisfaction with one's own accomplishments and complacency.  It follows that progress is harmed and national embarrassment is quite likely.

From the vaunting of the IIP scheme as one which attracts investment or persons of great talent, to the flaunting of millions of euros on events such as Malta's Presidency in the European Union, the meeting that was held on Irregular Immigration in the Mediterranean prior to that, complete with monument, leaving little result that we can see, especially in the tragic recent death of the Nigerian child, the most recent celebrations for the opening of Valletta 2018 European City of Culture with empty claims of national unity and the outrageous Vitals Global Healthcare project and the American University of Malta land grab. 

Great mention was made on the arrest of the persons assumed to have been responsible for the execution of the murder of award winning journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia, but little was demonstrated on the ongoing investigation into who actually commissioned the brutal killing. 

Proud moments have accompanied the boasting about the Whistle blower act, only for it to be dissected and minced into a pulp when it came to actual genuine cases where it needed to be applied, such as with the case of Jonathan Ferris and the FIAU documents and we now await what chance the person at the Malta Gaming Authority stands in obtaining the status.  The way the Russian whistle blower, Maria Efimova, has been treated in the Egrant case, exceeds any decency.

For that is how decency is treated in Malta.  Like a cheap product for which we have little use and which we can export without any concern.  From the beginning, right after taking office, decency is an export we don't need.  It is cheapened, degraded and discarded. 

Attending to delegations and committees of enquiry from the EU Parliament has become the job of a cobbler.  Put a nail in here, sew up some frayed edges there and re-sole it so it can be re-cycled.  Contortions of facts, dubious opinions and self-congratulatory speeches are the order of the day. 

Unable to escape this mentality, Prime Minister's question time in our Parliament is proving to be one embarrassment after another for Dr Muscat and by extension, for the lack of information and accountability, for Malta and the Maltese people.  The performance falls short and strikes one as odd especially when you consider the intricacies involved in setting up accounts for PEPs and elaborate projects created such as the Electrogas, VGH and AUM contracts and the way ODZ land is transferred to construction,whether to strangers or known investors.

Yet, details that involve millions of euros for the Maltese economy are treated like a shopping list or an online purchase with PayPal.  Someone may have to find the receipt because at the moment we cannot remember what the price paid was or who ordered it.

At the same time, one Union after another has had to resort to strikes to protect their interests and respect for their jobs, whilst government congratulates itself on the amazing economy.  We are assured that no one is suffering any inconvenience or lack during these actions and that a Labour government will always put the best interests of the workers first.  We wait for confirmation.

Claiming "commercial interest" in not disclosing information on the many dubious contracts is more like not wishing to createa national embarrassment, at the least.  Because that is what one finds beneath the many clichés and patriotic stances.

We have come to the point where emphasizing how well we have done is sufficient to dismiss any issue whatsoever.  The independent media is blamed for causing harm and accused of injustice to the country and doing a disservice.  The least they can expect is a SLAPP.  The Opposition is treated like a petulant child asking for what it cannot have and for failing to see how great papa is.  This is an adult's only club.  Some are more familiar with the concept than others but asking questions is inviting euphemisms.

As the year 2018 progresses Malta is falling more and more under the spotlight for its inconsistencies, its omissions on the rule of law and directives on money-laundering and financial services.  It has been repeated over and over again about how we cannot afford this to happen.  The dis-association from the consequences is an affront to ordinary workers, especially those who came to Malta at some cost and after having chosen it over other destinations, owing to the positive economic outlook. 

The loss of 160 jobs at Betsson, 130 of which fell to Malta, with 38 of them Maltese, easily show a dis-proportion of redundancies having taken place here.  The other 30 shed worldwide seem to be a token towards giving the impression that it was not just for Malta.  It has also been stated by ex-employees that they suspect the actual number to have lost their job to be higher than 130, with possibly those persons on probation and let go, not being accounted for in the overall number.

Was this simply a postponement, as in the case of the Actavis employees, of what was already on the cards in June 2017?

Justifiably the people, through their Representatives in Parliament and through their Unions, ask questions and expect answers.  As do the aggrieved employees that re-located at a huge cost to take up employment with the AUM only to find a slip telling them they are no longer required.

The amount of times that this indecent behaviour is taking place, even as Socialist MEP Ana Gomes would say, by a Socialist Maltese democratic government in a country that is a member of the European Union, is extraordinary.

We hear repeatedly, how in any decent democracy, such abuse of authority and power would have instantly led to resignations or dismissal and to a commitment to justice and truth, with every endeavour to make good the wrong and return to the people whatever has been lost in an ungainful manner. 

It remains a matter of some astonishment to those people who defend democracy and fairness, good conduct and intelligence in office, to see how complacent the Maltese have become, so easily persuaded by a "surplus" or a redacted IMF report, that standards have been allowed to fall to this level, mostly unchallenged.  A people so easily distracted and self-consumed that even in the case of death they become satisfied that their best interests are being taken care of.

This is the export which slipped the notice of the IMF report and whose cost was not accounted for.   There is not the slightest embarrassment about it, only self-congratulatory praise and business as usual.  Poverty at its best.