Yesterday, only one paper (our sister paper) reported Friday’s National Statistics Office press release that the government deficit (the shortfall between recurrent revenue and total expenditure) for 2008 has become e233 million.

The usual prolix and press release-friendly government this time had nothing to tell the country.

In his Budget Speech last November, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech had told Parliament that the government expected the deficit for 2008 to be e68.4 million, or 1.2 per cent of GDP.

But the actual deficit, Mr Fenech said, only last November, would be around e200 million. He blamed the increase on the e55 million in subsidies to Enemalta and e56 million for the dockyards’ early retirement scheme.

Nobody has come forward this time to explain where the extra e33 million went.