In the referendum to join the EU in 2004, I voted wholeheartedly “Yes” in favour of the Nationalist Party's agenda. Being the grandson of one of the founders of the Malta Labour Party, the philantropist Robert Bencini, that was a very difficult decision for me to make. The Labour
party was then campaigning against joining the EU.

So why did I act in that way? Because I felt at the time, that that was the best for my country.

My country's future was my priority, not my political party preferences.

I must make it crystal-clear that there a number of very positive aspects which were performed by the present government.  The main ones being getting us into the EU, and improving most of the roads, which were in an awful state. Further, they embellished all roundabouts in these
islands. These are very positive achievements.

However, numerous occurances during the long time that they have been in power, have convinced me that I have to vote for the Labour Party first, and then for the Alernattiva, as my second choice, in the forthcoming imminent election. My very calculated decision is based on the following:
a)  The awful Arrigogate and Vellagate drugs-related corruption scandal instantly springs to mind. People who were supposed to be the epitome of role-models for our society, turned out to be the very opposite!

b)  The Arrivagate shambles, which The Mayor of London Boris Johnson, made fun of on television, indicating that London got rid of those bendy-bus monsters, and sold them to a gullible Malta, with its already vastly congested roads!

c)  The European Commision Dalligate scandal in Brussels, which put our tiny island's name all over the world's media...... but so sadly, for the wrong reasons.

d)  The Farrugiagate oil scandal. George Farrugia has been given a Presedential pardon for his admitted part in the massive fraud, yet the court case has not been concluded. Nor will it definitely be before 9 March, election day.

e) The ridiculously high electricity prices, which are the fourth highest in the EU.

f)  In contrast, and to add insult to injury, the minimum wage in this country is one of the lowest in the Eurozone.

g)  The fact that the Labour party Leader Joseph Muscat had the guts to admit that he made a mistake in regards to the Safi-club incident. Has any other Maltese politician ever admitted, that he or she, made a wrong decision in the past? None, as far as I know.

h)  Meritocracy has been virtually non-existant, and nepotism has reigned supreme.

i)  Accountability is a word which does not seem to exist in these islands, certainly not in these last 14 years, since I returned to my birthplace, after having spent 27 years living and working abroad, working as a doctor in the British Army, risking my life in numerous parts of the world, and looking after soldiers and their families. To me,accountability is one of the be-alls and end-alls in any organisation. There is a cancer of corruption of apocalyptic proportions gripping these islands, eating away at the very fabric of our society. As a doctor of 45 years experience, I would like to see it eradicated.

I'm afraid that the time for a change of government is long overdue. Once that happens, there should be a rush of delight flowing through these islands.

Raymond Bencini

Colonel (Retd) Chevalier