Labour exponents have made a habit of portraying themselves as champions of personal freedom. In Opposition, they threw all their weight behind campaigns such as those calling for changes in the censorship law, the right of transgender people to marry and the right of gay people to acquire new rights. However, now that it is in government, and whilst it is doing its utmost to deliver a number of rights as promised, a new frightening reality has seeped in, a reality that many had probably forgotten: the fear of showing your true colours for fear of being punished for doing so.

It is a fact that many Nationalist-leaning people believed Labour in the run-up to the last general election. They believed that new Labour was willing and able to deliver its promise to make our nation a country for all: Malta taghna lkoll. This call made these people believe that, under Labour, no matter what your political beliefs were, you would be able to say or do what you really wanted, without any repercussions. People thought Labour had changed. Come March 2013, and that perception started to change. A strong message was sent by Prime Minister Muscat that Labour would be rewarding only those who had helped him and his circle of collaborators to gain power. This message was loud and clear – particularly for all those who still depend on government for their daily living.

Since March, I have met numerous people who until the last election – were active Nationalist supporters. Although they still believe the Nationalist Party is the best option for Malta, they have decided to keep their distance from the party because they fear the repercussions. They have seen what their colleagues in the Police Corps, the Armed Forces and other government departments have suffered. Some contractors who are owed millions by the government seem to have preferred to give up their personal freedom in exchange for at least a fraction of what they are owed by right. Unfortunately, even sections of the media sometimes show signs of fear because they know hitting out against the Labour Party in government is quite a different ball game than it was under the Nationalists. A new era of apartheid seems to be have been introduced.

Is this what people really wanted? Is this what people really voted for? I doubt it. I know for sure that, although Nationalist administrations were far from perfect, people had become accustomed to doing or saying what they wanted to do or say, even if it wasn’t music to the PN government’s ears, without fear of repercussions.

At the same time, the careers of many Labour-leaning people flourished under PN administrations, sometimes to the chagrin of PN supporters. I know many of these individuals will not come forward now to admit the truth, because they would rather stay quiet and get whatever they can under this government. However, if they want to be true to themselves they should admit Malta that was a place for everyone only under a Nationalist government.

So we should expect a lot of silence, at least in the next four years. Staying silent might not pay in financial terms but at least one can avoid a backlash. This is the thinking of people who would rather stay tight-lipped than stand up and be counted. Meanwhile, the government can do what the hell it wants – such as selling our citizenship for a pittance, such as turning PBS into one big propaganda machine, such as appointing amateurs to key positions.

The time will come when these people who, after all, are also pawns in Muscat’s chess games, will realise how silly they were to do a Pilate in exchange for ‘protection’. By the time they wake up, it will be probably be too late. Malta will be in the pits.

Since this is my last column before Christmas and the end of 2013, I wish all of you a serene Christmas and a great New Year.

Charlò Bonnici is Opposition spokesman for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change