The debate on the notorious citizenship scheme has dominated media and public debate, with each new chapter in the saga grabbing the headlines and taking up precious television space. Both the government and the opposition have dedicated many hours to the chess game which, one must say, has seen the Nationalist Party always on the attack and Labour on the defensive, until last week’s check-mate, when the government had to accept the principle of residency that was forced upon it by the European Commission and succumb to a defeat that was inevitable.

But amid all this hullaballoo and talk of secrecy clauses, property purchase, residency, selling of passports, prostitution of the country and calls for the resignation of a minister, unfortunately there has been a collective neglect of other issues that are highly important. These are matters of great concern, which have been pushed aside in the wake of the citizenship controversy, but which nonetheless deserve attention as they affect our livelihood, well-being and freedom.

We’ve had several news items in the past days, all of which were overshadowed by the sale of passports.

The first is the announcement by a pharmaceutical company that more than 100 workers are to be made redundant later this year because of a restructuring exercise. This followed the equally disturbing news that another pharmaceutical company had chosen to invest €155 million in Iceland instead of Malta. A sector that is one of the mainstays of our economy seems to be experiencing a difficult situation, one that the government cannot ignore.

The National Statistics Office continues to dish out unemployment figures which are being interpreted differently by the government and the opposition. On the one hand, the government continues to say that jobs are being created and, conversely, the opposition laments that the number is not high enough to meet demand.

Official figures show that the number of people registering for work has increased by 600 between December 2012 and December 2013, climbing to 7,401. It means that the situation is not rosy, and it will not be resolved if the government continues to insist that all is on track and under control. The first step towards getting to the root of a problem is to admit that you have one, but if the authorities fail to acknowledge that the problem exists, this will only make it worse, both in the short- and long-term.

The second item that in my view, was not given enough attention, is the government’s intention to have a gas tanker permanently located in Marsaxlokk Bay in order for it to feed the power station. Apart from the eyesore that this will create, there are serious health and safety concerns for the people living in this (until now) picturesque area and its surroundings.

When Joseph Muscat wanted to earn votes before the election, he spoke of a Delimara power station that according to him, was a cancer factory. What is planned now is a permanent bomb-threat in the heart of Marsaxlokk, one that should not be taken lightly. And yet, in spite of public concern and even fear, there seems to be no going back from the original plan.

It is rather ironic that when 90 per cent of European Parliament members voted against the government’s citizenship scheme, the ball (rightly) started rolling for a change of direction that has led to the inclusion of residency among the obligations for passport buyers. But the 90 per cent of Maltese residents who are against the government’s plan for a storage tanker in Marsaxlokk Bay have not been enough to convince Dr Muscat and his colleagues to revise their position. The circumstances are different, but it seems that the government listens to Europe but does not listen to the Maltese.

There is a third issue which did not garner enough interest – which is highly worrying considering the implications on one of the most fundamental and sacrosanct rights. This is the breach of privilege complaint that has been raised by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat against the Opposition Leader about what Dr Simon Busuttil said – both in Parliament and outside – on the decision taken by the police about John Dalli.

I will not go into the merits of the case. But the mere thought that the head of government takes such action against his political counterpart gives me the shivers, as it is an example of intolerance and a direct attack against freedom of expression. The message that comes across is that of a Prime Minister who wants to muzzle the Opposition Leader. The Prime Minister has every right to defend himself, but on the other hand, he should not go to the extreme of using parliamentary privileges to intimidate his political opponents. Putting the Opposition Leader on trial for something he said, smacks of political repression.

The fourth situation is a collection of statements made by ministers on various matters. As the spectre of a Cabinet reshuffle looms, all of them seem to be upping the tempo to try to at least retain their portfolio or get a promotion.

We are nearing the first anniversary of a Labour government and the legacy of the previous administration still seems to be an important factor in all that is done.

There is, however, one vital difference. Each time something goes wrong – for example the situation at the pharmaceutical company I mentioned earlier – the government blames the Nationalist Party administration. But then, when the government speaks of a project that has been completed – such as the refurbishment exercise at the Rabat health clinic – it takes all the credit, even when the job was conceived and implemented under a Nationalist government.

The citizenship scheme will not be relegated to the second division anytime soon. But this should not mean that other pertinent issues should be swept under the carpet. Employment is the fulcrum of our economy and lifestyle, our health and safety is what is most precious for all of us and the chance to speak our mind without fear is a basic element of a free and just society.

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