If there was one event that panned out well in last year’s general election campaign, it was the unveiling of Labour’s energy policy. A squeaky-clean Konrad Mizzi and a new, radical proposal for energy generation were brought out of nowhere, completely wrong-footing the Nationalist Party. The new proposal would not only deliver electricity more cheaply, it would replace the Delimara power station described as a “cancer and asthma factory”.

Labour managed to take the lead in the first weeks of the campaign and, abetted by perfectly-timed “revelations” in the press of bribes being paid in connection with fuel procurement, quickly moved into pole position. And from there, on to the finishing line, which is when the real problems started.

Fuelling the residents’ concerns when in Opposition

Play back that wonderful PR stunt. A grandmother is invited to the podium to tell how cancer claimed the lives of three relatives and how asthma is making the lives of many of her grandchildren a misery. Then, before you could say “emotional manipulation”, Joseph Muscat steps in to assure the grandmother (and the rest of us) that his new government will close what he dubbed the “cancer and asthma factory”.

Perfectly on cue, perfectly scripted. Little did it matter that the only “evidence” Muscat could marshal for this outlandish claim was one study whose author, a respected oncologist, protested that it was unrelated with the issue at hand. Scientific researchers do not usually come across on TV as well as grandmothers do, but Muscat was not taking risks: not usually one to shun publicity, he even chickened out of a scheduled pre-electoral visit to Mater Dei which might have brought him face-to-face with the researcher he was shamelessly misquoting.

Now, almost a year later, a Mepa report finds that here has been no deterioration of air quality in the area of Marsaxlokk and Birzebbuga since the new BWSC generator was commissioned. If the power station was a “cancer and asthma factory”, this new generator was supposed to be its dark heart. It turned out that it was not. But what was Joseph Muscat’s reaction to a report that examines claims scientifically? “Go and ask the residents”.

Ignoring the residents’ concern when in government

Very selective to defer to the residents’ opinion on this one. Muscat’s big plan for a new gas-fired power station was studied in depth but, at least, it didn’t miss out on the fact that more than 90% of Marsaxlokk and Birzebbuga residents expressed concern about the huge gas tanker that would be bobbing in the middle of the bay.

To say that a vessel that size would look unsightly is, of course, putting it mildly (especially considering Labour’s previous complaints about the visual effects of the chimney). Residents are concerned about the risk to their environment, their properties… and their lives. And let’s not forget the strategic and commercial assets in the area, from the Freeport to the power station itself.

A government of rushed decisions

But Labour has no time for that. It has also decided to ignore advice from experts and build a breakwater to facilitate the transfer of gas from sea to land during rough seas. Like the ill-thought sale-of-passports scheme, there is a mad rush to get the project through. After the Mother of All Public Contracts was subject to the Mother of All Shortcuts, where all the normal tendering procedures were bypassed, the government is now cutting corners on health and safety matters.

Compare that to how the Nationalist government had dealt with the Qajjenza plant in the same area. Even though the plant had been there long before urban development crept close to it, the government had made it a condition for the plant to be moved elsewhere when operations were taken over by a private operator.

Why doesn’t Labour do the same? Is it still in the driving seat and in control of the situation to lay down conditions? Or, despite Muscat’s emotionally-charged speeches during the campaign, it’s a case where it really couldn’t care less?

Saving political face at the expense of people’s quality of life

General public concerns and health and safety measures have been given the side for two simple reasons. The first one is the actual increased cost of doing things properly, and this has been even mentioned by Enemalta experts in the public consultation meeting held recently by Mepa. The second reason is the time factor and we all know that both Joseph Muscat and Konrad Mizzi had promised to resign should they not be able to deliver a new gas operated power station by their second year in office. But are they really going to put consideration of financial and political costs above the people’s genuine demands to safeguard their quality of life? Hopefully not.