Until a relatively short while ago, the view held by a good portion of the public, was that they were pleased with themselves for having chosen to “switch” and vote for the Movement of Joseph Muscat and that their opinions had been in sync with those of Muscat.
They were proud too, to have side-lined the PN and called them out on the horrific neglect of the population and the economic problems they were facing with the Water & Electricity bills and that their 25 years in power were now over.
This capture of public opinion was borne out in the overwhelming victory in the election, for Joseph Muscat and the LP – if that is what it was actually being called at that time when red became blue and blue became I’m In.
Since that heady result, however, more and more people are realising the mistake they made in believing that Joseph Muscat was the expression of their own mind and that they entrusted him to deliver and make good on his politics.
Nothing, presently and for a while now, could be further from the facts and the truth. The silence surrounding so many critical issues speaks for itself as people are speechless before the audacity of the government in one serious case after another. In places, this silence is now giving way to protest. It is simmering just below the surface and almost near boiling point.
In short, it has all gone belly up and what was the courting of public opinion three years ago, is now the complete and utter disdain of it, coupled with arrogance and facetiousness. One can almost hear the laughter from Castille or from some football trip for the boys, as the friends draw ever tighter together to resist the criticism and rise above it, by ridiculing anyone outside their group. Whenever the PM ignores the media, retorts and laughs condescendingly at journalists, distorts the facts, avoids and distracts, turns his head away, that is offensive to the country he serves and quite disrespectful, even to his own supporters and the cabinet. Much in the same way as the MEPs felt with the line they were given by Brincat at his grilling, which totally backfired and showed him in an even more negative light than before.
Politicians from the Mintoff days are gone past their sell-by date and have as much place in this circle of the untouchables as the green telephone amongst the iPhone 7s. Anyone left standing who thinks they still have a chance are not in tune with the current trend at all. They may think they hold some influence but they do not and are only useful as pawns. Some of newbies also fall into this category but they don’t know it.
The same applies for voters.
Leo Brincat, Muscat’s nominee for the EU Court of Auditors, may have picked up on this as he began to sniff the corridors of Brussels. In a complete failure of a strategy, he laid the blame for his pathetic vote of confidence in Konrad Mizzi, at the foot of Joseph Muscat and confided that he was compelled to do so.
Now Joseph Muscat may be utterly indifferent to what the EU parliament thinks as long as it does not threaten his livelihood, but this betrayal by Leo Brincat must have sounded like a shot-gun in his head and all tables were turned.
If Brincat dared to humiliate him during his interview, why should the PM have any hesitation to let him stew and sink at the hands of the Council? Is that Muscat’s way of distancing himself from someone who has put him and his closest buddies in a bad light? After all he is quite the master of distancing himself from thorny problems.
From the start, Joseph Muscat and his marketing 4th floor boys, thought they could play with the European Union as they liked and use it like their own personal cheque book. Starting from the incumbents, they made their way into the mechanics of it, put the largely invisible deputy Prime Minister in charge of it and treated it like a motor for the production line. From Cyrus Engerer and his mate, to Karmenu Vella’s nomination and Toni Abela’s and now, Leo Brincat, especially now that he cannot stand near David Cameron and get in the circle, there is nothing for Muscat to care about. Except that Brincat lost the plot and crossed the line.
That it is Malta’s name, credibility, reputation and integrity at stake behind all this theatrics does not faze our government. If the whole Panama Papers saga did not cause the Prime Minister to hold those responsible to account, then why should what the European Parliament think be of any relevance to him?
The irony, however, is that by dismissing the opinion of the EU parliament and even the EU Council, Joseph Muscat is throwing out the baby with the bath water, because, if he cared, he would see that public opinion here in Malta, that of his electorate, is turning against him very quickly, as he chooses to play games of cat and mouse and arrogantly turn his back on not only the Institutions of democracy but also on Malta and its people. If, post 2008 election, the Labour party saw that Maltese people chose the EU and want the EU and went on to change tactics, why is he jeopardising his advantage right before them now?
The nominee may have made his own decision to persevere before the EU Council or he may have been abandoned by Muscat and left to get the justice he deserves. Whatever the case, we all can observe the shame and embarrassment of showing the European Union members that we are no more than a village committee responsible for shutting an eye when the consignment of dodgy cement comes in followed by a fat lunch at the local restaurant.