The government presents the budget at this time of the year or in November and the Unions and Chambers respond with their opinion.  Good or poor, almost or nothing.  Once again, it seems, the direction of the budget was the same as the direction of the 2013 election - leave everything as it was under the Nationalists.  Touch nothing, do nothing, say nothing.  Then take the money and run.

Pinch a few ideas here and there from the proposals made by Simon Busuttil's forum groups, include something Mintoff-style, like the incinerator and keep milking the liberals and its job done.

Make sure that no-one feels discriminated against with favourable incentives and never remind the poor about their problems.  As long as they have their labour minister sitting comfortably in every office and an ex-candidate on every chair, they can have their mind at rest.  It's better for the people to have that reassurance than some words and numbers on a piece of paper created only for the sake of giving importance to formalities.

Under a labour government, the budget resembles a promised child-bride in a third world country.  The families agree that their children will be wed, the dowry is agreed and the palace where they will live is lavishly furnished.  Now the status of the two families is fixed and enhanced and the pact is sealed to never attack each other.

So, really what's the point of having the budget at all?  Perhaps it is more to expose the intentions and put pressure on the Opposition.  It is more about strategy of attacking the opposition and laying little traps for it, than it is about serving the people with a vision for the economy and society.

People have come to sense this now and basically they just carry on with their daily life.  If the country and in particular, the people from the south accepted to have that monstrosity of a gas tanker right in their bay, from where many go to earn their living and with the threat of danger right over their heads, then it is unlikely that any protest or claims will come forward on whether their wage increase meets their needs or not.  Like-wise, if the land at Zonqor point is handed over to foreign property developers or if our hospitals are pawns in the hands of disreputable amateurs what can an exchange of a few thousands here and there make?  If Airmalta can one day be bankrupt and another day be sold, what will a "go light" here and there matter? 

Petrol stations need cars (unless they are basically vehicles for money laundering) and we keep seeing more being built. Jobs need cars for deliveries and staff to get to work.  Cars need purchasing.  Purchasing is good.  It is what this government wants.  So what is the point of saying that nothing was mentioned in the budget about alleviating traffic congestion?  Let's face it, when Arriva tried to bring in a new plan for public transport, using hubs instead of the direct route to Valletta, it failed miserably not just because of the logistics but also because people couldn't grasp the concept.  Can we really imagine those crowds who commute to Mater Dei hospital navigating an underground system plus a connecting bus or tram?  Escalators or stairs and fast moving transport would be a nightmare for them.  Better to wait for the bus or sit in the car for an hour because you cannot find a parking spot.

As for the employment of teachers and nurses, can we say that we are going to facilitate the employment of foreigners, during a budget?  No, no.  Keep it quiet.  Once the patients get used to Indian nurses the problem will be resolved.  Teachers could be a bit more of a problem because Maltese speaking foreigners are not easily found.  Eventually, some money is going to have to be found from some of the consultants at the Ministry of Education and allocated to better pay for teachers. 

Environment is a choice between your pocket or your protests.  Presently the scales are in favour of the pocket.  Animals are in the same category as hunting and considered as personal property, so the government does not interfere.  Women have been partially removed from the personal property status due to the fact that they can work and earn money and are needed as the basis for the many liberal laws that are the hallmark of Joseph Muscat.

Agriculture and fisheries were boring for the TV audience, so they can be omitted. 

That leaves us with plastic bottles and the deposit to be paid on them.  Separating waste and so on.  The incinerator was mentioned but not where it will be built.  They will have to find a way, not how to build it but how to convince the opposition that it was their idea after all.

And it's a wrap!  Budget 2017/18 is over. 

By the time the opposition leader, Adrian Delia shows up, everyone will have gone home anyway. 

As we hear about Brexit and Catalunya and Trump and Kim Jong Un, we breathe a quiet breath and say, patience.  It could have been better, but it could have been worse. 

It would be good to be assured that our health services are safe and sufficient, or that children will have access to modern education and qualified, happy teachers.  We would have liked to feel happier when we step onto the balcony and see trees instead of cranes and holes in the ground.  On weekends, it would have nice to enjoy the countryside freely and without danger of seeing a protected bird fall on your picnic.  And of course, to have our children play with dogs and see horses well treated. 

Families know privately how they have been treated and if the government has respected them and been generous or stingy.  Businesses will see their results in some months' time. Its elections that matter.  And Joseph Muscat's government can be quite optimistic about their prospects given the current state of the opposition and its chummy leader.