“Employment belongs to all of us. Health belongs to all of us. Justice belongs to all of us. Meritocracy belongs to all of us. Democracy belongs to all of us. The environment belongs to all of us. Malta belongs to all of us.”
These were Joseph Muscat’s honeyed words prior to the elections of 2013 and 2017. However, after taking over the seat of power, his promises went haywire.
The people have been deceived and realise that nothing belongs to all of us but to a clique. The people expect that one day Muscat remembers his promises and adopts them. Occasionally, Muscat and his colleagues remind us that “you may not agree with us but you can work with us” and “we are prepared to work with anyone who is prepared to work genuinely with us”.
Muscat is no longer credible as his actions since becoming Prime Minister show otherwise.
Prior to every election, Muscat promised a country open to all where everyone is included and progresses according to his capabilities, where meritocracy reigns – “what you know not who you know”. From his initial days in Castille, Muscat embarked on aggressive politics of revengeful transfers. Promotions and appointments were dished out to those within the circle of friends of friends and genuine people of any political creed were removed or ignored. He distinguished between red and blue and compensated the clique.
With Muscat we are living the black days of the seventies and eighties under Labour which Muscat referred to as “the most morally, physically and psychologically corrupt party our country ever had”.
‘Just society’ for whom?
The “just society” promised by Muscat where everyone would be given the opportunity to progress was a sham. Soon after the election of 2013 we noticed that “the just society for everyone and of everyone” was replaced by a just society for the clique. The address read by the President at the beginning of the legislature emphasised that “We have started a new chapter in history. The time of pique, partisanship and arrogance belong to the past”. Facts belie this.
The “just society” is for friends of friends and family members. Many are given more than their fair share. From an electoral billboard some ended up on a board of directors with an income of thousands of euros – one of them boasted on a billboard that she was in favour of meritocracy. Some Labour party employees are given employment with government or parastatal bodies and even appointed ambassadors. Recently a person who was Minister’s secretary up to some time ago, was shot up to the position of Chief Executive with a public private partnership between the Chamber of Commerce and the government. For the friends of friends there is abundance but the man in the street receives only morsels, some hardly able to make both ends meet. Many are disgusted seeing “friends of friends” getting the best when Muscat condemned such term prior to becoming Prime Minister. He forgot his references to the term “barons”.
Heaven on Earth?
In both elections, Muscat promised heaven on earth and the majority believed and accepted his words. The people could not see clearly as Muscat distorted their view of truth with his clouded version. Many believed and swallowed the bait ignoring the warnings issued. After the elections, Malta no longer belongs to all of us but to a select number. Meritocracy applies only to members of the clique, or to friends of Muscat or a Minister or a labour MP or to those who agreed to show their face on Labour’s electoral billboards. After the elections dishonesty, arrogance and deceit took over. The people are discovering the real Muscat. From the highest levels of decency, seriousness and respect that the people were used to under Nationalist administrations, Muscat’s administration is taking us to the lowest levels of arrogance and abuse. We are living in hell.
Muscat’s mask is torn
Prior to the 2013 election Muscat invited the people “to join this movement of change and aspiration”. Muscat elaborated on this invitation in his usual way of putting words to alienate and deceive the people. He declared that the Labour Party transformed itself into “a movement that accepts people with different ideas and thoughts willing to work together with us for the common good of Malta. The time of red and blue and of us and them is over. That is a mentality of the past.” Believe it if you can.
After 2017 – more of the same
Billboards for the 2017 election with Muscat’s face pasted on them asked “Be with me again”. The introduction to the 2017 electoral manifesto declared “this is a natural evolution of thoughts as explained in the project “Malta belongs to all of us” that together we started four years ago”. This introduction should have been enough for people to realise that Muscat and Labour were continuing on the path started in 2013. But, through Muscat’s honeyed words, the majority failed to realise what was being cooked.
Partisanship and arrogance
For Muscat, the “just society” meant partisanship and arrogance. The new chapter and direction promised by Muscat are abhorred by the people as they were deceitful promises. The people realise that Muscat’s meritocracy was changed to a very stinking Muscatocracy.
As Muscat declared, the manifesto for 2017 was a continuation of that of 2013. Muscat maintained that the best times were yet to come. When? He insisted about the upkeep and the general cleanliness of the country. We witness the opposite. The Nation was promised an “absolute priority in the environment with more trees and gardens”. Instead, we are witnessing demolition of buildings, cranes all around, high-rise buildings and the butchering of trees everywhere. The environment is being destroyed.
Muscat and Labour promised to reduce taxation but never said that many essential items will have hefty price increases between one budget and another. This, probably, to enable the Minister for Finance to boast “we have not increased taxes”.
Promises and deceit
Muscat was successful in the last two elections because the majority was deceived and believed the promises of meritocracy, transparency and accountability and the new way of administration, amongst others. It was deceived when told that the distinction between red and blue was over as, according to Muscat, Malta belongs to all of us and that the best times are yet to come.
The people now realise that Muscatocracy replaces meritocracy, secrecy replaces transparency. We are facing lack of good governance and scandals emerge. Malta deserves better. We insist for a better Malta for our children. Enough is enough. We shall fight for us, for our children, for our country.