Hypocrisy generally brings about something with a consequential effect of artificiality. It gives a false appearance of virtue or goodness while concealing the real character or motive. Hypocrisy is the practise of engaging in the same behaviour and/or activity, or worse, for which one criticises another. It is the failure to follow one’s own rules or principles. Hypocrisy, being the deception of others, is a lie. Political hypocrisy is the conscious use of a mask to fool the public and gain political benefit.

Making promises which are not kept is deceit. A deceitful person is a hypocrite. Deceit and hypocrisy go hand in hand – birds of a feather. Careful analysis must be made prior to believing what one is told or promised, especially when pre-warned of the possible consequences. This necessitates a careful consideration of the motive behind what is being said or promised. One might say or promise things through excess of self-concern or fear, say of losing something, perhaps an election. Labour’s deceit and hypocrisy has been on-going since the electoral campaign leading to the March 2013 elections and thereafter.

 

Labour’s hypocrisy

During the electoral campaigns, Joseph Muscat and Labour promised everything to everyone, sometimes risking contradicting themselves. They criticised and hurled abuse at the previous Nationalist administration claiming that for many years the PN degraded the living conditions of the majority of the Maltese population. Labour accused the Nationalist administration with arrogance and abuse of power and that it was a Government made up of a clique that looked only after its own interests and those of the select few. After March 2013, Labour itself has been doing what it criticised and falsely accused the Nationalist administration of. For Muscat and Labour, wrong-doings are when allegedly committed by the Nationalist administration.

Muscat and Labour promised that Malta under a Labour administration would belong to all of us (“Malta Tagħna Lkoll”), that what matters is not who one knows but what one knows, that one would not need to go to a politician to get what one rightly deserved and that one could still work with Labour though one might not agree with Labour. They promised that Malta would not belong to someone or other, that it would not belong to a clique or to a politician or to a political party. Labour promised that the time of pique, partisanship and arrogance of power would be dead and buried. Labour’s deceit and hypocrisy insult our intelligence. Whoever agrees that these promises are being ignored and abused should stand up to be counted.

Pre-March 2013, Muscat and Labour promised they would listen to the people: “A Government that listens”. We were promised a Labour administration that would be thinking of the people, be with the people, live for the people and dedicate all its energy for the people. They promised a just society which, although professing different ideas, would live in harmony without divisions, where the Nation would be united, where the red and blue mentality would be something of the past.

 

Zero tolerance for corruption

The President’s address at the opening of the 2013 legislature, which contained partisan rhetoric in contrast to the 2017 one, emphasised promises made by Muscat and Labour. Bringing back trust into politics and in politicians and that governance would be taken in a more serious manner were promised. Families and businesses were promised peace of mind and taxes paid to Government, which would not be increased, would be used correctly in the interest of all.

The electorate was promised that Labour Government’s performance would be gauged by what it would give back to the people and not by how richer politicians became. The Maltese were promised protection from abuse and corruption. “We will fight corruption” was one of Muscat’s battle cries.

These are just a few, though salient, promises made by Muscat and Labour prior to the 2013 election and repeated in the electoral campaign for 2017. Since Labour came to power 6½ years ago, the population has been witnessing promises falling like a pack of cards or turned over their head. After 2013 the Maltese, at their expense, have been experiencing the real meaning of deceit and hypocrisy.

 

Serious accusations

Prior and after the elections Muscat declared publicly that he always keeps his word. However, the serious face that he portrayed prior to every election changed into one with a sarcastic smile, a smile of deceit. The electorate was deceived prior to the election of 2013 and allowed itself to be deceived again in 2017. During the last six and a half years we witnessed a number of cases where Muscat defended wrongdoings and their perpetrators.

The list is long and is almost impossible to list in full. But, because of the developments of the last weeks one must refer to Muscat’s declaration that “whoever does not fight corruption when in power, is himself corrupt”. This, apart from the promise of “zero tolerance for corruption”. Malta is sinking. This is said by foreign experts.

 

Sounding the alarm

According to the perceptions corruption index published by Transparency International, it results that between the end of the first full year of Labour (end of 2014) and the end of 2018 Malta fell by seven positions – from 44 to 51. This should have sounded the alarm to Muscat’s Labour government. But, apparently, Muscat does not care about Malta’s name being tarnished internationally.

If the landslide shown by Transparency International was not enough, a few weeks ago Moneyval – an expert committee of the Council of Europe – issued a condemnable report for Malta particularly referring to the authorities responsible for law enforcement. According to the report, Malta is risking to be blacklisted if the items mentioned in the report are not implemented.

Amongst other things, the assessment team is not convinced that the law enforcement authorities are currently in a position to effectively and in a timely manner investigate (and, if appropriate, prosecute) high-level and complex cases, which could create, within the wider public, the perception that there may exist a culture of inactivity or impunity.

 

Red card for Labour

Malta's reputation is being destroyed by those in power who want to protect themselves at the country’s cost. The report exposes the lack of capability and the willingness to fight the grave actions that go against financial regulations. The report’s conclusions are a red card for Muscat’s Labour government.

The Maltese government should have in force the requisite money laundering controls, and get rid of Star Minister Konrad Mizzi and Chief of Staff Keith Schembri who were exposed of having decided to set up a Special Vehicle allegedly used for money laundering purposes.

It is not enough for government to say that it shall be implementing Moneyval’s recommendations. Everybody expects action. Muscat should either in a serious manner show that his government is fighting corruption or else we shall remind him that who does not fight corruption when in power is himself corrupt.