Robert Abela is fast becoming Malta’s biggest moral hazard.  He is coming across as hell-bent on demoralizing the population whilst trying to reach in desperation for votes showing a deep insecurity and manipulation of power in his position as the Prime Minister of Malta.

Volley after volley, biased interview after interview (on One TV), we, as citizens of Malta and Gozo have been subjected to inept and ineffective handling of serious issues that continue as part of normal life, whilst enduring mental and moral anguish.  The last thing we needed was to have to pamper to Robert Abela’s ego and his lack of engagement with the stuff of leadership, now culminating in an outburst of rage.

Just because, with the expertise of our medical and scientific body, we have been able to contain in the manner appropriate for our resources, this deadly virus, it does not mean that the PM can play with emotions and sentiments and jump from one hot potato to another in a sorry attempt to either distract us or in a way that shows his lack of empathy and immaturity by going controversial and against the fabric of society.

It has been a continuous attack on our nerves.  First to deal with the conflicting messages he was sending out, that went in the opposite direction of what the Director of Health and the Minister of Health had been advising, in softening instead of explaining the directives that had been issued for social distancing and keeping our elderly safe and the hospital services efficient.  Confusion and doubt followed.

Next came all the grief and anger about opening the spring hunting season and the method employed in ensuring that it happened.  We can smell a rat even when spring is in the air.  We were deliberately left to wonder, was it Profs Gauci, was it Clint Camilleri or Aaron Farrugia who was steering the outcome?  Was Robert  Abela neutral on the issue?  Was he hiding but willingly making deals with the hunters?   All the options were on the table whilst the population who were asked to stay at home were feeling hard done-by with the opening of the hunting season. 

No sooner had we come to put up with the decision which was approved, to allow hunting and where we are now seeing how poorly indeed the law is being observed with regard to protected species and the rest of it, we litterly have our head dunked into the Mediterranean sea, right on Easter Sunday, with images and emotions that simply wiped us out and stole our joy, as we tried to celebrate alone or within single households. 

With an absolutely indifferent attitude to the plight of the persons at the centre of the matter but also the moral implications involved around the case, the only angle which seemed to be on the compass of the Prime Minister was the working of the political and propagandist angle. 

We don’t know, of course, what role he actually played and what he was doing behind the scenes to handle the safety of the migrants at sea.  It was the army that fell on the wrong end of the stick with all the recordings and allegations flying.  And of course, the people out on the boats. 

No sooner have we drawn breath, than we get the new toy lighting up and whirring in the head of Robert Abela - the land for the hunters in Mizieb and Mellieha.  Great idea PM!  Only that morning had I thought to myself that if the politicians from either side cannot stand up to the hunters and take into account the mood, the sentiment and choices of the rest of the country alongside those of the hunting lobby, then the only way to restore some peace and calm would be to designate more areas as protected parks for public enjoyment.  Instead, the opposite is proposed.  Let’s give the hunters some land so they can be protected from the opposition to their hobby and can roam freely and undisturbed. 

Right from the start of the pandemic that hit us here, we also saw the Prime Minister meeting with the MDA and making assuring noises in their direction.  Whilst people were besieged by the noise and inconvenience around their homes, the PM continued on without ever even giving the time of day to their suffering.  This issue has now come to head with the mental problems that it is bringing about.

In all of this there was only one thing which roused the PM’s attention and that was when he was put under scrutiny.  Any Prime Minister of a mature and democratic country would immediately stand up and take responsibility, at least by acknowledging that the matter was justified and serious and merited response.

It could have been any of the above topics that deserved such a scrutiny but most of all it was the criminal complaint against him and the army which made him call his cabinet to stand behind him (and we do not know if any of them disagreed with the motions of the case), in violation of the safe distancing directive so that the chariot could be drawn and his attack given weight. 

Robert Abela has the tools at hand to deal with the challenges he has been facing.   Firstly, he has a government.  Secondly, he has a good deal of trust from people.  Thirdly, with perhaps the exception of the virus, these are not previously unheard of matters to deal with. 

Malta’s own MEP Roberta Metsola was selected and entrusted by the EU to study the matter of the migration problem in the Med and come up with proposals.  Bring together the best resources and persons who can advise and come up with a humane and safe way to deal with our national security.  We do not expect the PM to have a magic answer to pressing issues but he can steer the outcomes into a more positive and knowledge-based action rather than causing distress to many and also disregarding international order.

At home, the country needs to focus on the post lockdown economic fallout.  Many businesses are already suffering.  Employees are threatened with the loss of their job.  People are scratching their head and turning to innovative ways to limit the damage.  Can’t we at the least, expect the PM to set up a task force that meets every single day to monitor the economy and the effect that the necessary steps we took will have over our livelihoods whilst trying to steer a way forward?  This is different to the Cabinet meeting, who basically still have to manage their ministries within government policy areas.  The country needs a focused group to handle the many aspects of the current problems its faces. 

Even a simple thing like seeing if there is a better way to handle the payments that were promised and that are badly needed to shore up jobs and businesses.  We are aware of the high number of applications but what is happening?

On the side, we also have the direct order given out to the hotel in Gozo at a sum of €1.6 million to house the residents that were shifted from St Anne at Gozo General, the building permits given a 3 year extention, the Ta’ Xbiex high-rise, the pre-fabricated hospital, the refusal to lower the utility rates inspite of the negative price of oil and the ongoing Steward Hospital deal costing millions from us.

Presently, we see no justification for all this moral hazard.