The involvement of Joseph Muscat in any discussion about the country's future raises a ghastly spectre. In its economic context, it also reminds us that despite all the propaganda about prosperity over the past few years, there have been many who have suffered, rather than gained, as a result of a system which favours those who are loyal to it. It is not a system we should return to. It is one we should fix. Thus, this spectre of the past is particularly unwelcome.
We remain waiting for an exorcism which never seems to come. By inviting this spectre to participate in matters of state, however, Prime Minister Abela is instead sending the message to the country that it will be haunted for a long time to come. This ghost of Malta's past is firmly preventing us from closing the darkest chapter in the history of our country. For us to move on, justice must be done and the deeper sickness in our governance cured. There can be no other way. One would also hope that closing this chapter would be followed by a resolution of the other country's ills, such as tribalism and a system which fundamentally favours the rich and well-connected over those with an opinion of their own.
If you are tired of hearing the names of Joseph Muscat, Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi - believe me - you are not alone. I share the weariness of the rest of the country. It took us much longer than it should have to get this far, but unfortunately, there is a long way to go, when by all indications, these three men are still being protected from any real scrutiny or legal justice.
Anyone paying close enough attention over the past few years can make no informed or educated excuses for their actions. They endangered the nation and humiliated us in the eyes of the world to cover up for their wrongdoing. The only reason they are not where they should be is because of the power they still command, and any attempt for justice to truly be done would bring down the government.
The Labour Party, with a recognisable cause of social justice for most of its history, allowed its legacy to be hijacked, twisted and perverted into a murderous neoliberal nightmare under the last Prime Minister.
On the matter of COVID-19 economics, however, let us consider how in Malta's tribal system, those who suck up to power and lick boots get ahead of the game quite easily. In contrast, those who oppose the ruling tribe are always excluded from influence. With institutions which have rarely been truly independent in our country, the law exists to serve the powerful at the expense of the vulnerable.
Thus, do we live in a system of first and second class citizens in Malta and Gozo. One needs look no farther than the developers who continue to trample over our rights. Just this week, the window for Objections to be sent to the Planning Authority closed for a proposed highrise to be built in Sliema instead of the officer's mess. Although in the same environmental impact report commissioned by the developers, it is stated that the building warrants a Scheduled protection status of Grade 2, which would render the project unfeasable, it would not surprise me to see permission granted regardless. The rules do not apply to everyone equally.
In such a system, one can refer to the concept of a zero-sum game from game theory. In such a set-up, one person wins at the expense of another - both people cannot win. For example, a cake can be cut so that one person receives more than half, leaving only a slice for the other person. It is a scenario where injustice prevails. In Malta, our economic system over the past years has generated vast wealth which has been distributed chiefly to the powerful.
People have been happy to receive more money than they had before, but in truth, they were being robbed of their greater share. Let us think of the public hospitals sold to a dodgy foreign company and the kickbacks pocketed along the way over the past few years. Let us think of all the people who gained an advantage over their neighbour by asking for favours, or all the backroom deals which came at the expense of the general public. Let us think of all the planning policies which were violated, so that residents had to suffer for the pure selfishness and greed of those who need money the least. This is Muscat economics.
The country has had enough of it. It is time to stop hearing his name and move on - but that will only happen once justice is done. Once justice is done, and once the old system is repaired or replaced entirely, then all Maltese and Gozitans will be able to breath freely and shake hands, not seeing one another as Red or Blue any longer, but as humans and as citizens of this country first and foremost. It is time to bury old hatreds, not cling to them and open fresh wounds again. This pandemic has given us a chance to see the best in people; so let us move forward together, not go back.