There is that ominous feeling around, that matters and lives are coming to the end of their days.
Matters in the sense of political fall-out for persons long associated, mentioned, indicated as having not just a long arm but a full body torso sunk in crime, bribery, corruption, direct orders, national shame and ruin of our environment and now also our health and safety and our security as citizens and as a nation.
Lives, too, with Malta now at the top of the league table for the highest rate of deaths per 100,000 due to Coronovirus. The sad truth is that many vulnerable men and women have reached the end of their days due to the incompetence of the government in its flippant approach to handling the crisis.
Reports on the rule of law in Malta, on the failure to address the rot in the system and to have created an alternative reality in which anything could pass for good governance have now exceeded reasonable liability. The amount of “my conscience is clear” and “we followed instructions” on top of “we were told not to act’’ is like a plucked chicken being passed round from one authority to another, from one official to the next. By now, it stinks and needs only to be fed to the pigs.
Stop feeding us the rotten excuses. We are all completely aware of the pressure coming down on Malta, on Robert Abela and on Joseph Muscat, Keith Schembri and their associates.
Robert Abela thinks he can play a game of chess and move pieces around so that they ensure his survival and more importantly, give shelter to the disgraced Joseph Muscat, together with his partners and most likely, himself. People who are in debt, such as Donald Trump is right up to his neck, are liable to be bribed and compromised. This is a matter of great concern. Abela is not compromised by financial debt but he certainly has a ball and chain that he drags along and cannot honestly serve the interests of the country before those of his master.
These are matters of administration and judgments of action to be taken for the sake of the country.
When, then, it comes to the ordinary day to day responsibilities of a government for its people, we see a Prime Minister who is showing himself to be in way above his depth. The lack of vision and poor judgment, as evident when it comes to the massive harm done to our elderly and our healthcare workers stands out like a car parked on someone’s toes. Tone deaf to the screams of pain. Just walking on to a quieter place where he can sit back and admire his sandaled feet.
We know that unless there is a comprehensive re-wiring of the corrupt mess left by Joseph Muscat, from injustice to restitution, from impunity to full investigations and from a kitchen cabinet to a democratic and functioning parliament, we will continue to be the laughing stock of not just of the European Union but also of the international order.
The accusations and allegations are like a drain gushing after a storm all around the shady characters that have come to rule the politics in our lost country. The noose is tightening and you can hear the gasps for air.
To carry on as though we are the best in Europe and can bat away any investigations or ignore the stupid theatrics, is becoming a joke. From Herrera chasing after the shark’s tooth gifted to young Prince George from a world renowned naturalist who has done more than anyone for the preservation of the world of nature, to Farrugia Portelli launching Summer tourism 2020 with a splash that soaked the whole island in Covid and Michelle Muscat posing on Pink October whilst Minister for Justice Edward Zammit Lewis plays hop-scotch with Yorgen Fenech and his wife. The list goes on and on.
And all the while, the Covid victims keep rising and seeing the end of their days and the economy is not that much better off than it was during lockdown.
The Electrogas scandal is clear for anyone to see and feel disgusted by. It’s gone from bad to worse to absolutely ugly from its very start when Konrad Mizzi was telling us it’s doable to Joe Gasan jumping ship. Will Siemens follow? Is there going to be an inquiry into the whole contract?
That inquiry can keep company with the Vitals / Steward contract and brings us full circle to SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) with the USA, currently being discussed with Robert Abela. This agreement needs very careful consideration and is not as straight forward as one may think. It is not just a tinkering with our tourism product, for example, as was done when the MTA went for their hotel parties, departing from the profile for Malta. It comes close to the take-over of the rule of law on the property rental prior to 1995 (being rightly referred to as the Unjust Pre 1995 Rent Laws) which continue to deprive owners of their rightful property even when the courts say their constitutional rights have been breached.
This kind of hood over our eyes is no longer acceptable and has gone way past its sell by date. To bring in the SOFA at the 11th hour is an act of desperation and a gamble on Malta’s future (what is left of it). It may be a subject for future but not under the present climate.
It’s creepy. It’s just so creepy for Robert Abela to behave the way he does. On and off the island during the pandemic, making juvenile statements on One TV away from the scrutiny of the media and deciding unilaterally to open the door to the Virus in some Swedish way when Malta is a petri dish compared to Sweden’s smorgasbord.
The end of days is close for those who have profited from all the opportunities they created for their own pockets. So, too, for those persons in authority who job it was to prevent the rape of Malta and who instead became enablers and in some cases, profiteers too.
Next time Joseph Muscat, Michelle Muscat, Robert Abela and family want to post an instagram, there will be more their loyal Maltese fans looking at it. Maybe they are putting out their photos now for the press to have a library to choose from when they search for a mug-shot.
Smile please! Click. Profile please. Left side, right side. Post-facial surgery. I wonder if Muscat will go with the chubby face of pre-2017 or with the new look? The look of fame.