One month after the publication of the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry report, Robert Abela's Government has still done absolutely nothing to implement the recommendations put forward by the Board, the Nationalist Party said in a statement.
The government does not feel that healing the deep wound left in the nation's heart is deserving of any urgent action, the PN added.
The government's inaction comes as no surprise. This government is the same government that strengthened the culture of apathy and impunity with regards to corruption; the same government that brought good governance to its knees, and the same people in government who continue to shy away from taking any responsibility whilst continuing to use their positions of authority to serve their interests over the interests of the state. Therefore this same government cannot be the solution the country needs to rebuild its reputation, the PN said.
Instead of accepting the conclusions of the public inquiry, Labour in government and those who have long been associated with it, such as the former deputy leader of the party Joe Brincat, have been trying to dismiss its conclusions as irrelevant. Brincat's recent actions in court - calling for an inquiry on the Daphne inquiry - have been nothing but concrete evidence of where the Labour party's priorities lie and what it truly means when it says it believes in the rule of law.
To alleviate any doubt of the true nature of Labour's intentions, one must merely combine Brincat's actions with the recent words of disgraced prime minister Joseph Muscat during his recent interview with the Times of Malta. You will see, crystal clear, that whilst the Labour party keeps insisting that it is changing, actions will always speak louder than words, and these actions paint an accurate picture.
Partit Nazzjonalista reiterates that the whole country needs to heal the wound and bridge the division that this ugly chapter in our history has led to. Partit Nazzjonalista is determined to make the necessary changes to ensure that this heinous act that continues to mar Malta's history – one that has been allowed to happen under a Labour Government - never happens again.
The leader of Partit Nazzjonalista, Bernard Grech has already appointed a working group #QattAktar. #QattAktar has been tasked with preparing a full report with concrete proposals on what legal, regulatory and administrative changes are needed to fulfil the recommendations stemming from the Public Inquiry and to ensure that Malta's standing and reputation are ameliorated.
The working group, led by lawyer Emma Portelli Bonnici, is composed of active people within the party and other independent individuals that reflect the diversity of Maltese society. The working group has already held several sessions and is currently meeting with different stakeholders. The primary aim of the working group is to come up with recommendations to improve and protect the Rule of Law in the country - something which the Labour government has manifestly failed to do time and time again. Parallel to this, it aims to come up with proposals to strengthen the Right to Information, give citizens a trustworthy Public Broadcasting Service rather than another Labour propaganda machine, and ensure the protection of journalists as the fourth pillar of our democracy.
Partit Nazzjonalista will not rest until justice is done, the PN said. Still, it also undertakes to be at the forefront of bringing about the much-needed change for Maltese citizens to feel once again proud of their heritage and their country.