The Nationalist Party will be holding a mass protest this afternoon as the government remains oblivious to calls for more public discussion before it continues to rush through Parliament a magisterial inquiry. This reform will drastically reduce the possibility of citizens making requests for investigations, meaning that people who commit wrongdoing are protected more than they already are.
It's not the only reason why the PN is calling upon the people to manifest their dissent. The sharp rise in the cost of living which is placing extra burden on families and increasing the risk of many more falling below the poverty line is another subject that the PN has been harping about in the past weeks. The PN contends that this is affecting people's quality of life, which has deteriorated.
And then let's not forget that a minister who is politically responsible for the country's security did not resign after a large haul of drugs was stolen from a compound under the Armed Forces' wing. That he offered to quit is not enough. Prime Minister Robert Abela should have accepted the resignation, or Byron Camilleri should have insisted that his resignation stands. As things happened, it was nothing more than a charade and another chapter in the long list of situations highlighting a culture of impunity championed by the Labour Party.
As the rule of law continues to be under assault and with a government that is more intent in protecting its own and covering up for its wrongdoings, much of the country looks on passively, doesn't care or, worse, does not understand that their rights continue to be trampled upon.
The items on their mind are who was or will be eliminated from some silly reality show on national TV, why Malta's Eurovision entry has been censored, and when the next government income tax rebate cheque will arrive. Apart from all the bad things that are happening in Malta, little does it matter to them how close the world is to an escalation of hostilities as the Russia-Ukraine war entered the fourth year. Or that climate change is rapidly advancing and is set to have an even bigger impact as the years roll by. Or that Pope Francis has been fighting for his life in hospital for more than three weeks.
Unless something came up on their screen while endlessly scrolling on the social media, which they quickly skip to move on to the next reel or some stupid comment someone posts, they would have probably been unaware of all that is going on.
The world has turned upside down. And social media is the main culprit of this, as what should be of utmost importance is brushed aside and has little effect, while the frivolous takes centre stage. More and more people have become self-centred, do not look beyond their needs, and are interested only in what is trivial and makes them laugh.
The Labour Party has understood this "modern" frame of mind, and takes advantage of it. It knows that if it can keep the majority feeling prosperous - remember what Joseph Muscat said about making everyone a "sinjur zghir" even when he knew that most are struggling? - it can do what it likes. And that is why it embarked on ways to keep the people happy, handing out vouchers and cheques, dishing out permits here and there, and providing people with enough entertainment to keep them occupied.
The Labour Movement (is it still being called that?) has become an expert in diverting attention away from the important things. Many fall into its trap and think that everything is in order.
Each time some scandal erupts - and we have had too many of them in the last 12 years - nothing much changes. In spite of all that has happened, the Labour Party continued to win elections handsomely. It was only in the last poll, that for the European Parliament and local councils, that it saw its advantage dip, but it is still firmly in control and remains the favourite to win the next general election in two years' time.
It does not help that the Nationalist Party has not managed to lift itself up as much as it expected. After years of turmoil, it has found some internal peace but still lags behind in public surveys. The results obtained last year gave it a new impetus, but it is still to convince undecided voters that it is a better alternative.
There are some real issues which we are facing, such as the government's attempt to stifle democracy and protect wrongdoers; issues which touch on our well-being and have an impact on our rights and quality of life; situations pertaining to accountability and our own national security. The few are taking note of this as the government bulldozes its way through.
The rest are only interested in why we have to change the lyrics of our Eurovision song.
Surreal, indeed.