Robert Abela has opened the doors and the multi-millionaires have stepped out of the shadows.  They're no longer controlling our government from the back room. They're out there in full view, utterly shameless, demanding more and more out of the Prime Minister. And the little we possess, they're coming after that, too.

Labour has shamelessly proposed controversial new planning rules on the eve of parliament's summer break that NGOs described as a "developers' wish list". Carmel Cacopardo called the proposals "back to the 1980s, the Lorry Sant years". Even Labour's own president Alex Sciberras slammed Robert Abela, publicly demanding that "people, not just developers should be heard".

Malta's development moguls have Abela by the neck.  Everything they want from him, they get. Super-wealthy businessmen, like Charles Polidano ic-Caqnu, Michael and Carlo Stivala, Joseph Portelli and the rest of the construction gang are never satisfied with what they've got. They always want more.  They're taking more of our land, more of our shore.  Now they're even taking our sunlight, casting long shadows of darkness with their towering buildings.  Even that isn't enough.  They get shameless permits to build huge towers but they'll add more floors on top.

Now Labour is planning to limit the window for citizens to appeal and you'll need to cite specific policies making it impossible for ordinary citizens. Courts will no longer be able to revoke or amend planning permits. The PA will get new powers to ignore policies like local plans. The PA's flouting of policies will not constitute "an error of law" making it impossible to appeal such decisions. Clint Camilleri will get new powers to revive expired permits. And if your appeal is considered vexatious you will be fined 5,000 euro.

Is it any surprise that the developers' is first (and probably last) to back Labour's planning reform?

db group just applied to add several more storeys onto the massive 17 and 18 floor towers being constructed on the former Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) site in Pembroke. That will bring those monstrosities up to 23 and 25 floors respectively, adding a staggering 82 residential units to the 162 already approved. db know that permit's already in the bag.

In an insolent manifestation of their absolute control over Abela's powerless regulatory bodies, db group hoisted massive metal beams over a public road with cars and pedestrians passing underneath.  That's not just total disregard for the law and basic decency, it's disdain for human life. As long as their ITS mega-construction gets finished, who cares about the danger to people's lives. The OHSA only issued a stop-works order when footage of the beams being lifted over the busy road started circulating.

Carlo Stivala built a 13-storey block on Sliema front despite only having a permit for nine, according to Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar.  The Planning Authority was aware of the issue but "ignored" reports about it.  Stivala denied breaking the law claiming his critics were just calculating the height of his building incorrectly. 

His brother Michael also added an extra floor to a multi-storey office block overlooking the Gzira promenade.  Stivala claimed he had no knowledge of committing any illegalities. When construction work on one of his developments caused a gaping hole in the wall of a neighbouring apartment, Stivala mocked the owners claiming it would only cost 150 euro to repair.

Meanwhile more monstrous developments are on the way.  Another towering construction is due at Villa Rosa thanks to Robert Abela's decision to sell a public alley valued at 3 million euro for just 134,000 euro to Anton Camilleri, tal-Franciz. Abela even changed the local plans to ensure Camilleri could build his four massive hotels.

Those developments don't just take our sunlight. They add significant strain on already crumbling infrastructure - such as power, water supplies and drainage. They mean heavier traffic and more pollution.

The Planning Authority (PA) just approved an application from tuna-farming magnate Anthony Azzopardi to build a massive 2,100 square metre warehouse on ODZ land off a narrow residential lane between Gharghur and Madliena. Azzopardi plans to develop a complex of 60 warehouses at the site with four permits from different applicants awaiting assessment and another already approved.  The hearing at which the approval was given was "an orchestrated charade".

That's the same PA that sanctioned Joseph Portelli's Sannat penthouses which were declared illegal by the highest court. Abela's authorities approved the permit through a "summary process", openly defying the land's highest court simply to please his friends and donors.

In another brazen act of servility, the PA approved a whole string of illegalities at Charles Polidano's Montekristo estates - including a zoo, family park and extensions to a winery.

At least Joseph Muscat pretended to be tough on illegalities.  Works Department employees, together with 150 police officers and soldiers, some heavily armed, swooped on Montekristo estates in November 2013 to carry out demolition of illegal developments.  Of course, none of Polidano's illegalities were demolished.  It was just a show. But Robert Abela doesn't even pretend.  He's openly defending the decision to sanction Polidano's illegalities. "That's the point of sanctioning", Abela insolently commented. That's 45,000 square metres of illegalities sanctioned.

Abela even defended the reinstatement of Kurt Buhagiar, a driver at the Lands Authority, despite facing charges of involuntary homicide of Jean Paul Sofia.  "He's carrying out the duties he is paid to do," Abela defended.  Between backing Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi or protecting developer Kurt Buhagiar, Abela chose the accused.

This is the same Robert Abela who shamelessly dined with Joseph Portelli on the eve of an election, in public. Portelli is embroiiled in multiple illegalities. Yet Abela saw fit to honour him with his presence at that dinner, and then rewarded him with new permits for more controversial developments. But no money was exchanged, if you believe Abela.

In the past the multi-millionaire oligarchs stayed in the shadows. Yorgen Fenech met Minister Michael Farrugia privately in Castille.  Joseph Muscat negotiated away millions to Cafe Premier using his personal email. There was some attempt to keep things covered up, to operate below the radar. At least there was some pretense at respecting the law.  Those wealthy businessmen funded the party secretly.

Now they've come out in the open. They don't need to be afraid because the age of shame is over - it's Robert Abela's age.  They can support him overtly, they can line-up publicly with their donations for the party. 

Abela knows that once he's booted out of Castille, as he inevitably will, those same businessmen will be waiting to recruit him as their consultant.  At least that's what Zammit Tabona did to Joseph Muscat. Within weeks of Muscat's ousting, Fortina were already paying Muscat tens of thousands of euro.

Dragonara casino director Johann Schembri gave Muscat a 141,600 euro consultancy, through a loss-making exotic bird company.

And when those miserly moguls didn't pay up voluntarily, Muscat would hound them as he did to Michael Stivala.  And Stivala complied. Within a few months of stepping down Muscat was on Stivala's payroll too.

Abela knows exactly what he must do to secure his own financial future. And that's exactly what he's doing - publicly.