The widespread power cuts that have affected thousands of Maltese families and businesses in the past days have once again revealed an over-powered infrastructure, and a level of incompetence on the part of Government which is now evident and clear for all to observe.

In some cases, people have endured days of unbearable temperatures without electricity, air conditioning, refrigeration or at least an inkling of an idea, of when the power would return. In an age when absolutely everything we do depends directly on electricity supply, this is beyond unacceptable.

Businesses have lost stock, families have laid awake for entire nights, unable to catch a wink of sleep, vulnerable people have faced genuine health risks, parents have had to get creative on how to cool down their newborns, as many of us found ourselves calling relatives to relocate for a night or two, in the hope that their supply would survive.

So, the question we all have on our mind is pretty legitimate. How did we get here? How are these things still happening in 2026?

The Prime Minister's apology, while appreciated, does very little to address the situation, unfortunately. Apologies, by themselves, do not power homes, protect businesses from senseless loss, or prevent a future failure. They do not replace spoiled food, compensate lost income or restore confidence in the country's infrastructure.

Because for years we have been told that Malta is experiencing unprecedented economic success. We have repeatedly heard that our 'L-Aqwa fl-Ewropa' economy is among Europe's strongest, that public finances are robust and that investment has never been greater. If all of this is true, then how is our infrastructure buckling under the weight of all this success?

Economic growth cannot simply be measured by cranes, and permits, when the most basic services are threatened. The uncomfortable reality is that Malta's electricity network has once again shown its vulnerability precisely when demand reached its highest point. Government has explained that extreme temperatures and record electricity demand placed exceptional strain on parts of the distribution network. That may be true. It is also true that climate change is making heatwaves longer and more intense.

But climate change is not an unexpected event. It is something governments around the world have been discussing, planning for and warning about for years.

Governments do not exist to react to crises but to anticipate them. Good governance is measured by how effectively problems are anticipated and prevented from happening in the first place.

Restaurants have reportedly had to throw away food, small businesses have been forced to suspend operations, professionals working remotely have lost productive hours. With every interruption carrying an economic cost, businesses are right to ask for swift and straightforward compensation for their losses!

Having said that, the real objective must be ensuring that compensation is rarely needed because failures become increasingly rare. The Maltese taxpayer does not want refunds, they want the confidence that next summer things will be better and that the simple task of switching on a light switch, will not be an exasperating experience.

At this point I wish to praise and thank the dedicated and hard-working workers at Enemalta who are being pushed to their extreme, because of Government's incompetence. Your work is appreciated, and it will not be forgotten.

No government can control the weather, but every government is responsible for ensuring that essential national infrastructure is capable of withstanding the predictable challenges of the future.