Muscat’s bogus slogans

Joseph Muscat called a snap election for 3 June, a year ahead of time, confirming he is in a panic. Announcing the election as Labour Party leader during a mass meeting, he did not distinguish between State and party. He said he announced the election in

Muscat has been deceiving the people since before the 2013 election. Before and after the election, Muscat and Labour used impressive, vote-catching slogans – fraudulent ones. The more sensational the buzzwords, the more artificial, bogus and insincere they resulted to be. Let’s review some of them.

‘Malta taghna lkoll’

Pre-election, the mother of all Labour slogans was Malta tagħna lkoll (Malta belongs to us all). When Muscat took over the seat of power, this slogan turned out to be a sham. Malta does not belong to all of us, but only to a clique.

Muscat’s battle-cry – Malta tagħna lkoll – was simply a vote catcher. When introducing Labour’s electoral programme, among other deceitful promises, Muscat declared that “Malta does not belong to a clique. Neither does Malta belong to a politician or to a party.” Time proved these words to be deceitful and politically dishonest.

During Muscat’s administration, notwithstanding his promise that the time of cliques was over, the clique indulged itself in power. Hundreds were rewarded for helping Labour win the election, while others were vindictively transferred or passed over. Malta belongs to a clique which has a lot to lose if Labour loses power. Let’s beware of what they come up with till election day.

Like many other slogans, Malta tagħna lkoll proved to be deceitful and a sham. Nothing belongs to all of us. Not even Enemalta, St Luke’s Hospital, Karen Grech Hospital and Gozo General Hospital. They were privatised, sold to foreigners, as has a plot of land outside the development zone in Żonqor. Even the Maltese/European passport is being sold by ‘salesman’ Joseph Muscat. Shame on Muscat and his Labour government.

‘Open government’

“We shall adopt the principle of open government, a concept through which we shall not only strengthen transparency and accountability but also stimulate the citizen’s contribution by giving everyone the possibility to give one’s opinion, to participate and to influence directly Government’s decisions and choices.” This is Muscat’s elaboration of “open government.”

In Labour’s electoral programme, under the heading of ‘Democracy and Transparency’, Muscat and Labour declared “we believe in politics and politicians of responsibility and accountability, politicians who are answerable for their actions and who ensure that their actions are transparent.”

Despite Muscat’s promise of an “open government” that “should strengthen the principles of transparency, accountability and access to information,” and notwithstanding the Act regarding Freedom of Information, Muscat and his government withheld information, ditching the promise of transparency. Instead of a government with open doors, we have one with well-sealed doors.

Muscat’s Government was requested for information which was not forthcoming or, when the information was presented, the relative documents contained blank pages or blacked out clauses. Muscat’s government was synonymous with lack of transparency creating lack of trust in the government. Ignoring his own promises, Muscat showed arrogance and abuse of power. Muscat cannot be trusted.

No one should be afraid to admit that reality is miles away from Muscat’s promise of “open government” in spite of Muscat declaring, on several occasions, that he delivers what he promises. Muscat cannot be believed. Although an element of fear has been instilled in some people, I believe the people will stand up to be counted on 3 June, making Muscat pay for his deceit. Between Muscat and Malta, the electorate will choose and vote for Malta. Winston Churchill said: “In a democracy, the people control the government and not vice versa.”

‘The best Cabinet ever’

Joseph Muscat promised the best cabinet ever in Malta’s history. It was definitely the largest and the most expensive cabinet but, through experience, it was definitely not the best.

For some reason or other, ministerial resignations abounded; namely those of Godfrey Farrugia, Franco Mercieca, Manuel Mallia (eventually reinstated) and Michael Falzon. We witnessed a cosmetic change of designation for Konrad Mizzi. Conveniently, Muscat nominated or “promoted” others to remove them from “the best cabinet ever” such as Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, Karmenu Vella and Leo Brincat.

The “best cabinet ever” was censored by the Auditor General as in the case of Michael Falzon (on the Gaffarena case) and Konrad Mizzi (on his direction to purchase oil from Azerbaijan, resulting in a €14 million loss for Malta). The “best cabinet ever” also had one of its ministers (Konrad Mizzi) named in the Panama Papers scandal becoming the only minister in an EU member state to be involved in this international scandal.

Recently Muscat’s Labour government suffered a big blow when it lost its whip. Godfrey Farrugia’s letter of resignation to Joseph Muscat from government whip speaks volumes. He claimed he was “sensing the hidden agenda of those lurking around Muscat and who Muscat trusted.” He stated: “the leadership did not behave in a mature way” and “started justifying mistakes and calling what was wrong right.”

Farrugia insisted that “the moral fibre was lost” and that “Malta was being given a bad name even outside our shores and during the EU Presidency.” He concluded that “the people’s trust in the historical Labour ideal should never have been betrayed and used to further the agenda of the few who evidently do not have the national interest at heart, let alone on their minds.” After Muscat announced the election, Farrugia said that he will not contest the election on a PL ticket as, “I do not feel I belong there.” We have it from an insider. Are there others who concur?

‘Corruption - zero tolerance’

“He who does not fight corruption when in power is himself corrupt,” Joseph Muscat declared prior to the election, while promising zero tolerance. However, the ever-growing list of scandals, some stinking of corruption, has damaged Malta. January 2017 will be remembered for the ten places Malta lost during 2016 in the Corruption Perception Index published by Transparency International.

Since Muscat took office, I recall over thirty scandals starting with Joseph Muscat leasing his private car to Joseph Muscat the Prime Minister for €7,000 yearly. Muscat’s administration has been riddled with scandal: Sai Mizzi’s employment, Café Premier, Australia Hall, the Gaffarena/Michael Falzon case, the Libyan medical visas scandal, the accelerated promotions, Evarist Bartolo’s canvasser’s case, the alleged bribe request by Jimmy Magro, ex-General Secretary of the GWU.

Up to very recently, the mother of all scandals was the involvement of Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi in the Panama Papers scandal and Muscat’s non-action. However, this was overshadowed by the revelation made by a whistleblower about the alleged ownership of a trust in Panama, Egrant Inc, by Muscat’s wife. I am convinced these scandals pushed Muscat to an early election.

‘Four years of firsts’

Recently, ministers and parliamentary secretaries held ‘dialogue meetings’ with the public under the slogan ‘Four years of firsts’. They were boasting sessions. The Maltese people have witnessed many firsts since the election which were obviously not mentioned.

The nation witnessed pre-electoral promises being ignored by Muscat. We witnessed scandals and corruption, some of them coming from within the Office of the Prime Minister. We saw Muscat losing his moral authority. Muscat promised heaven on earth before the election but, on achieving his aim, his words were neither worth the papers they were written on nor the time taken to explain them. These were all firsts.

Muscat, with a majority of 35,107 votes, could have satisfied all promises, including making Malta the best in Europe, but instead he dumped Malta in the lowest levels. The people are outraged and want Muscat out. Muscat is in a panic and was compelled to announce a snap election for 3 June.

Game over, Joseph Muscat! You deceived the people once; there will not be a second time. Malta needs real patriots to prevent the country from certain ruin under Muscat. The people will choose Malta. That is what I am doing.