Though not at all convincing – or, worse, exposing a very brittle backbone – members of cabinet under Joseph Muscat repeatedly insisted they were kept out of the loop on large national projects like the power station and the hospitals deals.

In the case of Electrogas, for example, they maintained they never knew what was happening as Muscat, his former top aide, Keith Schembri and then energy minister Konrad Mizzi, hijacked the project.

It has now become clear that the manner in which the whole thing was handled was dirtier than the worst-polluting power station around. The findings of an extensive review by the auditor general tell the sad story of how the country was plundered.

The dealings were corrupt, whatever meaning you give to the term. The public procurement process was manipulated to favour private investors who evidently knew they would get the contract. A €360 million government guarantee on an Electrogas loan was deemed irregular and posed significant risks. Taxpayers ended up having to fund bad deals sealed by the energy minister involving multi-year power purchase and gas supply commitments. Electrogas tax dues were also waived.

Still, Muscat kept defending the project, the flagship of economic reform he had promoted even before becoming prime minister in 2013. Now, as the plot of his apocalyptic stewardship continues to unfold – having more surprises and twists than a soap opera – he has a golden opportunity to set the record straight and perhaps come clean.

The former prime minister is on Tuesday expected to appear before parliament’s public accounts committee probing the Electrogas scandal. Both Mizzi and Schembri have been there already but gave very little away. Mizzi was ‘selective’ in his replies and the further grilling of Schembri will have to await the outcome of a constitutional court case.

It has still to be seen what attitude Muscat will adopt, such as whether he will be silent on grounds he might expose himself to criminal action. However, there are no legal proceedings against him over the matter and, in any case, he has always denied any wrongdoing. Will he back his plea of innocence up at the PAC or will he allow silence to speak volumes?

The speaker of parliament has ruled that witnesses appearing before the public accounts committee cannot simply invoke the right to silence and that this should only apply if questions are incriminating or if they are facing criminal charges on the matter at issue.

In view of the latest revelations in the hospitals’ concession case, the onus is on Muscat to be forthright, put all cards on the table and clear his name on the power station saga.

Whether he will manage to convince committee members and the people in general that he is indeed clean depends to a large extent on his performance and demeanour.

No doubt, his legal counsel will ensure all his legal rights are observed. However, Muscat is not appearing 

before the public accounts committee as a person accused of criminal wrongdoing but as the prime minister on whose watch the scandal was allowed to occur.

Therefore, he is expected to lay himself politically bare and give all the information in his possession to get to the bottom of this issue. 

When a judge annulled the hospitals privatisation contract on grounds of fraud, Muscat declared he had always acted in the public interest, adding he welcomed and encouraged any further investigation into the concession. 

One hopes he adopts the same stance with regard to Electrogas and cooperates fully with the parliamentary committee.