With the usual rituals conducted, Malta and Gozo have witnessed a miracle – the transfiguration of a mere mortal into a divine being, promising to guide us to a land of milk and honey.
Yet, this shepherd of an adoring flock has inherited a poisoned chalice, with Joseph Muscat’s spectre haunting the political landscape.
Despite Robert Abela’s promise to uphold Muscat’s legacy, it would seem that he is now sending mixed signals as to his true intentions. Freed from the pressures of the campaign trail, we have been presented with a potentially different sort of Abela altogether.
However, until Abela directly confronts his predecessor on the crimes of the past administration, we cannot be assured that we will receive either truth or justice.
We must not confuse gestures of goodwill with concrete actions taken against assured criminals in positions of influence.
Muscat’s latest trick out of a hat is his implication that he will campaign for abortion, a move which civil society has already rightly called out as being a clever way to divide and conquer the Opposition.
It will be our duty to hold the new prime minister to account, while hoping that he acts with wisdom
The Opposition must not allow itself to fall into that trap, and Abela has indicated he will not play along either. Yet, Abela’s refusal to consider siding with Muscat on this issue does not mean he will allow his predecessor to be investigated.
Muscat cleverly spent his remaining time in office strengthening his own cult of personality, forcing both Chris Fearne and Abela to appear as remaining loyal to him. Nonetheless, Fearne still proposed strong reforms in favour of good governance and the environment on the campaign trail.
Abela would do well to now adopt the strongest of Fearne’s proposals, sending further positive signals, such as by protecting the remaining green spaces in every town and village and turning them into public spaces, and calling for a national convention on good governance.
Despite the ongoing lack of clarity and mixed signals, there is some hope that Abela might indeed take solid action on good governance and the environment, leading the whole country rather than just the Labour Party. Certain measures, such as reuniting the ministerial planning portfolio with that of the Environment, are encouraging. He has also pledged not to clear up Daphne Caruana Galizia’s memorial. But, we must not forget that Muscat’s promises for environmental justice and meritocracy during the 2013 general election proved empty.
What, therefore, is my approach towards the new prime minister? In a secular fashion, I refer to the spirit of the line in the national anthem “Agħti, kbir Alla, id-dehen lil min jaħkimha”.
Our country has suffered enough, and I dearly hope for better days.
With Muscat’s legacy threatening to hold our country back and preventing truth and justice, and with Abela’s promise to continue on the path taken by the former prime minister, it is uncertain what lies ahead, or what kind of continuity we shall ultimately have once the cabinet actually gets to work.
Will the god, literal or metaphorical, that bestows wisdom upon Abela be none other than Muscat? It will be our duty to hold the new prime minister to account, while hoping that he acts with wisdom.
I wish no ill upon anybody – I will, however, always fight for justice to be done.
The ball is now in Abela’s court.
Timothy Alden is acting leader of the Democratic Party.