In the first part of his interview with The Sunday Times of Malta, Joseph Muscat’s repeated refrain was that he has the support of the people, that he is very much loved, with a chorus of people supporting him.
Another tab on which he continuously pressed was his tu quoque argumentation: the Nationalists did this, the Nationalists did that and, therefore, the Nationalists are in no way in a position to speak.
What Muscat seems to forget is that, apart from hardcore Labour and Nationalist supporters, there are also free-thinking, intelligent Labourites and Nationalists.
What is more, there is even an ever-growing cohort of free-thinking Maltese who are free from the psychological shackles imposed by Labour and the PN.
Of course, on certain issues, Muscat is right when he attributes the cause of certain present failures to past Nationalist decisions.
For example, a lot of the building spree happening today is due to the tragic George Pullicino decision of 2006 to open up over two million square metres of ODZ land to new building.
What, however, Muscat fails to add is that, on getting into power in 2013, he did not lift a finger to stop the Pullicino destruction and to amend the local plans accordingly. On the contrary, not only did he let the building spree go on but he actually devised other plans to ensure further building in order to keep the avid developers led by Sandro Chetcuti happy and to allow them to make hay while the sun shines.
The extra storey electoral bait before the 2017 elections was not a Nationalist ploy. The taparsi goat and sheep farms and agricultural stores mushrooming all over Malta and Gozo are all fruit of Muscat’s devious plan to ensure that the business elite will continue voting Labour.
Muscat is lucid enough to remember all the love and kisses he gets from his aficionados but, strangely enough, he seems to be hit by bouts of dementia when it comes to remembering his role in the cementification and uglification of our country.
I will continue to annoy and to hound Joseph Muscat till justice is meted out- Arnold Cassola
In another part of the interview he rightly points his finger at Lawrence Gonzi, who was a director of the Nemea Bank, which is accused of money laundering.
But, then, Muscat is implying that he was asked not to put the spotlight on Gonzi. Is this what Muscat is telling the duped and bitten Nemea account holders (me included)? That, in order to protect Gonzi, he kept a low profile on the issue, which involved the savings of many ordinary people? This I call dereliction of duty and nepotism.
Muscat then goes on to “threaten” that if “they” keep on annoying him, he will return to politics.
Who are “they”? Is this a threatening warning that if Robert Abela does his duty, as he is supposed to, Muscat will be breathing down his neck in less than a jiffy?
Well, whoever the threat is referring to, I can assure Muscat that I will continue to annoy and to hound him till justice is meted out.
There are at least 10 reasons why Muscat has to pay for his misdeeds. They are known to one and all. The only one who seems to suffer from chronic amnesia in this respect is Muscat himself. So, let me refresh his memory:
He protected Konrad Mizzi when the Panama Papers scandal emerged.
He protected Keith Schembri when the Panama Papers scandal emerged.
He socialised with Yorgen Fenech when he knew he was a suspected assassin.
He partied with Fenech when he knew he was a suspected assassin.
He accepted expensive gifts from Fenech when he knew he was a suspected assassin.
He indirectly informed Fenech (through Schembri) that the police suspected him to be an assassin.
He facilitated the crooked Electrogas deal.
He facilitated the crooked Vitals deal.
He facilitated the crooked Sadeen deal.
He facilitated the crooked Montenegro deal.
Muscat concluded the first part of his interview by declaring that, although he did have some regrets, he did what he had to do.
Well, I am sorry, Joseph Muscat: nobody forced you to betray the Maltese people through the 10 issues mentioned above.
You have brushed aside the fact that you are the face of the state that stood by, preparing the ground for a climate of impunity and an assassination of epic proportions.
Until justice is served for all your misdeeds, rest assured that I will annoy you – and how.