“Malta deserves better,” many people say. What an irritating remark! I believe that Malta, with its majority Labour citizens, does not deserve better, in fact, it fully deserves what it is getting. Twice, in 2017 and in 2022, this majority of citizens voted overwhelmingly for an incompetent Labour government riddled with corruption allegations.

Yes, Malta fully deserves the chaotic situation it is in. Malta deserves this Labour government led by an incompetent cabinet of ministers, many of whom appear absolutely unwilling to rid themselves of alleged corrupt practices. A systematic abuse of laws and institutions has reached alarming levels.

Over the last 10 years, flip- flopping between short-term harmful policies and corrupt quick fixes, Labour is destroying Malta. Since 2013, Labour has upped Malta’s national debt to almost €10 billion. An extra 10,000 persons have been uselessly placed on the public payroll. A further distortion of the labour market includes the importation of over 100,000 permanent foreign workers.

There is disappointment that the Nationalist Party absolutely failed to alert the electorate early enough about the dire consequences of a vicious economic model. This model is primarily based on uncontrolled and unlimited construction and importation of what turns out to be cheap labour.

Following a sell-out to developers, the Planning Authority processed permits for an overbuilding and defacement of Malta. With no professional planning and infrastructure investments, the management of electricity, water and sewage services is perilously in disarray.

No doubt, the permanent inclination of Labour towards poor governance stands in the way of any possible positive change in direction. Malta cannot afford to be abused further and another term of this hopeless administration is unthinkable. Are there any indications that this desolate situation can possibly change? Perhaps yes if one were to positively interpret the result of a recent Times of Malta survey.

It is evident that the Labour losses are not translating into gains for the Nationalist Party or third parties. This is a tragic dilemma

It appears the Labour Party is losing votes and Robert Abela is losing favour. There seems to be a limit to what numerous Labourites are prepared to put up with. More are acknowledging that Joseph Muscat and Abela have messed up Malta.  The traffic jams, the power cuts, the filth and shabbiness of public areas, the insensitivity shown towards the tragedy that hit the Sofia family (over 40 construction fatalities in less than 10 years) are provoking these vote losses.

Is there hope for a change? Unfortunately, the survey has confirmed a trend that somehow dampens relief expectations. It is evident that the Labour losses are not translating into gains for the Nationalist Party or third parties. This is a tragic dilemma.

Bernard Grech’s PN has yet to convince a majority of the electorate that it is a vigorous opposition ready and competent to take over and start a recovery task. There are no shadows on the motivation and integrity of Grech, however, the man has yet to come across as a hardened politician, aggressively fighting and yearning for an opportunity to govern.

It is embarrassing to see valorous persons, like Robert Aquilina, Arnold Cassola, Caroline Muscat, Kevin Cassar, Rainer Fsadni and others, delivering a more effective contestation to Labour’s abysmal administration than the PN with its 30 MPs. Many of these MPs fail to consistently stand up to Labour’s abuses.

Very worryingly, we have recently witnessed an opposition unexplainably voting along with the government on dubious controversial measures that included scandalous concessions of public assets to notoriously corrupt elements.  The PN should take a leaf from Dom Mintoff’s politics handbook, that is, when in opposition you invariably oppose. You maintain your distance and your freedom and confidence to criticise without restraint. That is the primary role of an opposition.

In the 1970s, having consolidated his leadership, Eddie Fenech Adami gave no respite to Mintoff. A formidable politician, he vigorously opposed and confronted both Mintoff and Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici. In 1987, he delivered the final defeat to Labour, gaining the right to redeem Malta. There followed a return to decent governance, a new power station, a new air terminal, reverse osmosis plants and a new hospital for real– and not a €400 million pilfered budget.

Is Grech’s PN capable of repeating the 1987 Fenech Adami feat? In this late hour, does the PN require a different high profile, charismatic, inspirational leader?

The PN and third parties are the only available means to push back a toxic Labour Party to the opposition benches.

For Malta’s sake, Labour must reform itself, go back to its roots and rid itself of corrupt elements. For this to happen, more moderate objective Labourites need to act on their disapproval of the current Labour Party.

What does the future hold? Are we destined to see Malta run down further as we lament that Malta deserves better?