As we inch back to our ordinary routines, even a cursory look at some of this summer’s tales of misrule in the land – where anything goes – is bizarre.

The rule of law ensures the equal application of the law to all and sundry, irrespective of title, income, office or opinion. It shields the weak and voiceless, who must not be discriminated against due to their lack of access to the corridors of power.

The rich and the mighty can take care of themselves remarkably well. It is those without power or money who expect and ought to enjoy the law’s mantle from the excesses of the rulers.

In July, we were told that the Tourism Ministry and other government departments are forking out thousands of euro to put up adverts on illegal billboards used by the Labour Party before last May’s MEP elections.

Now compare this lack of enforcement in this case with the speedy removal of posters of Occupy Justice on the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a mere 24 hours after they first appeared.

And remember that last July the Constitutional Court slammed the same Planning Authority, which  breached the fundamental rights of the Caruana Galizia family when it ordered the removal of banners, with no basis at law, stuck to private property.

Think about it. A government entity took a conscious decision without any basis at law to breach the fundamental right of expression of a family protesting the brutal premeditated murder of their wife and mother.

We then had the landmark decree by a magistrate who acceded to Repubblika’s request for a criminal inquiry in connection with the €1 billion hospitals privatisation deeds and the possible criminal involvement of three ministers therein.

The three ministers, together with a person cheek by jowl with the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, are to be investigated for money laundering, fraud, criminal conspiracy and forming part of a criminal organisation.

At the time of writing, almost 60 days later, the criminal appeal filed by the three ministers and which, according to the law, had to be decided “urgently”, is still pending.

Some days later, we were regaled with another story of the largesse being gobbled by the pigs at the Malta Financial Services Authority trough. It led Repubblika to ask the National Audit Office to investigate the re-employmentof an MFSA top official who got an early retirement package of much more than €150,000, only to be re-employed with an offshoot entity within weeks with much lesser responsibilities.

Then we got to know that the PM’s chief of staff went from a declared local bank balance of less than €50,000 in 2010 to over €850,000 held through an offshore company with a local investment account in the space of just five years. And as Mr Schembri’s personal fortunes were on the increase, the umbrella company behind his local business started declaring losses.

The mould has infiltrated all echelons of this government

This is a country where the abuse of copious amounts of personal data is being sanctioned by the government. For several months, we observed scores of cameras being installed in many areas. The government did not utter one word.

Then, a week after I started tabling parliamentary questions on this matter at the end of August, two ministers quickly organised a Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony between Transport Malta and the police.

The Data Protection Commissioner declared he was not consulted. Experts in IT law said that the MoU is likely to be in breach of the law.

As Benjamin Franklin said: “Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one. He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither.”

Then, as expected, Moneyval gave Malta a scathing and damning assessment, finding gaping chasms in the fight against financial crime. Malta risks being blacklisted, with thousands of jobs in jeopardy, simply due to the impunity being enjoyed by the Panama gang.

What is terribly weird is the fact that the government awarded two promotions in under four years to the police head of the much maligned Economic Crimes Unit when his unit was identified as one of the key weaknesses in the investigation and prosecution process. What did he get the promotions for? The reward for being the gatekeeper for the Panama gang.

Much more went on during this summer of misrule.

We saw the construction waste crisis due to the government’s lack of foresight and serious planning. The cost of inert waste dumping doubled. We saw millions of euro in direct orders to avoid transparent public tenders and an equal playing field. We saw a proposed abusive rent law breaching fundamental human rights. We saw the sham Santa Luċija planning process to uproot 800 mature trees.

We saw the destruction of 50,000 square metres of agricultural land and the uprooting of 500 trees in the Central Link project. We saw the government riding roughshod over law and civil society.

The premature opening of €10 million MUŻA national arts museum against expert advice was blamed for the mould outbreak which led to the removal of more than 100 paintings. 

Indeed, the mould has infiltrated all echelons of this government.

Jason Azzopardi is Shadow Minister for the Environment.