At this time of the year, countless people, including myself, take stock of our lives and see what needs to be planted, tweaked, pruned or even entirely yanked. Of course, I will not bore you with my own list because who needs to read about what I intend to change for this year (maybe to shut up)? So, I am dedicating my first column of 2022 to our Prime Minister Robert Abela and his imaginary list of New Year’s resolutions for this year.

I will read the Daphne Caruana Galizia public inquiry report.

You really should read more than just the polls, prime minister. The way you go about erm…governing the country gives us the impression that you haven’t read how your predecessor’s ‘culture of impunity’ led to Daphne’s assassination. Impunity is still rife in your government. You never fire anyone either found guilty of wrongdoing or of bringing their office in disrepute.

You just wait it out, most of the time at One, and when the miscreants do finally ‘resign’, you bleat about the ‘culture of change’. What change? The only change I can think of are the ones rattling in our pockets while your chums are allowed to continue to steal millions. Why don’t you want to be your own man? Or can’t you?

I will start implementing the board’s recommendations on the safety of journalists.

This country is going through the ongoing trauma of the assassination of a journalist who dared ask the questions. But you still won’t even contemplate reading the recommendations, let alone start implementing them. But, then, you haven’t even yet publicly acknowledged Daphne’s sacrifice by going to Bidnija, prime minister. You might not listen to us but haven’t Myriam Spiteri Debono’s memorable words on Victory Day struck a chord with you?

I will publish my tax returns.

Two days after Malta’s greylisting by the FATF on June 25, 2021, you went in overdrive to assure the country that Malta will “emerge stronger” by implementing the “necessary reforms”. The trick of leadership is when a leader puts his money where his mouth is. This might be an alien concept to you, prime minister, but how can we take you seriously about implementing these necessary reforms you speak of when you won’t even declare your earnings and assets?

I will stop my continuity government.

I ask you again, prime minister: don’t you want to be your own man? You are a man in your prime who has been given the privilege of leading the country. Imagine all the good you could do with the authority you have been given had you not been so beholden to the man who put you there. But your continuity manifesto is only dragging our country’s reputation further in the mud.

The lack of nabbing the big fish has brought about the unprecedented US sanctions on Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi and a close scrutiny of this country’s corruption probes. In simple English, no one believes that the police are seriously looking into financial crimes by powerful people. You know, this also includes your former boss. Weren’t you his special adviser?

No one believes that the police are seriously looking into financial crimes by powerful people- Alessandra Dee Crespo

I will wear a mask in public.

No one could have predicted the pandemic but every government worth its salt should follow the science and move to ensure the health of the nation over business considerations. Sure, I am not in the hot seat of power where real decisions are made but your undoing in this regard, prime minister, is the muddled messaging.

If you offer steady leadership that ensures that the wheels of the economy keep creaking on while, at the same time, empowering the people to take care of each other by your example, we would not have this white-knuckle, runaway situation on our hands. It always comes down to leadership at the end of the day, doesn’t it, prime minister?

I must stop pushing back migrants.

How do you sleep at night, prime minister, especially after refusing entry to starving, cold, desperate migrants caught between sea and sky? Why do you use your daughter for propaganda to open our hearts at Christmas time and then you close your heart to the plight of migrants? She is old enough to read and understand the cruel consequences of your decisions on the most vulnerable. The greatest lesson you could have taught her was that donating time and shelter in our ‘inn’ even if we’re really ‘full up’ would have been the greatest Christmas gift of all.

Bonus resolution: designer stubble does not suit everyone.

Why look like a crook on purpose, prime minister? Why advertise the fact that yours is also a government by crooks and for crooks?

In a nutshell, prime minister, all my suggestions can be crystallised into one resolution: to put the interests of the country over the narrow interests of your party and even your own.

Doing the right thing is seldom popular but it’ll be the making of you and the making of our country.

Dear reader, as to my resolutions, the one I will tell you about, is that from now on I will only sing songs of praise of the government. Joking! I can’t sing.

This is for my special admirer: I look forward to more of your poison pen letters. But do make an effort. I hate sloppy work. Maybe that should be your New Year’s resolution.

Alessandra Dee Crespo is vice president of Repubblika.