Corruption exists in every country on earth. However, in Malta an exceptionally high level of Labour government corruption has terribly conditioned economic and political life.
Corruption appears out of control and flourishing, the motor that drives all high value, state-linked economic interventions.
So many state entities and institutions appear in the grip of complicity between predatory so-called businessmen, party fund raisers, conniving politicians and public sector officials.
It is a self-serving complicity that shamelessly fleeces taxpayers and destroys all notions of value, efficiency and decency in public affairs.
Corruption within a government administration was not born in 2013 but it looks like it was in that year that people in Labour fine-tuned corruption as an exceptionally lucrative activity and made it rampant at a national and international level.
Astonishingly, well over 50 per cent of citizens, probably through stupid egoism and lack of civic education, seem unperturbed by this dire situation. The indications are that these citizens are going to renew a mandate for continuity of this dismal state of affairs.
How and why is this so? Is there a section of enlightened Labourites that feels uncomfortable with this malfeasance?
In 1987, a number of enlightened Labourites, of a certain standard of education, rebelled against an unacceptable level of government corruption, violence and bad governance. The Labour Party, by a slim margin of 4,000 votes, was dispatched to the opposition benches.
Today, is it at all possible, given the 40,000-vote discrepancy, that this may repeat itself? Is there a significant number of discerning Labourites ready to spring a surprise on errant Labour leaders?
A feeling prevails that such an eventuality is remote. The tolerance level of malfeasance is extremely high within Labour and there is no noticeable sense of outrage at continuous and widespread misbehaviour.
Public assets are repeatedly sold at giveaway prices to robber entrepreneurs. So many opportunities, for illicit profit and gain, are being given to businessmen and professional people. There are innumerable instances of unchecked ministerial abuse and misbehaviour, with an ombudsman undermined, ignored and rendered ineffectual.
This corruptive, all-in-the-family gorging on taxpayer funds goes on endlessly with impunity.
This corruptive, all-in-the-family gorging on taxpayer funds goes on endlessly- Arthur Muscat
There is a limit as to how much a country can endure corruption and incompetent governance without serious repercussions. In such an environment, tragic aberrations occur, like an assassination, allegedly linked to a corrupt power station project. A greylisting occurs, endangering vital economic sectors, like financial services and gaming. Foreign direct investment starts to shy away from a dubious jurisdiction.
The Labour propaganda wheel never stops turning however. After so much waffle about a minimal negative effect of greylisting, a survey found that 46 per cent of foreign investors now believe Malta is an unattractive investment destination.
Perhaps Labour should seek some advice from Botswana on how to move out of greylisting.
In another worrying survey, 60 per cent of young Maltese prefer to live in another European country rather than in the “Future Malta” Labour is projecting.
Cheap get-rich-quick gimmicks, like selling EU passports, have short lives but do long-term damage to the reputation of a state. A shady national reputation undermines our relations within the EU.
When politics is practised in a dirty manner, so many worthy and decent citizens will shy away from involvement. The island is experiencing a freefall in good ethical and morality standards.
Despite its miniscule population, destiny thrust upon Malta the responsibilities of a fully-fledged nation. Periodically, under Labour administrations, Malta fails in these responsibilities.
Malta is projecting itself as a dysfunctional mini-community, unable to competently and honourably govern itself according to democratic standards expected from an EU state.
Unfortunately, in 2013, under the onslaught of a Labour election campaign, seemingly financed and advised by foreign bodies with a corruptive vested interest, a majority took the leap from a lukewarm Nationalist frying pan into an intense Labour fire.
It is incredible how this majority adapted to a shameful conduct of state affairs, even calling for an encore in 2017.
Has this majority irremediably lost all sense of decency and propriety that should govern public life or are there elements within that feel a change in direction is needed?
Dare we hope?