Just for a moment, let’s leave aside the ludicrous cost of transporting the Prime Minister’s bloated contingent for the recent UN bash in New York.
Let’s also leave aside the hotel and expenses bill that this circus incurred (bills that will, no doubt never be made public).
Let’s even forget the publicity apparatus (apparatchiks) that surrounded the PM and other Ministers in order to pump up their images and their egos.
Finally, let’s ignore the posse of hangers-on who ‘graced’ Malta’s presence in New York.
But let us not for one minute forget the speech delivered by Malta’s Prime Minister at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly on September 22nd, 2022. This speech was by the Prime Minister of a state that likes to tell itself "it punches above its weight" in the wider world. The speech was delivered at the premier forum for international politics worldwide – the United Nations.
It was, as was reported in Malta, an important speech. In effect, it offered a window into key components of the character, substance and values of Malta and its people today. It represented nothing less than Malta doing a star turn on the world stage.
Despite this, it was probably one of the most superficial, dishonest, and frankly insulting speeches delivered internationally by a senior Maltese figure for many a long day. It was an insult not just to those suffering worldwide or to the UN itself or to those who represent Malta internationally but most importantly of all, it was a calculated insult to all genuine Maltese people. Carefully reading the speech can lead to no other conclusion.
Overall, the sentiments, values and focus in the PM’s speech belie the policies and behaviours of the regime of which he is the head. It comprehensively revealed the chasm that exists between what this government says and what it actually does. And it did this on a world stage.
Malta and the Maltese are infinitely better than that speech would suggest.
Malta’s Prime Minister informed the General Assembly that "keeping security, sustainability, and social justice" at the very heart of "our efforts" were the priorities. In asserting this, he knew he was mocking all Maltese who seek even the most basic of standards on such issues in the policies and behaviours of his government.
He presides over a regime that not only ignores principles of social security, sustainability, and social justice but which actively undermines them legally, administratively, economically, environmentally and morally. Yet he sanctimoniously intones these value priorities at the UN knowing that many in that hall were fully conversant with Malta’s track actual record.
Never shy to take credit where it is not due, the PM stated that in Malta's case, "we took calculated strategic decisions to support and stand behind our people all the way in the best possible manner." All recent surveys of Maltese public opinion illustrate that a majority of the public question this assertion and are unhappy (routinely extremely so) with the government’s behaviour on, for example the country’s environment, especially its built environment.
The PM spoke about making our economies (sadly, not our societies) "future ready". In particular, he zeroed in on oceans and water. On the former, he assured the UN that the "safeguarding" of our oceans is another government priority as is water management (where, believe it or not) Malta is a model for addressing the world’s future needs. A cursory review of government policy and behaviour on both water and ocean management and protection would find it hard to note any evidence of "safeguarding."
In one of the most nauseating and dishonest passages of his speech, the PM referred to "our brothers and sisters in Northern Africa, particularly those in Libya". For anyone from Malta’s current political regime, least of all its leader to speak of African "brothers and sisters" requires the suspension of all ethics and of all truth.
There are few expletives that can capture the depth of this insincerity. Malta’s track record on these "brothers and sisters" in the surrounding seas can only be described as lacking in even the most basic humanity. Better than anyone else, the PM knows this and yet he chose to speak as he did in New York.
Having outlined the threat that climate change represents (particularly to small islands), the PM piled on the hypocrisies, the PM intoned that in order to "focus on our green objectives. It is imperative … we avoid any temptation to put climate on the backburner." His government is hallmarked domestically (even by many of its own supporters) as having one dominant ideology and practice on environment and climate change – the two-fingered ideology.
In concluding his remarks, the Maltese PM referred to his daughter who he said had asked him to convey a simple message to world leaders. Her request was - "I would like the world leaders to be an example to us children and leave behind a beautiful Earth."
Well, they do say role models begin at home – perhaps his daughter might discuss this with him directly.