It is one year tomorrow since the country went to the polls to elect a new government. On balance, the Nationalist government has not done all that badly in its first year of this legislature, considering it appeared so unprepared for yet another victory after two consecutive wins, and taking into account also a collection of other factors, such as, for example, the ill-wind coming from the economic and industrial turbulence abroad. Unpreparedness showed in the long time it took to start tackling matters requiring attention and, most of all, in its handling of the revision of the water and energy rates. The unstable price of fuel before the outbreak of the economic downturn and a growing illegal immigration problem added to the difficulties.

Going for the removal of most of the energy subsidy at one go when the problem had been dragging on for so many years was a mistake, made worse by the uncoordinated manner in which the exercise was handled at all levels, right from the time it was launched, ostensibly to make people save on fuel. It antagonised the social partners, at least for a time, and turned a number of trade unions against it. More than this, it shifted national attention from matters that deserved greater consideration, such as the state of the economy.

Many times it was seen to be losing itself in rhetoric and dragging its feet as, for instance, in the case of the overdue reform of the planning authority and public transport, both of which have been sources of endless irritation. The rent reform is long overdue, too. On the other hand, its work to firmly ensconce the island in its place in the European Union stands out for singleness of purpose, a sharp contrast to the as yet hazy, sometimes over-materialistically-anchored membership concept as shared by some leading lights within the Labour Party. Murmurs of disquiet and unusual postures within the Nationalist Party may have been giving the party leader and the inner party machinery some uneasiness but it is a bit too early to come to any conclusion on this score.

The country now awaits the months ahead to see how the government tackles its finances and the growing impact of the recession on a swathe of the workforce whose job depends directly on orders for the goods they make or, as in the case of thousands of others, on the flow of tourists. Real bread-and-butter issues loom large on the horizon of these people.

Maybe not all the forecasts of a worsening situation ahead will hold out and it may very well be that the recession will be shorter than that predicted. Whatever the case, the agenda for the government is not short of problems. A recent national reform programme report highlighted no fewer than six challenges, foremost of which are fiscal consolidation and healthcare reform. The deficit for last year might have been due to one-off factors but balancing the books this year may require more than the money it will rake in from the sale of the different components that used to make up Malta Shipyards.

A strong point in the government's favour is the unbounded confidence Lawrence Gonzi and his government have in the country's ability to weather the storm. Much time and energy have been lost in the first year of this legislature on matters and controversies that could have been better deployed on useful work for the country.