When Prime Minister George Borg Olivier signed the instruments of independence, which sealed Malta’s sovereignty 56 years ago, a little nation at the centre of the Mediterranean finally become a nation state.
It was the first time Malta had wrestled its own destiny from the hands of colonial powers that for the entirety of recorded history ruled this island.
On Independence Day in 1964, Borg Olivier was conferred the Degree of Doctor Literature (Honoris Causa) by the Royal University of Malta. Fifty-five years later, in 2019, another prime minister, Joseph Muscat, was named the ‘Man of the Year in Organised Crime and Corruption’. What a contrast!
This is the struggle Malta is facing, brought about by her so-called nationals who betrayed all those who elected them to power in 2013 with the slogan ‘Malta Tagħna Lkoll’. Hardly had the ink of the results dried up that they embarked with a pre-planned programme to siphon off millions of euros in their Panama accounts. Corruption became the order of the day and, without any exception, all projects they commissioned were smeared with corruption.
The PN legacies which put Malta on the international spectrum are now threatened and we are rendering Malta to an island suffocating in laundered money and gradually losing the trust and confidence of other countries, especially within the EU.
The PN gave Malta its independent status and later succeeded in joining the European Union in 2004, a legacy which the present government is exploiting to satisfy their ever thirst for power and greed.
Way back in 1999, when Mid-Med Bank was taken over by HSBC, then Labour leader Alfred Sant labelled it a ‘betrayal of national interest’. Now Sant forgot his anti-EU tirades and is an MEP so he is in a better position to judge what the present government is doing for the national interest.
Labour will do anything in their power to get what they want- Adrian Delia
The Vitals Global Hospital is crucial and a court sitting of a case which I initiated was held this week. The government took away funds and land of the Maltese people and nothing is being done about it. This daylight robbery has to address the drain of €250,000 a day that are stolen from the taxpayers. The PN will not stop fighting the injustices caused by the government.
In the energy sector we are a complete failure despite promises from Labour MEPs and the government, so much so that Malta paid Estonia €2 million to reach renewable energy targets. This follows a further €1.4 million seven-year deal with Bulgaria covering years 2013 to 2020.
In justice, it’s the same situation. European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders described the situation as “extraordinary” after admitting that the European Commission may lower the recruitment standards for the EU public prosecutor’s office – because Malta is unable to find enough candidates. All other EU members have done so but Malta can only find two who they claim meet the job conditions which include making sure their “independence is beyond doubt”.
So, has corruption reached such a level that even the lawyers in Malta have become doubtful? The facts are that in Malta there are qualified people but this government is only seeking loyalists.
The Nationalist Party campaign will focus on education, infrastructure, pensioners, youths and a promising future.
Since leading the PN, hatred was not and will never be in my dictionary to the detriment of the people, while the PN will work hard for our independent corruption-free Malta.
I look forward to that day when we can celebrate true independence, not being dependent on fossil fuels, air pollution, polluting transport, above all, when we’ll be independent of corruption and succeed without resorting to a corrupt government. Last but not least, when we’ll have a growing economy independent of the importation of modern slaves.
We will never fail to protect and uphold these legacies which our ancestors through their hard work and sacrifice bestowed upon us.
Adrian Delia is Nationalist Party leader.