Let me start by saying that I have full faith in the leadership qualities of Robert Abela. I think that he is doing a good job as prime minister and deserves the confidence and support of all Maltese.

However, it was his lot to face two enormous problems early in his leadership, which would tax the abilities of even the most able political leaders. The first was the COVID-19 pandemic, which problem Abela seems to have handled very well. The pandemic now seems to be under control and various government measures have helped to keep the economy strong and jobs protected.

However, Abela also inherited the leadership of a country which, notwithstanding the social and economic successes of the Joseph Muscat administration, was a shambolic failure in a number of other areas. I am referring to the much-criticised closeness between the government and big business, the destruction of the environment through a frenzy of construction and the failure in good governance, the rule of law and the fight against corruption.

Let me start with the previous Labour government’s closeness to big- business interests. It is a known fact that the former prime minister, Muscat, believed that it was absolutely necessary for a government to have a very close relationship with the world of business. In 2013, Labour was elected to power on the assumption that it would follow a ‘pro-business’ policy. There is nothing wrong with that. I am sure that all of us agree that every government should do its utmost to help the private sector which, after all, is the motor of the economy.

However, to help businesses is one thing, to put business interests before those of ordinary citizens is another. Unfortunately, this is what happened under the previous Muscat-led government. What worries me is that, to date, I have seen nothing that convinces me that such is no longer the case today.

Suffice to say that, interviewed recently by this newspaper, construction magnate Joseph Portelli unashamedly stated that he meets with politicians regularly before he plans large-scale projects and that he does this to speed up the process and to argue for his rights. He further stated that he also speaks to the opposition.

This is all wrong, of course. When a businessman meets with a politician to get his blessing for a large-scale project, he is short-circuiting the rights of all other citizens. He is using the political clout of big business, the power of money, to influence government decisions in an illegitimate manner.

Would the ordinary citizen be granted an interview with a politician to discuss something similar? Of course not! He would be referred to the proper public authorities on the subject. This closeness of the government to big business has to end once and for all. Abela has to embrace the challenge because most people are absolutely fed up with the obscene political power of businessmen.

Getting our country off the grey list as soon as possible is probably the most difficult of all the challenges faced by Robert Abela’s Labour government- Desmond Zammit Marmarà

The second big challenge that Abela faces is how to rein in the construction industry and stop the destruction of the Maltese environment. I was really happy to read in this newspaper what Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said in Gozo at a pre-Budget 2022 consultation meeting. The minister said that Malta must change its economic model to deprioritise construction and find new ways of generating growth that does not damage the environment.

Moreover, he stated that the upcoming Budget for 2022 will serve as the first step towards transitioning away from Malta’s construction-centric economic model. Furthermore, he said that improving education would be the key towards implementing such an important change.

People are sick and tired of the arrogance of the construction industry. Indeed, one is reminded of that famous line in George Orwell’s 1945 satirical, allegorical novella, Animal Farm: “All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.” Need I mention how the Maltese islands have been turned into one big construction site with dust and noise everywhere? Need I mention the green spaces that are being lost month after month? Need I mention the uglification of all our cities, towns and villages?

So many prominent people have criticised this maddening greed for money which is destroying our country’s environment and creating so much hardship for so many citizens. For instance, both the president and the archbishop have publicly spoken out about this big problem faced by our country. Abela, as Malta’s prime minister, must have the courage to overcome this daunting challenge. However, to do this, he has to take no nonsense from the Malta Developers Association (MDA).

We have already seen how the director-general of the MDA, Deborah Schembri, shamefully replied to the comments by the finance minister, trying to use the 40,000 families whose livelihood depends on the construction industry as a pawn in the game of political chess to try and checkmate the government into once again giving in to the developers’ demands.

Finally, I cannot omit mentioning Abela’s commitment towards the rule of law, good governance and the fight against corruption. Various reforms have already been initiated and the Labour government has even won the approval of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. However, more reforms are needed and they are needed at an accelerated pace.

Unfortunately, the shambolic events of the previous Muscat administration have meant that Malta has also been greylisted by the FATF. Getting our country off the grey list of the FATF as soon as possible is probably the most difficult of all the challenges faced by Abela’s Labour government. The toughest nut of all to crack will be proving that Malta is effectively and properly policing tax evasion and the ultimate owners of financial structures.

Will Abela succeed in overcoming all these very tough challenges? It remains to be seen but I have faith in him.