Most of our focus over the past weeks was on COVID-19, particularly on the health and economic impact of this pandemic. This is not to say we have forgotten about issues such as the crooked deals with Vitals, Electrogas and the Moneyval report.

Practically everyone is convinced the Vitals and Electrogas deals are steeped in corruption. The only reason why this moral conviction has not resulted in a criminal conviction is because the authorities, namely the police and attorney general, have so far failed to do their job. Despite damning evidence, the culprits are still at large. As a result of these deals, the country is losing out big time.

We, the taxpayers, are being fleeced. Because of the Electrogas deal we are paying a premium price for our gas supplies. Our loss is someone else’s gain. And that someone is still running around scot-free. The corrupt deal has also limited our ability as a nation to lower the price of electricity when the price of oil and gas is at a record low.

During the past weeks, the opposition and constituted bodies have implored the government to lower the utility prices to help households and businesses in this hour of need. The government has ignored these pleas because it lost its sovereignty on this issue.

Similarly, the Vitals contract has limited our options at a time where we needed increased flexibility. I have repeatedly stated that the Vitals deal was concocted to fail. It is a case study on how not to write a contract, especially a public procurement contract. And if the original contract itself was not bad enough, the government subsequently entered into side agreements that tilted the matter more in favour of the private contractor. The end result was that at a time when we needed all our health facilities to be in shipshape and up and running, we had three state hospitals in various states of disrepair.

At a time when we needed all our health facilities to be in shipshape, we have three state hospitals in various states of disrepair

Prime Minister Robert Abela said he does not have the time to concentrate on this issue. I say what is missing is not time but willingness. Abela knows the only option available to him is the one that we the Opposition and again, all social partners, have been harping on for years: rescind the contract and take legal action against the perpetrators of what is the biggest heist since independence.

Every day that passes, we are throwing away hundreds of thousands of euros, money that could be better spent on improving our response to the COVID-19 and helping our struggling businesses and employees.

Time is also running out for Malta to act on the Moneyval report. Last year, when Times of Malta ran a story about the Moneyval report, Minister Edward Scicluna assured us all the report was only in draft form and it was undergoing revisions to remove factual errors. He told us we should expect changes in conclusions and eventual recommendations.

Guess what? As expected, the draft report was subsequently approved by the Council of Europe and, as a result, Malta was provisionally placed on a blacklist. We have until this summer to address the long list of shortcomings to avoid facing permanent blacklisting.

The Opposition is asking the government to provide information on the state of affairs. The threat of blacklisting compounded by the economic recession is a doom scenario for Malta.

Malta can come out of the economic recession caused by COVID-19 relatively unscathed but we cannot do so if on top of the recession we will also have to deal with being blacklisted.

I recently met up with iGaming operators in Malta. Their shared concern is not the economic recession but the threat of blacklisting.

Like us, they are getting no feedback from the government. Recent media reports that the government at this late hour is seeking United States’ help to deal with this matter are disconcerting. It means precious time was lost. With the clock ticking, the government might find it has limited room to manoeuvre, especially if asked to give concessions on tax harmonisation or other issues that underpin our competitive edge.

The people deserve justice and they deserve answers. The government is reluctant to give both.

We are willing to stand side by side with the government to fight in the national interest.

Let us stand united in the interest of our people.

Adrian Delia, leader of the Opposition