Over the last few years, political abuse of power has shaken the foundations of trust between the government and its citizens. Some would argue that no society is without corruption. In local society, nepotism, bribery, patronage and collusion are just some of the categories within the murky sphere of corruption that appears to be a bottomless pit.
That pit includes mega projects financed with taxpayers’ money under the Muscat administration, such as the Electrogas power station, the privatisation of three public hospitals and the refurbishment of St Vincent de Paul retirement home.
The public inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia and the reports of the National Audit Office lifted the lid on the extent to which government politicians, public officials and some of their business cronies abused power.
The country suffered from state capture that distorted the checks and balances which should form the basis of a genuinely democratic system of government.
The greylisting of the country has humiliated those citizens who believe in the value of integrity in public life. It remains to be seen to what extent this international condemnation of Malta, the result of lack of sufficient action to curb abuse of power, will affect investment and how this will impact on growth and jobs over the next few years.
The fight against corruption and the promotion of integrity in public life requires determined efforts to overcome vested interests. Many people are understandably surprised at how a large section of the population fatalistically accept that corruption is inevitable and appear not to be unduly worried that the political will to promote integrity in public life is so weak.
If unchecked, corruption can take over and destroy a democratic system. Once established, it quickly spreads deep roots and contaminates the whole edifice of government; corruption breeds rapidly.
It is only, perhaps, when widespread dissatisfaction with corruption and cronyism reaches boiling point that the political rewards of addressing this disease will exceed the costs of upsetting the vested interests.
Economic realities can change, as they invariably do over time. People will then ask why their political leaders have been more focused on their own interests than on the common good; why so much taxpayer money has been squandered to fill private pockets instead of promoting ordinary citizens’ well-being.
To fight corruption and promote integrity, the country needs statesmen who look beyond what is suitable for the party they lead and, by extension, their personal political careers. Corruption is elusive because it tends to take place away from the public gaze and it thrives on weak leadership at both the political and institutional levels.
While Malta’s worst phase of abuse of power may be behind us – thanks in part to the local and international institutions whose pressure forces the government to act – there is much unfinished work to promote honesty in public life. Too many politicians and public officials connected with scandal remain active in various sectors. The prime minister justifies this obstacle to good governance by his strategy of continuity in the way his predecessor ran the country.
The coming years will be tough for most countries trying to recover from the economic disruption caused by COVID. Sacrifices will need to be made by all citizens to restore public finances. This can only be achieved by a new social contract based on fairness for all.
The public’s mood could change if it is realised that corruption perpetuates inequality and lack of opportunity. Social progress and sustainable change can only be achieved if the goal of achieving a higher level of integrity in public life is pursued more intensely.