Holding an independent public inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia “would obstruct the course of justice”. That was Labour’s lame excuse in 2017 until growing international pressure led them to finally backtrack and cave in.

The conclusions reached by that inquiry surprised nobody. It confirmed that her murder was the political responsibility of an administration which had failed to protect the journalist and which had created a climate of impunity for those who ordered and paid for her death. 

A young man of 20 years was killed three months ago when visiting a building site on public property, in the possession of two developers who are both facing serious criminal allegations in court on unrelated matters.

When the faulty cowboy construction reached a 40-foot height, it suddenly gave way and fell to the ground crushing Jean Paul Sofia. 

Some suspect an association to people in power. The boy’s parents want answers that only an independent inquiry can establish. Robert Abela says no way. He is still reeling from the Bernice Cassar murder inquiry, which confirmed a negligent lack of resources of the domestic violence unit.  

He repeats the mantra that holding one “would obstruct the course of justice”. By that he means that a quick magisterial inquiry might bury the issue in the same way the collapsing bricks buried Jean Paul.

Because avoiding responsibility is Labour’s art form. They even avoid journalists. They have a mental list of non-replies, which they have learnt from each other over the last decade that they have been in power.

The best one is first changing the subject when questioned and when the second question is put they spit out a “I’ve just answered you” (ġa weġibtek) as they make off.

Another favourite, when the issue is sticky hot and they are caught not knowing what to say, is the “I have nothing to add to my previous statement on the subject”. Of course, there is no previous statement. But it works because, by the time the journalist realises that he or she has been hoodwinked, the minister has escaped into his fancy ministerial car.

Labour have a mental list of non-replies which they have learnt from each other over the last decade that they have been in power- Eddie Aquilina

Then there is the “I refer you to what the prime minister has said on this matter” reply. It was repeated ad nauseam after the Depasquale Vitals judgment threw them into a dilemma of whether to be seen as still supporting this mega-million scam or to come halfway clean with mantras we have heard over and over again – “we are humble, we never said we are perfect, we will do better next time”. Owen Bonnici has perfected these lines.

The apex of their arrogance is the newly repeated promise that they will build the new Gozo public hospital.

This comes after a fraudulent loss of €390 million orchestrated over a period which experienced some four puppet police commissioners, three useless Labour deputy leaders and two brilliant prime ministers who told us for eight years running, at every budget speech, that we were getting “value for money under a real deal”.

Then there are the one word wonders which are repeated every day on the PBS news. Labour does not “spend” taxpayer money on their friends. Labour “invests” public funds in consultancies given out to family and friends and in projects for grateful entrepreneurs and in a public service dominated by persons of trust who do nothing but receive a salary to troll the internet during working hours.

And you worry about the doubling of the national debt? How silly you are. The future is bright. I assure you, you have been living in the best of times.