With remarkable energy and enthusiasm, Daphne Caruana Galizia writes almost daily to support the bid of the Alterra consortium for the Malta International Airport stake.

In principle, I am against privatisation of large entities that have monopoly status. Selling off vital service industries such as banks, utilities, waste recycling, postal services and the dockyards to private enterprise is a cheap way for the government to raise money and shed responsibility for managing them with competence.

It is rumoured that the EU insists on privatisation as one of Malta`s entry requirements. Although I am fully in favour of Malta`s membership in the EU, I am totally against EU policies that betray the philosophy of its founders, who linked the promotion of economic wellbeing with a strong commitment to social justice.

Unfortunately, with the connivance of major trade union leaders, our left-wing politicians have discredited social ownership. This could have been due to a combination of ineptitude, cupidity or just short-sighted power mongering.

It is well known that many of our state-run or parastatal enterprises had largely become fiefdoms of party hacks. It is therefore not surprising that under the false impression that taxpayers` money grows on trees, they were often run inefficiently.

On the other hand, the business ethics of giant multinationals and corporations do not inspire me with confidence. One questions if privatisation is inevitable. Will Malta`s long-term interests be safeguarded if a private consortium commands a monopoly of an essential service?

One hopes that as their communications consultant, in her crusading zeal for transparency, Ms Caruana Galizia will give us a detailed breakdown of the Lm3.5 million forked out by Alterra in its efforts to achieve preferential status.

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