Bread and circuses

You wouldn't have to be the world's greatest cynic to see a bread-and-circuses psychology stamped all over recent government public events. Sure the bread may now be sliced and the circus without the chariot races but it's bread and circuses nonetheless: the old-age method used since ancient Roman times to maintain power and control, also to deflect attention from bad governance.

I imagine many of you said "My thoughts exactly" when you read this newspaper's leader last Tuesday about the €170,000 splashed on the inauguration of St George's Square: "a farce that ought to put to shame whoever thought of the idea in the first place." An expensive circus par excellence, to celebrate an open space.

Persons who, like me, visit people in their homes can notice how some have even refrained from putting up their Christmas lights this year. Others have decided that there will be no presents. And this is confirmed by the slow business reported by shops up to the time of writing this piece. One could thus notice the discrepancy between the government's largesse - funded by us - and the fact that some people have no choice but to remain in parsimony mode, waiting in trepidation for the next utility bills to arrive.

So what is the government's solution? Organise big shows and give big parties. Providing spectacle and throwing bread to the masses should distract the people's attention from their worries. The voice of those talking on bad governance such as the latest Auditor's report, also referred to in the above-mentioned leader of The Times, whereby the editor points at the "scandalous attitude in government service" and a "careless attitude about government finance", should be ignored. Or maybe not.

Look at how €40 million were squandered on the Fairmount contract. The minister had then told us that it was not up to him to enquire. It was not the same with the power station extension tender, though. There, the same minister said it was his duty to get involved where the government has a direct interest. The government then refuses to come clean on this contract in spite of all evidence that the tendering process has not been executed in the proper manner.

Think of the way in which, overnight, certain governance expenses will have to be borne by citizens, as in the Mepa case, for instance, which now has to finance all its operations from permits and licences according to the 2010 Budget.

In another area, people continue to pay - via exorbitant water and electricity bills - for the government's incompetence in tackling the Enemalta problem.

Look then at the social sector and how gambling shops have mushroomed all over the island without any regulation whatsoever, proving, in certain cases, to be the ruin of entire families. The government only moved to regulate this area lately when the big casino operators complained.

To compound matters, we had to also witness the Prime Minister absolve the Finance Minister of a blatant breach of the ministers' code of ethics.

No doubt also that a significant problem coming in the way of good governance stems from the energy and effort being expended by the Prime Minister and his close aides to keep the PN parliamentary group intact. In this context, good governance is given a seat even further back.

Again, to help us forget all this, the government resorts to the method of bread and circuses used by corrupt Roman emperors to calm the uneasy masses. For instance, PBS and Net television - being modern circus venues - are used to paint the rosiest pictures of new investment, new projects and new jobs, while the number of unemployed people keeps rising. This latter fact, though, is tactfully kept out of the spotlight otherwise the contradictions will be too glaring.

But where are we really? In Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index we have slid further down the list from previous years. Nevertheless, the government plods on insouciantly as though nothing is wrong.

Corruption obviously reflects badly on us as a country, on the inability of us all to provide a better life for all citizens. Circa 200AD, the poet and satirist Juvenal condemned Roman citizens for accepting bread and circuses instead of carrying out their duty of opposing corrupt emperors and policies that were weakening the Roman state.

Bread and circuses placated Roman voters through difficult times when their nation could no longer sustain itself. It seems we haven't changed much in all these centuries.

So, who needs pantomime for laughs when we have politics? Come to think of it, for some real and inexpensive fun where the actors aren't also honourable members of Parliament, do go and watch the panto at the national theatre, it's the one I may recommend as it is what I have seen yet. You will surely enjoy it and at the same time you will be encouraging some excellent young talent. Well done Masquerade.

I wish you all a healthy and happy 2010.

Dr Dalli is shadow minister for the public service and government investments.