“Lying is simultaneously one of the symptoms and one of the causes of evil, one of the blossoms and one of the roots …As with any lie, the primary motive was (is) fear – M. Scott Peck, People of the Life

After a full year of a Labour Government, it is obvious to people that the utopia promised by Labour before the election was nothing more than a great con.

Indeed, life under Labour can be likened to living in a hall of mirrors where every image is distorted and nothing is as it seems. The much vaunted roadmap that was rammed down our collective throats on every conceivable occasion during the election campaign never existed in reality.

I am unable to meet anyone, of any political conviction, who believes that this government is following the principle ‘Malta Tagħna Lkoll’. Nonetheless, this line was repeatedly recited with such perfection that whoever came up with the deceptive slogan deserves to be nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars.

The problem is that it does not quite stop there. I have carried out an exercise and examined some of the main promises made by Labour in their electoral programme during the election campaign. Here are some of the findings.

We were told that a new government would be committed and focused on the creation of more work and work that you deserve. With unemployment reaching the abysmal figure of 7,800 persons, and with unemployment among young people reaching 15 per cent, we could not have been taken for a worse ride than this. Unemployment has been increasing since Labour took over.

And what about the commitment that every young person would be either studying, receiving some form of training or in suitable employment?

One more promise: “There will be a reduction in the cost of appointments made on boards of public bodies. Taxpayers and consumers will be given the right to directly elect their representative on the boards of public entities.” Ah, presumably appointing persons who appeared on billboards was the form of election that was promised.

“Medicine will be delivered to patients’ own residence” – if you have not managed to acquire medicine from the pharmacy of your choice or from the government hospital, it’s not because medicine is out of stock but because it is stacked in vans making their way to your residence.

Or consider this promise: “Enemalta will not be privatised.” Are any comments necessary? Not only has it been privatised, at least in part, but we are still being kept in the dark about the salient details.

It is almost inconceivable that in such a short time, Joseph Muscat’s government has lost all sense of shame

One more from Labour’s manifesto: “Since the Labour Party will be administering people’s money in the best way possible and diligently (bil-għaqal – sic), we would like everybody to benefit as a result.”

This must explain Labour MPs being given additional jobs, consultancies, including one to act as watchman over employees in Gozo, paying €13,000 a month to a minister’s wife, taking on board practically the entire Super One newsroom, sending ministry officials to meet people in Labour Party clubs, appointing Malta’s largest ever Cabinet and allowing ministers to appoint as many members of staff as they choose from outside the public service.

One more: “Malta does not belong to any politician or party.” That is why Australia Hall was donated back to the Labour Party despite a pending lawsuit. When young people over the Christmas holidays put a gift wrapper round the building to emphasise the point, Labour obliged – they removed the wrapper but kept the gift.

“You can disagree with us but you can work with us.” Read the footnote in small print – provided that you switch to our side. And what about what was not promised? A tanker the size of three combined football pitches with liquified gas at Marsaxlokk Bay. The sale of our passports. Vindictive transfers. Political interference in police matters. Offering an amnesty to 1,000 persons guilty of corruption. Changing the heads at the Armed Forces and in the Police Force. Mediocrity as a way of life. Forgetting to declare assets...

It is hard to witness all of the above and not feel a deep sense of loss and even apprehension at the shape of things to come. Indeed it is almost inconceivable that in such a short time, Joseph Muscat’s government has lost all sense of shame.

This government was elected through a strategy based on lies, deceit and hollow promises which means that like all fake things it will sooner rather than later wither.

Let us stand up to be counted in favour of the truth and values which we cherish. Your vote on the May 24 in the European Parliament elections can deliver a message in favour of the values of honesty and integrity.

Francis Zammit Dimech is a Nationalist Party candidate for the European Parliament election.

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