For the Nationalist Party, the power station issue is not one of timeliness but timing. Before and after the last general election, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat repeatedly tied the reduction of energy tariffs with the commissioning of the new power plant.

He made it clear over and over again that the only way consumers and businesses could benefit from lower tariffs was if Malta invests in a new power plant.

Now, for reasons which the government has yet to explain, the construction of the power plant has been delayed. This means that every day beyond March 16 – the date set for the business tariff reduction – until the new plant is commissioned, Enemalta is set to lose hundreds of thousands of euros – per day.

The Prime Minister has said that the shortfall will not be raised through taxes.

But, typically of this government, he is offering little information about how this money is going to be raised.

Transparency is certainly not the hallmark of this government. Despite a pledge to do so, this government is yet to publish the contract signed with the Shanghai Electric Power Corporation. It has yet to publish the contract signed with Electrogas Malta Ltd, the company entrusted to build the new power station.

Just like the pledge of meritocracy and accountability, transparency has fallen out of favour with this government.

The Opposition is demanding answers. The people have a right to know who is going to finance the reduction in tariffs for businesses. The people have a right to know who and what led to the delay. The government super-fast-tracked the development planning application phase – even going so far as refusing to carry out a maritime impact study for the massive gas storage tanker that will be anchored in Marsaxlokk Bay.

If time was not of the essence, why weren’t all the studies carried out? Are we still in time to carry out these studies?

We maintained that this new power station is surplus to our country’s needs and that there are better ways to ensure a stable, secure and cost-efficient power generation. But the government has a mandate to carry it out.

We will respect that mandate as long as the government carries it out in the manner it promised to the people. This is not happening.

We will not allow this government to steer this country towards financial ruin

The government has already broken a number of promises.

It promised a 10-year deal on the price of gas. We are now told that the price was fixed for five years without being told what will happen after that.

This government promised to stop using heavy fuel oil to fire the BWSC plant. Nineteen months down the line the BWSC plant is still using heavy fuel oil.

Moreover, in an official document sent to the European Commission, the government described the BWSC plant as a clean energy plant. So much for it being a cancer factory.

Before the election, the Labour Party promised a land-based gas storage facility. After the election, the government opted for a monstrous floating gas storage tanker that will ruin the picturesque Marsaxlokk Bay.

Labour also promised not to privatise Enemalta but once elected sold off Enemalta shares and assets to Shanghai Electric Power Corporation, which is owned and controlled by the Chinese government.

The delay in the power station is therefore not the only promise broken by this Labour government.

The Opposition tabled a motion asking for a parliamentary debate on this debacle. The government’s energy plan is being closely monitored by the credit agencies. If they see this project veering off track they will not hesitate to downgrade Malta’s rating.

The European Commission, which is currently monitoring our public finances closely, is also following these developments.

Malta is already facing excessive deficit procedures and things could escalate if our national deficit and debt spiral upwards.

Seen on its own, a delay in a capital project is not a resigning matter. However a mistake that can cost the country tens of millions of euros is. A mistake that can impact negatively on the competitiveness of our country is not a matter one can or should shrug off.

The Opposition’s stand is a prudent but firm one. We respect government’s mandate and to a certain degree allow departures from the electoral programme. But we will not allow this government to steer this country towards financial ruin. We will not stand by while this government plays with the future of our country.

This country is blind as to when this project will start and finish.

Worse than that, this government has turned out to be a disappointing blind date – lots of promise with little delivery.

Mario de Marco is deputy leader of the Nationalist Party.