This statement is what my father constantly drummed into my head ever since I can remember. It is a universal sign of honour that when you promise to do something, you follow through.
Sadly but, perhaps, not unsurprisingly, we have learnt, again, that this dictum does not apply to the leading lights heading this government.
Joseph Muscat swore, promised and begged the electorate to believe that his pie-in-the-sky project, an additional power station, would, absolutely, 100 per cent, be up and running by March 2015.
Instead, we have a situation where, with six months left until his self-imposed deadline, ground has not yet been broken, the full risk assessments have not been carried out and, finally, we have an admission by the government that the project will be delayed.
No clear time frame for its completion has been given.
The Labour Party was elected in a large part thanks to their constant, ad nauseam insistence that they could be trusted to see this project through. That they would deliver on time and within budget.
We knew Muscat could not be trusted. His track record had been a constant stream of opportunistic, self-serving moves.
In Opposition, he would irresponsibly promise the earth. In government, he could not deliver.
Muscat and Konrad Mizzi gave press conference after press conference insisting that their plan to have this power station up and running by March 2015 was not only doable but essential for the country to have it by then. How can we forget the shrieks of “shame on you” every time someone mentioned that two years was not possibly enough time for a project of this magnitude to get off the ground?
Muscat smirked his way through campaign event after campaign event dismissing all contrary views. He went as far as to point out a family who had been stricken by ill-health to ram home his point that he was the saviour who would deliver them a new power station within 24 months of his new Labour government.
Joseph Muscat says one thing, does exactly the opposite and then hands the bill to the taxpayer
He ignored scientific reports (that dismissed his claims as scaremongering with no basis) and when the questions became too tough he promised to resign if the project was not ready on time.
He reaffirmed his pledge to resign even after becoming Prime Minister a couple of months before the European Parliament elections. Will he? Of course, not. He has broken his word on so many other issues that it is easy to predict that he will simply shrug his shoulders and try to find some way to try to blame it on the previous administration. Labour has failed but their admission that Tonio Fenech was right will come as no comfort.
Meanwhile, the people of Marsaxlokk and the south of the island are left praying that when the Prime Minister’s project will finally take off, and a massive gas tanker is permanently berthed in the picturesque bay, we are spared the sort of weather we have witnessed lately that caused havoc in the Freeport and across the country.
In an effort to repair his broken bond, Muscat has now claimed he will cut the price of electricity in March 2015 even without a new power station being built.
It is a new pledge to replace his last one, with the money, as always, coming out of our taxes.
It is typical of Muscat’s style of governance. Say one thing, do exactly the opposite and hand the bill to the taxpayer.
Another day, another broken promise.
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