A number of recent revelations and allegations involving politicians are continuing to undermine public faith in our political class.

The inclusion of two former ministers in Swiss Leaks, two reports by the Auditor General criticising the government – over the Café Premier deal and the hedging agreement with Socar – and the allegation that public funds were used for private construction works for a former Gozo minister’s constituents have all contributed to making people more sceptical about politicians.

Malta’s connection to Swiss Leaks involves two former Nationalist Cabinet ministers, Michael Falzon and Ninu Zammit, who admitted to secretly having had money in an HSBC bank account in Switzerland.

Although they ‘regularised’ their situation through government tax amnesties – which in themselves spark revulsion among honest taxpaying citizens – both men avoided paying tax and deliberately chose not to include these bank accounts in their ministerial declaration of assets.

The Auditor General’s report criticising the government over the Café Premier scandal is particularly damning and highlights a blatant case of bad governance, which is fast becoming a common trait of Joseph Muscat’s administration.

The report concluded there were various shortcomings in the government deal to buy back the public lease of the Valletta establishment for €4.2 million that “detract from the prudence expected” when undertaking disbursements of such magnitude.

The fact that a commission of €210,000 was paid in this deal, that Dr Muscat met with Café Premier director Mario Camilleri shortly before and after the election, and that the Land Department was not given charge of this deal, has only given rise more suspicion. The Prime Minister’s defence of this deal, in which many of his claims were proven to be untrue by the NAO report, has only made matters worse.

A second negative report by the NAO again highlighted the government’s record of bad governance when it expressed “reservations” over the extent of “ministerial direction” exercised in an oil hedging agreement sealed in April last year with the Azerbaijani company Socar Trading. This corporation happens to be part of the Electrogas consortium commissioned to build the new gas-fired power plant in Marsaxlokk; there have also been a number corruption allegations made against it.

The latest alleged scandal to emerge is the claim that Anthony Debono, the husband of former Nationalist Gozo minister Giovanna Debono – who worked in her ministry as head of the works department – had used public funds to carry out construction works for her constituents, free of charge.

Ms Debono has denied any wrongdoing and has said she is determined to prove her innocence, but this latest claim has nevertheless further dented people’s confidence in the political class.

Questions also need to be asked why in this particular case Ms Debono was not suspended from the PN. Even if one believes that details of this case were purposely leaked to the media to detract attention from the Café Premier affair, should these claims prove correct they would represent a shameful case of bad governance and nepotism.

It is to be hoped that both main political parties will use these episodes to strengthen their commitment to good governance and transparency.

The government, in particular, which was elected on such a platform, needs to move away from its “anything goes” mentality and become less amateurish in the way it administers the country. Anything less will only risk alienating citizens even more from the country’s political class.