Summer is coming to a close and the heat will soon be a thing of the past but the political situation promises to be not just electrifying but super hot. Sadly and strangely, instead of calm and a better political life as we were promised by Labour Party exponents, we have had a fast deterioration of moral values in these three short years since Joseph Muscat took over the running of this gem of an island.

A gem it will remain even if Muscat seems to be doing everything to turn it into a hell. Because what can it be but hell if they who should know better are embroiled in scandals the like of which we had never encountered before?

To keep to the weather parallel, this year what we certainly need is rain but so far we have had a sad raining on us of scandals – actually a deluge of scandal after scandal.

Labour have been so consistent in their scandals that each one makes you forget the previous one; we are now reaching the worrying stage of having people accept wrongdoing as a way of life. This is the state of Malta right now and unless the rot stops quickly, this gem of an island will need plenty of polishing – and, as has always been the case, it will be the PN who will restore it to its pristine shine.

I don’t claim that the PN were just shine and no flaw. Life was not pure bliss when the PN were in power. But if anyone, of whatever colour, analyses the results achieved and the fabric of society during the time the PN were in power, the contrast between the PN and Labour is astonishing. Labour practically lose on all counts of the positive; it’s the PN which have always given the best impetus and best results in this country.

Because of the rampant and unchecked corruption or sniff of it, our financial sector is bound to suffer blows in the future which will be hard to live with

All the talk about the PN being doomsayers and negative is tied to this dilemma in our political sphere. The PN in power always rebuilds what Labour dismantles. It’s a story that has been repeated over a number of decades where the real positive results and effects were all PN-inspired. The PN in opposition are in duty bound to call out when the wrong decisions are being taken and when government officials – the topmost officials – are working more for their own personal gain than for the country.

Among all this chaos and disarray, Labour exponents scream out that the government has achieved great economic results. It is true that the country moves on and is in good shape. But all Labour has done is reap the rewards of what the PN built.

Thankfully, one way Labour have changed is that they have taken all the success stories of the PN, like tourism and the financial sector, and managed to keep them not just afloat but running smoothly.

Nothing new has been created by Labour; nothing developed, like the PN did in their years in power, for example the reinforcement  of a maritime hub, all the services sector especially the financial services one, the pharmaceutical and aviation industry.

Even if on the surface all seems glitzy, not all is fine at all in Malta. To start with, economic well-being is not something you can enjoy in a vacuum. Moral fibre politics, good governance, true custodianship of free enterprise and freedom of expression need to be given the utmost importance. Without them—or any of them—money, glitz and economic well-being mean nothing and are as hollow as the privilege of good food granted to a caged bird.

Governance and good values are what truly make us democratically endowed citizens. But even beyond this, our present material well-being comes at a high price. Because of the rampant and unchecked corruption or sniff of it, our financial sector is bound to suffer blows in the future which will be hard to live with.

The mad decision to give developers a carte blanche to build anywhere and haphazardly will oil the economy for a while but soon this development will be our own worst enemy and a possible millstone round our necks.

Even tourism, that area we all love to see flourishing and from which we all gain, will take a downward slide if the continuing rape of our country goes on unashamedly. Visitors to our country want to come and see our land, not a faceless jungle of cubicles all over the island.

Even if mistakes were committed in the past in this sector under the PN, development was well planned and sustainable. Developers were never allowed into the driving seat.

In due course, hopefully before long, the electorate will call on the PN to clear up the mess. And, as usual, the PN will deliver. But meanwhile Malta and those who really wish it well suffer.

Mario Rizzo Naudi is a Nationalist Party election candidate.

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