In the referendum to join the EU in 2004, I voted wholeheartedly ‘yes’ in favour of the Nationalist Party’s agenda. Being the grandson of one of the founders of the Malta Labour Party, the philanthropist Robert Bencini, that was a very difficult decision for me to make. At the time, the Labour Party was campaigning against joining the EU.

So why did I act in that way?

Because I felt, that that was the best for my country.

My country’s future was my priority, not my political party preference!

I must make it clear that there are a number of very positive aspects that can be attributed to the present government. The main ones are getting us into the EU and improving most of the roads, which were in an awful state. Further, they embellished all roundabouts in these islands. These are very positive achievements. However, numerous occurrences during the long time that they have been in power have convinced me that I have to vote for the Labour Party first and, then, for Alternattiva Demokratika in the forthcoming imminent election.

My very calculated decision is based on the following:

a) The awful judges Arrigogate and Vellagate drugs-related corruption scandal instantly springs to mind. Those people who were supposed to be the epitome of role models for our society turned out to be the very opposite!

b) The Arrivagate shambles, which the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, made fun of on television, indicating that London got rid of those bendy bus monsters and sold them to a gullible Malta, with its already vastly congested roads!

c) The European Commission Dalligate scandal in Brussels, which put our tiny island’s name all over the world’s media… but, so sadly, for the wrong reasons.

d) The Farrugiagate oil scandal, which has been ongoing for over a year. George Farrugia has been given a presidential pardon for his admitted part in the massive fraud, yet, the court case has not been concluded. Nor will it definitely be before election day!

e) The ridiculously high electricity tariffs, which are the fourth highest in the EU.

f) In contrast, and to add insult to injury, the minimum wage in this country is one of the lowest within the eurozone.

g) The fact that Labour Party leader Joseph Muscat had the guts to admit he made a mistake with regard to the Safi club incident. Has any other Maltese politician ever admitted that s/he had made a wrong decision in the past? None, as far as I know.

h) Meritocracy has been virtually non-existent and nepotism has reigned supreme.

i) Accountability is a word that does not seem to exist in these islands, certainly not in these last 14 years, since I returned to my birthplace after having spent 27 years living and working abroad, working as a doctor in the British army, risking my life in numerous parts of the world and looking after soldiers and their families. I lived in an environment where accountability was the be-all and end-all.

There is a cancer of corruption of Apocalyptic proportions gripping these islands, eating away at the very fabric of our society. As a doctor with 45 years’ experience, I would like to see it eradicated.

I’m afraid that the time for a change of government is long overdue. Once that happens, there should be a rush of orgasmic delight flowing in these islands.