I have lost count of how many articles I wrote for this newspaper which, unfortunately, for some reason or another, did not make it to print. Well, I guess that in this exclusive type of democracy of ours it much depends upon whom you’re criticising rather what you’re actually criticising.

the spending power of the man in the street... has drastically declined- Robert Henry Bugeja

For some awkward reason, the way of doing things in Malta is never the same way as in other European countries. It seems that our norms come to be accordingly to what the opinion polls of the day are indicating rather to what in reality is needed.

If, to give an example, some statistical exercise shows that a small portion of our society is nearing or is actually in poverty, it will not be considered as grave just because some other opinion poll indicated that, on the other end, there is a good percentage of families travelling on holiday abroad. In the meantime, the former family type keeps suffering in silence, perhaps even resort to some illegal ways of making money in order to make ends meet.

Is this the way how to solve issues in our country or are we actually ignoring the main problem?

That is why I find it so dense when the average islander who reasons with an IQ of a sheep, happily accepts the argument that, in Malta, people, are living quite well because the pizza restaurants are packed over the weekend.

My God, is this really the way to assess the progress of a country? Surely not, says I. If, for the love of the Almighty, we came to the point that we cannot even afford a pizza over the weekend, then I would honestly ask myself: What did our country achieve from forming part of the European Union for the past eight years?

But the truth is that the spending power of the man in the street (and, of course, the families) has drastically declined. And worse than that is the fact that the standard of living of so many (used-to-be) middle class families has fallen. All this was surely not triggered by the international crisis, as this present government often tries hard to make us believe, but it is the result of an enormous waste of public funds coupled with crass maladministration without someone assuming one iota of responsibility.

I seriously question what was the true purpose of implementing a €100 million project at City Gate when families were with their backs against the wall trying hard to make ends meet. This especially when considering that the price of gas (not to mention also that of water and electricity) sky-rocketed during one of the coldest winters ever recorded in the Maltese islands. Is this truly the way a government understands the pains of the families?

I must not forget to mention the latest spending cut in the Inspire budget and other children-related organisations. This was a harsh government measure against those who serviced the needs of hundreds of Maltese families with children having special needs. If this measure were truly “so badly needed” because of a “three-year old financial crunch” and also due to an over inflated Budget plan, why did the Prime Minister give the nod to a €400,000 project on a bridge to nowhere in Valletta in the first place?

Shouldn’t the needs of families and their children have come first?

This is the sort of financial mismanagement and priority issue the opposition so rightly criticises this government about.

We are now going through a very delicate stage. The results of the latest local council elections showed clearly that the patience of the Maltese electorate has been stretched to its limits. This was the last click before the strike.

Which leads me to wonder why was a steel and concrete monument erected at this particular difficult moment in time. No matter how splendid it is, the people only see it as an ego-feeding exercise rather than meeting their needs.

The main aim of a party in government should always be sensitive to the people’s pains and needs and, more importantly, to act in time to ease such pain.

Nonetheless, the opposition today is by far much more sensitive to the people’s pains and needs than this government has been over the past four years. Trying to connect with the people during a final year in office just because of an upcoming general election is simply not on. This is perhaps the most conspicuous difference between the two main parties.

Editor’s note: A quick online search will show that 15 articles written by Mr Bugeja appeared on The Times since January 2011. There were two in January, one in February, one in March, two in April, two in June, one in August, one in September, one in November and two in December 2011 and one in January and one in March 2012.