Lawrence Gonzi ignited the 2008 election campaign with two major pledges: to reduce the top rate of income tax from 35 per cent to 25 per cent, among other changes, and to reform the Malta Environment and Planning Authority. Responsibility for the latter would fall directly under the Prime Minister's wing.

The income tax proposal raised eyebrows, since a number of commentators saw it as one based more on political expediency (rabbit out of the hat) than on economic sense. Oil was already over $100 per barrel - more than it is today - and expected to balloon. And the world economy was in freefall with no parachute in sight.

Dr Gonzi countered this by packaging the move as the central part of economic stimulus measures. He said at the time: "We estimate that with this incentive we will boost the economy so that, by the second year of its implementation, the government would be pocketing more than what it would have pocketed had the measure not been implemented." He backed this up by saying that the tax cuts introduced in preceding budgets had had precisely that effect.

The Prime Minister also clearly gave the impression before the election that the tax cut would be implemented, in full, by the end of this year.

He told The Sunday Times in an interview on March 2, when asked when the measure would be introduced: "In the next Budget, by the end of 2008, I hope we will propose these measures."He also admitted in a post-election interview that this was the impression he had given: "Yes, the intention was (that)", though added at that point - since doubts had already surfaced weeks after the election - "if we get the economic figures right".

Now the public is being subjected to a maybe, maybe not tune from the government because, we are being told, circumstances have changed. The smart money is on maybe not. Truth is, of course, little has changed. The warning lights were flashing long before the election campaign began. If the government is to renege on this pledge, then it should do so as honourably as the circumstances permit: by telling the people that it had at best, miscalculated - at worst misled them - when it made such a bold electoral promise.

The Prime Minister also said in recent days that the government is planning to announce details on the reform of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority by the end of the year. The only surprising element of this statement is that it made news, since this was the other central Nationalist Party pillar during the election campaign.

Everyone agreed there was a problem with Mepa. Everyone agreed that the need for surgery was immediate. Yet six months have passed and the best the government can do is make an announcement about an announcement.

It would have been too much for the public to expect reforms to be implemented by now, but one would have expected the government to at least know, and communicate, what it is going to do with this controversial authority. Talking about sustainable development is all very well, but of paramount importance is ensuring the right structure is in place to eradicate the perception of injustice and corruption.

These two faltering pledges - taken with the broken, and unworkable according to some, electoral promise to appoint chairmen of public corporations after holding a public call for applications - reveal that the Prime Minister may be developing a credibility problem.

In addition to these two major policy statements, it is credibility that ultimately swayed a big enough portion of the electorate to vote for Dr Gonzi and by default the Nationalist Party.

While he has justified cause to celebrate the 44th year of Malta's independence, he would do well to bear this in mind.