The new year has come in with somewhat of a big bang. Many issues have been raised or continue to be raised. To mention a few: the hike in fuel, energy and milk prices and the resultant Malta Council for Economic and Social Development meetings; the New Year’s Eve celebrations controversy between the Valletta and Floriana local councils; the lack of hospital space/beds; and the shoddy treatment meted out by cable TV service providers. The BWSC issue has not yet raised its ugly head again, although it still lies there festering and will undoubtedly come to the fore with the next meeting of the Public Accounts Committee.

To start, and finish, with the first. Ministers and MPs may have got their Christmas present with a backdated increase in remuneration but we consumers sure got our new year’s surprise with the increase in fuel and other energy prices. I do not think for a moment the government derived any pleasure in implementing these increases or that the blame for this can be placed at its door. Certainly, however, these (together with a relatively substantial increase in the price of a staple product like milk, to be followed by an increase in the price of bread I presume) will cause untold hardship to a lot of families and increase poverty. Luckily, the government did not have the courage to raise the already exorbitant water and electricity rates, although market and economic factors certainly indicate this should have been the case. That would have been the cherry on the heavy and soggy cake.

The world is what it is. The increase in the price of oil, which is effectively controlled by the OPEC cartel, which has decided not to increase production, and the terrible weather conditions in many producing countries on which the world is dependent, such as Australia, which is a leading supplier of cereals, have led to the inevitable prevailing situation.

Governments cannot dictate or even affect the prices of crude oil and cereals but they have a social obligation to help those who are most hard hit, through subsidies and other aid. This has been done in the past. We can go as far back as the aftermath of World War II when many staple consumables, like oil, bread, pasta and flour, were subsidised through the ration system. This went on for decades and I can clearly remember, as a young boy, going to the local grocer to collect these rations and taking an empty bottle to collect our share of oil. The market has been liberalised, and rightly so, and, as a result, these subsidies have been eliminated, some of them many years ago, the last I believe being bread (or gas?) and milk before.

What was caused by the war is now being caused by other factors and, within the limits laid down by the European Union, the government must intervene to assist its citizens once again. It is heartening to see that for once there is agreement between the social partners in the MCESD, particularly unions and employers, that something must be done in this regard. The decision has been postponed to March so as to enable certain exercises to be undertaken. But the $60 million question is where will the government get the necessary funds from. An increase in taxes? A reduction in social services? This will only increase the burden on the people and, at the very “best”, bring things back to square one.

Alternatively, we could have an increased national debt and fiscal deficit, both of which we are struggling to control and reduce. It is all a vicious circle. The solution? I don’t know and, quite frankly, I do not believe there is a wholesale one. That is why the opposition’s proposed street protest over the increase in energy prices cannot be described as anything but totally irresponsible.

While the social partners are in agreement on principle and are, thankfully, working hand in hand to help those in need, Joseph Muscat and his gang will be taking to the streets yet again. The purpose?

Certainly not to solve the universal grave problems but just as certainly to attempt to score some political points and this fairly and squarely against the national interest. This scope is so blatantly transparent I am sure all people of minimum intelligence will see through it this time round.