The result of Magistrate Aaron Bugeja’s Egrant inquiry will be debated for years to come. People’s points of reference have been overturned by the Nationalist Party’s handling of the results of the inquiry. It is important for the fog to now be cleared.

First if all, while doubts and uncertainties remain about the investigation, it is little use for the Opposition to start pursuing the Egrant story all over again. I recall that during the general election campaign last year, a recognition had set in early on that Egrant was not something that should be emphasised. It was foremost in people’s minds, but that resulted from the initial allegations doing their work in people’s psyche. Egrant was, however, removed from the Opposition’s vocabulary long ago, with a few exceptions.

The Pandora’s Box of Egrant had been opened, but it was not long the cornerstone of the electoral campaign. I note Labour supporters may be under a different impression, but to give an example, I doubt there was a single candidate who chose to contest that election based on Egrant. The negotiations for Forza Nazzjonali, and the formation of its vision, began long before, with Panama and the environmental issues which are still ongoing.

We must not forget that beyond even the Panama accounts, there are still numerous grounds for resignations to come from the government. We are now looking at a European Commission investigation into the Libyan medical visa scandal in the coming months.

Everything that formed the true foundation of the Opposition’s campaign against the government must not be undermined by association with Egrant. It is the government’s strategy to convince you otherwise. While journalists may continue investigating the results of the inquiry, the Opposition had already moved past Egrant long before.

Regardless, my first reaction to the inquiry was to distrust it. One gets the impression that the findings were presented in a rehearsed and strategic way to cause maximum damage. Between the conclusion of the full report and it being passed from the magistrate to the Attorney General to the Prime Minister and his staff, only a few days elapsed. One therefore wonders if anyone took the time to carefully read all of the magistrate’s 1,500 pages in those few days before rushing to comment. Or perhaps there was a great deal more pre-planning than we figure.

Distrust in our institutions arises from their inconsistency and the potential for collusion. The Prime Minister’s ability to appoint judges and most key positions in the country, including the Chief Justice and Police Commissioner, reduces their credibility. It is understandable people are hesitant to trust.

If the government seeks to uphold the rule of law, action must be taken on the other scandals and good governance pursued. With clientelism a fact, nobody should be fooled about what needs fixing. Independent institutions mean people will trust the results of inquiries. If there is nothing to hide, let us pursue good governance. We must ensure the rule of law. That is my message for the way forward.