Ten years ago, then Opposition leader Joseph Muscat, in his first major speech since becoming a Member of Parliament, described Labour Party’s vision for the future as ensuring Malta being the best in Europe.
A decade later, all we see are sky-high buildings, cranes as far as the eye can see, old and beautiful structures demolished and replaced by doll houses, traffic jams everywhere, nowhere to park, open spaces eliminated to make way for buildings and foreign workers who cannot utter a word in Maltese in all shops and establishments, not to mention the corruption and criminality that is the order of the day.
Muscat also expressed his belief that Malta wanted to achieve success that would be enjoyed by all. Ten years after, and although success has been achieved thanks to previous Nationalist administrations that had a vision for the future, unfortunately, today, this is enjoyed only by the few.
Malta’s economy is good but how come there are thousands who are still at risk of poverty? Every day, we read about people sleeping in cars, garages, in gardens or literally outside on the pavements because they cannot afford the high rent they are being asked to pay. The Church, although not at the receiving end from taxpayers, is offering shelters and soup kitchens
A decade ago, Muscat said Labour’s aims would be for an environment to be proud of, defend natural open spaces and follow sustainable development.
A simple question which is prudent to put to him as Malta’s Prime Minister would be whether today, after 10 years, he still believes the Maltese are proud of their environment and if the State is protecting our natural open spaces.
He also mentioned education. May he be reminded that we have just managed to avoid a general strike by teachers.
Muscat must have totally forgotten what he pontificated 10 years ago. I guess this is a timeframe too long for him to recall.
One last thing. Daphne Caruana Galizia’s brutal murder has just been commemorated. Someone wanted to silence her because what she wrote or said proved to be an obstacle to God knows who.
This is Malta today. Definitely worse. A few hours before her atrocious death, Caruana Galizia wrote in her blog: “The situation is desperate. There are crooks everywhere”.
How right she was!