Guilt by omission

At every opportunity, Lawrence Gonzi and his Ministers resort to the quotation of statistics that seems to have become their only style of propaganda. It is their duty to give the people a clear picture of the state of the country. GonziPN will not admit its mistakes but an omission is often regarded as an admission of guilt.

Dr. Joseph Muscat yesterday mentioned several areas in which the government has failed badly. The Power Station extension was discussed and contested by the PL through all avenues possible. The BWSC scandal was defended by Austin Gatt with the full support of GonziPN’s collective responsibility. The Labour party had insisted that the choice of Heavy Fuel Oil over the use of Gas was a wrong decision, possibly motivated by personal interests. When the tender was awarded, people involved were found to have a conflict of interest. Now, GonziPN has issued a tender to study the possibility of converting the Power station to a gas firing one. This is what the PL has been saying all along but this is obviously omitted by GonziPN.

PN propaganda does not include the empty promises regarding our country’s economic situation. The Finance Minister insists that Malta is in a recession only in theory but he surely knows that his government has failed in controlling the deficit and the country’s debt position. We have been fed with all other statistics, but once again, GonziPN fails to present a clear picture to the nation. The government cannot omit the fact that its own projections, so loudly heralded, have gone completely off the mark. Yet GonziPN is guilty of not informing the people with the true state of affairs of the country.

The PL leader also mentioned the mysterious way in which the financial package of RCC was revealed. He mentioned the price control deficiencies of the government appointed bodies in respect of fuel prices. Once again, there was complete silence on these issues. The PN seems to use the DOI to issue Press Releases in favour of some actions but not when there is proof that government is wrong.

Nobody can accuse the government of having been involved in the Nicholas Azzopardi scandal, or the double murder on New Year’s Day. Nor can anyone accuse the Government of the treatment towards immigrants. However, the government has a duty to uncover the truth. Failure to do so would render the government guilty by omission.

The publication of certain documents by Wikileaks has forced the government to admit that certain facts were discussed behind the people’s backs. We have also learnt of the € 500 weekly increase to Government Ministers by chance, because the government omitted informing Parliament about it. If there were any need for further proof that GonziPN is guilty by omission this is it.