Ic-cuc Malti

Following yesterday’s news that a higher deficit was recorded in the September quarter of last year, today international credit rating agency Standard and Poor’s has downgraded Malta’s long-term rating.

Leaving aside the very ironic timing of the news – what, coming just hours after the PN launched their ‘Finanzi fis-sod’ billboards – Tonio Fenech has once again resorted to spin and hypocrisy.  According to Fenech this downgrading is the fault of the Opposition because it did not vote in favour of the budget he presented towards the end of 2012.

Fenech, as is his want, is blaming everyone and his brother for his own failures and crass incompetence.  Spin will get you nowhere Mr Fenech.  Never has any Opposition ever voted in favour of a budget presented by the Government of the day.  Didn’t one of your legion of consultants tell you as much?

Likewise, when Lawrence Gonzi stated that the budget would be a vote of confidence in the Government he was not re-inventing the wheel but stating something obvious.  This is because a budget is what is known as a money bill, and is per se a vote of confidence.

Now how could any Opposition member in his right senses vote for the budget and say he or she has confidence in the Government of which you formed part?  The Government, please note, which fell because of its inability to pass the budget presented as it could not muster the required parliamentary majority for the budget (and ergo the vote of confidence) to pass.

To further show how hypocritical Fenech is being, consider this scenario:

a)      The Labour Party is voted into government on 9 March; and

b)      Tonio Fenech is re-elected to Parliament – whether as PN leader (God help us all) or as an MP.

So from Fenech’s words, come October/November 2013 Fenech will vote in favour of the budget presented by the Labour Government of the day.  If he is willing to do so, he should say this clearly and unequivocally so that when the day of the vote arrives the people will be able to judge whether he stays true to his word or not.

Will Fenech take up this challenge?  For some reason I have my doubts.  Consistency was never his strong point any way.

Will Xarabank or Gonzi+ dedicate a whole programme to the negative outlook given by S&P or is Alan Bates a more important subject?

Marc