Abela's Disturbing Betrayal of the People

In a world where optics matter, the actions of Robert Abela, the Prime Minister of Malta, should raise serious concerns. Even in absolute monarchies, oil-rich nations, or corrupt regimes, his behavior this week would be seen as problematic.

The bitter irony of Abela's hollow slogan, "Robert Abela Qalb in-Nies", was not lost on social media commenters. As he proudly displayed his so-called accomplishments, the truth behind his words became apparent.

A 20-year-old worker, who had cast his vote for Robert Abela's government, tragically lost his life just ten minutes into his workday due to the callous disregard of the capitalists who employed him. These capitalists, closely connected to a government that protects their interests, freely exploit public land while neglecting the safety of their laborers. Despite calls for an inquiry to establish new rules and protect workers from life-threatening risks, the government remains indifferent.

This betrayal cuts deep on multiple levels. It betrays the victim directly, who placed his trust in a political movement that he believed would stand up for him against his abusive employers. It betrays all the voiceless laborers risking their lives on precarious construction sites, hoping that their government would ensure their safety. Instead, they discover that the government looks away, leaving them vulnerable. Moreover, it betrays the public, who naively believed they lived in a democracy but have now awakened to the reality of a country governed by a small group of greedy individuals for whom the law is merely optional.

Robert Abela callously ignored the cries of Jean Paul Sofia's family as they voiced their grief in Parliament. Emerging from the building, he displayed no remorse, offering them no words of solace. Instead, he used his power to grant public land to the Fortina owners, even though they had illegally obtained it. This action epitomizes the way things work in Malta for those who financially support the ruling Labour Party: take what you want, and Abela will ensure Parliament gives it to you.

Simultaneously, Abela ordered Parliament to deny Jean Paul Sofia's family a modest request for the truth about their son's death. They were not seeking public land or endorsing any illegal actions. All they desired was an inquiry into their son's tragic passing. But their son did not own hotels; he was just a voter who didn't financially support the Labour Party.

That same evening, Abela hosted a lavish party in Girgenti, a concert celebrating his self-proclaimed achievements of the day. Granting public land to millionaire favorites? Check. Denying an inquiry into the death of a laborer on land stolen by criminals? Check.

And then, just yesterday, Abela was seen leaving the country he is supposed to lead on a 50-foot boat. Sitting on the flybridge, his backward-turned white baseball cap reminiscent of an early Spike Lee gangster, he displayed a sense of entitlement.

Abela's self-appointed role as his own PR advisor is evident. There was a time when socialism was associated with a politics of envy, when the working class mobilized against the wealthy elites they resented for their unearned wealth. Now, however, the leadership of the Labour Party cynically mocks its own supporters with their unexplained and undeserved wealth, which can only be attributed to their murderous friendships with wealthy benefactors. The Labour Party has become the party of the rich, siding with those who finance their campaign against those who vote for them. They rely on loyal followers who were born into supporting the Labour Party but have forgotten its original purpose. These supporters emerge on social media, applauding the prime minister's "well-deserved" holiday on a boat they could never afford. They cheer him on as he sails away, leaving them with nothing but the stench of diesel and the remnants of his insatiable greed.

That backward-turned baseball cap might as well be a grotesquely curled and powdered Versailles wig from the nineteenth century, symbolizing the completely unjustified self-confidence of a dying regime detached from reality.

Robert Abela epitomizes a dangerous combination of cluelessness and callousness. He remains cold, detached, and disengaged. When they said "Robert Abela Qalb in-Nies", they never specified which people. Certainly not Jean Paul Sofia. And certainly not you.