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5.12.19 9 EDITORIAL BusinessToday is published every Thursday. The newspaper is a MediaToday publication and is distributed to all leading stationers, business and financial institutions and banks. MANAGING EDITOR: SAVIOUR BALZAN EDITOR: PAUL COCKS CONTRIBUTING JOURNALIST: MASSIMO COSTA BusinessToday, MediaToday, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN9016, Malta Newsroom email: bt@mediatoday.com.mt Advertising: afarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt Telephone: 00356 21 382741 B usiness and consumer confidence are crucial elements for a healthy econ- omy. Whenever confidence waned, investment and spending contracted. Malta experienced this between 2009 and 2013 when an already precarious situation as a result of the international recession was made worse by the political instability that hounded the Gonzi administration. Back then the problem was only partially induced by the administration's inability to function at will because its one-seat ma- jority was continuously under threat. Today, the country is facing a far worse predicament because the problem is com- pletely self-inflicted and concerns devel- opments that have implicated people in- side Castille in murder. e ongoing investigations and prosecu- tions linked to the Daphne Caruana Gal- izia murder have snowballed into a veri- table political crisis that has shocked the country and jammed the economy. e information filtering through is a serious indictment on Prime Minister Jo- seph Muscat's judiciousness in keeping Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi by his side three years ago when they were outed as having companies in Panama. With Schembri's name continuously cropping up in the Caruana Galizia as- sassination investigation, the red die of murder has been cast on the Office of the Prime Minister. In these circumstances the right thing to do would have been for Muscat to resign immediately. Stepping down now would put everyone's mind at rest that justice is not only done but seen to be done against all those involved in the murder without fear or favour. Muscat's obstinate decision to hang on for 42 days until 12 January has only made a precarious situation worse. e Prime Minister's decision not to step down has incensed a lot of people and only contributed to an environment where ten- sion and hostility are running high. Pro- tests have intensified and are unlikely to abate. Muscat must shoulder full political re- sponsibility by resigning immediately. It will go a long way to help the country come to terms with the seriousness of the situation. e ongoing political crisis has destabi- lised society and strained relationships. is is bad because it undermines the se- renity that is necessary for a country to function normally. But the crisis has also hit business hard. Shops in Valletta are reporting the worst start to the Christmas shopping season as people stay away from the capital to avoid getting caught up in protests. On a more macro level, investment deci- sions at boardroom level are being stalled until clarity and political stability return. In all this, the country's reputation abroad has taken a nose dive that will cer- tainly leave a lasting impact. It will not be long before this will start hurting the economy. Paradoxically, it will be the same government that has so care- fully curated the economy over the past six years to harm it. e dark cloud of murder hanging on this country's highest office is already se- rious enough to deal with. Muscat's con- tinued permanency in office is just making matters worse. A good leader knows when it is time to lead, when it is time to follow, and when it is time to move aside. Muscat has shown time and again that he is able to do the right thing. But at this point in time, he is neither leading, nor following. He is sitting on the proverbial fence until his party decides who should take over the reins of power. is is harming the country, society, individuals and the economy. Muscat is committing 'countrycide' and this is unfair on everyone. is leader joins the various constituted bodies, academics, individuals, and civil society in their call urging Muscat to step down immediately. Prime Minister it is time to take a decision. Do not commit 'countrycide'. Prime Minister do not commit 'countrycide'

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