Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1545920
JUST in case the apparatchiks at Labour Party headquar- ters have forgotten, their party has been in government since 2013. We say this because the party's reaction to the ongoing power cuts has been to blame the Nationalist ad- ministrations pre-2013 and accusing the Opposition of try- ing to score political brownie points. It is incredible that 13 years later, the party that has been accused of becoming part of the establishment by its former leader Alfred Sant, still blames the National- ists for today's ills. The rhetoric coming out of Mile End is not only insulting towards people's intelligence but evidence of a party that is becoming tone-deaf to the suffering caused by incessant power cuts. Why isn't the party acting as a watchdog on the executive to ensure minis- ters remain grounded and sensitive to the aspirations, concerns and frustrations of ordinary people? Energy Minister Miriam Dalli also sung from the same outdated hymn book, blaming the lack of invest- ment by previous Nationalist administrations for the current predicament. Who really cares what the Na- tionalist Party did or not do more than 13 years ago? If the Nationalist governments in the past failed to invest adequately in the distribution network, the Labour governments that came after 2013 had 13 full years to rectify the problem. Millions were invested in energy generation and the shift from heavy fuel oil to the cleaner gas—investments that were needed, even though they were tainted by corruption. But it was only in the last three years, after the 2023 summer from hell, that the government invested heavily in fixing the distribution network. Evidently, the investment has not been enough and more is required to cope with an ever-increasing demand, changing climatic conditions and population pressures. And it's not just about the cables buried underground or passing overhead; it's also about the having more distribution centres. It was left to the prime minister on Tuesday to dis- play some form of concern and make an unconditional apology for the repeated power cuts, at times lasting hours on end. The prime minister, who only recently told us that many are living comfortably and have a boat, realised that people expect the basics to be se- cured. People and businesses are not spoilt or entitled when they expect to have a stable and reliable electricity supply in 2026. Climate change does not help but it's not as if the summer heat has caught Malta by surprise. Indeed, Malta has always marketed the islands to tour- ists on the basis of its sun and sea. And we've long been warned by scientists that climate change will increas- ingly have more drastic consequences. Indeed, the man who piloted Labour to victory in 2013 once had the vision of turning Malta into Dubai. We almost got there on several counts, except elec- tricity reliability, it seems. The emirate has one of the world's most reliable power networks with the CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) saying that the country has less than one minute of electric- ity outages per customer annually. The last time we checked, the temperatures in Dubai averaged at 38° and over for five months straight. With Malta's tourism numbers pushing towards the five million mark; with a yearly net population increase of 14,000 as a result of foreign workers being brought here to fill gaps in an economy that continues to de- pend on construction, shopping malls and tourism; with government entities acting in silos, thus prevent- ing an efficient, coordinated approach to road works and the overhaul of public infrastructure; with a shift towards more electrification; it is more than evident that there has been no foresight to ensure that the country's basic public infrastructure has kept pace with change. Government ministers should not act surprised or with incredulity when angry and frustrated constitu- ents turn to them for solutions, or even blame them for having to endure stifling heat at home because of repeated electricity outages. The time to blame the Nationalists for current ills is long past; it's time for the Labour Party and its ministers to finally own up to their failings in ensuring this country has a reliable and secure energy network. Electricity outages and Labour's outdated 'Blame the Nationalists' hymn book maltatoday MaltaToday, MediaToday Co. Ltd, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 MANAGING EDITOR: SAVIOUR BALZAN EXECUTIVE EDITOR: KURT SANSONE DEPUTY PRINT EDITOR: LAURA CALLEJA Tel: (356) 21 382741-3, 21 382745-6 Website: www.maltatoday.com.mt E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt 11 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 22 JULY 2026 EDITORIAL The time to blame the Nationalists for current ills is long past; it's time for the Labour Party and its ministers to finally own up to their failings in ensuring this country has a reliable and secure energ y network