Muscat says he’s the saviour of the economy. But his only testimonials are from retired dancers and PN rejects.

The hotelier Winston Zahra is under heavy fire from the Labour Party and its supporters for saying that on 3rd June, he and his family will vote for change.

The attacks on social media are not just spontaneous retaliation, but they also have a purpose: pour encourager les autres.

This is a warning by the Labour Party to other significant players in various sectors of the economy: don’t do the same or we’ll target you too.

It occurred to me this morning that this is a major weakness in Muscat’s campaign. While he bangs on about how he is the saviour of the economy (because he led the government that kept the Maltese economy steady post the 2008 financial crisis, no doubt…), and how it is essential that we vote for him on 3rd June “for continuity” (when continuity is exactly what people will be voting against), the reality is that the only testimonials he has managed to muster are from retired dancers on the state payroll and Nationalist Party rejects like John Bonello (who was turned down by the PN as a party candidate) and Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando.

Meanwhile, the financial and economic players are gathered in groups, talking among themselves of the disaster that will strike if Muscat and his henchmen – for it is no longer ‘Labour’ now, but josephmuscat.com – are re-elected to power.

Retired state-payroll dancer Felix Busuttil says he will vote for Muscat because he was able to marry his boyfriend. Tourism operator Winston Zahra says he will vote PN because the country can’t afford the disaster that will ensue if Muscat is returned to power. Whose opinion carries the greatest weight?

The fact that we all have the right to an opinion (together with the duty to make sure that opinion is informed), should not be confused with the other fact that some opinions are more valid than others.

Felix Busuttil: voting for Muscat because he could marry his boyfriend

Winston Zahra: voting against Muscat because economic disaster will ensue if he is re-elected, and threats to freedom of speech will intensify