‘Strong economy’ also benefits district’s Christ the King statue, Bonett insists

The Labour government’s persistent narrative of a “strong economy” supposedly translating into more money in people’s pockets is increasingly being stretched to justify questionable uses of public funds.

The latest case involves Transport Minister Chris Bonett, who appeared in a government-produced social media video linking the restoration of a religious statue in Żejtun to the country’s economic performance.

Standing inside Zejtun’s parish church, with the statue of Christ the King behind him, Bonett explained how he had been approached by a Labour councillor from Żejtun to assist in financing the restoration.

Presenting himself as a decisive problem-solver, Bonett said he acted immediately to secure funds through the government’s Good Causes Fund.

“You can see that through a strong economy, these projects can also be done,” Bonett said, flanked by the Żejtun parish priest and the statue.

The video, produced using public resources, reflects a growing trend in Maltese politics where ministers are doubling as social media personalities, promoting constituency-level interventions that blur the line between governance and campaigning.

It remains unclear how much public money was allocated to the project, what vetting process was followed, and whether safeguards against abuse of public funds were properly observed.

The move seems to have caused friction among candidates contesting the same electoral district. Bonett, whose electoral base is traditionally associated with Paola rather than Żejtun, is seen by some colleagues as having used state-funded initiatives to extend his reach into areas beyond his core support.

The Shift previously reported that internal party surveys suggest Bonett is struggling to retain support, particularly amid ongoing criticism of the transport sector, which falls under his remit.