A new beginning under Labour

At the next general election, the vast majority of Maltese citizens will be voting Labour. The Nationalist Party in government has shown that it is not fit to govern while the Malta Labour Party has proved itself to be Malta's only hope for a new beginning. The MLP victory at the polls will be nothing less than a victory by the people for the people. In more concrete terms, why vote Labour? Here are the reasons.

It is a fact that the number of corruption scandals that have come to light under the Lawrence Gonzi Administration is really worrying and unacceptable. This has led to a substantial number of well-known PN supporters leaving the party in disgust at the situation. Although the Prime Minister himself is not personally responsible for such a negative situation, he still has to carry the political responsibility for it.

Compare the vastly different situation under the 1996-98 Labour government. Not only have Alfred Sant and the MLP not been associated with the slightest hint of corruption when in power but this applies even throughout the period of his leadership of the MLP since 1992. The MLP has become synonymous with transparency in its dealings and with a sense of integrity in all it does.

The Gonzi Administration will also remain known for its inability to finish projects in time and without spending more than the budget allocated for each project. Overruns have become a negative characteristic of this government. Timeframes have not been respected and millions of euros have been overspent on several major projects.

Amazingly, however, despite such pervasive inefficiency, no minister has been forced to resign for reasons of incompetence. The Prime Minister has resisted all calls for a Cabinet reshuffle despite the glaring evidence of inefficiency, which is evident to all the Maltese people except the Prime Minister himself. On the contrary, the 1996-98 Labour government will be remembered for such major projects as the embellishment of Buġibba and the rehabilitation of the Chadwick Lakes, with full respect for timeframes and financial budgets.

With regard to foreign affairs, one cannot help noting that the Maltese government's relationship with the European Union has been too submissive, too docile. Take the question of irregular immigration as an example. On many occasions, Malta was reduced to the status of a beggar when seeking help on this issue. On many other matters, the Maltese government has been treated as a second-class member because of the weakness of the Gonzi Administration.

What a different picture when one surveys the work of the MLP members of the European Parliament! They have stood up to the EU whenever the interests of Malta and the Maltese were involved. Their successes in various areas, especially social issues and the environment, have earned them the respect not only of the Party of European Socialists (PES) but of all Members of the European Parliament.

Coming back to the domestic situation, the Nationalist Party in government is visibly disintegrating. The reason is that anarchy reigns in the country. Indeed, many citizens complain that it has come to a situation where everybody does as one pleases because the government is unable to enforce the law. Take the law on smoking in public places as an example. How many times have we read about people who are non-smokers going to restaurants and bars and being forced to endure other patrons smoking near them with the blessing of the owners in flagrant violation of the law?

I would like to appeal also to animal lovers. How long have you been taken for a ride by the European Union member country we still have such horrific cases of cruelty to animals in front of which the government remains Nationalist government on issues of animal welfare? How is it that in a almost totally impotent? What is the government doing about it? Just words, empty words!

Need I continue by mentioning the decision-making by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority? One is alarmed by the two weights, two measures apparent in certain Mepa decisions. The number of such controversial decisions are legion but, please, remind me, are not all citizens equal? Or are some more equal than others? The situation was quite different under Labour. Labour governed and was seen to govern! The 1996-98 Labour Administration tolerated no nonsense from anyone and treated all citizens as equal. There were no two weights, two measures used in dealing with citizens. Furthermore, laws were respected then. If you broke the law, you paid for it, no argument about it.

To conclude, Dr Gonzi as a leader of the country is a failure. Despite heavy sacrifices demanded from the people, the high cost of living has led to a decline in the quality of life of the vast majority of the Maltese. In addition to this, Dr Gonzi has failed to achieve the 4-6 per cent economic growth that will be the target of a future Labour government. Above all, he is a leader cut off from the people and who tries to fool you by introducing social measures in his very last budget to try and win your vote and then, when safely installed in government, he will be free to start piling the burdens upon you as he did before.

Dr Sant is made differently. He is a leader of calibre who always tells you the truth and never takes you for a ride. Respected by both Maltese citizens and European leaders, his record speaks for itself. Efficiency, accountability, transparency, integrity, respect for all Maltese citizens, strong government, firmness in foreign policy, these were the trademarks of the 1996-98 Labour government and will be the trademarks of the next Sant Administration.

If you love your country, vote Labour. In the future, you will be proud to say: I was one of those who helped build a better future for my country.