A swing across the board - Sant

Labour leader Alfred Sant yesterday described the result of the local elections as a resounding victory for the Malta Labour Party and a vote of no confidence in the Nationalist Party.

Speaking during a news conference at party headquarters in Hamrun, Dr Sant said that while three years ago the party had netted 48.5 per cent of the valid votes cast in the local elections this time it had scored 53.2 per cent. Poking fun at what the PN had called an intelligent strategy when it withdrew its candidates in Marsa and Zejtun, the Labour leader said that if elections had been held also at these localities, the MLP would have garnered 57 per cent of the vote on a national scale.

"There was a swing across the board in favour of the Labour Party. The party has managed to consolidate its majority in those councils where it had the majority.

"The most satisfying result was the one in Mellieha where the party had a relative majority in 2002 and on Saturday the majority went up to 55 per cent.

"The MLP has been gaining positive results consistently. Over the past year, the Labour Party has achieved success in the local council elections, the election for MEPs and then Saturday's victory," Dr Sant said.

He said the people had, with their vote, expressed their disillusionment in the PN because they had been keen to see that promises were honoured.

The people were fed up with the arrogance of the PN and its exponents. The PN, he argued, was not telling the people the truth.

Fielding questions by journalists, Dr Sant said the MLP would be putting forward a set of proposals on providing incentives to investors and the regeneration of certain areas such as Grand Harbour. Such proposals would in no way bind the party but would help to create dialogue and debate.

Asked about a comment by PN deputy leader Tonio Borg, who had said in analysing the result that people had "voted with their feet" by staying away from the polling booths, Dr Sant quipped that voters cast their ballots with both their hands and their feet. After all, it was the PN that had usurped the right to vote of 13,000 citizens in Marsa and Zejtun.

He noted that Public Broadcasting Services Ltd, the state TV station, had resorted to partisan tactics and manipulated the MLP's electoral message.

He highlighted the point, however, that he was in no way pointing fingers at the journalists working at PBS.

During a rally for party supporters in front of its headquarters in Hamrun in the afternoon, Dr Sant sounded a clear warning to the PN in government to make sure the next general election would be waged in a fair and just manner.

"I am convinced the next general election will be won by the Labour Party. But the time is ripe for the cards to be laid on the table and the election to be held in a just manner...

"Strict proportionality has to be adhered to. It is not fair for the PN to get five additional seats when it wins the election and the MLP to be three seats down when it wins.

"If their answer (to this call) is no, then let them come out and say it and we will do what needs to be done," Dr Sant said without giving details.

Referring to the feedback from families lamenting the lack of job opportunities for their children, Dr Sant said the MLP would ensure that all children would get a good education. "Without a proper education one would be walking down a blind alley," he said.