A tale of two councils

The two political parties have just convened their major decision organs, the Nationalist general council and the Labour general conference.

There is no doubt that Labour's conference was the most waited for and even the most worthy of the people's attention. Labour had to resolve its self-created dilemmas to convince one and all within its ranks that, after all, the erstwhile hell had suddenly proved to be acceptable and, despite some difficulties, could be advantageous. The leadership had recognised the insidiousness of the motion by Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici which, though camouflaged by verbal skill, in fact meant "Get Malta out of the EU at the first opportunity". They knew there was a lot of sympathy for the motion. A substantial minority was reported to be in favour and were ready to defy the leadership. Fortunately for Labour and for Malta a compromise was reached and a showdown was averted at the eleventh hour. A weak, fractious Labour Party is definitely not needed, especially at this moment.

However, though indispensable in difficult times, a compromise is always a compromise. It always constitutes immediate relief at the time a crisis is averted. It gives the impression that everyone has won. But it frequently has the habit of haunting the parties to the compromise in the future. The very next day, Dr Mifsud Bonnici gave his own interpretation of the agreement, stressing that the party had bound itself not to mitigate the disadvantages of European Union membership but to eliminate them. It is more than likely, as has happened in the recent past, that the chinks will appear once more at the worst moment.

Not a little damage has already been done. With a deputy leader stating that he has embraced the European idea because he was fed up in opposition and the leader still believing that the partnership proposal is a better option, genuine pro-Europe Labourites are bound to ask themselves if Labour has truly been converted out of conviction or out of convenience. The question will be raised as to what Labour will do once it is in power. The compromise may still prove to have been a hotchpotch after all.

On the other hand, we had no great dilemmas to sort out. We are united behind the undisputed leader, the national leader. Our road map has long been delineated and decided upon. We have the added comfort that for the umpteenth instance the MLP has proved us right and followed in our steps after having opposed our policies for long years as a matter of principle, after having questioned our motives, frequently painted us as the enemies of our country and the workers and reviled us for our supposed recalcitrance. It will suffice to mention the great battles over commercial liberalisation, VAT and membership of the EU. What a waste of energy and time! No wonder the people proved us right in all national contests but one over the last 22 years. Unfortunately for Labour there are already public statements by Labour spokesmen and their lap dog that it is going to happen again.

Our task since the election was to prepare the country so that we will reap the greatest benefits from our membership of the EU. We worked hard at our task throughout the summer in silence, so much so that others believed we were dozing off in a prolonged siesta. Now that we are about to act decisively our critics are calling on us to slow our pace.

Our supposed summer somnolence has already started showing results. One of the thorniest and most protracted issues, the dockyard, has been resolved. Our plans for sustaining our excellent health system will be revealed in the budget. No great surprises. We have openly aired our views. We have listened and gone back to the drawing board. Our aim is not to destroy but to build, expand and sustain. We are laying anew socially just and sound financial foundations. Steeply escalating costs due to ever accelerating, spectacular but very costly breakthroughs in medical science and technology have eroded our old bases. We have given a pause to our pension reform but we hope to see it through in the coming year nonetheless. All these measures have the added bonus of helping to ease the government's financial deficit, another challenge which we are determined to overcome.

Our party's executive presented the councillors with a forward looking document stressing that last March was the beginning not the point of arrival, a tool not an end in itself. There was much further hard work ahead. The document was minutely combed in six workshops and 13 district meetings before culminating in the two plenary sessions. A total 50 hours of debate.

The councillors are aware of the difficult decisions ahead. They were fired by the closing speech of the Prime Minister who has once more shown his leadership qualities. It was not his age which showed but his energy, his capacity for hard work, his infectious enthusiasm, in short his unequalled leadership skills. No wonder that time and again the audience rose to its feet to applaud, to concur, to urge on. The speech was all substance. The call for a new social contract was nothing but a concrete rendition of his appeal for a new spring, which he is determined to usher in. He had already the dockyard example to prove that it was possible.

His determination is mirrored in all of us and illustrated in speeches by all ministers beginning with the Deputy Prime Minister on Friday and continuing on Sunday.

A break with the confrontational politics of the past! The determination to tackle deep-rooted problems! The determination to tackle national challenges in a novel way, in partnership with the social partners! This is the lasting significance of the general council.

Dr Deguara is Minister of Health.