A Valentine in Labour

Times are not good for the average thinking Labour voter. However much you feel Labour is in your blood, however much you feel that being Labour is part of your culture, what, or who, are you in love with this Valentine's day?

They do say love is blind, which means you could be enamoured of the partnership model. You are not sure what it means. You know it has not yet been negotiated or agreed, so technically it does not exist but it sort of looks good.

Pretty girls have been telling you on Super 1 that with partnership we can have heaven on earth in Malta as this allows us to decide things for ourselves.

Partnership may have sounded and looked all right on the first date with your loved one, but we have had years to get it right on our own. Do we, as a country, have this time? The truth is we still have to sort out our own problems but with membership you have some funds to help you out, a lot of expertise to tap into and, most important of all, a say in all future policies and decisions which affect Europe.

Not bad for a country with the population of an average European town! As an intelligent Labour voter, you know money is not everything, especially where love is concerned, but still we cannot manage without it, can we? Over Lm80 million over three years and another Lm30 million from Italy - this is what we will get after paying our own contribution. Who thinks nothing of this? The non-intelligent Labour Party, of course.

Times are difficult for the intelligent Labour voter because of the non-intelligent Labour Party. They would not let you be in love with the European dream because they say so. They would not let you be part of it even though all the other Labour-cum-socialist parties of Europe are in favour.

Do you do what Alfred Sant orders you to do or do you vote in favour of this country and its future, first by voting yes in the referendum and second by voting PN in the elections?

Once you were in love with the Labour dream. There was nothing wrong in that. As one poet told us, it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all!

But you do not need to go on losing. You do not need to pursue a love that will get you nowhere. A love that will close the doors on your future and your kids' and grandchildren's future for many years to come.

We Maltese are a great European mix. And there is no racism between us as a people, except some stupid political racism at election times. Well, apparently, if your skin is not whiter than white you want EU membership to try and prove you are European! The mind boggles. Love may be blind but are you really prepared to make a man who utters these things a prime minister?

As a country, we need Europe too. Take the Germans. They come here as tourists. German industry has invested heavily here.

The German ambassador has told us there would be more investment if we opt for membership.

What is Dr Sant's response and that of Joe Brincat? What do yesterday's men tell us? They remind us of German bombs!

Will Dr Sant also refuse money from the Italians because they were on the wrong side about 60 years ago!

And who on earth were Labour's bosom buddies when they were in government? The truth is that if you believe in a loving partnership, you would really want EU membership.

Do not let the Labour Party's mind games fool you! If you really love someone, or if someone is in love with you, this Valentine's day think about it. Do not let those who claim to have your interests at heart make a fool of you and of this country. The Labour Party is nobody's Valentine, especially if you think for yourself.

For this referendum and election, you have to forget about the colour of your skin(!), you have to forget about the colour of your blood, you have to finally relegate old Labour to the history books.