Determined to do the right thing

As a man who cares about my country I also have a vision of Malta in the future... a vision in which our island is a haven of peace, growth and prosperity, set against a backdrop of environmental harmony and political stability.

A Malta where our children grow up enjoying all the benefits of a safe, clean and healthy lifestyle, where our businesses thrive in the world's biggest single market and where our people live their lives to their fullest in a calm, secure and democratic society.

But this vision is not some unachievable Utopia conjured up by a daydreaming idealist. It is a vision which can, and most definitely will, become a reality.

History has taught us that, as a race, we Maltese are a determined lot. We have always been determined to stand up for our rights and equally determined to do what is best for our country and ourselves.

On Saturday we will find our determination pushed to new limits as we file into the election booths to pick out a direction for Malta and its future.

Yes, it would be easy to take this election at a simplistic level and reduce it to the basics of European Union membership. But while the EU is a vital and crucial part of this election, it is certainly not the only issue.

On April 12 we will be making choices about our futures in so many ways. Do we want a future based on financial stability or mismanagement of the economy? Do we want clear political direction or aimless wandering policies? Do we want environmental vision or environmental meltdown?

At the end of the day, politics is always about people and, over the past few weeks, I have made it my goal to meet as many members of the public as I possibly can to understand their feelings and obtain their views on the issues that matter to them.

The overwhelming feedback I get is that the people want a future with direction, supported by membership of the EU and with leaders that they can trust.

Now, at risk of stating the obvious, there is only one party who can guarantee that these three crucial criteria are met. And it is not the one being run into the ground by Alfred Sant.

As well as the benefit of experience, the Nationalist Party has another important advantage over the Opposition in that it has a goal - to make Malta the gem of the Mediterranean, a country that is the envy of its neighbours.

There is no doubt that our prospective EU membership will be a major stride towards the creation of the bright, new Malta. But it will need to be supported by a political will to see the dream become reality.

As a PN candidate, working hard hand-in-hand with the electorate, I have a unique insight into both the party and its supporters.

The distinct impression that I get is that the Nationalists, top to bottom, share this dream of making Malta the pride of the Mediterranean.

This is a party that is not focused on personal gain or political power, but on steely determination to do the best for the nation and its people.

The blend of the experienced politicians the party possesses, together with the new breed of energetic, go-getters standing for election this time round, should be more than enough to ensure that the overriding goal is achieved.

Out on the streets, one of the primary concerns amongst the public I have come across is the environment. Yes, people are concerned whether the economy will continue its current drive towards growth, but not at the expense of the environment.

The Nationalists have clear policies on this issue and have implemented a variety of different regulations, bodies and enforcement procedures over the past few terms in office.

But the good work has only just begun. There is a lot of room for improvement if our children and their children are to enjoy on a island that really is an environmental haven.

And that is why I am promising, here and now, to put the environment top of my agenda, to work tirelessly towards ensuring words are turned into actions and that plans move swiftly from the drawing board to the table of implementation.

Finally I want to ask you a question. Does Malta deserve Alfred Sant? Over the years we have had to put up with many testing times, both politically and socially, but the vast majority of those were externally imposed rather than self-inflicted.

Do we really believe that handing power to a man who promises to give tax holidays in a desperate attempt to buy votes is a sensible move?

Are we really confident that a man who walks out on an interview with The Times when the questions get tricky is the right person to be defending our nation's democracy?

That vision I was telling you about earlier. The one where Malta is a environmental haven brimming with prosperity and harmony?

Well, no matter how hard I try, I still can't find a place in it for Dr Sant.

On Saturday, a vote for Eddie Fenech Adami's team of go-getters will help make sure he can't sneak in and ruin it for all of us.

Dr Sant's latest promise - or should I call it a bribe? - to give the people a two-month tax break absolutely reeks of desperation. It isn't the promise of substance, but merely the last pained throes of a man without a mission.

Dr Mifsud is a Nationalist candidate for the ninth and tenth districts