Glaring gap between parties

Why is it that whenever Labour is in government democracy receives great blows and knockouts?

Why is it that whenever Labour are trusted with managing the country, people and the opposition must turn to the courts for refuge and justice? Why?

During their term in office in the 1970s and 1980s they resorted to violence and intimidation and abused mercilessly of the only media at the time, state television. They burnt down the building of the Times of Malta when people were working inside it and ransacked the home of the leader of the opposition when the whole family was gathered inside.

They sucked the economy to death, ridiculed education, and, because they weren’t capable of creating jobs, they formed parastatal work forces like Id-Dejma and Il-Korp tal-Pijunieri (just to mention two of them). They inflated the parastatal wage bill with a whopping 8,000 people in a desperate attempt to win the 1987 elections. They were the authors of the greatest frame-up ever when they maliciously accused Pietru Pawl Busuttil of murdering the young and innocent Raymond Caruana.

Unbelievable!

Do you recall their short spell in government under the Sant administration when Labour nearly ruined Malta’s future by freezing Malta’s application to join the EU? 

And, now, they are robbing the country in a way that goes beyond belief and imagination. Their frenzy for quick financial gain and populistic measures has overheated the economy and overpopulated the country. The environment has been butchered with overdevelopment and overtourism. The state media has been raped in grand Putinistic style.

That is what the Labour Party can offer you. 

On the other hand, we have a Nationalist Party that gave life to Malta when it achieved independence and, from nothing, created an economy based on manufacture and tourism, with special emphasis on education. 

Back in power in 1987, it restored democracy without vengeance, liberalised the media, opened the doors of education wide open and made sure that it was accessible to everyone.

The government negotiated Malta’s entry into the EU and, with incredible smoothness, most of the laws were changed and adapted to conform to EU standards. Reforms were carried out in all sectors, particularly in taxation with the introduction of VAT.

Very few people realise that the introduction of VAT liberalised the market and paved the way for small and medium- sized businesses to flourish. Before the introduction of VAT, the market was controlled and import licences were in force. 

Imports were heavily taxed with very stiff duties. The introduction of VAT did away with all this and it literally opened the way for anyone to become a businessman. 

Because the country’s finances had been stabilised, we managed to introduce the euro only four years after joining the EU. An incredible feat which we take for granted. 

And, now, they are robbing the country in a way that goes beyond belief and imagination- Noel Muscat

The PN offers stability; on the other hand, Labour offers you greylisting.

Of course, problems and challenges will arise.

Of course, mistakes will be made.

Of course, it will not be a bed of roses. 

But it is one thing for a government to have to solve external problems like the financial crisis of 2018 and it is another thing when your own government conspires with strange and unknown foreigners to rob you of your state hospitals and to unashamedly donate €400 million of your own taxes to thieves.

It is one thing to face problems like those caused by the crisis in Libya and to successfully solve them; it is quite another to have a government that shamelessly abuses of state finances to pay incompetent fraudsters.

It is one thing to have a government that does not interfere with the rule of law and does all it can to safeguard it, and it is another thing to have a government that silences and quashes the rule of law.

A Nationalist government guarantees your freedom. 

A Nationalist government guarantees that social justice will be given utmost importance and that the state will not rob you.

A Nationalist government guarantees that education and health will be given the appropriate attention that they require.

A Nationalist government will work hard to restore and respect the environment.

A Nationalist government will push the economy in the right direction, aiming for quality rather than quantity.

A Nationalist government guarantees your right to redress injustices and to seek magisterial inquiries.

A Nationalist government will respect you.

The difference between the two parties is glaring.

The obvious is undeniable.

The choice is simple.

Noel Muscat

Noel Muscat is the mayor of Swieqi.