The choices ahead

Frank Psaila failed miserably (March 1) to soften the blows made by his fellow member in the executive of MZPN, Frank Zammit. Mr Zammit had disagreed with the PN's decision to disenfranchise the residents of the Zejtun and Marsa and bitterly criticised "That small PN core within the Nationalist Party who are playing short-lived games that go against the party's Christian democratic principles".

To do justice to the PN's defeatist attitude that "the people have no choice because it is PN or bust", Mr Psaila made a number of paradoxical statements for which reasons the disillusioned Nationalist supporters must not trust the MLP. In a paternalistic attitude, Mr Psaila suggests that "responsibility demands of us to behave in a given manner". He also accused the people that they are missing the wood for the trees. In other times when the Nationalists were winning their buzz phrase was that the people's opinion is supreme. Vox popoli vox dei.

During the 1971 general election campaign Labour were brandishing the slogan Malta Marida, Medicina Mintoff (Malta is sick and Mintoff is the medicine). Labour did not promise a bed of roses yet they won that election. Dom Mintoff found empty national coffers with no money to pay the worker's wages. During its years in government the Labour Party had to live through a bloodless revolution to change an economy wholly based on British military spending to a mixed economy. Fundamental restructuring was then inevitable. It is true, however, that some measures like the severe restrictions on imports and the over protection of local industry proved futile and in spite of its good intentions Labour started losing its appeal.

The era was also marred with political violence. The MLP also had its rascals who were easily provoked to retaliate. This was all happening when the Labour government was very active building a welfare state and the country's first national economy.

In 1987 after years of militant opposition, the Nationalists won the general election and inherited a legacy of Lm400 million. The years which followed were felt good due to an aggressive "feel good factor" campaign and Malta was back to eating Mars bars, imported ice cream and brushing teeth with toothpaste garnished with a mint flavour. The two parties moved off centre. Alfred Sant succeeded to clean his house from its violent elements but did Eddie Fenech Adami follow his example?

We are now supposedly enjoying spring time with Malta in the EU when in reality we have an unprecedented public debt of Lm1.4 billion and a one way for a recovery called austerity street which shall bring us all hardship, sweat and tears irrespective of who is in government. Even though the Nationalists are trying to avoid the issue, Mr Public will in the end have to dance to the painful music.

In spite of the PN slogan "us or bust" we have a choice as to which team is going to get us out of this mess. You may choose Nationalist with a track record of money squandering which got us in this situation in the first place. As for myself I shall stick to Dr Sant's Labour because of their good record of trouble shooting, controlled spending and, above all, a heart which ticks like the people's.

The people have already started talking and Labour is winning. Yesteryear is our epilogue. Today is our prologue.