Voting out Labour is the main objective

We are approaching a general election. And what now? Even if the Labour Party had been a shining example of perfect governance since taking power in 2013, a fourth consecutive victory would turn them into a failure; or, worse, a scary aberration.

It would make Labour – as it would most administrations if allowed to govern for too long – believe that they are invincible; that they are entitled to hold the reins of power permanently; that they can dispense of good governance whenever it suits them.

The reality of Labour in government, first led by Joseph Muscat, then by that master of continuity, Robert Abela, has been far from a shining exemplar of good governance. Quite the opposite. The Labour government has been mired in corruption, scandals, nepotism and worse. The country has never seen such major traffic congestion. The air quality has never reached such pits. And the building boom has turned Malta into a crane-infested, dirty, dusty, building site.

The national broadcaster is a sick joke, most institutions have had their teeth blunted and the list of problems riddling the country is countless and growing. The Labour administration rewards wrongdoers – and has done so ever since its rise to power – as long as they are aligned to its party agenda. It attacks, belittles and hinders the free press or, rather, the independent media that has survived. 

In this scenario, the Labour Party should be – justifiably – kicked back to the opposition benches. The PN, the party in opposition for 13 years, should emerge an easy winner in the forthcoming election.

Sadly, for the PN, for the country and for our future, the scenario – if opinion polls prove true – is that it is yet once more destined to be defeated or, rather, crushed, at the polls.

The PN had what its supporters were sure was the right leader who could deliver them from the electoral wilderness and win the election. Alex Borg looked fresh, young, dynamic, photogenic. His posture mimicked Abela and Muscat, those two Labour leaders who seem to possess a magical winning formula.

But poor Alex does not seem too good at mimicking and hasn’t managed – at least so far – to bridge the gap between the parties in the opinion polls. He also hasn’t managed to dictate the agenda on social media, or anywhere: he’s not a face you see all the time and his policies are rather obscure.

The PN leader seems to be an invisible, fade-to-grey man.

Borg has also done a few things, which the leader of a party aspiring to be prime minister should never have contemplated. When he was asked – or, rather, ordered – by the commissioner for standards in public life to apologise, he didn’t oblige. Yes, it was hardly a huge thing – he was rather miserly with the truth about the Chambray development – but why have a commissioner if all he orders is disregarded?

If you care about democracy, use your vote properly- Victor Calleja

Borg had also tried winning some political brownie points by stating that the medicine being distributed in the POYC scheme was below standard. This government has a lot going which is abysmally wrong but such a statement from a leader of the opposition should never have been uttered; it could have created national panic.

Even if Borg knew beyond doubt that he was right, he should have approached the authorities with his claim, made sure it got investigated and, then, as a final resort – if nothing came of his efforts – gone public.

The health sector should never become a political target.

These are but two incidents in the rather murky story of Borg who once said that he would have chosen Donald Trump at the US elections.

Abela and his predecessor are in cahoots with local developers, most of whom are intent on going on a construction frenzy. So, shouldn’t Borg have made it a point to distance himself entirely from any building developer, at least in his entourage? Was choosing a wife of a developer as CEO, the wisest thing to do?

In this sad scenario of our political life, the only logical thing should be for voters to shun both major parties, which have alternated power between them for over 70 years. But, sometimes, logic is in itself diabolical.

There is no alternative to the PN. Tragically, the way the electoral rules work, and the way the opinion polls are pointing, the smaller parties, like Arnold Cassola’s Momentum and ADPD, will not be able to win seats, even less take power. Votes for these parties will mostly be lost votes, votes taken away from the PN.

With all its ills, problems and lack of vision, the only way forward is for the PN to win the next election. And only a vote for them makes political – even if slightly illogical – sense. Anything else is a vote, a push, a facilitating hand to keep the Labour Party in power.

All parties, and voters, who desire true democracy in Malta should unite to get rid of Labour and its hold on power. If you care about democracy, use your vote properly, vote Labour out.

Victor Calleja is a former publisher.