What next!

The Malta Labour Party is playing a very dangerous game. The political mileage it is attempting to clutch at has reached such desperate levels that the threat we are all facing cannot continue to be ignored.

The Nationalist government, taking the bull by the horns, has introduced uncomfortable but necessary measures to get this blessed island of ours in line with European standards. Although many worry that too much is being done too quickly and too suddenly, recent surveys show that, in spite of the "painful" procedures, the majority believe that the ongoing restructuring is just and essential.

And yet, Alfred Sant has been obsessively critical every step of the way although he is fully aware that government subsidy to "moribund" companies is simply no longer an option. Without offering a scrap of cooperation he chose to condemn the Drydocks and PBS redeployment, to find fault with the Gozo Channel, Air Malta and Enemalta reorganisation, to scream blue murder over the Mater Dei shake-up and to refuse to discuss the crucial health and pension reforms. He attacked when Maghtab and Il-Qortin dumping sites were closed down, he harassed when oil prices soared internationally, he censured when improvements to Sant'Antnin recycling plant were proposed. He even hit out against the introduction of eco contribution measures even though the Malta Labour Party flaunts the polluters pay principle in its own reports!

Dr Sant's destructive onslaught knows no measures. When the government recently proposed to do away with the vacation days that fall on a weekend he turned red in the face. Perhaps he conveniently forgot that Labour had, with a stroke of a pen, struck off seven holidays even if they did not fall on the weekend! Goodbye dear overtime!

I suppose the Leader of the Opposition has taken his role literally and just opposes but when he goes one step further and describes how he plans to curtail the deficit and govern this country it is definitely time for all of us to stop and think.

Proposing a preposterous idea to concoct millions for the national coffers, in August of last year, he regaled us with the contents of a Labour publication. During a press conference (August 7), in serious mode, the controversial document announced the removal of the treasured annual bonus, some Lm220 a year snatched from the workers, the elderly and pensioners.

Who stands to gain from this substantial personal deficit, the poor perhaps whom he holds so close to his heart? The Labour document states that "it would be wise to eliminate the ceiling of the weekly national insurance contribution". How much higher does Labour want it to rise? Under Labour there is no doubt that it will be students' payback time (literally!) and a tax on any "additional" property, such as, I imagine, holiday ones etc. will be on the books. This is what has been revealed so far, who knows what other unveiling is in the pipeline?

Dr Sant wrote (The Times, August 11, 2004) that he was "very happy" with the job the experts did explaining that the publication specifies the "priorities that should be tackled if this country is to dive out of the spirals of stagnation..." He added that the Labour document "is being posted on the MLP's website and translated into English" but, unfortunately, to date, neither has happened.

Wonder of wonders, Dr Sant now whines he did not sanction the "courageous reforms" advocated by him. Does Dr Sant know what he is doing? We heard him say the document was prepared "with care and diligence" and the shameful recommendations are still lurking somewhere in the Labour Party's publication in black on white!

Dr Sant is now also attempting to disassociate himself from what he uttered last December when, head held high, he declared to everybody's surprise, that if Labour were in government he would not only say he wanted to depreciate the Maltese lira, he would just do it! Can Dr Sant take a moment and explain how our standard of living will not take an unprecedented nosedive with him at the helm if our lira is suddenly worth a measly 90c, our salary hacked by 10 per cent, our bills soar by 10 per cent, our bank account slashed by 10 per cent and the foreign exchange rate devalued by 10 per cent. Once again, I ask, who will gain from this spiraling freefall, the middle class, the students or the pensioners perhaps?

Dr Sant also wants to remove the "unnecessary" reverse osmosis plants! What next! Who, pray, may I be so bold to ask, wants to bleed the workers dry in more sense than one!