I have no doubt that the Nationalist Party has a great leader. A very great leader. Neither do I doubt that the PN has several honest, hard working and valid Members of Parliament. And we all know how successive Nationalist administrations have changed Malta beyond recognition.
Up to only 20 years ago Malta was an impoverished police state where our standard of living and way of life could be compared only to that found in countries of the third world. Young readers will never believe me when I say that up to 20 years ago it was illegal to import colour TV sets, video recorders and cameras, cordless telephones, computers, electric cookers, automatic washing machines, hi-fi and other electronic equipment, chocolate…We had no choice.
Up to 20 years ago you could get a fixed telephone line only if a particular ex-Labour minister put a red cross next to your name. Thugs had the power to enter the Leader of the Opposition’s house next door to the Birkirkara police station, assault the members of his family and destroy everything in sight. And these same thugs had the power to attack the Curia which is situated exactly opposite the police general headquarters.
Young readers will never and can never understand what living under a socialist regime means. And, unfortunately, many not so young readers are beginning to forget what the past was like. Some readers have already forgotten that under a socialist regime strikes were not tolerated and woe to whoever dared obey his union’s directives. I still have in my possession a note asking me to declare in writing that I would not obey the main union of teachers directives. Because the Malta Union of Teachers could not call itself like that!
I still have in my possession a circular issued by the education authorities informing us that the minister was forbidding the distribution of the teachers’ magazine in schools. Comparing and contrasting past Labour governments with Nationalist governments is simply impossible. And yet the MLP won the recent local council elections. Why? For several reasons.
Dr Lawrence Gonzi has inherited a very prosperous people from his predecessor, Dr Eddie Fenech Adami. In a country where more than 30 new automobiles are registered every single day, in a country where thousands of primary school children can be seen playing with mobile telephones, electronic games, computer and battery operated cars costing hundreds of liri, in a country where thousands of people spend their holidays abroad at least once a year, where thousands spend the night out at least once a week, where TV sets, air-conditioners and all sort of electronic equipment is selling like hot cheese cakes, where thousands can afford to spend huge sums of money on cigarettes and alcohol, where thousands of young couples can spend thousands of liri on weddings and can still have luxurious homes; where thousands can afford to contribute so much money to help people in Africa, Asia, South America…with such prosperity what can Dr Gonzi and his government do to impress the electorate?
I am afraid that if the present administration paves the streets with gold and invites workers to stay at home where they will receive their salary by post, the majority would not be satisfied. They would certainly ask for more! As long as there is a Nationalist government.
Successive Nationalist governments have always been synonymous with prosperity, peace, a high standard of living and…major projects. The power station, the Central Bank, yacht marinas, reverse osmosis plants, airport, sea port, Freeport, schools, roads, a modern hospital, extremely efficient polyclinics…And a Nationalist administration has given us freedom and democracy.
It was a Nationalist government that gave us independence and it was a Nationalist administration that negotiated Malta’s entry into Europe. Go to any supermarket and see what an abundance of goods there are on the shelves. Gone are the days when the grocer could give you half a dozen rotten apples provided you bought a wizna of onions! We have never had such an abundance of fruit and at such a cheap price.
A Nationalist government has created local councils, which are certainly giving a sterling service to the community. There simply is no comparison. From Nationalist governments we are always expecting goodies. We are never satisfied and are always asking for more.
On the other hand, from a Labour government we can expect only some form of oppression. And we are very happy when this oppression is lighter than expected. After the teachers’ strike I was transferred from Mosta to Lija. “Only” to Lija. My friends congratulated me because Lija is not very far away. And I thanked God and the Labour government for small mercies received.
From a Nationalist government we expect wage increases, arrears, promotions, overtime, more holidays. It is not at all easy for Dr Gonzi to please those who have never had it so good.
But then there is the other side of the coin. Some of our members of Parliament and many of those around them have begun to believe that they are indispensable. Eternal. And they are wrong, very wrong. The arrogance of some of these members of Parliament and the greater arrogance of some of the officials around them who, overnight, found themselves from the stables to the stars is causing irreparable damage to the party.
And I have some doubt that there may be some individuals who are putting spokes in the party’s wheels. I am not saying this now that the morale of the party is at its lowest ebb but I have been saying this since our great victory in 1992. Experience shows that the greatest dangers always come from within.
When you write to a minister once, twice, three times and your letter is not even acknowledged even though the letter was meant to do a favour to the minister concerned and not vice-versa, it means that arrogance has reached alarming proportions.
As a loyal supporter who has been active in the party before many of these ministers were born, I do not like to see them humiliated at the polls for the very simple reason that we still need them to lead us, but there are thousands of floaters who are prepared to cut off their noses!
Though the PN has a TV station, a radio station and a daily paper, very little is said about the several major projects undertaken by the government. You switch on to Super One TV or radio and you will certainly learn about all the shortcomings, real or imaginary, of the present administration. Switch on to Net TV or radio and you will find nothing of interest.
How many people have ever heard of what is going on at the Vittoriosa waterfront, for example? How many have heard of the several historical buildings that have been restored by successive Nationalist governments? How many have ever heard of the extensive works still in progress on the Valletta waterfront? The restoration of Pinto Stores and of the whole area up to Marsa, the building of new roads and the sea terminals? How many know what is going on at Tignè and Manoel Island?
There is an impressive list of projects going on all over the island but very little is known about them. The party’s propaganda machine needs a major overhaul. Apathy reigns supreme. Look at the party’s local committees, many of whom exist only in theory. In Mosta, for example, a town with some 10,000 Nationalist Party supporters, the Nationalist party flag has gone down for good and the kazin looks like anything except a Nationalist Party club. Only recently was a photo of our Prime Minister hung on the wall.
The poor attendance for the Independence anniversary celebrations and the poorer attendance of the committee members for the general council held recently show that something, somewhere is wrong. I have been saying this for a very long time but who am I to expect to be taken seriously by politicians?
Who am I to impress these people, many of whom think that they are infallible while we are all morons?
Unfortunately time has proved me right all the time. I have been one of the very few Nationalist supporters who are continually trying to blow the PN trumpet wherever I can and whenever I can.
But little did I realise that some of my writings were not going down well with some officials at Tal-Pieta and little by little I was finding myself a persona non grata with the PN media.
While the MLP is doing its very best, and with some success, to bring back any stray sheep, it seems as if the PN is doing its very best to scare away its faithful supporters.
Giov. DeMartino
MOSTA