From Mr C. Attard

Any sober-minded person has to make a deep and sincere analysis of how the fiscal and legal measures implemented by the Nationalist Government have positively or negatively affected his life during the last legislature before deciding whom he is going to trust with his vote.

Dr Gonzi told us to judge him on his deeds not on his words. Lately he has been quoted as saying that were he to be given again the opportunity to govern, he would restructure Mepa and relinquish the Finance Ministry. The Prime Minister has overall responsibility for the Cabinet and hence was duty bound to rectify any of the inconsistencies that occurred at Mepa during his last tenure of office.

In the last election he was elected to Parliament on his party’s slogan “finanzi fis-sod”. How is it, then, that through his capable hands we have managed to put our financial house in order when he was elected to govern an already financially sound country?

Was it sound or nearly bankrupt? Who is lying – Dr Gonzi or the PN or Gonzipn? Dr Gonzi has made the economy partially viable through different forms of taxes that the Maltese have had to pay through their noses.

Not only that, but unfortunately for all of us, most of our taxes have gone down the drain due to sheer incompetence, mismanagement, fraud and flagrantly corrupt practices due to a heavy dose of discrimination in the top echelons of the public service to accommodate friends of friends and close relatives. This Government has appointed its acolytes in almost all the sensitive positions to ensure that the administration remains under its indirect hold, even if it loses the election.

Now, behold, he is going to build an offshore wind farm to generate 20 per cent of our electricity needs. Well done, Dr Gonzi, about time. What action have you taken to reduce CO² emissions during your time in power? What kinds of alternative clean energy sources have you introduced in our country?

As regards education, we have the highest percentage of early school leavers in Europe. I sincerely ask Dr Gonzi to state what he has done to rectify this alarming situation of our youngsters who have to start earning a living in the not so distant future. Adding these to the 25,000 people who are employed only on a part-time basis, we have a recipe for disaster if we do not tackle this problem at its roots, that is at pre-primary level.

Add to the foregoing, the time of almost 20 years in Government, the Nationalist Party has everything to gain if it spends some time in Opposition so that it can really become innovative, less arrogant, more prudent, socially just and more tolerant. On the other hand, the Labour Party has to be given the chance to govern for a full term in a serious, accountable and transparent manner or else the Maltese will be opting to live in a one-party state. We would really be unique in Europe!

Carmel Attard

IKLIN