Three years from five, the so-called mid-term blues. It’s the time when any government is usually at its lowest point, most of the public is alienated from government policies, and the Opposition is supposedly at its strongest, ready to leap on every government’s mistake.

Yet public opinion surveys published week after week are continuously confirming that both the Labour Party and Prime Minister Joseph Muscat are trusted more than their Nationalist counterparts. It’s a result of the strategies pursued by the political parties. After two years trying to find its feet following the staggering 2013 electoral defeat, Simon Busuttil’s clan opted for an aggressive, negative and destructive style of politics.

It was evident that, full of former ministers with skeletons in the closet and without any new proposals and policies, the Nationalist Party’s only chance to gain some ground was to focus solely on one or two issues, and expect the whole country to stop and adhere to their agenda; speak about something else and you will be damned as ‘trying to diversify the public’s attention’.

Yes, the symptomatic elements of arrogance which dominated the PN in the past years still prevail. Luckily, the government’s track record speaks louder than the PN’s incitement. The Labour Party continued with its approach of pursuing a new way of politics which put aside the tribalism that dominated our local political scene for years. This was complemented by a total investment of €83 million in the past days, in the aviation, manufacturing and hospitality sectors. Another €55 million will be invested in the regeneration of the Marsa Shipbuilding area. Achievement after achievement, the Labour Government already delivered a huge chunk of its electoral manifesto and will continue to do so in the coming two years.

Unlike our predecessors, we are truly a government that listens. We are aware that some governance issues could have been tackled better, and the prime minister did not refrain from taking the necessary decisions for the good of the country. We humbly accept constructive criticism, but the Opposition is simply not credible in attempting to smear the prime minister’s reputation on double standards and lack of action. These are the same reasons which do not enable the Nationalist Party to truly become a trustworthy, alternative government.

It is noteworthy to underline that the same people who are throwing mud against the government on governance issues, have devised a deceivable scheme full of secrecy and lack of transparency to act as a bailout for their financial problems. It is evident that ‘Cedoli’ was intended to outmanoeuvre the recently-enacted party financing law, the same legislation which the Nationalist Party evaded for more than two decades to control its finances without restrictions. This is the culmination of their so-called ‘Politika Onesta’ and their good governance standards.  

Truth be said, we are experiencing much improved governance than the previous Nationalist administration. But inspired by Joseph Muscat’s leadership, it is now the norm for the Labour government to raise the bar and aim for higher targets than before. I am sure we will continue to do the same, choosing unity and results over the Opposition’s all doom and gloom approach.

 

The electorate will take this in consideration before polling their vote in two years’ time.