When last week, Leader of the Opposition and PN Leader Simon Busuttil said on INDEPTH (The one-on-one weekly programme on www.independent.com.mt) that he is convinced he will win the next general election, most of us must have smirked and said to ourselves, ‘yeah sure, lets see you at that!). His new found confidence on the little screen did help him deliver the message but surveys, even those quoted by Dr. Busuttil himself, show that there isn’t much of an appetite for change amongst the electorate, even though people are getting restless with this Government’s tactics.

However, watching Simon Busuttil, growl at the crowds that gathered in Sliema yesterday does give one the feeling that Dr. Busuttil might be on to something. The fact that those who attended the outdoor rally multiplied significantly from other PN mass activities organised in the past three years may be another small but significant indicator that a tide is turning. But it was the speech given by Dr. Busuttil which struck a cord, something out of the ordinary so far, a shimmer of  hope that this particular leader can, possibly, make it to the finish line with the front-runner, Prime Minister Muscat. 

The way he articulated his arguments and the passion with which he spoke must have reminded many of those listening of a fiery middle-aged Eddie Fenech Adami who in the 1980’s attracted droves of people to listen to his words and directives. Lawrence Gonzi never managed to ignite that fire which Dr. Busuttil unleashed yesterday in Sliema. Maybe because the circumstances where altogether different during his tenure and because Dr. Gonzi never led the PN from the Opposition benches. Or it could be that when ‘democracy and liberty’ are banded by the PN as it did yesterday, people do lend an ear. Whatever it was, Dr. Busuttil set himself on a steady course this week and he needs to make sure to keep his eye on the ball and remain steadfast the ‘leader of the people’ not just of the Nationalist pack. The fact that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat did his best to quash any speculation of an early election just after Malta’s EU Presidency is over, can actually now work to Dr. Busuttil’s advantage.  If as he claimed, the Prime Minister is set to hold an election in a year’s time (March 2017) than Simon Busuttil has more time on his hand to continue climbing the uphill road ahead to victory.

Of the many things he spoke about, Dr. Busuttil yesterday made a very important announcement. He said that the Opposition would be presenting a motion to change the law that permits citizens including politicians, to ask for garnishee orders intended to freeze journalists’ assets. Presented with this opportunity the Prime Minister ought to grab it and make sure to adopt it before day’s end.  And while he’s at it he ought to ask his Economy Minister to withdraw the existing garnishee orders which froze Daphne Caruana Galia’s assists to the tune of €47,000. This will save him from having further egg thrown at his face and concentrate on the economic and social programme for which he was elected.

Dr. Busuttil threw a salvauomo  to his former MEP buddy and if the Prime Minister doesn’t want to see this issue growing further until he cannot control it just like what happened with other scandals in the past three years, he should grab it and embrace it.  One reason why Dr. Muscat won the 2013 election with such a staggering surplus was that in the span of two years he managed to heal the wound, which had festered for over thirty years between the Labour Party and the independent media. Today he has barely anyone to turn to but for a state broadcaster that has always been toothless in front of political controversy, GWU’s insignificant mouthpiece and his own party media, which preaches to the converted. The rest have all become restless at this Government of scandal after scandal and as MaltaToday revealed yesterday in their survey, so are the people on the streets.