The figures 76 and 55 are not bingo numbers, but rather two bottom line figures, of the state of Malta’s commercial affairs in this year and the projection for 2006.

In the quest of bottom line figures, the whole budget, the planning, the ins and outs of the commercial activity take place. The country’s deficit has been brought down to Lm76 million this year and is projected to be further reduced to Lm55 million in 2006.

This year’s budget is one in a chain of other budgets to come, looking forward to growth, and to working with each other. What a difference in style and in content to previous budgets where the fear of the past still resurfaces. Do you remember waiting for the budget to see if some processed meat would increase or not?

Today a businesslike government has laid out a clear road map for all to view, and to keep on track as developments occur. A big hiccup was the surge in oil price in the months of August and September. Unlike statements and comments made that the oil price would not have risen because an alternative government would have hedged, the final oil price has a bigger bearing as it is the refinery production and output that has gone down.

Here the calamities of the world do play an important part, and, although they take place far away they still have an effect on our bottom line.

As our government did not play “Russian roulette” with the people’s money, it absorbed a large amount of fuel increases in the course of this year, without asking the people to chip in. Had the summer surge not happened, I am sure that the government would have revised the tariffs downwards on more products. The alternative government back in the late 1990s hiked up water and electricity bills when no such problem existed.

Some figures that keep coming up are the ever-increasing numbers of new pensioners. This year we had some 4,400 new pensioners, with the figure for 2006 being estimated at nearly 6,000 people. These figures are enormous on two counts. The last 10-year average reads at 1,962 new pensions going out, and the added cost of nearly Lm7 recurrently, year in year out, steadily increasing the burden on social services. Probably the health sector would have to dish out more funds too for the care of the elderly.

A responsible government plans out our future, and does not discard the issue as it may cost it some votes. Would you, a floating voter, prefer to ignore the issue, as Labour are currently doing, rather than have your pension guaranteed, worked out on a solid base? Would you prefer to have a situation that leaves you in the dark as to whether you will get your pension or not, or would you like the government to plan ahead, as this government is doing?

This is a little thought on just one point that reflects the difference between the way the present Nationalist government works and the no alternative solution coming from the party aspiring to govern.

This week some programmes included vox pops on telling us that the Lm2.25 increase is not enough. If one had to base the increase on the mechanism that has been used for years now, the extra Lm0.50 would not have been given in 2006, but in 2007.The government has therefore listened, acknowledged and acted upon a situation that has foreign origins.

It has acted like this on several issues, not least the inheritance issue. We all fought hard to have a government acting like this, and the floating voter will understand this state of affairs.

The reading of the budget left the opposition grimacing as every initiative spelt out and every figure given proved the opposition wrong. Much soul- searching was done. The reaction in their subsequent press conference showed how uncomfortable the opposition felt after the budget was presented. Pity they keep losing their chances. Did you hear any alternatives from their end?

At the end of this article, I would like to mention two men who served on the Sliema football club committee over the years and who passed away recently. They are Mr Roy Camilleri and Mr Tarcisio Calleja, both of whom enjoyed the blue colour to their full. My condolences to their families.

Robert Arrigo is a Nationalist MP