Listening to Labour leader Alfred Sant delivering his speech to supporters in Hamrun last Sunday gives one the impression that the general election is only two weeks away, and not two years away.

There will be an important poll in a month’s time – the local council election in 23 localities – but Dr Sant’s address was far more wide-ranging than one would expect at this time of the

legislature.

It was an electoral speech, one that covered almost all the current issues that the country is facing. In his speech, Dr Sant laid out the MLP’s plans if it were returned to government. The party’s pledges include the restructuring of the Malta Environment Authority, the revision of taxes in the tourism sector and the creation of more job opportunities.

But Dr Sant went beyond these. After listing a number of projects which have not started or are taking longer than expected to be completed by this government, Dr Sant gave the MLP’s own list of commitments, many of which Dr Sant promised to deliver within months of winning the election.

The elimination of the incinerator problem at St Luke’s Hospital within six months, a better control over price increases, a separation system for domestic waste and the subsidisation of the helicopter service between Malta and Gozo are among the items on Labour’s agenda.

Dr Sant limited his reference to the local council elections to be held next March to a few comments towards the end of his address.

He seemed to want to concentrate more on giving those present an idea of the MLP’s plans for the future.

One gets the impression that Labour is already in election mode, although the national poll could be more than 24 months away.

Over the past few months the Labour Party has discussed internally its plans for regenerating the economy and, more recently, the environment and tourism.

The MLP is soon expected to present its plans for education, health and Gozo.

The MLP is therefore gearing up for the election, and it is already building up its tempo. Dr Sant’s speech last Sunday was a clear indication that the party is doing its utmost to prepare itself for

election day.

It is therefore a real pity that once again Dr Sant failed to deal with the pensions reform issue, a matter that is high on the government’s agenda. The Prime Minister has mentioned the issue at least twice over the past days, the first time during the opening of the new Bank of Valletta centre on Thursday, and on Sunday during his address at the Naxxar PN club.

Dr Gonzi, who was speaking before the MLP meeting in the afternoon, remarked that the opposition had not even made “a tiny noise” about the planned pensions reform.

He added that the matter needed to be tackled quickly before the situation got worse. It was as if Dr Gonzi wanted to push Dr Sant to say something about the subject in the afternoon.

But Dr Sant did not oblige, preferring to deal with other issues that the MLP believes are of higher significance. While it is important that the MLP has its own plans for the economy, tourism, the environment and will soon be dealing with Gozo, health and education, the party cannot however continue to ignore the pensions issue.

The pensions problem can only grow if the matter is not tackled now, and future generations will suffer unless a reform starts as quickly as possible.

The MLP should take the matter more seriously and cooperate with the government on what is not a partisan political issue, but one on which the economic and social fabric of the country depends.