Hands up all those who have had it up to here with local councils propaganda! We’ve been subjected to weeks of walkabouts, mud-slinging and press conferences in a frantic attempt by all the parties involved at brainwashing the electorate into believing their candidates are the ones who are most worthy of support. The whole island will heave a collective sigh of relief after this coming Saturday.

I do, however, feel that some will have come out of the fray with their credibility severely dented.

Alternattiva Demokratika, the greens, seem to have resigned themselves to making desperate attempts at championing issues which are encountering pockets of resistance in their efforts to claw at the few hundred votes necessary to get a councillor elected.

They are doing this at the expense of their credibility. Their vociferous opposition to the modernisation of the Sant’ Antnin waste recycling plant, notwithstanding their praiseworthy stands in favour of more efficient recycling in the past, and their stand with regard to the Qui-Si-Sana project are cases in point.

It is a well-known fact that AD personalities such as Harry Vassallo, Arnold Cassola and Michael Briguglio have all advocated that Tower Road traffic should be deviated towards Qui-Si-Sana in the past. To rant and rave about this happening because of a particular project now that a small group of concerned residents might be roped in to support an AD candidate smacks of opportunism.

The Malta Labour Party revels in battering itself by churning out propaganda which probably doesn’t even impress their most rabid supporters. Dishing out 80 to 90 per cent marks to Labour-led councils, irrespective of their performance, and failing all Nationalist-led councils is nothing short of ridiculous. The character assassination card has also been used in Rabat. Stooping so low in an attempt to win a minor electoral battle is not only pathetic, it is downright disgraceful.

The Nationalist Party is, understandably, proud of its recent successes in the economic field and is trying to focus the electorate’s attention onto these achievements.

We could, perhaps, have focused more on the successes of Nationalist-led councils with the participation of Labour and AD councillors.

The facts speak for themselves. Reports issued by the Department of Local Councils regularly place Nationalist-led councils in the top positions. Am I in any way implying that Nationalists are endowed with superhuman powers that make them superior to Labourites when it comes to performing?

Not at all.

The difference between the two major parties when it comes to dealing with their local councillors is that the MLP central administration and local political committees interfere in a regular and organised fashion with the day to day running of the councils dominated by them.

The PN, on the other hand, leaves its councillors to their own devices.

The result? Councils led by the PN are able to focus on the true needs of the residents and localities they represent.

It should be an easy choice next Saturday. Let’s use our right to vote and use it well.

Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando is a Nationalist MP