The general council of the Nationalist Party has just been held. The positive feeling about it is that economy trends on the ground floor level are good, thus opening up the doors for this economic revival to be felt by all. I write this as the explanations were not getting through that much.

The man in the street was grumbling and was worried on the fact that his life was not improving. True, we improved so much in the past years, that our present standard of living and our living trends are being envied by many. So, really, improvements have to be measured accordingly.

Our political adversaries tend to play on the fact that the general feeling is still gloom and doom, that people are dying of hunger, and, hearing certain opposition members’ speeches, one is taken to believe that we are a poor and sorry nation.

The government’s agenda was to get its basic finances on track. This entailed a curb on various expenses and a general restructuring of the government’s spending and investing. A proper financial exercise was implemented. This could have hurt us, as some measures needed to be taken, albeit unwillingly. The effect of these measures was felt. The results meant lower outlays of our monies on loans and repayments, better ratings by financial institutions, thus prompting the investor to look at Malta, and a controlled deficit.

The next step, as announced by the Prime Minister, is to look into various ways and means of how to improve the taxation system, and, in general, to pass on the fruits of these exercise back to the shareholders, ie the citizens of Malta.

The chairman of the company, Dr Lawrence Gonzi, has done a good job these past years in getting the car ready to pick up speed and in servicing its engine to be ready, once again, to be voted into the next government. It is the Nationalist government that has produced, and will continue to produce, prosperity and opportunity to the Maltese people.

In sharp contrast the opposition Labour Party, unless it has any opportunistic topic to talk about, has no real vision, after so many years, for Malta’s future. All we have are promises that all of Malta’s supposed ills will be solved in three to six months. The explanations of all these remedies are non-existent. You, the undecided or floating voter, will be seeing a rerun film.

The Nationalist government worked hard to build a better Malta and give it a better financial footing, while on the European front, negotiations were being held and the biggest cheque that Malta has ever received will be sent to us as in January 2007. The Prime Minister has held dialogue meetings with the people to see their ideas on how to spend this money wisely.

So, playing on two separate boards, the in and the out sections, were all shrewdly done, and we got the results that Dr Gonzi worked for. We are in the transition period and these financial situations will now bear the fruit the people expect. The people expect a lot from the government, and we are the only party that can match those expectations.

This party is prepared, willing and has not aged in its approach or hunger to work for a better Malta. Changed from within this party ensures success and a prosperous future for Malta. It has assured democracy for Malta in the not so distant past, but today all is taken for granted. The future beckons.

Robert Arrigo is a Nationalist MP