I refer to the letter The government’s long-term plan (P. Camilleri, TMID, 5 April).

Suffice to say that the title of this letter is definitely outmanoeuvred by the skilful planning of the electoral manifesto of the Malta Labour Party.

Dr Alfred Sant’s prophecies regarding unemployment and loss of jobs have all come true.

The government’s long-term planning has brought nothing but sacrifices people made only to discover no fruits for their labour.

They have swallowed not one sour pill, but scores of them.

What they have swallowed has contributed towards a serious malady they will never recover from – this is called a deficit of close to one-and-a-half billion liri and all this after an inheritance of Lm44 million from a 1987 Labour government!

Loss of jobs, outrageous bills on water, electricity and telephone rates, miserable budgets, a health system that is deteriorating fast and incompetence will make people think twice before putting the Nationalist Party in power again.

No, Dr Lawrence Gonzi will definitely not call an early election.

His governing will continue to deprive Malta of its jewels through privatisation.

When election day looms I hope the people will bear in mind the old adage with a different wording.

Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Valerie Borg

Valletta