There is one very important rule in politics: take everything you hear and read with a pinch of salt. And this rule applies to both the party in government and the party that sits in opposition.
Over the past decade or so, the Maltese have matured a great deal in political terms. The political parties still have their die-hard members but more and more people are joining the so-called “floating voter” brigade. Many people have realised that politics is a game like any other, there are winners and losers, and that anyone in politics will promise the world if that will guarantee a seat in parliament or, better still, a ministerial post.
It would be unfair to state categorically that politicians are solely interested in gaining power – politicians on both sides of the divide are really concerned about their country and they certainly would not make so many sacrifices to get into parliament if they really did not believe they could make a difference.
A general election is like the World Cup final, held every five years instead of four, but likewise with a good two years of qualifiers before the final round of voting. Like every team taking part in the World Cup, the political parties choose their players and devise the strategy that they believe will win them the coveted trophy at the end: the mandate to govern the country.
The next “World Cup” in politics in Malta will be held in 2008. The political parties, especially the Labour Party, are already starting to prepare for the big event.
Over the past few months, actually starting in July of last year with the publication of the draft plan for the Maltese economy, the Labour Party has been, on a weekly basis, publishing details of its plans for the country’s economic sectors “when” it is elected to govern the country.
These plans focus on the regeneration of those sectors that the party believes the Nationalist government has neglected or failed to stimulate over the past three years or more.
What stands out in these documents is the Labour Party’s intentions to get things done within the first six months of winning the election. For example, the party will be appointing a number of committees and task forces to analyse the impact of taxation on industry, on the tourism sector and so on.
These are all good initiatives and proposals, but they are just plans. We hope that the Labour Party, if elected in the next general election, will be in a position to actually put into action what it is promising. The MLP is giving the message that it will get things done within a short time frame, bringing about change in certain sectors that, in its opinion, need fresh initiatives.
The problem with these draft plans and electoral manifestos is that they are nothing but strategy documents that do not necessarily translate into feasible or concrete action on the part of those proposing them. They are also written in such a way that gives the party a lot of leeway to amend or change completely.
Before the 1996 election, Labour had promised to remove VAT. It did. But it also introduced the infamous CET, and that, among other things, led Dr Sant to call an early election.
The government has replied with some scathing criticism of the Labour Party’s plans, describing them as weak, lacking any new ideas and, basically, more of the same.
The problem with the Labour Party’s plans for the country is that they promise much but provide few details of what will actually be done. For example, the party has proposed a revision of taxation on the tourism sector. In what areas? By how much?
It is easy to make promises. The real test for Labour is to convince the voter that these promises are not political gimmicks and pie-in-the-sky strategies that will fail on the pitch.
The World Cup in politics is not won on paper. It’s won on the pitch. Scoring goals with the voters makes all the difference. But will the Maltese voters have enough faith in Labour’s plans?
The qualifying rounds have started. The real stuff starts now.