Let me remind you once again what a Labour government did all those years ago.

It was a Labour government that gave the opportunity for women to vote in Malta. It was a Labour government who gave birth to children’s allowance, maternity leave, the bonus.

It was definitely a Labour government that bestowed ‘riches’ on the poor widow and did not allow her to depend on her children for the right to live decently thanks to a widow’s pension supplied by no other than Dom Mintoff.

It was a Labour government that encouraged women to go out to work instead of slaving over a hot stove all day whether she wanted to or not.

It was a Labour government that built flats and houses so that the young ones needn’t borrow huge amounts of money from the bank.

It was a Labour government that gave free access to certain medicines in hospital and created a hospital service which is free of charge.

It was a Labour government that gave you your pension, dear pensioners.

Let’s put our cards on the table. Are you honestly concerned what is happening in Canada as stated by Mr Martinelli (Dear pensioners, TMID, 2 November) who has probably lived so long in Canada that he doesn’t remember what real poverty was like in Malta before Dom Mintoff came along and beggars in the street were eliminated.

Dear pensioners, you are nothing but second class citizens soon to be third class because if you think the health system is going to improve once Mater Dei Hospital will be open, you’re in for the shock of your lives.

Do you honestly think, dear pensioners, that a hospital which took millions of liri to be built and will need millions of liri to function will supply you with free medicine and free medication?

Lm1.10 cents a week is sheer misery when you find that you will certainly not be able to get your medicines free of charge.

Dear pensioners, 22 months of a Labour government was too little a time to bring about the necessary changes but if you look at the past of a Labour government you would be looking into the mirror of the future.

You have the necessary evidence to realise what a Labour government did for you.

But can you say the same about a Nationalist government?

Dear pensioners… it’s up to you!

Valerie Borg

Valletta