“There is no expedient to which a man will not go to avoid the labour of thinking,” wrote Thomas A. Edison

So, let’s try to read some of the “writings on the wall.”

Any bets that the general election will take place well before the end of this year?

Indications that the country is moving into an election frenzy are being hurled all around like leaves in autumn.

“Will the Prime Minister call an election for late November, should Malta be cleared by mid-year to adopt the euro on 1 January 2008?”, asked Lino Spiteri. In an artful way, he predicted the answer. Of course! – in the first sentence of the last paragraph of his article he states, “Should Labour win the election in a post-euro scenario of galloping prices...” And who would ever dream of holding an election in a “post-euro scenario of galloping prices”? The Nationalist Party is shrewder than that!

On 14 January, Tonio Fenech, Parliamentary Secretary at the Finance Ministry, was quoted as saying that “by the end of 2006, foreign investment is expected to exceed Lm500 million.” It would be interesting to know if this figure has been reached and if in it is included the selling of Malta and its family silver. Does he expect any revival of our economic situation, once all our heirloom has been sold? I’m sure he’s not betting on it and he knows that the earlier the chance of a premature election, the better. Before things get worse.

The Nationalist government knows well enough what’s coming – and it’s definitely not for the better. There is no time to lose. If the PN still enjoys any credit (very doubtful), it would do well to work on it early before it’s totally lost.

Folks who had earlier believed the promises of benevolences and advantages due to Malta’s entry into the European Union, and unwittingly voted in favour, have long since been asking, “Where are the jobs? Why so much unemployment? Why such increases in the cost of living?” The government knows very well that things are not going to ameliorate but rather get worse. So, why should it go through the risk of holding an election in a still worse situation?

Does anyone think that the changeover to the euro will not bring additional hardships to both businessmen and consumers? If so, better think again. Anyhow, the burden will start to afflict us after the election.

Do you believe that the Prime Minister will not call an election till after the Maltese lira would be replaced by the euro, with all its negative effects of inflation and conceivable devaluation?

Then there is the issue of the divorce law, especially concerning EU citizens seeking divorce in the Maltese courts. Recently, Malta was labelled as a 16th century country in that it’s the only country in the EU that does not have any divorce legislation. How many believe that this will continue to last? Yes, definitely up to election time! Anyhow, it is understood that the EU will not conclude this issue before long. This makes it more imperative for an early election so as not to lose the votes of the anti-divorcists and also not to lose favour with the Church.

And the latest gamble? Smart City! A project foreseen to create 5,600 jobs over eight years, amounting to an average of 700 new posts yearly. Again another promise – and you can say on the eve of a general election. What a boost for the party! Will this evaporate like the promise of hundreds of jobs tied to the Cottonera Waterfront project? Anyhow, it would have served its purpose.

Maybe the Prime Minister thinks that he could keep the people guessing, but good thinkers will not miss the signs.

Hurry up, Mr Prime Minister. Time is running out!

Joseph M. Cachia

Vittoriosa