Allow me to comment on what Joe Azzopardi and Paul Aquilina wrote (TMID, 11 December).

Joe Azzopardi thinks that Dr Sant was unable to stay in power “because of the way he managed his party and his government”. First, Dr Sant’s decision to call such an early election proves that he is not one who clings to power at all costs. And staying in office then meant that the Labour government would have had to bow to whatever Dom Mintoff wanted! Any prime minister worth his salt would have done precisely the same thing.

The so-called “record deficit” was created by the former PN government, which lumped many millions of liri in unpaid bills, etc. to the Church authorities, to contractors, to suppliers of various products particularly medicine, etc. on the incoming Labour government. On “record taxation”, PN writers keep harping on the so-called “33 taxes introduced by Dr Sant’s government”, forgetting that 400 taxes have been imposed on the Maltese by the PN government since joining the EU.

Incidentally, under Dr Sant’s leadership, the MLP has won each political contest since Dr Lawrence Gonzi took over the PN’s leadership. Dr Gonzi still has to win one.

Mr Aquilina referred to the “splits” which happened in the past within the MLP. The “splits” mentioned were, at least, carried out in the open without any secret meetings, as happened when a number of nationalists MPs used to meet at a Valletta office belonging to a PN deputy, in order to force Dr Giorgio Borg Olivier to resign as leader of the PN.

And what about the latest “split” in the PN government’s edifice – The Gonzi-Dalli saga which the prime minister, now with a general election possibly weeks away, tried to paper over with a very unconvincing move, by appointing John Dalli as his consultant on the economy!

Barely a week passed when John Dalli made it plain for those who know how to read between the lines, that he would contest Dr Gonzi for the leadership of the party, once the PN loses the general election.

PN correspondents’ main worry is that if the MLP wins the election – as it should – and this time Labour will have the full five years to carry out its promises, Dr Sant and Labour will prove to be far better than the present government – or better still, “clique” – since it will be a government shorn of any type of corruption scandals, as has been the case under PN administrations.

And it will be a government which carries out the projects it promises, contrary to a PN government, which excels in making promises, prepares computer-generated plans for projects, etc. but ends up doing next to nothing until the next election comes around, and starts to make the same or very similar promises all over again! The PN has promised the rebuilding of the old opera house in Valletta since 1951/1952 up to 2003 and now once again (!). It is the best example of unfulfilled PN promises.

Incidentally, both the Vittoriosa and Valletta Waterfront projects were conceived by Dr Sant’s Labour government. And it will have to be a Labour government, which will implement the 100 projects announced by Labour for the Grand Harbour and the Marsamxett Harbour area, since Labour delivers what it promises.

The PN promises, but then forgets what it had promised!

Eddy Privitera

Mosta