It is often said that the Nationalist Party has been in government for the past 20 years. Many, especially the Malta Labour Party, conveniently forget that right in the middle of the four legislatures under the Nationalist Party was a 22-month stint by the MLP which was, after all, the hardest time in political and economic terms for the country since 1987.

The MLP wants to give the impression that the Nationalists have been there for two full decades, when this is not the case. Labour was in government between October 1996 and 1998 – and it was not a good time for Malta. What had been promised before the 1996 election was not maintained – VAT was removed, yes, but replaced by CET; Malta’s application to join the European Union was frozen and the MLP introduced a series of taxes which crippled the country.

All this pushed the people to vote PN when Dr Alfred Sant’s government collapsed less than two years into the legislature. Of course, Labour want the people to forget that all this happened, preferring instead to claim that the MLP would provide a new beginning when after all, the people have already had the experience of this new beginning.

This takes us to the Nationalist Party, which has been in power for the past 10 years. During the course of this time, the PN has taken Malta into the European Union and followed it up with the introduction of the euro. Malta had a difficult time soon after the 2003 election, but we have since turned the corner – the economy is growing, there has never been so much employment and foreign investment is booming. Malta’s entry in the eurozone will help keep the momentum.

Added to this, the PN has changed leader during the course of the last legislature and Dr Lawrence Gonzi will be leading his party in a general election for the first time. It is, in fact, rather unusual that a party in government will be contesting the election with a new leader while the party in opposition will be led by a leader who has failed to lead a government through its full term, lost two general elections and a national referendum.

Not all has been perfect under the Nationalists, and Dr Gonzi is the first to admit that. But at the same time the PN insists that although mistakes have been committed and some ministers did not live up to the expectations, on the whole the government has performed well and people are today much better off than they were in September 1998.

Malta’s electoral system may have its flaws but it can certainly help to elect the government that the people want and at the same time weed out people who did not do well, even if they form part of an otherwise successful government. In this respect, the people can still vote for the Nationalist Party (and the MLP, for that matter too) while not electing the politicians who do not deserve their place in Parliament.

The PN has been criticised by the MLP for “hiding” its ministers, with Dr Gonzi being surrounded by the younger candidates in his public activities. But this strategy is intended to show the people that the PN has new blood and it is still the better party although it has been in government for 10 years.

Some government ministers may not be fresh in their approach and need to be replaced. Dr Gonzi has himself declared that, if elected to government, he will bring in new faces to the Cabinet. It is now up to the people to decide – apart from the party they want in government, they must also choose the politicians they want as ministers.