The only way was out

Several former Labour politicians seem to have come out of hiding lately. When was the last time you saw Maria Camilleri or Myriam Spiteri Debono speak in public? Suddenly, there they were on Smash and both ladies were extremely eloquent. I think I even saw Alex Sciberras Trigona make an appearance at some point too.

However, a niggling thought refuses to go away: where were they during the recent campaign? Were they that determined to see the back of Alfred Sant that they preferred their party to bite the dust in yet another general election rather than see Sant become Prime Minister?

Well, yes, seems to be the (obvious) echoing reply. In terms of having a principle you believe in and sticking to it, perhaps this kind of stand is admirable. If, after the Partnership debacle, you did not agree with the direction Sant was taking the party, and refused to be a part of it, I guess, to paraphrase Labour’s slogan, “The Only Way Was Out.” Many Labour voters who voted “Yes” in the EU referendum and were faced with a dilemma because their party kept adamantly telling them “No”, went through this same predicament.

This long trail of dissident Labour voices, which includes people such as Alfred Mifsud, Dominic Fenech, Lino Spiteri, Anna Mallia, and of course, George Abela, have all made it amply clear that Labour’s hara-kiri started in 1998, was perpetuated in 2003 and came to its inevitable, bloody conclusion on 8 March.

At the moment it’s as if someone has split the MLP wide open like a ripe watermelon and we are all voyeurs, gaping in morbid fascination as it dissolves into a mushy puddle.

Meanwhile just down the road at Stamperija, they are probably rubbing their hands with glee at this unexpected windfall. With all these juicy almost daily revelations of how it all went wrong for Sant & Co, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were lighting candles in gratitude as they store up enough ammunition to cover the next election and the one after that.

Why do I get the nagging feeling though, that this kind of open warfare would never happen in the Nationalist Party? Disgruntlement is barely whispered. Mutiny is quickly squashed. Wayward Nationalists are either ruthlessly ridiculed or cajoled back with sweet terms of endearment (and maybe a dangling carrot or two).

It seems that winning an election always comes first, even at the expense of principles, and even though there might be those who don’t agree with every single decision.

Wasn’t that what Joe Saliba was saying when he admitted that even if he had known about Jeffrey’s little white lie, he would have done nothing differently because his job was to make sure the PN won the elections?

Let’s all pull one rope, zip our mouths, win the seat of government and worry about moral dilemmas later.

If at all.

Netting the audience

Lately, whenever I zap onto Channel 33 I have to double check that I haven’t put it on Channel 29 by mistake.

These days, Net news seems to be carrying more coverages about Labour activities than Super One itself. If it had to eliminate all its Labour-related news, Amanda Ciappara would be welcoming viewers to the news bulletin only to bid them “Good Night” five minutes later.

I can understand Net’s quandary, because heck, what is there to talk about once you have carefully avoided all those potentially tricky subjects which are strictly off limits?

Mepa reform? No.

Departure tax? Better not.

Waste separation at source? Uhm not yet.

Removal of car registration tax? Hmm, skip that too.

Who will succeed Joe Saliba? Come on – get serious.

The lack of beds at Mater Dei? But it’s state-of-the art! Ungrateful sods.

JPO? Don’t even go there.

All The Things Which Gonzi Promised But Which Will Not Be Implemented Before The Next Election Campaign? Let’s just avoid them, and hope that people will forget.

Meanwhile I notice they’ve started a new show called Paprati. I hope that’s not an indication of things to come.

Everybody loves Dom

Even at the venerable age of 92, and despite spending years away from the limelight (apart from a brief cameo appearance during the campaign in a one-off production called The Man with the Stick), it seems that Dom Mintoff is still a mover and shaker.

He became the PN’s new Best Friend for bringing down Sant’s government.

Sant brought the wrath of the Mintoffjani crashing down on his head when he called Mintoff a traitor.

And George Abela in his first official speech, assures Labour supporters that he will make sure to “welcome back Mintoff and all those like him” to the party.

Of course, this last declaration has sent a perceptible shiver down the spines of the True Blue George Abela fan club. But never you mind.

It’s not like Nationalists will start nit-picking every single statement George makes from now on and read dark, sinister meanings into it.

On the telly

Television is the great equaliser.

Rather than relying on how other people report a speech, seeing a politician on TV for yourself gives you a chance to not only listen first-hand to what he/she says, but to also pick up the non-verbal cues which can often reveal more about the person’s personality than his words. Shifty eyes, a nervous laugh, fidgety hands, a fake smile, a tapping foot – TV can and does amplify anything and everything.

Unless we are on an intimate footing, how many of us can get so near to a politician’s face in real life? And would we really want to? With TV, however, the camera can zoom in so close we can practically count their pores.

The great communicators of the television age are those who are as charismatic when speaking to a crowd as they are in the more low-key atmosphere of a TV studio.

Of course, those who are not comfortable in front of a camera can be at a distinct disadvantage: viewers can decide “I don’t like him/her” purely for reasons that have nothing to do with their abilities as a potential leader. It might not be fair to assess someone based on their television performance – for all we know they may have perfected the art of giving a good interview until it’s as slick and polished as a new, shiny pair of shoes, but then if you put them in a situation where harsh leadership decisions must be taken, they fall apart.

Still, there is no getting away from the fact that today’s political careers are often made or ruined on “how you come across” through that camera lens. And, as often happens with television presenters who are adored and loathed in equal measure by viewers, it is quite normal for everyone to “see” different things.

Depending on your perspective of each candidate you could say that Joseph Muscat is assertive and confident, while for others he is unbearably brash and cocky.

Michael Falzon could be interpreted as being modest and down-to-earth, or else too diffident and uninspiring.

Evarist Bartolo could come across as charming and persuasive…or then again he might be perceived as too much of a smooth operator for your liking.

Marie Louise Coleiro in your eyes could be a straight-talking woman who is not ashamed of her working class roots, or else she may represent a past that middle-class Labour voters would rather forget.

As for George Abela, “The Comeback Kid”, he is perhaps the biggest enigma. For some, his mild-mannered demeanour symbolises the only chance Labour have of ever winning an election, while others are suspiciously scrutinising his every word and smile to question his motives.

Bongu!

I find it incredible that Labour politicians have only now discovered the crucial need to be present on the Internet, whether with personal profiles and support groups on Facebook, launching interactive blogs or galvanising ideas through a discussion forum.

Were they really that confident they could win without going after the young vote?

Talk about too little, too late.

Represent yourself

There was a lot of talk after the election about whom JPO is accountable to, with the argument being that he represents the constituents who voted for him.

But now that he has headed a delegation to the Council of Europe, the situation is rather different – he was there representing Malta, which means you and me.

I don’t know how you feel about it, but I strongly object to having that kind of person representing me.

Oh, but I forgot, my voice only counts every five years at election time. Until then, we are all supposed to just be quiet, and meekly accept whatever is dished out to us.

[email protected]