From Mr C. J. Buttigieg
Throughout Labour’s long march to free the underprivileged from the shackles of a quasi-feudal system, mistakes were made, some big some small. But one cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs.
My call for an account is to the Labour Party, our party in labour labouring to rise and shine after our last fall, to take stock of the situation, to oil the engine, revamp itself, enhance public confidence and march forward to a merited victory, hopefully soon.
Labour’s current difficulties are benign and curable and do not require major surgery; the illness needs attention and the good will of its enthusiastic team will see to that. However, there shall not be gain without some pain. Plugging courage is the first required therapy.
Labour will continue with its soul searching and update itself on today’s standards and social requirements. These are the essential components required to enhance credibility and the people’s trust, even though other measures are needed.
Some of the economic measures in place in 1971 to 1987 were insensitive to people’s craving for choice. The bulk buying system and the over protection of local industries may have given some positive results to our economy but that was clearly outweighed by the people’s reluctance to accept an outdated model based on the East European protective system.
Political violence created tension and a sense of unrest. One can argue about the identity of the saints and sinners but then again the PN gained mileage from it. Wonder of wonders some of the perpetrators were later promoted to higher positions by their alleged victims, the PN.
In the years that followed, the PN lifted the Customs barriers and practically flooded the market, and campaigned to give the electorate a feel good ambience. That strategy had been tried and tested in 1957 by the Harold Macmillan Conservatives’ slogan “Britain’s never had it so good”.
By 1996 Labour consumed itself by fire and a new, young phoenix sprang from its ashes to build up its energy and win its rightful place in government. Sorrowfully, due to its internal problems it lost the power base during the critical mid term and succumbed to an electoral challenge.
The turbulent times of 1996-1998 was the prologue of a melancholic period that had valid and potential leaders leave the party followed by a considerable number of voters. 1998 gave an easy election victory to the PN and was followed by another victory in 2003, which saw Alfred Sant resign and then persuaded by the party incumbents to rescind his resignation. After a despondent and passive election campaign Labour lost its third consecutive chance to regain power.
One doesn’t need to look very deep to see the missing elements that were making Labour unelectable, but strong emotional feelings played their part to derail a better rudimental judgment prior to this time.
Labour is now looking for a new leader with its attendant risks. If we choose a leader who does things like they have been done we will only get what we had before.
Whoever is entrusted to vote, the general conference or party members, must ignore the malicious derision and celebrate the fact that we do not have children of a lesser God among our contenders.
The delegates’ vote for our new leader has to respect the grass roots’ desires, and one to minimise the antagonism of our political opponents that may be swayed to become our acolytes.
The party hierarchy must refrain from exercising its power of incumbency to promote a protector rather than an effective party leader. The person who made us look like fools with unethical comments on television should opt for an honourable way out and soon. That would also send out a clear message that this time our leader will be the people’s choice not that of the few. We have faith in our General Conference and we do not need the unsolicited patronage from other quarters.
The party members elect their delegates to represent them in the general conference, the supreme authority with powers of attorney to elect its executive officers as well as the party leadership. The terms of reference given to the executive body do not include patronising and therefore the party delegates must never tolerate any attempt to be treated in a condescending way.
Only the natural and the unblemished deliberations of our delegates would bless us with a natural national leader, not the brass with a vested interest in the party as a career opportunity. The incumbents are prospective protégées in a quest for protection. Those who have an ulterior motive must look within themselves to find some decency and buzz off. Our great country deserves the people’s Labour Party leader to be elected and with God’s help Malta shall.
I sincerely wish good luck to all the contenders and augur that the best person wins.
Charles J. Buttigieg
MELLIEHA