That comments such as those made in the article A sorry ride down broken promises made (TMID, 2 July) would come from a Labour MP is no surprise. But from Michael Falzon? The same Michael Falzon whose party denied him a fair run at the leadership? The party whose “invisible machine” did whatever possible to discredit him and blame him in large measure for the latest electoral loss? Where was the promise of a fair contest so much talked about prior to 5 June?

However, that’s all under the bridge as Dr Falzon says and the Labourites must be ecstatic that he is back thinking and writing in old Labour tones.

It is good to point out that it is far better to postpone some excellent electoral promises due to changing circumstances than to propose a bunch of bad ones to begin with and promise to carry them out if elected.

The MLP are quite silent about cutting the surcharge in half. They remain quite silent about how much they would have raised taxes to make up for the reduction of the surcharge. They stay in opposition because in the last 20 years they have proved that they are devoid of any good ideas and believe in the status quo which, in their own mind, is the safest port for them.

The MLP continues to be a party of ifs and buts. They, sort of, agree with the shipyard’s privatisation, if the government consults them but on condition that the workers are protected. As if the government was cutting loose the livelihood of the workers without regard.

With Labour’s “new beginning” under Joseph Muscat, one would have expected that it will veer off the doom and gloom, so for Dr Falzon to write “the wealth gap is widening, salaries are decreasing, working conditions are lost day by day, the quality of life is evaporating fast...” it sounds like a throwback to the not-so-long-ago campaign of negativity.

Michael should see what is happening the world over where unions are negotiating reductions in salaries and benefits rather than threatening employers and governments with disruption of services. The three (former) world leaders in the auto industry (Ford, GM and Chrysler) would not still exist had it not been for massive layoffs, revision downwards in health and other benefits and reductions or freezing of salaries, all negotiated by UAW. We cannot afford to keep an “island” mentality and need to put Malta’s situation in a global context. Isolation is out.

The Nationalist government has five years to fulfil the electoral promises with or without the cooperation of the opposition. So to speak about broken promises at this very early stage is grossly premature and an exercise in trying to maintain their popularity for another try in 2013, however, politics is not a hard science and the likable Dr Falzon and his colleagues should make sure that their popularity does not peak too early.

Joe Martinelli

London, Ontario

Canada