Your editorial (Major shake-up, TMID 18 August) made interesting reading.

I agree with most of this piece but I think it is not fair to lay many accusations against both the PN and the government in office. If one wants to be fair, both entities did not stop for a second in fulfilling their programmes. Despite being in the silly season, it cannot be said that the government has been silly over the past months. It has passed countless pieces of legislation which are of great benefit to the community.

It has presented many vital reforms for public discussion and eventual parliament approval. Parliament was well occupied with many issues which are also part of the electoral programme of both party and government. The same MPs were always close to the electorate trying to satisfy their requirements. The party has also been very active in its projections and future activities.

So the ball was always rolling both at government and party level. The opposition is blaming the government for anything when a short visit to international news amply indicate that, all in all, we are not faring that badly when compared to what’s happening in other countries. But One News is always harping on doom and gloom items to discourage us for the future.

What I think is lacking on the government and party side is good PR. All the good work is not being well delivered to the people in the street. We are inundated with the opposition’s press releases that are dished out daily so that its trumpet is being continually blowing, even on stupid and insignificant issues. Each opposition member seems to have been instructed to issue a press release on any flimsy thing so that the party looks alive and kicking.

The Malta Independent is packed daily with opposition spokesmen/women’s epistles. The saying goes ‘Empty vessels makes most sound’. And here is where the PN government is lacking.

Both the party and more so the government should make good use of their PR team to rebut each and every opposition press release. This should be carried out as quickly as possible so that, we the people in the street, would get the other side of the story. Many of the government spokesmen have their weekly articles in many newspapers. But in my humble opinion they tackle general topics which are of lesser importance. These articles should answer the often insignificant arguments made by the opposition.

The only two exceptions are George Pullicino and Austin Gatt. These two ministers are prompt to reply with facts and figures to downplay the opposition’s arguments.

This paper has more articles written by opposition spokesmen than government representatives. It is surely not your fault but the latters’ because of indifference or lethargy. Even TV and radio are not being used sensibly because they do not reply to the many “invented” stories on One TV and radio. Net TV and in-Nazzjon should rebut these stories to give a true picture of what is really happening. Most of One News items are simply essays written with the sole aim of diminishing the government’s work. They are repeated ad nauseam so that something sticks in one’s mind. In my opinion the opposition is reaching its aim of destroying the government’s programme while members on the government side are less effective in their message. Wake up and call their bluff!

N. Bugeja

San Gwann

Editorial note: The Malta Independent carries statements issued by the Labour Party and government or the Nationalist Party, when it deems that they are newsworthy. But to say that TMID is “packed” with PL statements is not correct.

And the number of articles written by PN and PL contributors is balanced. TMID takes pride in giving its readers opinions of both sides of the political fence.