Leo Brincat's article of TMID December 8 (So what’s new?) begs a response. He takes much delight in Austin Gatt’s ‘two clangers’, one of which is the SmartCity saga due to the Dubai situation. In a negative sort of way, he is almost blaming the changing circumstances facing the project on Austin Gatt. So, if Leo and his party happened to be governing, what would their reaction have been? So, when things appeared rosy, a secret trip was arranged (along went ‘preferred’ contractors) to Dubai, grovelling for business since it was widely expected that Labour would win, and that was ok. But now that things are a bit uncertain and the Labour Party is in Opposition, Mr Brincat is all out rubbishing Austin Gatt.

The second umbrage he took was regarding the Delimara Station extension. Here, again, the main beef, which seems to change as the allegations put forward drop one by one, is that BWSC won the bid and not another company. Austin Gatt, addressing the Labour Party’s accusations of ‘corruption’, gave a complete list of names (24) of all those involved in the bidding process and asked point-blank who, of the 24, were corrupt. That was a week or so ago, yet, no answer – not from the Labour Party – not from Leo.

What is the result of all this? Delays to projects which we desperately need in order to preserve or even create jobs in a time of recession. Yet, the Labour Party continues its destructive path, forgetting that one of its supposed objectives is to protect the worker.

With his icing bag at the ready in order to crown Leo's cake, he again pointed to Minister Gatt and particularly to ‘his side kick Claudio Grech’ having said, before the Dubai crisis, that the recessionary period was ‘an opportunity for SmartCity Malta as companies were looking for ways to reduce operating costs’.

Now, his reaction to such a statement is understandable since he and his party are so used to looking at a half-full glass and declaring it as half empty. It is understandable because the Labour Party is the party of doom and gloom, does not look past its nose, describes the country as a nation of “makku” and believes in state control including ‘bulk-buying’.

This government pushes forward and occasionally glances at the rear view mirror and what it sees is no pretty sight. No to EU, No to Euro, No to Maghtab, No to Sant’ Antnin, No to EU funding for Sant’ Antnin, No to Marsa Incinerator, Yes to devaluation, Yes to ‘reception class’, Yes to turning student stipends into loans... Boggles one’s mind, doesn’t it?

Joe Martinelli

London, Ontario