One of the speakers at the Nationalist Party (PN) recent general conference solemnly declared that the PN had given him freedom (I guess it was much, much more than freedom) and in return he had vowed his loyalty to the party. Good luck to him. The PN gave freedom to all Maltese, including Labour Party supporters, who, in two years’ time, for sure will again vow their loyalty to Labour.

In the past, come rain or shine, many life-long PN supporters, obviously not present at the conference, vowed their loyalty to the country and party without asking for anything. However, they were not as lucky as the person above, because in return, the party was quite hostile to them.

The PN pretends not to interpret the messages its disillusioned followers communicate, although it boasts a superb net of communications. Instead, what the party executive does is organise special general conferences in which it repeatedly barks to itself what it wants to hear.

One might wish to ask the PN general conference: Has the party been hijacked by a few while the many have to pay homage? (1) A miserable majority in the last general election (2) A humiliating bashing, in the European theatre, in the MEPs election and (3) another trashing in the divorce referendum − have all these recurring embarrassing results for the PN, from its supporters, happened by chance?

On the above occasions, did some or apparently many, PN supporters vote against their own party’s directions, just to spite and reciprocate offences received from the party’s hierarchy?

Shall we have a determining encore in two years’ time?

Does the kind of freedom granted make it possible to be heard and answered with respect from within the PN?

Can the PN be trusted against reprisal?

Time will tell whether the PN has truly changed and the Maltese have chosen it as their leader. The PN general conference did not inspire much as regards change. A thousand successful grand projects will not put the PN in power again. It is a vote of trust that will make the PN the winner, or, will it make its supporters always the losers.

Michael Agius

ST PAUL’S BAY