Looks quite likely that this year will be exceptional because, besides having the traditional feasts, we will have another set of similar events.
Carnival started very early, with our politicians being blown larger than life in a vibrant election-mood atmosphere as they exhibit themselves in designer suits and clothes, wearing silly looking grins generally conveying sentiments of love, friendship and solidarity they hardly mean. It seems most likely that Joseph Muscat will be taking the leading role in the ‘Resurrection’, leaving GonziPN to its ignominious fate to do its part on the previous Friday at 3 pm!!
Shortly, GonziPN will learn, at its expense, that its last minute colossal effort to organise a front was to no avail. Its basic and irremediable error springs from its own refusal to realise that it doesn’t face a small, band of rabble rousers holding a different ideology but that it is indeed against an organised movement with a large following of people who see alternative ways of development beyond its myopic outlook.
Dr Gonzi burnt his fingers with his choice for failed campaign slogans; the latest disaster being his highly touched up picture with his partner, which reeks of simulated goodness verging on sainthood!
The people have had enough of his pontificating from the moral high ground. None are taken in by his claim that he is for devolution and de-centralisation of power. It has been shown on innumerable occasions that the authorities turned out to be little more than facades, and with the palpable power, at the end of the day, resting with The Man and his choice of friends.
In his electoral manifesto we’re reminded of our sacred right that: “the government should not interfere in people’s lives or believe that it has some kind of monopoly on the truth”, and goes on to add, “The government is not the master who controls your life...”, though this doesn’t seem to be strictly applicable in his regard, as camouflaged bias at PBS reaches an all time high.
The people are amused by his turn around in policy and attitude regarding divorce, co-habitation outside marriage, and same sex arrangements, which renders all his previous eloquent words in defence of the family, convenient cheap lip service, which, quite regrettably for him, cuts no ice today.
Only GonziPN seems taken in by its own rhetoric. It seems to be chasing a ghost, lashing out into empty space. Caught off guard, Gonzi desperately tried to improvise a plug for his leaking boat. The Energy Issue, the Ten Point suggestion to improve MPs’ performance and some other spicy dishes from Joseph Muscat’s kitchen will keep him more than busy in the near future.
After 25 years, he proposes to do away with much of the red tape we have had to contend with − an issue he should have tackled on Day One. He also claims not to promise the moon to all and sundry, but I’m inclined to think that he might just do that to a selected few. He claims success in terms of job creation and sound finances, subjects he would have done better to leave in the hands of able mathematicians. In his Electoral Programme he suggested hanging around, implying that he didn’t see any need for great improvement, when quite evidently, this is not the case at all. Indeed, our Malta could do with a new broom.
We’re constantly reminded of GonziPN’s self- importance. He seems to believe that he is indispensable. He seems unable to visualize a world without him at the centre. He sees himself driving a good deal in Malta’s favour in the EU 2014~2020 Budget; but most likely, if left to him, he’ll make do with what Brussels dishes out. Probably, also for the sake of vainglory, he wishes to see himself or a dear friend of his (assuming he still has one) in the Chair when Malta takes over the EU presidency in 2017. It’s only for the sake of not being outright ridiculous that he just falls short from claiming infallibility like a pope and immortality just like any would-be emperor; nonetheless, the implication is there for all to see. This amounts to a type of arrogance that generally overtakes a weak human being after sitting too long in the driving seat.
We plebs are all too well aware that for most of the 25 years GonziPN’s party was in office was principally due to the MLP itself. To the nation’s greater loss, the remoulding of the Labour Party took an inordinately long time. That’s a case closed. As is the case of the Fascist skeletons in many a PN sympathiser’s closet closed.
The sun is rising... after the lessons learnt, the past is left behind ... the only task worthy of our efforts is to construct the future! With pride and determination, we embrace the noble principles of social democracy fully aware of the greatness of the task ahead of us. Labour has what it takes to achieve the re-establishment of an equitable society, where many little colourful fishes will make it to maturity and a ripe old age.
Ramon Borg-Bartolo
SLIEMA