If there is one thing that friends and foes alike of the present Labour government have agreed on after its first full year is that it has shown a most welcome dynamism. But is it merely the result, as the maxim goes, of a new broom sweeping clean? I think it is something else, something definitely more than that.
The decadent years of the PN government had put the country in a veritable stupor. Corruption, a laissez-faire attitude, internal feuds, arrogance and an incredible disregard for people’s needs all helped to create a worrying social atmosphere wherein frustration and disenchantment with all that had to do with governance, at both local and national levels, rooted themselves to the national psyche.
The Labour Party under Joseph Muscat, for too long in Opposition, knew it had to reach out to the people in a completely different manner it had ever done before. It was not just a change of style, but an urgent need to address people’s concerns in a way that they felt there was hope, after all. It was to such depths that the nation’s spirit had been allowed to sink.
With its credibility restored and the historic dimension of its electoral victory, the Labour Party could hardly be expected to just sweep clean and then opt to rest on its laurels. It has wisely acknowledged that this nation is in a hurry. To come clean after the sludge and mud of the previous government; to offer new alternatives; to show it is genuinely committed to tackling poverty and social exclusion; to let business know it is an ally. To let our young men and women feel wanted and trusted; to give women a chance to join in the intended economic revival. To give this nation the social and political respite it has been crying for, for far too long, as polarisation had rendered it ineffective, self-defeating and myopic.
The past year has seen the Maltese government not only keeping many of its electoral promises, but also venturing out into the world, Europe in particular, to attract investment and paving the way for economic growth. Not surprisingly, the signs have already received the positive attention of European Union statisticians and various European leaders who are suddenly mindful of Malta’s quick progress in the fields of employment, energy, immigration and social welfare.
That this nation is in a hurry will continue to serve as an incentive for more work and bigger commitment on the part of the Labour government. With the European elections now looming fast, one can only look forward to more of the same rhythm and commitment that we have witnessed thus far in this legislature.
Marie Louise – The President for ALL!
The nomination of Marie Louise Coleiro Preca as President of the Republic has been met with general consent. I am not surprised. I have known Marie Louise for many years and I feel privileged to have seen, first hand, her dedication and devotion in her work for the benefit of the working class of these islands.
I am sure her new responsibilities as Head of State will be assumed with the same enthusiasm and efficiency she has always shown in the various capacities she has held over the years. Marie Louise Coleiro Preca is a dynamic peg that the Labour government machine will miss, alas, but then she will also be a different President of the Republic, a President that is willing to still contribute directly to the nation rather than just the ceremonial nature of the post.
Joseph Cuschieri is head of the Labour delegation in the European Parliament
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