Some Labour Party officials disgruntled at their party’s leadership of the country will almost certainly be opting to tear up their vote in the coming general election, The Malta Independent on Sunday can reveal.

Officials who spoke to this newsroom on condition of anonymity, because they feared being targeted by party and government organs if they express how they are feeling, said that “genuine Labourites”, known in Maltese as the party’s suldati tal-azzar, are “fed up” of the way in which the Labour Party has been leading the country.

“The PL is showing arrogance because of the majority it has. Genuine supporters like me are fed up because they are ignoring us, simply because they know that whatever they do, they will be re-elected,” one party official told this newsroom.

“The PL has ended up adoring and idolising newcomers who have come into the party but have never fought for it, and they’ve kicked us genuine supporters to the side to do it. Those who have been kicked aside will kick them back though, and I am one of them,” the official said.

“I will tear up my vote. A protest vote! And there are a lot who have told me that they are going to do the same thing,” the official continued.

This newsroom was informed that there are even canvassers who are going around on the campaign trail with candidates who have already made up their mind not to vote for the party come 26 March.

Another official said that while he wanted the PL to win the upcoming election, he and many others do not want the party to win with majorities like in 2013 and 2017, because winning with such a margin would mean that the PL could continue to do as it is doing now, or worse.

The grievances brought up with this newsroom as to why these officials will not vote for the PL in the upcoming election are various.

Officials said that while the PL had done a lot of good work in the past years, particularly in handling the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic recovery from it, there are certain issues which have become a stain on the legislature.

The increase in the scourge of construction around the country – particularly in Gozo – is one issue which was cited, with some lamenting how the PL has allowed big developers, such as Joseph Portelli, to run roughshod over the country’s environment.

A picture taken and uploaded some months ago, where Portelli posed with Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia, was cited as an example of the unnecessary closeness between the party and developers like the Gozitan property magnate.

“Like the PN’s downfall was in part because of its planning policies in 2006, the PL risks the same downfall because they are allowing big developers to do as they please while punishing individuals for nothing,” one official said.

“I don’t believe it’s a matter of parties… there are developers who donated hefty sums to both parties… but the people aren’t going to forgive for how the country has been built up,” he pointed out.

This is particularly the case in Gozo, according to one of the officials who is based in Malta but has property on the sister island.

He said that development there has reached such an absurd point that he is thinking of selling his property because the island is fast losing its charm and becoming like a second Malta.

The official noted how building applications of a certain scale have been on the increase and said that the Gozo Tunnel, which the government continues to insist on, would be the final death knell for Gozo.

The same official also noted that while government has done some good projects such as the rehabilitation of the Qortin landfill in Xaghra, there are certain problems related to the area, and he questioned the government’s reluctance to protect certain areas such as Hondoq ir-Rummien, where both major parties agree that no developments should take place.

Government’s track record with how they’ve handled certain scandals over others is also a source of irritation for some.

“Certain ministers can get away with murder, and the party will still try its best to protect them,” one official lamented.

Likewise, government’s use of schemes such as the GWU-run Community Work Scheme to provide government jobs to people for no apparent reason beyond keeping them happy is another bone of contention.

“I know people who got a job through the Community Work Scheme or with Public Cleansing, and they don’t even know where they’re meant to be working,” one official noted.

It’s a problem in Gozo especially, with officials and other people independent from politics all lamenting with this newsroom how private companies and contractors have lost their workers to government jobs.

Those workers, one pointed out, will still go and work with private contractors, but for cash only and from 8 or 9am onwards so that they can have time to go and mark “present” on their government job roster.

Officials who spoke to this newsroom said that while they were not willing to turn their backs on the party, they did not want to vote for it as long as things remain as they are.

“I am a Labourite; but first I’m an honest man,” one official concluded.