This is my final opinion article before the general election. Today week, it is a silent day - a concept that, in the world of social media, has become somewhat of a dischordant sound to put it mildly but as long as it stands, politicians are obliged to do the difficult task of staying silent!
It has been, at least up until the moment I am writing this article, an overall calm, level-headed and civil electoral campaign. Kudos goes to the two main political parties that, this time round, might I say the first time as far as I can recollect, chose both of them to focus on what politics is truly and essentially about: discussion of ideas and means to implement those ideas. This allowed us to focus on what matters most: Credibility, Competence, and Responsibility. These are the three main issues that the electorate will measure both parties against next week, and decide which of them to trust with the government.
Both parties have now published their electoral manifestos. The Labour Party published it three days before the PN did, putting across 1000-plus solid proposals. When the PN published theirs, they were in my view very late, only a few days before the advanced voting system kicked into effect
However, judging by what happened during the campaign, the PN did get into the habit of waiting for PL proposals before announcing theirs. And the end result was always a mess for the PN: proposals which are either half baked, or based on wrong maths or even full on regressive such as the madness of making Malta the petrol station of the Mediterranean.
The electoral campaign saw both leaders debating each other. The debate at the Malta Chamber of SMEs was more of a sober and formal.occasion than the very active debate at the University of Malta. In front of an audience of small and medium entrepreneurs, Robert Abela and Alex Borg explained their proposals and shared their vision for Malta and its economy.
Throughout the debate, the stark difference between the two couldn't be clearer. On the one hand, the audience witnessed a tried and tested Prime Minister who faced unprecedented challenges throughout his premiership, and notwithstanding, he created the fastest growing economy in the EU, and record employment. Robert Abela explained, in the minutest of details, the Labour Party's proposals to businesses, which are all costed, measurable, and doable.
On the other hand, Alex Borg, the Opposition leader, engaged in political bickering with the Prime Minister, and at one point in time, dared to challenge the Government's financial record. It was presumptuous - and that is to put it mildly- for Borg to do so when there is widespread agreement, especially amongst the SME audience, at the leaders' debate, that the Government is an excellent, hands-on, and highly competent work with public finances and the economy. Borg failed to explain clearly and coherently what his party stood for, and reinforced the perception, rife amongst the electorate, that he and his party are unprepared for the serious task of governing the country. When the Prime Minister mentioned that come June, that is next month, the Maltese Prime Minister is expected to be in Brussels to negotiate, together with his counterparts, the next EU budget, I could not help wondering how on earth would Alex Borg manage that task for, truth be told, he is not even capable of explaining the costings of his party's electoral proposals, let alone negotiate a European budget of billions of euros.
The election has served as a clear reminder of how only Labour can guarantee further prosperity, stability, and peace of mind. For we are the party that, since 2013, created the strong, robust, impressive economic machine that has churned out thousands of new and better-paid jobs for all, and we are the only party that can keep it working. What the Labour Party offers is credibility, competence, and responsible leadership.
Yes, we are tried and tested. Perfect we certainly are not, but we delivered strong results. Compare the situation in Malta, full employment, the lowest water and electricity rates, heavily subsidised fuel at the pumps, yearly increase in pensions, childrens' allowances, student stipends', the in-work benefit, funds for Maltese artists, and creatives, free IVF, and free child care, for all -and so many other incentives, and financial help, that only the people of Malta have. In mainland Europe its higher taxes, higher water and electricity rates, sky-high fuel at the pumps, rising unemployment, and inflation.
Certainly, there is much more we still need to do, and that we can, and will do. In the next legislature, we must, and we will ensure, a better quality of life for all - that is our topmost priority, to the effect that for the first time in Malta's political history, we have launched a well-being index alongside our electoral manifesto. But we certainly can not afford to turn the clock back to when chaos, political uncertainty, exorbitant water, and electricity prices were the order of the day. We certainly do not afford to trust Alex Borg with the running of the country, he who, during this electoral campaign, has shown us, time and again, how highly, and I dare say alarmingly unprepared, he is for the task of governing.
I know that there are still many out there who think that their vote won't make much of a difference. This feeling has been enhanced, perhaps, by numerous opinion polls that show Labour leading with a strong majority.
Nothing is farther from the truth. We are the underdogs in this and an election always starts 0-0. Each vote counts.
Tomorrow week let's vote Labour for credibility, competence, and responsibility. Let us give a fresh mandate to Robert Abela to take Malta to the next level.