Ebbing hope

The New Year, which will usher in a watershed event almost halfway through, should have made us all reflect on our conduct and habits in all spheres, not least in the political domain.

It seemed to me there was a consensus to bury our provincial, confrontational, impulsive habits with the old year, to mature in worthy, fully fledged citizens of a half billion strong political and economic giant.

I am convinced the new status will put so much pressure on all of us that we will reform our ways. But I had hoped that all of us would have consciously striven to rise to the occasion and not be forced to. After all this is the significance of the prime minister's clarion call for an ushering in of a new spring.

Looking back at post election events last year one could not but be convinced that, bar a handful of dinosaurs, all had learnt the lesson. But soon it became clear that Alfred Sant's conversion to the grand European project was one of convenience. To save his skin or to finally reassert his partnership plans once he achieves power? Your guess is as good as mine.

But no one should discard lightly his statement that it would be self-defeating to decide now to abscond from Europe. This statement may resurface in the future.

It increasingly seems to me that Dr Sant is now manoeuvring his deputies to commit them to his old ways. It is true that the genuine believers in one Europe, of which Malta should form an integral part, have been put at a disadvantage by the current economic difficulties. But it is in stormy seas that true sailors show their mettle.

It is disheartening enough watching Dr Sant persisting in his old ways making wild unsubstantiated claims. Such was his accusation about the alleged appointment of Georg Sapiano by FMS.

When FMS categorically denied his allegation, he called the foundation all sorts of names. It was no use for FMS to point out to him that the roads leading to the hospital are not part of its remit. He could not simply admit that he was mistaken. Of such stuff is Dr Sant's statesmanship made! It is clear that he would rather be damned than accept the new spring once it was the brainchild of the prime minister.

Of more far-reaching consequences are his allegations about the medical equipment tender. Everyone is convinced that the Labour Party as led by its present leader would have called wolf just the same had the tender been awarded to any other bidder.

Little does he care that the delays have substantially raised the cost of the whole project, besides delaying the opening of Mater Dei. Or does he perceive this fact as a bonus in that this would give him the opportunity of making other accusations about cost and delay?

I bet actual and prospective contractors are gleefully rubbing their hands that instead of finding a strong united political front to their unfounded claims, they are wittingly or unwittingly being abetted by an opposition that is more interested in scoring ephemeral political points than acting in the national interest.

If it is disheartening in seeing the Labour leader preferring the political winter to the new spring; it is even more depressing to see the deputy leaders and the new officials being unwittingly enmeshed and embroiled by their leader in the old ways.

Little do they realise that they are sounding the death knell to the party's prospects by their sheepish assent to be used. It is no wonder that those lost sheep, eager to return to their natural fold, see no reason for doing so and are feeling more than ever justified in the decision taken in the last election.

How could they do otherwise when they look up and see what they assumed to be reformers increasingly taking to the old ways with gusto? It is becoming increasingly evident that the new wine is being forced to adapt to the old wine skins. It is bound to turn sour and in five years' time Labour supporters would have nothing to taste but gall.

Similarly, the new Labour general secretary must have sent shockwaves of dismay especially among the young. How could he be so quixotic to try to prevent hundreds of voters, who are studying or working in Europe, from voting in the elections for the European parliament?

Does he not realise that May 1, 2004 will make Europe our homeland? How can Labour on the one hand appoint a shadow minister for the European Union as distinct from the foreign shadow minister driving home the message that Europe is no longer foreign and on the other hit at Maltese temporarily resident in European countries?

Don't they see the contradiction, on the one hand claiming they would do their utmost to maximise opportunities and on the other penalising those who profit by these opportunities? Doesn't Labour realise that in a few years' time the hundreds would become thousands?

Can't they grasp that through their daft decision they are antagonising the rising generations? Despite the advantage of his youth, the young are bound to look up and see nothing in the new general secretary but a carbon copy of his predecessor. How could he allow himself to be forced to tread the old paths, dashing the hopes of thousands in the process?

People are bound to conclude that the new lot are not the announced messiahs. Soon people would conclude that they do not even qualify as the precursors.

Yet, despite the blight, I still believe that the milestone decision taken last year will eventually bring a change, if not voluntary, a forced one. All to the good! One does not have to profess perfect contrition to enter the gates of heaven.

After an ebb, a flow is bound to follow.

Dr Deguara is minister of health.