These last few weeks, ever since the Nationalist Party started leaking one negative proposal after another contained in the Labour Party's publication Towards A Plan For Economic And Social Regeneration, we have been hearing contrasting statements and attacks thrown at each other via the political media, with both parties claiming that the other wants to eliminate the statutory bonuses, increasing the social security contribution for the middle class etc.

In a film on TV a female was being acclaimed for her achievements and in the background was a large banner with the words Truth Shall Make You Free.

It is unfortunate that the MLP under Alfred Sant, which under normal circumstances should be considered as an alternative government, does not concede to such a motto and, in fact, is living a constant lie, as will be demonstrated here.

It is high time that one clarifies once and for all who is making certain negative proposals which will do more harm to the economy, whether this is the Nationalist Party, which, according to the Socialist media proposed that the statutory bonus should be stopped and the capping of social security contributions removed, or whether these are two of the proposals found in the MLP's publication mentioned earlier.

According to the Socialist media, attached to the White Paper on pension reform, which Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi presented to Parliament, were all the reports made by various individuals or commissions and one of these documents - the Galdes report - suggests that the statutory bonuses be removed.

What the Socialists do not say is that the White Paper on pension reform excluded this suggestion in its entirety and, therefore, the elimination of the bonuses is not on the government's, that is, the PN's, agenda.

On the other hand, in the economic regeneration document, presented to the public by the Leader of the Opposition himself, one finds not only a proposal for the removal of the statutory bonuses but other negative proposals, such as the removal of the capping on the social security contribution, the elimination of the students' stipends, encouraging them to take bank loans to further their tertiary education, and the introduction of a new tax to be imposed on those who have more than one residence - including a summer residence.

It is a known fact that this plan, issued as an MLP publication, is, in Dr Sant's own words in the document's Foreward, a plan of great importance, written with great thought, diligence and knowledge. While stating that this document is to serve as a basis for discussion in the MLP, Dr Sant tries to disown the plan by adding that "the document does not bind the future policy of the Labour Party". However, he repeats that this plan should stimulate serious discussion within the party.

Dr Sant ended this Foreward by thanking, on his own behalf and on behalf of Charles Mangion and Michael Falzon, his two deputy leaders, the panel of experts who had prepared and written the plan.

It is therefore expected that, when the time comes for this document to be discussed within the party, the leadership - Dr Sant, Dr Mangion and Dr Falzon - will bring it to the attention of either the party's national executive or the general conference - or both. Considering the very positive adjectives used by Dr Sant vis-a-vis this plan, and also because of the fact that recently Dr Mangion supported the document publicly, one cannot but expect the leadership to give its full support to this document in order for it to be approved during the discussions in the executive committee or the general conference.

It is therefore unacceptable that the leader of the party and some of its officials are now trying to say that the plan for the regeneration of the social economy is not an MLP document but is only a document for discussion. This document, presented by the Labour leadership with pomp during a press conference last year, is owned at least by the three highest officials of the party who believe so much in it that they have thanked publicly its authors and had committed themselves to present its entire contents and suggestions for discussion within their party.

It is inconceivable how, recently, the MLP, including its general secretary, Jason Micallef, and Dr Sant himself are trying to disown this plan and want to convince the people it is nothing but a number of proposals made by a panel of experts.

Dr Sant is now even trying to ridicule this same document. He answered journalists' questions by speaking on a totally different subject. This last gimmick by Dr Sant is not only absurd but is totally pathetic and further demonstrates that his party is living a constant lie, accentuated by Dr Sant's refusal to accept responsibility for the atrocities committed by his party when he was its president, and will continue to live a lie until the party chooses a politically responsible leader who will have the guts to accept its past and apologise to the Maltese public for the atrocities committed.

Then and only then will the MLP be able to claim that the truth had made the party free, when it will be able to open a new page and start acting as a responsible opposition, capable of being considered an alternative government.

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