Editorial

Now and again Alfred Sant hits out at the Prime Minister, Lawrence Gonzi, for what he calls his lack of vision. Now this is really rich coming from a politician who had made it his mission to see Malta stay out of the European Union, only for his party to realise its mistake and make a U-turn of the first degree by accepting the people's verdict and promising to do all it could to contribute towards making the best of membership.

With the party's success in local council elections still apparently high on his mind, the Labour leader also accused Dr Gonzi of being incapable of leading. Few would dare dismiss the importance of council elections but the real test is a general election, and Dr Sant has already lost two, plus a referendum, since he had to step down when he lost a confidence vote in Parliament over a marina project less than two years after his party had been elected. Dr Sant has remained at the helm of his party despite these defeats.

When it comes to which of the two main political parties has the best vision for the island, the Nationalists are bound to get full marks in any poll. For it is precisely Labour's lack of vision that delayed Malta's membership of the EU and, to its own cost, denied itself the (great) possibility of being entrusted with the running of the country had they dropped their "Switzerland in the Mediterranean" or "partnership" proposal in time. But no, even when the electorate had said yes to EU membership in a referendum, Labour, thinking they had the right vision for Malta, dug their head deeper in the sand and faced the following election on the same no-to-membership platform.

As it happens, just as the Labour leader goes about talking about the government's lack of vision, Dr Gonzi spells out his administration's vision in no uncertain manner in an article carried in the journal of the Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise. Not that this is the first time he has spoken of the kind of vision his party has for the country, but in this contribution he writes as if he were replying to the Labour leader.

This is how he sums it up: "The government's vision for Malta is that of having a dynamic, high-value added economy founded on competence, skills and excellence and capable of sustaining a high standard of living for its people". Is not this what the country should aim at? True, it is easier putting such vision down on paper than in practice, but the challenge towards the end contemplated in such vision is inescapable in the stage of development the country has reached.

The government has in mind stimulating further economic growth through various other reforms "in particular in the area of income tax". The Prime Minister is envisaging that these reforms will be included in a new pre-budget document that will be published later this year so that they can be implemented in the next budget. Also in the pipeline, of course, is the pension reform, a matter that has to be taken up with greater earnestness if we are to move ahead.

Malta's vision has to be seen in the context of the island's membership of the EU. As Dr Gonzi so rightly points out, the country has to integrate further if it wants to experience the benefits of membership.

Keeping this vision in focus may help speed up the drive to tap new economic opportunities.