What new Labour?

It is unfortunate that Gordon Cordina should fall victim to the Labour opposition's scandalous personal attacks. Similar attacks had been orchestrated in the past by the Labour camp on the Central Bank Governor, on Kenneth Wain and on all other individuals or organisations that did not agree with Alfred Sant's point of view.

The Malta Labour Party attacked the NSO head simply because statistics showed that the country's economic position is improving and because he had addressed a Nationalist Party activity prior to Malta's accession to the EU wherein he expressed his support for EU membership. Even in opposition, Dr Sant has the tendency and the capability to attack and destroy people it disagrees with; just imagine what could happen if the MLP has the power to govern.

This is proof that the MLP's eye-for-an-eye threat is becoming a reality when still in opposition. Despite that, the party tries to give the impression it has changed and reformed itself following a succession of U-turns. In reality it has not as it still believes in personal attacks. The attitude of the MLP led by Dr Sant is unacceptable.

Take what is happening now within the MLP, and which Dr Sant is allowing, with regard to the alleged breach of the party statute by none other than the secretary general himself. This shows that politics done by New Labour is still based on the old-style Labour, the Labour famed for irregularity and wrongdoing.

A party that believes in misdemeanours and misconduct, which breaks the rules with its leader's blessing and which goes against its own statute cannot be trusted with a country's future, especially when it is a bright one.

Such people cannot be trusted with the largest funding ever reaching our shores, €855 million. A country cannot rely on such people for a project involving thousands of jobs. A person accused of discriminating between his own people cannot run a modern nation competing in a global market.

What occurred, not so long ago, during the EU referendum is happening once again with the introduction of the euro. The Leader of the Opposition, together with his allies, is orchestrating a campaign to put in a bad light people who speak in favour of the change. Once again, they tell the people untruths in order to satisfy their craving for power. The opposition has the duty to ask and criticise but has no right to discredit honest and reliable people that have always offered a professional service to the country and to the Maltese population.

It is irresponsible and scandalous that a political leader levels accusations of wrongdoing at people who do their job in a professional manner while, on the other hand, protects those who fail to follow the rules. That is what is happening within the MLP and that is why people such as Carmelo Bugeja, a former mayor of Marsaxlokk, is demanding fairness or Dr Sant should resign.

Dr Sant cannot give the cold shoulder to his party delegates and the party's statute, the document approved by the highest body within an organisation. The statute of an organisation, including a political party, consists of the rules and regulations the party and its members must abide by.

That is the difference between the PN and the party led by Dr Sant. The PN, and all the leaders that led it, apart from abiding by the rules and regulations, always worked hard in the national interest in order to improve the situation both for the country and for the people. On the other, in less than two years in power, the party led by Dr Sant had managed to introduce a record number of taxes and raise the national debt to Lm275 million.

When time comes, the PN is able to face the electorate with a record of accomplishments and a list of challenges changed into success stories. Since the early days of the PN, leaders and politicians active within this great party have always worked in the national interest. That is why we can boast that the PN made history in Malta: George Borg Olivier by achieving Independence; Eddie Fenech Adami by giving a real meaning to democracy and human dignity and then striving so that Malta would become a member of the European Union; and now, under the leadership of Lawrence Gonzi, we are reaping the fruit of this country's ambitions.

Mr Casa is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.

david.casa@europarl.europa.eu www.davidcasa.eu