What a contrast!

Thank God for St Gorg Preca. As has been said, his sainthood was earned during his lifetime on earth, in our own Malta, not in Rome. This weekend just celebrated the official recognition. Here was an event that united us all, but for a handful of dissenters.

The euphoria generated all over the islands dwarfed all other events and I suspect those reading this article would judge my effort as irrelevant. In the aftermath of the canonisation of St Gorg what happened less than two weeks ago seems to have happened ages ago. But the holding of a general council or conference is an important event for a political party as well as for the country. This year, with the general election likely to be held within the next 12 months, the council has become even more relevant. Although those who speak or write before they think rue about politics and political parties, the country cannot be run without them. Only anarchists believe that society can be run in the absence of government, and, whatever its deficiencies, democracy has been shown to be the best form of government. Democracy cannot thrive without political parties. In fact, political parties developed over the ages when elected representatives with similar ideas and interests came together so as to form more effective and stable governments.

This year's council has been both praised and faulted for its careful organisation, for the glitz if you want. From this point of view it was perfect, leaving everybody amazed at what a handful of officials could achieve. But the glamour and the organisation was backed by substance, real substance. Those who attended the workshops, their subjects carefully chosen for their political significance now and in the immediate future, chaired by people from outside the party who could animate and prod the debates in directions and limits beyond the usual, could vouch for the contribution they made. Even the fact that speeches by councillors were limited to just three minutes and rapporteurs had their usual allotted time halved, made for increased effort, a better product and greater efficiency.

Those capable of depth of analysis should have realised that you cannot have the Prime Minister stimulating and egging on the country towards a culture of excellence backed by a sloppy party organisation. The party organisation met the challenge admirably from every aspect. The Nationalist Party has to be at the forefront of creating a smart Malta.

Despite the jibes at the political class, even in this aspect Malta has come a long way since my first entering Parliament - from the bullying during the Mintoff years to the make-do pronouncements of Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, Eddie Fenech Adami's ditching of the second-hand culture and belief in the capabilities of the Maltese people, Alfred Sant's timidity best shown in the whiting vs. whales analogy, and now Lawrence Gonzi's can-do, will-do daring mentality and a vision of excellence for the country. What a contrast! No wonder even when, in his first year as Prime Minister he had to take difficult decisions, he always led Dr Sant in opinion polls.

Good is not good enough! Neither is the best in a globalised world! Nothing but excellence will do for these islands!

The fruit being harvested over the last year is increasing the Prime Minster's credibility, making his task easier. Malta has already a few islands of excellence. The new roads, our health system, our IT capability, to mention the most obvious! Steady investment in these areas as well as in many others, especially education, the environment and tomorrow in research and innovation, together with our now visibly successful restructuring of the economy will propel this country to the top.

Europe, besides the finances, is providing us with the benchmarks. Increasing our tertiary student population from 800 to 8,000 seemed quite an achievement. Now we know this is not enough compared to the best in the EU. This is frequently pointed to us by that very opposition that had turned our alma mater into a utilitarian glorified secondary school. But the challenge has been taken up. Already 70 per cent of our students are still studying beyond compulsory school age. It is not enough not because the opposition says so. We were the first to insist that human resources are our most valuable and almost only resource. It was not the technocrats, nor the bureaucrats who instead called for the suppression of the stipend system, nor the Labour Party led by Dr Sant who sent students to borrow from the banks, that first realised what now seems to be a self-evident truth, but the PN, led by Dr Fenech Adami. Now that the concept has sunk in the national psyche, this government, led by Dr Gonzi, is urging us to climb to new heights.

To return to the council. It was brought to a close by an electrifying crescendo with the leader's speech. (Some, finding so little to criticise, bemoaned the blurring of the fine line between party and the government.) The oratory could not be faulted. Those present could feel the mutual and rising rapport between speaker and audience. But, again, it was the substance that stood out and which, after all, matters. The MLP and Dr Sant never featured in his speech unless very indirectly. It may have been intentional! I say it was natural. The MLP, as now led, nowhere features in such a scenario.

The Prime Minister was setting out the goals up to 2015. Even more sharply than on May 1, he delineated his vision for Malta in the next nine years. No pie in the sky, but achievable goals as recent events have proved. The six areas of excellence Malta could reach! He spelled them out! Urging and encouraging us on because in some of them we are almost there! He announced two decisions taken! One to build a Lm50 million campus for MCAST, testifying to our commitment to raise the skills and standards of all our human resources, even those not academically bent. The other, a long promised proposal by the PN regarding the pharmacy of your choice scheme. A due measure in the social sphere! After all, we have to produce more not for the sake of statistics but so that we can enjoy a better standard of living. All of us!

What a future!

And the Leader of the Opposition? At the same time he was whipping up a Watergate out of nothing! Nay, for those who use their brains to think, the minister's uprightness shone out and Dr Sant showed to what depths he could stoop to save his political skin. Expect more in the coming months.

But what a contrast!

Dr Deguara is Minister of Health, the Elderly and Community Care.