Where is the new beginning?

By any standards a party's general conference is an important event. Last weekend's Labour Party general conference had a larger significance than usual. It was necessarily the last ordinary Labour conference before the general election. The leader was expected to deliver a major speech, launching his party's message to the electorate and firing his supporters to the task ahead. With Alfred Sant's full return to politics after his recent major surgery, the event was expected to be more emotional than usual. In fact, by all accounts the Leader of the Opposition was received by genuine enthusiasm. Nor could we expect that political mileage would not be made out of his recent illness. Labour's media was expected to drum this aspect. It did this with a vengeance. Just look at Monday's l-orizzont.

From the policy aspect, Dr Sant's read speech was far more than disappointing. Abetment of unsatisfied clientelism does not tally with his claim of zero tolerance. Jibes and failed jokes at the Prime Minister's expense are no substitute for solid policy and political vision. There was no message at all besides the repetition of past statements. In fact, Labour apologists were quick to excuse his weak message by declaring that now it was time for prioritising.

Those who expected that he would profit from the unusual attention to explain how he would finance the populist measures announced during the last budget debate were flabbergasted or delighted depending on which side of the fence they stand.

Let's admit it. Labour has no easy task. The economy is running at full throttle on all fronts. So much so that while, up to a couple of years ago, Labour were clamouring for a real increase in GDP of three to four per cent, now that the latter figure has been breached, they blandly declared that Malta needs an annual growth of six per cent.

Tourism, after the courageous measures taken by the government and which Labour had opposed lest Air Malta be wiped out, has posted record figures. Indications in these first few weeks of 2008 are that progress in this sector will be sustained. Times never looked rosier for the industry. The government, working closely with hoteliers and all stakeholders, has not only saved the national airline but succeeded in adapting policy to a highly competitive, globalised, IT dominated world.

The process of restructuring in manufacturing is ongoing. The numbers of people employed in the sector have gone down but job losses were made up for in the knowledge-based new economy as well as in the services sectors. The number of employed people reached record levels while the number of unemployed has nose-dived. The new economy is roaring.

The currency has been changed with such smoothness that we are being held as a model. It's true that imported inflation is a problem but the government has taken an unprecedented step of compensation in the budget. NECC is being turned into a consumer's watchdog.

In the circumstances a new beginning makes only sense if it refers to the Labour Party itself.

Probably during the conference, the greatest fuddled thinking was expressed when the Labour leader tried to ennoble his 50 per cent cut in the fuel surcharge in a framework of alternative energy. Labour would be the fist to admit that we can't do much about its pricing. So from whichever pocket we hand out the cash, it's we that have to pay for the millions of euros more we have to incur. If the government takes more on its shoulders it has to get the money from somewhere, either in increased taxation or in slashing other services as Charles Mangion had more than hinted at a week before. The choice is either bills being paid by the user or by the taxpayer. The government has removed the surcharge from some 30,000 households who could not bear the added burden. So Labour's further slashing of electricity bills cannot be justified on social justice. It would encourage energy waste because it's not users who would be paying out of pocket. The taxpayer would make good for their profligacy. Besides, VAT is a bitter reminder of Labour's deviousness.

On the other hand, alternative energy at present prices is still more expensive. The justification for it is environmental not economic, at least in the short term. Since it is cleaner and renewable we will be doing our bit for this planet of ours. We have entered into international obligations and there is no doubt that we have to do more in this direction. But to set the halving of the surcharge in a framework of alternative energy and energy saving is nothing but simple, unadulterated balderdash. If anything, such claptrap exposes Labour's poor environmental credentials.

Nor was the Labour leader luckier with his speech about education, a subject Labour would do well to shun. Perhaps there were few issues that had kindled so much opposition in the dark days of Labour. The suppression of the University and its transformation into a glorified, strictly utilitarian, secondary school, wrought havoc with students and the economy. The suppression of exams in state schools and the amateurish experiments at reform still brings shivers. State education was dealt a mortal blow. Illiteracy among school leavers rose alarmingly. No problem, as long as a socialist generation was nurtured. Those who could afford it voted with their feet and endeavoured to protect their children by transferring them to Church schools. When it was the turn of these schools to taste the socialist onslaught, despite the class hatred purposely engendered, a mighty anti-Labour coalition was created.

Nor was New Labour anything better. Despite its pre-election promises of the inviolability of stipends, no sooner was it in government than students were sent to borrow from the banks. Fortunately, that government's term was too short to cause permanent damage to the sturdy regeneration under the first post-1987 Nationalist administrations.

So once we were back we could continue with the modernisation of our schools and the educational system. But we must not forget that Labour fought us tooth and nail when we removed the anything but educational trade schools and set up Mcast instead. Now Labour has opted for another U-turn admitting that trade schools are dead and buried. There is no harm to mend one's ways. But the U-turns have been so numerous in every sector that a crucial question arises: Is the Labour Party, as now led, able to take the correct decisions? On all major issues and even lesser ones Labour has been proved wrong. Will it ever move with the times?

Now Labour is proposing that it will mess about with primary education once more. It will set up a so-called reception class. In practice, because a few find the going tough, all other children, whether in state, Church or private schools, will be made to repeat a year. Couldn't Labour strategists devise programmes and schemes to help those in need rather hamper, slow down and obstruct those who hit the ground running? Will Labour never bury the socialist inclination to level down? Where is the new beginning?

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