Hide and seek

Labour is pointing out that the Nationalist Party is portraying the Prime Minister on his own. They spinned the gonzipn logo in an effort to portray Lawrence Gonzi as a lonely figure. They know that Dr Gonzi is the ace up the PN's sleeve because, for three and a half years, they tried so hard to tarnish his credibility but to no avail.

But there is another side to the coin.

By spinning the gonzipn electoral strategy, Labour is shifting attention away from what has haunted them for over 15 years: Alfred Sant, the solitary figure in Maltese politics. By throwing the spotlight on gonzipn, Labour is trying to achieve the opposite effect on Dr Sant. Knowing how Dr Sant operates and makes decisions within his party, Labour could foresee its major flaw in this campaign. The detached body language Dr Sant has always been known for was one of Labour's major concerns when comparing it with Dr Gonzi's charm and appeal to all those around him.

In a short campaign where those involved are in close proximity, the warmth of a party leader could play a role in the final quest for votes. People could still be undecided on who to vote or could be toying with the idea of abstaining in view of personal experiences in which they may have been hurt by political decisions but on meeting the leader of the pack face to face many times they decide to rely on their inner sense or gut feeling to draw a final conclusion.

Comparing the two, Dr Gonzi wins over Dr Sant, mainly due to the credibility each leader garnered over the past few years and also in terms of how they interact with people. Dr Gonzi comes across as being down to earth while Dr Sant gives you the feeling he's just emerged from one of those makeover TV programmes.

Between 1992 and 1996, Dr Sant, Labour's fresh leader, had to appear with his two deputy leaders because the strategy then was to remove the aura created by the great Dom Mintoff, the Maċina landlord, ruler of Malta and saviour of the socialist movement.

Then came the sudden electoral campaign of 1998 when Labour portrayed Prime Minister Sant on his own in order to convey the message that he was the absolute ruler of the Labour movement and nobody else.

After that electoral defeat, Dr Sant's credibility was dented and he had to portray himself opposing EU membership flanked with two "senior" Labour deputy leaders (Joe Brincat and George Vella). Together, looking very tired and resting on armchairs, they baffled the nation by claiming that partnership had won the referendum. Dr Sant, also addressed a huge crowd that blocked Marsa's main road to celebrate the "success" of the no camp while the 54 per cent of the voting population who said yes to EU accession looked in bewilderment.

Then history showed us how, miraculously, the majority of those who had said no to Europe in the March 8 referendum voted for the PN a month later, giving Eddie Fenech Adami another electoral mandate and the go-ahead to sign the Accession Treaty. It then became impossible for Labour to portray Dr Sant on his own. He became a shameful icon for the party because his sudden moods and ill-advised policies reminded the people of when he had the opportunity to be a great leader of the nation but instead blew it all up in 22 months.

People still ask today how could brilliant minds like Lino Spiteri or charismatic characters like George Abela be allowed to leave. Maybe they had one thing in common: they could have easily and successfully succeeded him! So, for these reasons, intelligent campaigners like Jason Micallef, who can read people's emotions thanks to his media background, forged their way into the MLP and Dr Sant is no longer given pride of place in their electoral campaign.

It was for reasons that are exactly the opposite of those prevailing within the MLP, if, however, in the same line of thought, that the PN must have played its cards in the case of Dr Gonzi. He is an icon of honesty, a family man whose eyes sparkle in the presence of his wife Kate. He's a doer who challenged and scrapped anything that did not fall in line with his beliefs, such as the building of an engineered landfill next to the Mnajdra temples or the setting up of a golf course in Xagħra l-Ħamra.

People may be urged to buy Labour's spin that Dr Gonzi is the prime icon in the PN's campaign but, in doing that, one is invited to also ask a very pertinent question: Why is Labour playing hide and seek with Dr Sant in this campaign?