During this election campaign, we are repeatedly hearing Alfred Sant promising many things if he is elected to office. Many of these promises can't be kept! He is promising to help a farmer whose farm is not in conformity with the law; he is pledging to re-open the EU negotiations package; he is telling the people he will halve the surcharge in the first week if he is elected Prime Minister and he is giving guarantees on many other things.
Clearly this is a desperate case by the Opposition Leader to win votes and try to portray a different image of himself to the voting public. He knows the electorate is finding it difficult to believe him because he has a bad reputation of being unable to keep his word and, even worse, when he in power; he does the opposite of what he originally promises.
Throughout the last days, I decided to revisit the Labour administration's farce that took place on April 7, 2003, just five days before the last general election. On that occasion, in the presence of a notary, Dr Sant, George Vella and Joe Brincat signed what the MLP called Il-Patt mal-Poplu (a covenant with the people) at the Phoenicia Hotel, Floriana.
Among the many things promised in the MLP electoral manifesto in 2003, the MLP leadership trio committed themselves that if a Labour government failed to keep its word with the electorate, hence failing to deliver all its promises, the three of them will not contest the following general election. The Labour press had said this agreement was the first to be made in the political history of Malta, hence making the date of its signature a historic one.
What a scene! It was like watching an episode from some famous soap opera. That day, one could have easily been moved by the Labour administration's pact and fell for it. But, luckily enough, as always the electorate acted maturely and on April 12 they consolidated their yes vote to EU accession by choosing to elect once again the Nationalist Party to government.
Five years have passed and once again the two main political parties are presenting themselves to the body of voters as the ideal party to be in command. The PN leadership has been renewed while still in power whereas the MLP has not changed and they still have the same leader who lost the last two general elections and a crucial EU referendum.
In front of this scenario, Dr Sant and his old team are playing the same game of five years ago. They are talking about unrealistic promises but, at the same time, Dr Sant, who has been at the helm of the MLP for the last 16 years, avoids answering direct questions by journalists about his promises.
Should the electorate believe Dr Sant?
No! We already know what Dr Sant did before and after the 1996 general election. Twelve years ago the MLP leader was relatively a new face in local politics and the majority of the voters believed his misinformation.
He said he would create more jobs but instead the percentage of the unemployed people grew. The rate of people without jobs under Dr Sant's rule stood at 5.5 per cent. During this legislature, under the helm of Lawrence Gonzi, the PN in government managed to cut this rate to 4.8 per cent, not to mention the creation of 5,600 new jobs through the investment of SmartCity Malta. Additionally, during the 22 months of a Labour Administration there was the highest percentage of unemployed people whereas, in this legislature, with Dr Gonzi at the rudder of the country, the government generated 5,353 new jobs (till the end of 2007).
Before being elected Prime Minister in 1996, Dr Sant had also promised students he wouldn't decrease their stipends. In 1997, he did the opposite and their stipends went down by 50 per cent. No wonder the students at the University three days ago wouldn't accept his promises.
Then, he also gave the impression to shop owners he would have removed the cash registers but he didn't do so when he became Prime Minister. Today, he is promising them (beware, as in the case of the cash register, this is not in the party's electoral manifesto) that if he is elected to office small business (SMEs) would be given a tax credit equal to half the surcharge on their water and electricity bills. Should they believe him now?
What about the workers at the Malta Shipyards? Prior to the 1996 election he had assured them he would have strengthened its management but a few months after being elected Prime Minister, on February 10, 1997, although being a public holiday, Dr Sant, in a special parliamentary sitting, decided to break another of his promises with the dockyard workers by removing their right to participate in the enterprise's management. Today, 11 years later, he is promising them he will reopen the negotiated package with the EU to safeguard their interests. This is something impossible to do and this was clearly stated by officials of the European Commission and members of the European Parliament. Will you believe him?
I could have written about many more promises of this kind but space is limited. Dr Sant has been in power as Labour leader for too many years now. Our country deserves better. Malta deserves a good Leader of the Opposition. Dr Sant failed in everything he did: he failed as Prime Minister and also as an Opposition Leader. It's time for him to leave!
It's true. The MLP needs a change. They really need a "Bidu Ġdid". They need a new leader!
Mr Casa is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.
david.casa@europarl.europa.eu, www.davidcasa.eu