Repeating 'repeaters' ritornello

It is a shame that one of the main issues that surfaced to the top of this electoral campaign was a proposal by the Labour Party to introduce a reception class to reinforce early education.

It is a real disgrace that those who are supposed to keep themselves abreast with what's going on with regard to the latest research and reforms in the education sector made such a blunder! They labelled this proposal as a repeater class and kept repeating it like a choir singing a ritornello! No wonder that, even in this sector, the incompetence is so gross!

It is a fact that we have a higher number of students who are excelling in their studies and continue to widen their education through higher and tertiary levels. But it is equally true that we have a considerable unacceptable number of students who leave school without any basic skills and competences. We have young people in their teens that are already unemployable! Disgrace!

Fortunately enough, all our students will soon be benefiting from such innovative programmes, after a thorough analysis of the local circumstances, consultations, discussion and agreement with all stake-holders.

Till now, gonzipn has dedicated more time to ridicule and slaughter particular Labour proposals than explaining the hundreds of "beneficial" electoral promises forming part of their electoral manifesto.

Judging by what we heard in the first fortnight of this electoral campaign, it is resulting that the PN embarked on a smear campaign and scaremongering that, if Labour wins the March 8 election, our children will have to repeat a class, overtime will be paid at the rate of hour per hour, school facilitators will lose their job, it is not financially feasible to halve the surcharge, a Labour government will re-negotiate the present deal with the EU, students will have to pay back their stipends, a Labour government would restrict social benefits, etc., etc... This style of campaigning shows that the PN not only has run out of ideas and is on the defence but is completely flat down!

Do they really believe that our people are so gullible? It is positive, that even the most hardcore party faithful zap through the TV stations and understand that all this is simply a smear campaign and scaremongering. What about their credibility? Do they really believe that, in so doing, they are more credible with the voting public?

If there were any doubts that Mepa is in urgent need of an overhaul, this was confirmed and endorsed by the Prime Minister himself. He announced and promised on various occasions that if re-elected he would spearhead the necessary Mepa reform.

Incidentally, this means that, according to gonzipn, there is no one fit for the job other than the Prime Minister himself to make such a reform happen and that all attempts in the past to do so have failed miserably! What a certificate of incompetence to all those who were responsible for Mepa till now.

Without doubt, Mepa has a fundamental role to play in controlling and regulating the development while, at the same time, protecting the environment. Although these roles seem to be contradictory to each other and diametrically opposed, still, by putting in place the right transparent mechanism, one would contribute to gaining the necessary trust by one and all.

Keeping in mind the small geographical area of our archipelago and the rather high value of land and property, the urge to regulate what is irregular, whether for personal interests or for purely speculative purposes, is immense!

This makes it imperative to set clear parameters and have local plans and planning laws that leave no room for contradictory interpretations.

Most people are interested only in permits to make alterations and minor extensions to improve their dwellings. The experience of many people however is one in which they had to wait for a disproportionate period of time to obtain a simple permit for a trivial building alteration. Others had their application rejected and had to pass through other tribulations to attain a simple no objection for a simple extension permit.

A new Labour government would have the guts to implement the reform to turn Mepa into an efficient organisation, not only in regulating building development but, above all, in protecting and rehabilitating the natural environment. We will wipe out the idea that Mepa is strong with the weak and weak with those who are strong.

We are fully committed to sustain a better living to all and, above all, to sustain a better environment for present and future generations.

Mr Galdes will be contesting the March 8 election on behalf of the Malta Labour Party.