Monday, 31st March 2008 - 15:11CET
MLP leadership contest: Bartolo promises to broaden Labour's base
Labour MP Evarist Bartolo in a statement today confirmed he will be a candidate to lead the Labour Party- an intention he also made clear in interviews published in some of the Sunday newspapers.
"I am ready to lead, I am ready to serve. I view politics as a public service which I am ready to give with a vision for a better life in this country," the former Education Minister said.
Mr Bartolo said he is able to win debates in his own firm but calm manner. He is able to make people make sense of complex subjects in a language which everybody can understand. He is also able to listen, admit his mistakes and learn from them.
"I am able to bring together people of different views to work towards a common purpose."
Mr Bartolo said that as Labour leader, he will ensure that the party is in constant and effective contact with the biggest number of people and reflect their views and aspirations. While he will preserve the party's roots in the south of Malta, he will also work to grow the party in the North of Malta and in Gozo.
While continuing to help the disadvantaged, the MLP under his leadership will also seek to increasingly attract people who were making a success of life.
"We need policies which make sense also to the middle class."
Mr Bartolo said he will improve the way policies are drawn up and communicated, using credible media and the internet.
As an alternative government, Labour will back what is good for the country, criticise what is wrong, and propose alternatives.
Mr Bartolo also spoke on the need to improve education so that Malta can have the skills it needs to make economic success. At the same time, economic growth has to be sustainable also from an economic viewpoint, he said. The public service will be improved and the people will have a bigger share in decision-making.
He also promised gender equality, better living conditions for the elderly, more opportunities for young people and better support for families with children and those having disabilities.
Mr Bartolo said he will work for quality health services, better housing, better animal welfare and a social policy which will tackle problems before they develop.
He also promised greater space for private enterprise and progressive policies so that Malta can move closer to the more open and liberal societies of continental Europe.
Malta, he said, should also work more closely with the other members of the EU and make a bigger success of its EU membership. It should also develop stronger commercial links with the other countries of the Mediterranean and countries such as China, India, Brazil and Russia.
In other to achieve all this, Mr Bartolo said, he will work to make the Labour Party more open and welcoming to different opinions, and better deploy the talents within it.
An interview with Mr Bartolo was carried in The Sunday Times yesterday.
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Comments
I wish you all to stop all this nonsense.
The Labour Party already know who is going to be a the HELM.....Mr.knowitall Joseph Muscat. It is the same as last time Alfred Sant resigned.......we all know what happened than.
Same party same story .
I wish them all the luck with MR.Muscat, and they need it cause P.N. are sure to win the next election!!!
PS. I do not know him personally but he has the same effect as Mr.Jason Micallef has on me. Repulsion!!!!
Bill Millam - You truly are a staunch 101 and NET TV follower. Who cares about your 'old-guard' theories? Mr Bartolo has a clean slate and everybody knows him as a moderate and respectable person. I suggest you go take your 'old-guard' talk to some of your own party members, who even Gonzi is afraid to put back in power again.
To you Mr. Joe Galea:-
What I have seen at the Ex-Malta Drydocks, during the 70's and the 80's including the 96-98 Labour Government, I never until my death vote for that Party. And I will never forgive those days of shame.
I have already passed this to my sons and even to my nephews.
By the way Mr. Galea have you followed the programme 'Storja ta' Poplu' on Net TV. Perhaps you realise on what I am writing.
I don't know why all the GonziPN's have at heart the leadership of the MLP? Will you vote Labour next time Reanto J Costigan, Anna Iversen, Bill Millam (you count nothing as you have no vote), Joe Martinelli?
I definitely bet NO. So spare us our hateful comments please and let others live. Maybe if all of yuou get a life, you can be better citizens.
Joe Martinelli and alikes will shoot anyone who becomes Labour Leader because it is the Labour Leader. If they put Gonzi as Labour Leader people like him will crucify him the same. So by instigating that people like Joe Muscat are preordained and that Evarist has no chance, is just venom spitting, mud-slinging PN apologists daily hobby because they don't have anything better to say. I think seriously people like you should get a life and watch over what your government does. First blow: PfP. 2nd blow: price hikes. What's next?
Alfred Mallia has a new way of calling masons - masonics, but then Lejburisti always come up with something new, whether it makes sense or not.
And finally another gem from Fredrick who voted NO in the Referendum against his own instincts since he loves Labour so much! At 25, he still does not understand that voting no was a vote against joining the E.U. I wonder whether Mr. Debono is employed by one of the many businesses which have been assisted greatly by the European Union membership.
If all three think for a moment that replacing the leader will solve the MLP problems, I say, wake up and smell the coffee. With regards to wishing Evarist well, that's fine but I can tall all the well wishers, that unfortunately Varist doesn't stand an ice cube's chance in hell of ever becoming leader, however qualified he is because a young inexperienced weather vane has already been preordained for the job.
Undoubtedly, you can easily be in a team that makes MLP electable to power.
I welcomed also your commitment to broaden the Labour's base, but I have to be consistent in my plea: why are the grassroots to be ignored in the June 5th election, while we pledge to do our utmost to reach even those outside the MLP's perimeter?
It is a golden chance to make the MLP more convincing, but unfortunately it seems set to be thrown away.
I would appreciate if during the national executive and parliamentary group final discussion on how should the election process for the leadership take place, you attach importance on the participation of paid-up members.
Again, despite all, i contend you are a valid person for leadership and could through your maturity , practicability and humbleness set the course for outsiders to understand better that the Labour Party can really be the safest bet in the 2013 General Elections.
I am 25 years old. I have twice voted Labour even if I had absolutely no trust in Alfred Sant 's leadership. I love Labour so much that even voted NO in the Referendum, something which I regret doing cause I was and still am genuinely in favour of Labour.
I believe that you are the best out of the four contestants so far by miles and miles - the only exception being Gorg Abela who is very valid but too old.
If Varist does not become leader, I will stop voting Labour, particulary if Alfred Sant II (i.e. Joseph Muscat) becomes leader.. It is time to clear any trace of Alfred Sant once and for all.
Varist I wish you the best!
this is the way that masonics work
fredu
Well, the character assassinations have already started, but I fully expected them from my fellow Roman Catholics.
Well done Mr. Bill Millam.
I fully agree with you.
DO NOT FORGET LABOUR OF THE 70's and 80's --- 96/98.
The same labour - the same old guards. They change their dress but not the underwear.
Too bad that makes it a 25 year stint in the OPPOSITION for your party until the next general election! And many more years in opposition to follow with Mr Bartolo at the helm.
Otherwise shut up!
With him as the leader of the Oppostion Party, that is what the MLP and its supporters can bet on a sure thing: BEING IN OPPOSITION for many more years to come.
Beware Mr Bartolo, he is truly one of Labour's old guard! I know him well from the 70's and 80's.
Ivan Camilleri (Sliema)