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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fleur hili
Apr 2nd 2008, 17:46
Do you not think that all this is in vain?
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!!!!
David Gatt
Apr 2nd 2008, 13:13
Frederick Debono - don't make us laugh cause we know you're no MLP supporter. Your joke is quite old. Still, if you are indeed a Labour supporter than you are free to vote PN whenever you like if Muscat becomes leader. Shifts between parties happen all the time, no need to make a fuss about it.
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.
David Zammit
Apr 1st 2008, 14:05
Oh please, Mr Milliam and Mr Costigan....do give us a break. The fact that you ramble on and on about the same things for years on end is soooooo boring. Beware him because he was a socialist, beware her because she used to work at Xandir Malta. Never in my life have I seen such a pair of sad grumbling old individuals. You remind me of Major Gowen in the Fawlty Towers series who still dislikes all Germans 30 years after the war. Its the same in your case. You know, letting bygones be bygones isn't a weak trait, its actually an honourable act. With all due respect today's youngsters don't give a hoot about your malingering. Net TV just ran that series to try and appeal to the disgruntled middle aged die hards that were not going to vote PN because they were sick of the sleaze and the corruption and the MEPA gerrymandering - a mirror of old Labour. But today's youth (myself included) look upon these episodes with amusement - the same way we look at World War 2 documentaries on the Discovery Channels. So please stop kidding yourselves, your 'Labour never changes' argument is so hollow a five year old can see through it. People vote nationalist because they are nationalists or because they think they're policies are better but you must really be living in cloud cuckoo land to believe its because of one of your 'Lest we forget' arguments....
Bill Millam
Apr 1st 2008, 13:17
Joe Galea, Please Check your facts first, Sir, before you put pen to paper! What makes you think I am not Maltese? JIEN MALTI DAQSHEKK, GBIN! Iccekja il-fatti tieghek qabel tikteb! You have a very long way to go, my friend. Jien bhalek ghandi vot u nivvota kull elezzjoni. I wrote in Maltese to prove my point to you!
Renato J. Costigan
Apr 1st 2008, 11:39
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.
Ben Grech
Apr 1st 2008, 09:50
Joseph 'is just the poodle of sant'? What kind of an argument is that anna iverson? Joseph Muscat has the charisma, dedication and attitude to lead MLP to victory over the present government. He also cares about the party and country enough to be willing to give up his MEP seat in the process.
Joe Galea
Apr 1st 2008, 08:25
Anna Iversen is clearly a know-it-all GonziPN apologist. Do you know Joseph Muscat personally? Do you know Evarist or Micahel Falzon personally? So let it be, let the Labour party decides who is best.
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 Galea
Apr 1st 2008, 08:19
Bill Millam are you paid to write the crap you write? You are not even a Maltese citizen and you come up with all this hatred, pleasing some dumb GonziPN apologists in here.
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?
anna iversen
Apr 1st 2008, 00:02
Evarist has the charisma that Dr. Gonzi has, out of all four candidates I think Evarist has a sense of direction to lead malta. I do not believe that Joseph Muscat will achieve anything. He just the poddle of Sant.
Joe Martinelli
Mar 31st 2008, 23:34
J. Mifsud, I don't see why being Roman Catholics has anything to do with agreeing or disagreeing with MLP leaders and their policies. So, using the same argument, since I am one who does not agree with Labour, can I call you Communist or agnostic or atheist? Stupid isn't it?
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.
saviour cachia
Mar 31st 2008, 23:22
Varist the decision that you are in with other contenders for the MLP leadership is very encouraging. I wish you good luck.
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.
Frederick Debono
Mar 31st 2008, 22:01
Evarist, Thank you for offering your services to make our party electable.
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!
alfred mallia
Mar 31st 2008, 20:30
comments from right extrimists are not surprising. we all know these people attitude towards any person with labour feelings.
this is the way that masonics work
fredu
J. Mifsud
Mar 31st 2008, 20:19
Give me Evarist Bartolo as a political leader anytime. In my opinion he is well-versed, intelligent, a good communicator and listener, charismatic and has a sense of political direction.
Well, the character assassinations have already started, but I fully expected them from my fellow Roman Catholics.
Renato J. Costigan
Mar 31st 2008, 19:49
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.
Bill Millam
Mar 31st 2008, 19:46
Sure! I'll be more than happy to shut up and let you guys vote/choose yet another LOSER, as your leader??!!?? along the lines of KMB (aka ZERO) and Fredu Sant. Electing Mr Bartolo as your leader??!? would be 3 losers in a row for the MLP. As they say, "Fuq tlieta toqghod il-borma"
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.
Mario Genovese
Mar 31st 2008, 18:58
Well Mr Milliam, tell us what you know of Mr Barolo. Be specific. Maybe I missed some details from the past....Was he ever implicated in corrupt practices? Please tell us so that we learn more.
Otherwise shut up!
Bill Millam
Mar 31st 2008, 17:30
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.
David Wain
Mar 31st 2008, 16:53
Wasn't Mr. Bartolo one of the more vociferous exponents of the "Switzerland in the Mediterranean" joke?
Brandon Camilleri
Mar 31st 2008, 15:43
The election for a leader of MLP is not a question of who votes. The delegates are the people who have the party most at heart. As was the case of the election of Dr. Gonzi to PN leader only the deleagtes have the right to vote in such an election and the same PN was also divided between Gonzi and Dalli. Maybe PN delegates chose the rright leader ... and maybe this time the MLP delegates will do like wise.
ivan camilleri
Mar 31st 2008, 15:28
Well, Mr.Bartolo...though I don't support Labour, I really admire you for the type of objective, ready-to-discuss type of person you are. But I really think, that as long at only the MLP delegates will vote in this election, there is really no hope for you to lead your party. Labour delegates vote for the people who they just like in terms of personal likings. A clear example was manifested in the post-electoral 2003 defeat. Sant should never have been given the control of the party once again......Hence another result the party had to suffer just some days ago....
Ivan Camilleri (Sliema)