Friday, 9th May 2008
More Labourites than Nationalists in Malta - Evarist Bartolo
There are more Labourites than Nationalists in Malta because at the last election the PN received about 4,000 votes from Maltese who lived abroad and who have now left the island, MLP leadership aspirant Evarist Bartolo has contended.
Yet, the government was acting in an arrogant manner as if it enjoyed everyone's support even though half the population did not vote for it, Mr Bartolo said, citing the country's membership of the Partnership for Peace as an example.
He was speaking at a meeting with Labour delegates on Wednesday. At the last election, the PN scraped through by a mere 1,500 votes, winning a one-seat majority in Parliament.
Mr Bartolo said the PN had become an unscrupulous machine that "grabbed and stole votes" through, for example, lying to hunters and trappers on spring hunting, awarding promotions and granting favours through the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and the tax and VAT departments, among others.
If elected MLP leader, Mr Bartolo said he would fully integrate the party into the information society through the creation of an interactive portal that would enable it to be in constant contact with thousands of people using the internet. Through the portal, Mr Bartolo said he would involve the MLP in a continuous democratic conversation with an online community with whom it would draw up its policies for a better life.
Mr Bartolo promised to use his experience as a journalist and university lecturer in communications to develop and strengthen the party's media. He would also work to build better relations with the rest of the media. He told delegates they were the party's greatest asset and that he wanted to work with them to attract more people to the party.
"I want to speak to every person who, for some reason or other, no longer votes for us and I want to work to understand that person and help him or her to return within our fold."
He would be willing to do whatever was needed for members to unite and strengthen the party. And while there was a lot that needed improvement, the party had a lot of good on which to build. The party had to become a young people's party, a grandparents' party and a parents' party.
He would work to strengthen Labour's social democratic principles and the party's work and policies would be drawn up with an open mind and following an exhaustive internal debate. He would work for the party to become an organisation where new ideas and initiatives were encouraged, Mr Bartolo said.
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Comments
1) Yes, I am one of the 4000 who live abroad and who left Malta again after voting. Does this make me less Maltese than the Maltese in Malta? What kind of mentality does Mr. Bartolo have? Why are we still so scared of that word - 'abroad'? I would expect this line of reasoning from uneducated people who never even set food outside their village, but not from an MP who aspires to be Prime Minister of a modern, open minded EU country. Does it make that much of a difference today where we live? I am not living in Malta because I'm progressing my career and I look forward to going back to my homeland when the time is right. Didn't Mr. Bartolo once say that young people should get out of their country to get the experience that they otherwise cannot get if they stay sheltered in their own country of birth? Well I am getting that experience just the way he did - I'm told. And I also heard that a member of his direct family (I hate bringing the family in) is doing the same thing - does she also qualify as a 'nationalist who left Malta after voting'? I really don't think so. We have freedom of movement in the EU - our extended 'homeland' - just what is the problem? Fortunately for his family member, we all got to share the spoils of EU membership - even if this golden opportunity was seriously jeopardized unnecessarily by the MLP. I can't stand people saying that I have less of a right to vote, because this implies than I am less Maltese than others because I'm not in Malta at the moment. Usually I go by the "Don't argue with a fool - the others might not know the difference" philosophy when faced with this kind of situation. But I cannot do this when this comes out of an MP! I am more aware and have more direct interest in what goes on in my country than many people that are physically on the island. And then he ironically pledges to increase the MLP's presence in the virtual online community. Why is the virtual world so important if he thinks that only the physical world is?
2) He is also (one of the many) bad losers. I think the MLP got what it was asking for. The party thought that they would win the election by default - because people will not want to give any party a third term in government. Well then that says it all doesn't it? Then again, winning with a 100 or 10,000 votes doesn't really make a difference. There is a government and an opposition. Full stop. Get over it. That is democracy. The MLP should instead realize its past mistakes (and they must be really hard to miss given that they lost the third consecutive election!) And what is that bit about stealing votes? I thought that the worst kept secret in politics is that a politician will always try to appease everyone. So if he calls it stealing votes, I'm sure all political parties all over the world are guilty of that. Losing an election with dignity is one thing, losing an election and being bitter and stamping your feet is....
I'm sorry Mr. Bartolo but with this mentality (1) and attitude (2) I sincerely wish that you don't make it to a position where you can become a leader of my country.
The majority in Malta were saying, "Mhux hekk sirna" " Mhux hekk gabuna Malta" " Mhux hekk trid l-oppozizzjoni" " Jekk l-oppozizzjoni rieqda, xi trid tghamel?"
The opposition took a ridiculous and hypocritical stance whereby it tried to keep quiet and earn votes through people's discontent. Dr. Sant thought that it was sufficient!
When crunch time came, those poor souls either stayed at home or voted for the devil they knew and not the devil they don't. There were thousands of PN supporters that stayed at home and when crunch time came they asked the Labour Party (Where were you lot when we needed you most?) Got the gist now? Let' see the oppositions' (now in the majority), reaction to the coming budget!