Waiting for new MLP leader to pass from words to action

It seems that new Labour leader Joseph Muscat's addresses at the party headquarters in Ħamrun yesterday and on Saturday have failed to impress sceptical Labourites, including at least some of those the new leader has specifically mentioned by name.

They are hoping instead to be impressed by the action they are expecting him to take. Addressing a mass rally at the party headquarters yesterday, Dr Muscat commended MP Marlene Pullicino, who had openly supported George Abela in the leadership race, saying she had promoted the ideas she believed were best for the party.

Contacted yesterday, Dr Pullicino, a dentist, said her principal aim was and will remain to see a Labour Party that is fully and thoroughly reformed, able to win the next election and capable of governing the country for the benefit of the people.

"It has to become a positive, proactive party, free from paranoia, and all inclusive. If Joseph really works towards this end through genuine teamwork, then I'm on board. If not, I will do what I can, as best as I can, from where I am to give this country an alternative government."

She said one still had to see what would happen because there was a major difference between talking and doing, so one should wait and see whether Dr Muscat would be successful in reforming the party as he was promising he would.

"We will see what will happen," she said.

Former party general secretary Dominic Fenech agreed that what is important "are the facts and not the rhetoric".

Prof. Fenech, who has also openly supported Dr Abela, was mentioned by Dr Muscat on Saturday when the new leader referred to leftist intellectuals as people who would be helping the party find the winning formula and implement the necessary changes in the country.

Prof. Fenech said he would have expected an inclusive speech from any of the five contenders. One would have been mad not to come up with it. He said that in his speech, Dr Muscat admitted that the party was not inclusive and that there had been major defects within.

"The bottom line is that those who, for the past 10 years or more, have been saying that the party was doing wrong were right. I was among the people who were right," he said.

Anna Mallia, who is known for her pro-Dom Mintoff ideals and who had set up the Moviment Laburista Popolari (Popular Labour Movement), which never took off, said when contacted that she did not have any comments to make.

"This is still the honeymoon phase. We'll wait and see," was all she would say.