The inconvenient truth

In the most fabulous way during the latest general council meeting held by GonziPN, the Prime Minister instructed all his front liners to mingle with the people and, if need be, go to their home to listen to them. An admission that, throughout the past years, they have been living in their ivory towers far away!

If Operation Kitchens fails, the political career of the hand-picked salesman will be at stake...- Roderick Galdes

Given the prevailing circumstances, the main objective is to embark on an assault in a desperate attempt to control damage and, possibly, persuade deserters to return to their homebase.

Addressing party councillors following his reconfirmation at the party’s helm, the Prime Minister solemnly announced the appointment of one of his closest acolytes as his special delegate to hold social dialogue.

Make no mistake, this mission is no joke at all! Marketing a product whose best-before date has long expired and that has been ditched by customers, makes this task quite a gargantuan feat. If Operation Kitchens fails, the political career of the hand-picked salesman will be at stake and, eventually, might risk martyrdom akin to that suffered by Joan of Arc.

“Go to people’s homes and talk to them,” the Prime Minister has advised his rank and file. “Listen to what they have to say.” “Be close to them and understand their concerns.”

While the Prime Minister and his brass band were playing their favourite hit, Blame It On The International Crisis, most of the people were switched on a different wavelength. For most of the people, bread and butter issues were more relevant.

While boldly indicating the line of action to all his followers, at the same time, the statements he made clearly demonstrate that the Prime Minister is completely out of touch with the people. Just a few weeks prior to going for the national test, the call to “be close to the people” is an admission par excellence that the ruling oligarchy lives in a world that is far removed from that of the rest of the people.

Necessity is the mother of invention and the prevailing circumstances dictate that if the mountain does not come to GonziPN, then GonziPN must go to the mountain! Now convenience triggers the idea of bridging the two worlds in a desperate attempt to avoid the apocalypse.

Throughout this legislature there were a number of backbenchers who have insistently been struggling to bring about a change of direction on many issues because they were aware that their leadership was detached from the reality faced by the people. As yet, they were given the cold shoulder.

In one particular instance, a petition was being raised in the fifth electoral district insisting on the resignation of Franco Debono from Parliament. Dr Debono was one of those desperately insisting on a change of course.

At the end of day, what counts are essence and concrete action and not hollow promises motivated by sheer convenience. Is there the political will to change particular administrative decisions that have literally pushed people having to struggle to make both ends meet? Over the past years, most of the people saw their standard of living and purchasing power being eroded.

There have been a number of fiascos throughout the legislature: the proposed project in front of St John’s Co-Cathedral, the fraud stories originating from Transport Malta, the scandals at the VAT Department, the downgrading by international credit rating agencies, the hefty increase in parliamentary honoraria, the suspension of EU funding related to education... and on and on. Are those responsible for such blunders accountable to anyone?

The latest austerity measures affecting mostly the support services and educational programmes will have adverse effects on the most vulnerable in our society. Moreover, while the government boasts about the building of a new school every year, it keeps mum regarding the fact that most of the other schools (the Malta Union of Teachers recently commented about this fact) are literally falling apart. All this, after 25 years in government!

For the Labour Party, being convinced of remaining close to the people is not a matter of convenience. Indeed, it has been constantly and persistently expressing the peoples’ frustrations, sufferings, concerns and disapprovals.

We do not need to engage a special delegate to understand the people’s woes and aspirations because this forms part of the fundamentals of our party’s existence.

The author is the Labour Party’s spokesman for planning, housing, urban development and construction.