Editorial

It is most unlikely the recent price rises will go off the radar screen any time soon, more so if the international oil price hike triggers, as expected, a rise in the cost of other commodities. Consumers, already hard pressed by the rise in water and electricity rates, are in no mood to be all that sympathetic to the government, even though the largest component of the price rises originates from abroad.

Labour is taking full political advantage of the situation, going all out to appeal to the masses and projecting the government as incompetent and insensitive. Its stand will reach a climax in the street protest it will hold in Valletta on Friday. This will show the party is not standing idle. But the problem for Labour, however, is that, while it is true the Nationalists have made quite a number of political mistakes in this legislature, it is not exactly showing it can do better if it were to take over from the Gonzi Administration at the next election.

The fact the Nationalists have now been in government for quite a long time does not in itself guarantee a Labour victory at the next election. In other words, it is not a foregone conclusion that Labour will win, even though the Nationalists may be at their weakest point for many years now. Labour has to do far more than calling street protests or playing to the gallery all the time to win enough support to get elected.

Labour has to keep in mind too the people are becoming increasingly weary of politicians’ tactics, rhetoric and, even more so, of promises. In other words, it should not take anything for granted.

So, when Labour leader Joseph Muscat says, as he did last Sunday, that if he were to be elected he would be with the people for five years, not just on the eve of the election, and that “if there is a burden, I will shoulder it with you and we will share the wealth of our country”, he was only seen to be trying to win the hearts of the people. But uncommitted voters would not go for such sweet talk and would have preferred the Labour leader to say what he would do to ease the burden, rather than to share it with the people.

Dr Muscat may be charismatic and the odds, at least as they stand at present, may favour his party but would not Labour be more convincing if it were to come out with its views on how to tackle matters as they arise rather than occasionally? It is naturally good in a democracy for governments to alternate but how can a party aspiring to run the country win the electorate’s confidence if it does not convince it that it can do better than the party in office? This is where Labour fails most.

Right now, the Nationalists have good reason to accuse Labour of being superficial in its criticism of the government’s work. It is not in the interest of either Labour or the country for the party to simply indulge in vote-catching tactics all the time. The party has to show it is politically well-prepared. It has to be strong in its criticism and, rather than peripheral off-the-cuff comments, offers well-studied alternatives to what it perceives to be wrong decisions. In this way, it will stand a better chance of showing it can be trusted with the country’s administration.