The Leader of the Opposition Joseph Muscat earnestly yearns to become Prime Minister. Nothing wrong with that I suppose although I have often heard that you have to be careful what you wish for in life because it just might come true!
Dr Muscat’s shenanigans, circumventing pledges and hollow guarantees to the Maltese nation are more reminiscent of a political rival’s desperate plea for attention than that of a party leader spelling out concrete plans and policies. He is, for sure, media savvy enough to confidently hold his ground while delivering speeches which of late have been heavily laced with guarantees of work and better education should Labour come into government.
He should be careful what he wishes for and what he promises because if elected Prime Minister he will very suddenly find out that there will be no more room for slick manoeuvring. From day one he will be expected to hold true to his promises and deliver as promised irrelevant of whether these guarantees are sustainable or whether they are merely the rash undertakings of an ambitious leader ready to play with his word of honour.
Dr Muscat would have made a brilliant party leader – in the 1980s! However the Labour Party needs to constantly keep in mind that Malta has moved on and the huge changes that these islands have witnessed have meant that the Maltese have also changed their outlook on politics and politicians.
We no longer live in fear of politicians and accept their proposals as dogma. We are proud to have undergone such radical changes which have provided the stimulus for us to succeed on these shores and beyond. This passage has meant that we have evolved to such an extent as to expect our politicians to at least respect our intellect and abilities. And so it is no wonder that so many of us were so vociferous in our reactions to Dr Muscat’s gilt-edged proposal and pledge that all 16-year-olds would be assured work and/or training upon school leaving! It simply beggars belief!
Years of successive Nationalist administrations have striven to ensure that all educational possibilities are made accessible to all students in the various sectors. Sensible planning and foresight have seen this country expanding in sectors previously unheard of guaranteeing work for graduates and providing training for others. It is no coincidence that multi-national companies have set up shop in Malta as they have witnessed the government’s pledge to invest in education which has resulted in better skilled employees.
This pool of excellently trained workforce combined with a steady economic track record has been the magnetic force for such companies to operate locally and are a feather in the cap for this administration. It comes as no surprise to us then that Malta was listed among the six top countries in the EU which managed to increase employment between 2007 and 2011 in the World of Work Report 2011. Five years which have been characterised by double dip recessions and yet this government has managed to achieve results akin to countries like Germany and Luxembourg in the employment sectors!
The writing is on the wall. The Nationalist Party in government has consistently succeeded in promoting better education for all and has tirelessly striven to encourage youths to pursue proficiency in a wide range of sectors with the peace of mind that employment waits at the end of the tunnel. No guarantees are necessary – the government’s attestation has already touched the lives of so many who right now are living proof of this government’s engagement to ensure more jobs and better jobs for all.
So what was this guarantee of providing jobs and/or training to school leavers? And why was Dr Muscat’s pledge so loudly acclaimed by his loyal supporters? Because we forget that the fundamental difference between the two political parties lies first and foremost not with the leaders but with the way they contemplate our children.
The PN has always believed in providing and strengthening the structures to encourage and enable our children to grow and develop their full potential in order to be able to compete unshackled by the constraints that the size of our country can bring.
The PL does not accept this fortitude in our children and is happy to regress to a time of golden parachutes.
The message Dr Muscat has sent our children in his vote-catching agitation is simple – sit back, take it easy, do not pursue your ambitions, do not strive to prosper for a better future. A new Labour government with Dr Muscat as Prime Minister will ensure that upon school-leaving age you will be guaranteed work in what is strongly reminiscent of brigades and divisions.
Thank you Dr Muscat for this offer but no thanks… our children are far too precious to us and we are confident that they do better and flourish more when allowed to pursue their dreams and aspirations as opposed to being incorporated in some bizarre scheme of Labour which will asphyxiate their talents and resourcefulness!
info@carolinegalea.com
The author is a member of the Nationalist Party executive committee and a candidate on the fourth district for the next general election.