The country in a political quandary
When libel suits start flying in all directions and political tension rises, it is normally a sure sign that an election is round the corner. That is what the Labour Party, now sinking in a morass of gutter politics, would like to think. With polls showing it is way ahead of the Nationalist Party, it is now raring to get to back into administration after so many years on the opposition benches.
The Nationalists, on the other hand, shattered by internal turmoil and dissent, would naturally want to prolong the life of this legislature for as long as it is possible in an effort to get their act together in the hope of at least narrowing the gap between it and their opponents. Even if the PN were to stay in power up to the very last minute, it is doubtful now whether it has enough time to reorganise itself in a manner that could make the electorate forget what has happened and give it yet another term in power.
In a way, it would be better if it were to spend time in opposition. The problem for the country is that it has, as yet, no credible alternative government that would be able to take the Nationalists’ place.
At least , all the indications given so far by the new team running the PL, now supposedly metamorphosed into a movement, are not such as to inspire much faith and confidence in it. Probably, the younger people are wiser than the rest in all the other age groups; they have already discerned that Labour is not for them.
Malta right now is, therefore, in a quandary: the ruling PN appears far too internally distracted as yet to provide a strong opposition to Labour. It has lost its one-seat majority in Parliament and will only be able to continue governing on the strength of the promise made by Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando that he would collaborate with the government so long as it sticks to matters laid down in the 2008 electoral programme. He also expects to be consulted on other matters.
The problem for the Prime Minister is compounded by the fact that, besides Dr Pullicino Orlando, there are two others who may decide to upset the applecart for the Nationalists: Franco Debono, who, like the PL, has debased politics through his antics, and Jesmond Mugliett. The problem is, therefore, threefold but Lawrence Gonzi prefers to continue burying his head in the sand, pretending that there is hardly any problem once Dr Pullicino Orlando has now promised that he would collaborate with his government.
There can hardly be a situation as messy as this. And, yet, Dr Gonzi says his government has not only the right but also the duty to govern. Yes, but at what cost? The country’s economic life may not stop in the time that the situation remains as politically fluid as it is now but , as the party has said in times of political uncertainty before, indecision can damage the economy and would, therefore, negate the very same reason for which Dr Gonzi wants to delay the calling of the election.
Whether the projects now in the pipeline will be ready or not before election time makes no difference to the prospects of the PN. The Prime Minister needs to stop resorting to rhetoric. He ought to call an election now so that the country can concentrate on matters that really matter for the people’s well-being.
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Eddy Privitera
Jul 31st 2012, 20:30
I always thought that maturity comes with age, But the writer of this editorial column seems to think otherwise !
Tony Agius
Jul 31st 2012, 16:28
Today's youths would appreciate sincerity , and that is why they are more inclined to the Nationalist Government , because they know that the PN in Government always showed them the way forward and gave alot of oppotunities to move on , not like Labour Party that betrayed them on stipends and other things , like Labour Party who betrayed everyone about VAT , AND CASH REGISTERS .
John B. Borg
Jul 31st 2012, 13:29
"The Labour Party, now sinking in a morass of gutter politics" wrote the editorialist for the day. How very dramatic! This statement was not sustained by any concrete example of Labour's 'gutter politics' I am more inclined to believe that this is a form of damage control by The Times after the two dammning pieces written by Michael Sant and Marc Sant that rvealed the paper's different treatment of tha mauling Alfred Sant received by the Nationalist media and bloggers in the most dramatic episode in his life.
The author of this piece must look harder to find the true meaning of 'gutter politics'
Karm Farrugia
Jul 31st 2012, 12:27
It's unworthy of you to describe the Labour Party as ' sinking in a morass of gutter politics '. I never expected such 'gutter language' in your leading article. Dignity, please.
James Grech
Jul 31st 2012, 12:01
This editorial bit is logically flawed. Through which arguments does the editor come to the conclusions that i. there is as yet no alternative to the Nationalists government and ii. that the young are wiser, just because polls seem to indicate that the younger generation is more keen towards the Nationalists rather then the Labourites?
Does the ToM prefer the status quo? Is it not rather naive on the editor's part to dismiss a future PL government, by a whiff of a statement? One would like to know, what the editor would answer to the following questions, what has the PN government done to merit yet again to be re-elected? What track record has the PN garnered with respect to effective management, democracy, transparency and accountability? Though the PL has no recent governing history to substantiate the above, the indications are there for anyone to see, unless that is, they are blinkered and biased.
Wrt youngsters preferring the Nationalists, it is unclear which polls the ToM is basing itself on. Which age group is being quoted exactly? On which bases do the younger generation prefer the Nationalists? Were the questions submitted to the participants (assuming it was a survey) referring to eduction? jobs? eu issues? health schemes? social benefits? taxes? entertainment? Unless one clarifies these issues, it is quite difficult to realistically interpret the numbers which the ToM is referring too.
David Bezzina
Jul 31st 2012, 10:58
'THE YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE WISER THAN THE REST OF ALL THE OTHER AGE GROUPS' - SO IF I AM UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY,THE YOUNG ARE WISER THAN THE REST OF THE POPULATION JUST BECAUSE THEY TRUST THE PN MORE THE LP.
GIVE ME A BREAK !
Paul@ Micallef
Jul 31st 2012, 10:15
Your comment when you said "the younger people are wiser than the rest in all the other age groups; they have already discerned that Labour is not for them" is insulting to the other maltese age groups. To start with the younger generation do not contribute anything, at this stage, to the maltese economy, rather they are bleeding it dry with the incompetent decision of the Nationalist Government to reverse the wise decision by the Sant government to reduce the burden of the tax payers on the stipends.
And the only reason why they are "wiser" is only this.
If they really want to be seen as the wiser group they should have a look and listen to what the PN dissenters like Dalli, Mugliett, Pullicino Orlando, Debono, Hewitt and others are saying about their own party.
Tony Agius
Jul 31st 2012, 11:41
@ Paul@ Micallef
Today, 10:15
You said this , ( To start with the younger generation do not contribute anything ) I have a feeling that THE YOUNGER GENERATION will soon give YOU the answer that YOU deserve for that , the younger generation are much wiser than what YOU think , they know who realy cared for them , and they know who tried to fool them .
ANTHONY PAVIA
Jul 31st 2012, 11:51
I am sure that today's youth would appreciate sincerity and being told the truth. Let us leave spin for the movies.
Would the TOM's editor or the Governing party, responsible for the creation of all this suffocating National debt, (considering that Mintoff left cash in the till,) dare tell them that what they indolently consider free manna from heaven, would have to be repaid by none other than themselves? It would be honest to inform them that they would have to repay the whole national debt approaching € 5.5 Billions, with seemingly no brakes being applied. As if that is not enough, creative accounting is sourcing new, high cost, ways of generating, but hiding, national debt.
Please do not mention the sick infrastructure that was Mintoff's legacy. This is true! But the governing party, using money left in the till by Mintoff, renovated some infrastructural systems and later sold them off, whilst running some into the ground (need I give examples). So where has all the money obtained from asset sales gone? Certainly not to pay the National debt! The 25 year old second hand power plant has still not been paid by Enemalta.
Nor was the debt used to reshuffle all those underemployed public sector personnel into productive private sector positions. Our burgeoning public sector must be, percentage wise relative to the employed labour force, one of the largest in the Western economies.
Youth must be respected and given maturity values.
Paul@ Micallef
Jul 31st 2012, 13:21
Mr Tony Agius. If you think that by voting for the PN in the coming elections the younger generation will be giving me a lesson, than you are completely mistaken. It would be me and you that would be paying for that mistake. It would also mean that you and the younger generation are covering your eyes and your ears to what the people and the real nationalists are telling us at what is wrong in their own party, something you did not even acknowledged in your comment.
Please choose the reason of your report below: