The forthcoming election campaign will be nothing short of a credibility test, based on the trust factor. People will be making their choice by relying far more than on mere partisan hyperbole and rhetorical flourishes.
Society is simply yearning for a more tolerant and understanding administration- Leo Brincat
Negative campaigning might cause a dent or two to one party or the other, but at the end of the day what matters most and what people are most interested in is the vision offered for the future. And the well-thought-out, costed and doable deliverables, compounded with the need to turn our backs once and for all on unkept promises.
Society is simply yearning for a more tolerant and understanding administration that is not increasingly out of touch with the mainstream of Maltese people. One that reflects people’s aspirations and ambitions, and has nothing at all to do with populism.
Rather than change for change’s sake, the ordinary citizens I meet are interested in positive change. A process that builds on this administration’s successes while pushing aside completely its most abject failures, and even worse, its various and endless self-inflicted wounds and injuries.
They want more shared responsibility and co-decisions and far less arrogance and intolerance, proper consultation rather than greed and an insatiable lust for power.
In this day and age, values, ideas and direction tend to matter more than ideological orientation. So long as they are based on a sense of fairness, transparency, accountability and good governance.
These past years – particularly in the last weeks – we have seen a number of projects based mainly on visual and artistic impressions. A set of computer-generated designs rather than the real thing; in most cases crafted from a purely PR perspective. Virtuality played out to perfection.
The worst aspect of it all is that this is a sick, tired and tiresome ball game. With chief strategists and media gurus relying mainly on the fear factor as they have been doing for ages – running the same act as in previous years while hoping that nobody would notice.
Citizens will be comparing and contrasting how this government has dealt with people and how it should have done so. The biggest shortcomings experienced were not purely socio-economic but had more to do with the fact that there seems to be a general consensus that it is time for those who lead the country to be straight with the voters.
Well-crafted photo opportunities and sound bites will not suffice anymore. The ultimate in insensitivity is when the real people feel increasingly that those who run the show simply do not understand anymore how they live and what are the challenges and problems they may happen to face.
We have entered a political era where people can distinguish between those who openly admit their shortcomings and others who continue to carry on regardless, with total disregard and indifference towards their own failures.
In this new era people are not only eager to identify with people in sync with their hopes and aspirations and the reality on the ground. But even more importantly, we have moved to a stage where authenticity matters. Based upon honesty, integrity and being true to ourselves.
Political packaging might impress some for a few days but it means nothing to voters who only want the tangible product inside the box. Most policies might be based – on paper – on EU best practice, but where we tend to get invariably stuck is in the implementation process. One can cite various instances to prove such a point.
We need more than anything else the political will to ensure that things get done, and that when they are done they are done the proper way. This can only be achieved through effective monitoring and benchmarking.
This is why the country needs strong leadership that can deliver real and measurable change by way of a smooth and seamless transition. There is an urgent need for changed priorities as well as recognition of the shifting demographics of the country.
When certain political forces tend to constantly drive with their eyes on the rear-view mirror there is one simple explanation to it all. Rather than focusing on present-day realities and future direction they intend to rekindle the conflicts of the past – by design – with the same perverse logic that we often come across in the conflict-ridden zones of the Middle East.
The party that captures the issues and spirit of the time will deserve to govern.
The election campaign being officially launched tomorrow comes at a delicate moment when the electorate on one hand has a certain degree of election fever while on the other hand it is experiencing election fatigue due to the election mode we have long been in.
Meanwhile one can well understand the strategy being pursued by the governing party and its well- placed people running the show on State broadcasting.
In 2008, even when the PL led in the polls, Lawrence Gonzi was consistently more ‘trusted’ than his rival. This time round there has been a complete reversal in such popular leadership support.
Taking note of such a consistent trend since the new PL leader was elected one can very well understand why the same people who crafted GonziPN now want to demolish it as quickly and as expediently as possible.
Leo Brincat is the Labour Party’s spokesman on the environment, sustainable development and climate change.