Joseph Muscat seems intent on cancelling all local elections for the next five years. It should not have come as a surprise. It is yet another idea that exposes the mindset of Labour in government and their blatant disrespect for the people they are governing.

The government’s modus operandi seems to be to ensure that the people have as little say as possible in the decisions that affect their country and communities and that power is totally concentrated in Castille.

Cooperation is secured by the dishing out of titbits to apologists to ensure their loyalty. It is symptomatic of a government that values power only for power’s sake.

It is the creation of a system that will become in itself corrupt. One that preys on people’s fears, where the government thinks it always knows what is bestfor you and where you are suddenly dependent on a minister’s mood rather than enforceable rights.

The constant undermining of the judiciary means that even the faith in that institution is slowly ebbing.

Some people are outraged, some have accepted it with almost a resigned shrug and those closest to the powers that be actually prefer it.

It is a sad state of affairs; the concept of common good has all but been removed. It has become only about how the Labour government can best cling on to power in the next general election.

Take a look back. They claim to be reforming the justice system before appointing the former editor of KullĦadd to the bench.

They plan a cemetery for animals just after announcing the opening of the trapping season. They invite the former pro-Russian leader of Ukraine on a State visit before calling for more sanctions on Russia when it suits their aims.

They try to please everyone all the time and the people will eventually see it for what it is. It is a very short-term outlook and one that will inevitably lead to long-term difficulties.

The proposal to cancel local elections for five years is another one in the long list. It sends the very worst possible signal and serves to continue to alienate people from the political process; young people, in particular, will be affected.

The government justifies the move as a measure to save money. Of course it will. But if money is not spent on allowing the people to choose their representatives in open and fair elections then what else should it be spent on?

We will soon have our troupe of ministers go around the country in their tired roadshow explaining how they will distribute the cash they chose not to spend on elections. It is what happens when money becomes the be-all-and-end-all and principles are removed from the political equation.

This is a government that values power only for power’s sake

The Nationalist Party is getting back on its feet after our internal struggles and electoral defeats. We will learn our lessons from past mistakes and, with Simon Busuttil at the helm, we will come back stronger. Our process of renewal will not stop us from standing up when this government runs roughshod over basic democratic norms.

The PN believes in the principle of devolution of power and the principle of subsidiarity, where decisions are taken by those closest to the issue. It is this line of thinking that led to the introduction of local councils in the 1990s and it is this thinking that means we will not support any moves to ban regular local elections until 2019.

Our belief in people has never and will never change. We believe that people know themselves better than the State does. We believe that people should be given the opportunity to express themselves on the decisions that affect them the most. We believe that we need to encourage people not alienate them.

We believe that politics is a noble cause and that politicians should be there to serve people and not vice-versa.

We believe in giving people a choice and letting them vote.

www.facebook.com/roberta.metsola
Twitter: @RobertaMetsola

Roberta Metsola is a Nationalist MEP.

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