Perhaps the most important question faced by voters in the forthcoming general election is that of choosing between a political party which has delivered in just over four years of government and another which promises to deliver but whose past record both in government and in opposition leaves much to be desired.

Let me make it immediately clear that Labour has made mistakes during the last four years, even serious ones, but can anybody really deny the great progress that has been achieved in all aspects of life in Malta? Can anyone honestly state that the life of thousands of Maltese is not much better than in the days of the last Nationalist government? Ask the pensioners, the disabled, people at risk of poverty, female workers, students, manual and clerical workers, employers, etc.

We have all seen enormous progress in all areas: employment, education, tourism, health, culture, public finances, social services, membership of the European Union, infrastructure, rights of the consumer, foreign investment, justice services, national security, animal welfare, the island of Gozo, human rights, embellishment of the environment, etc.

I shall not seek to gloss over the mistakes. Labour needs to improve its record in the area of good governance. There were also instances of arrogance which angered many ordinary people who were seeking help. However, I am sure that Labour will have learned from these mistakes and that the next five years in government will be even better than those past.

What does the Nationalist Party have to offer in return? Pretty little, I am afraid. It’s mostly the usual empty promises, several of which will be forgotten within 24 hours of coming to power. The actions of the Nationalists speak for themselves.

Voters have to seriously reflect on the responsibility facing them

We can start with the pathetic coalition with the Democratic Party. Here we have a party led by a person, Marlene Farrugia, who was a Nationalist, became a Labour MP, then left Labour to form a new political party which will now contest under the PN ticket. In other words, who in his right mind would today trust Farrugia? Yet, Simon Busuttil is so desperate for votes that he has been forced to seek the support of the Democratic Party as by itself his own party is no match for Labour.

Of course, one cannot but mention another important fact: the way Busuttil and his party have always finished second-best whenever they have opposed Joseph Muscat and the Labour government. So much so that the Nationalists have resorted to blackening Malta’s image on the international scene by seeking to use European Union membership as a leverage against their political adversaries in Malta.

In my opinion, this should be the most decisive factor when deciding on one’s voting preference at the next general election. If you love your country, will you vote for those who have blackened the name of their country in the eyes of foreigners? I would be ashamed to do so.

Furthermore, there is also the record of the Nationalists in government to consider. These are the same people who, when in government, could never solve certain problems. Labour arrived at a surplus through growth and without resorting to austerity measures. The last Nationalist government beggared many people with high energy tariffs and still finished with a deficit. And can one forget the “works for votes” case or the oil scandal under a PN administration? To make matters worse, even when in opposition, the Nationalists have been seriously embarrassed with such cases as those of Toni Bezzina and the db Group. In other words, can one take the Nationalists seriously when they speak of being a better alternative to Labour?

As we approach the 2017 general election, voters have to seriously reflect on the responsibility facing them. We can now either go forward or move backwards. We have a clear choice between the prosperity of the present or the austerity of the past, the successes of the present or the failures of the past.

It is crucial that voters are not misled by the PN media which tries to paint a picture of gloom under a Labour government where corruption is the order of the day.

Remember that this is the same tactic they have always used whenever they have been in opposition. The PN’s democratic credentials are rather weak. By their actions, they have shown that they do not accept an electoral defeat and will do everything to undermine the government of the day. They did it in the days of Gerald Strickland, they did it in the time of Alfred Sant and they are doing it again today.

I challenge all those who love their country to stand up and be counted. Vote Labour for more prosperity and progress. Say “no” to the reactionary Nationalists.

Desmond Zammit Marmarà is a Balzan Labour councillor.

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