The Labour Party’s message for this Saturday’s local council elections is a clear and positive one. The priority is to improve all localities so that all families, individuals, pensioners and businesses benefit together. To achieve this, all candidates are committed to let common sense triumph over bureaucracy and transparency in all projects must be taken seriously and be implemented without delay.
Away from the past and expired methods of conducting politics in Malta, Joseph Muscat did not mince his words. There were a few councils, led by both parties, which did not achieve the results and aspirations that their residents expected. Instead of trying to hide the fact, a proactive Labour Party acknowledged any disappointment by residents, shouldered responsibility, spoke clearly, took action and found the needed solutions.
It is this approach in politics that has led the Labour Party to become a movement open to all those who have become disillusioned with the political system of the past, still entrenched in our government and in various regional and local councils. This led to a new 200-strong team of candidates, 85 of whom are new, 58 are young and have entered the political realm through the START project launched by the Labour Youth Forum, combined with other candidates who have a proven successful track record in their work as councillors.
Whether these candidates will be elected in Labour- or Nationalist-leaning councils, they will be working for all residents and families. The Labour Party, from the opposition benches or from government, should it be elected in the upcoming general election, has vouched its support to all councils and councillors, irrespective of which political party manages to win a majority in each and every locality.
This contrasts with the experience many of us have had in the past local council term. Having had the honour to serve in the (infamous) Sliema council, I experienced a difference in the government’s (minsitries’ and departments’) approach to the council when the Sliema majority shifted from a Nationalist one to an independent one.
We had reached a state, after a couple of months, in which obstacles to operate were emerging out of the government itself.
In Gżira, the government delayed in issuing the necessary permits for the Labour-led council to finish Stuart Street on time, through the public-private partnership scheme, and in Mosta the government decided to totally abandon the locality, even disregarding the responsibilities that fell within its direct remit. Differently, in St Paul’s Bay, where the PN-led council is seen as a failure, the government took on various projects in the council’s stead and invested directly in the locality.
It was therefore not a surprise to hear the Prime Minister in Mosta declare that he was ready, as Prime Minister who is also leader of the Nationalist Party, to back and give all the necessary support and help to the Mosta council should it have a Nationalist majority. We have a Prime Minster merely reciprocating his clique’s support.
The way in which politics is conducted is what is on offer on Saturday. Labour’s call is to put an end to stagnant partisan politics. Local councils that will work for all families in all localities are an option. A vote for Labour candidates will result in councils that do nothing behind residents’ backs to benefit their own party but which will move the residents’ agenda in all localities forward.