GonziPN writers and speakers have never been closer to blurting out “We are in a state of panic”, thus admitting what voters have been suspecting for a long time.

Panic produces irrational behaviour- Helena Dalli

Former Nationalist Party leader Eddie Fenech Adami almost chided GonziPN’s weak strategy recently by subtly stating that it is placing emphasis in the wrong place. We all know that panic produces irrational behaviour and does not allow people to do what is good for them.

The organised way in which the Labour Party promoted its energy plan increased the PN’s alarm after it had decided in advance to say that this plan was not pragmatic, though, later, they started copying and citing some ideas from the said proposal, for instance, the importance of using gas instead of polluting heavy duty oil.

The PL did not publish the energy plan when the PN wanted it to (as if the PL takes orders from GonziPN), thus a choir of PN apologists started shrieking: “when, when, when?”

Soon, the plan was out and the PN strategists wished they had not hurried the PL so much because the energy proposal is obviously credible and professional – to the consternation of the lovers of pollution and those who relish receiving hefty energy bills.

The PN’s hysteria is increased by the PL’s sense of justice and meritocracy when declaring that all valid people who can contribute to the country’s advancement would be most welcome (as opposed to the selfish, introverted, oligarchic strategy well-explained by genuine Nationalists).

Besides its usual “when, when” panic call, PN strategy does not seem to like anyone saying that Malta belongs to all the Maltese. How dare one say this when the oligarchic ideology is so ingrained in the mind?

Above all – as I have a right to ask ‘when’ sometimes too – when will GonziPN take the whistleblower legislation seriously? When will the PN accounts be published as in the PL? When will GonziPN agree to the myriad proposals on good governance as put forward by Labour?

The emphasis being placed by the PL’s expressed intention of investing more in human resources is also receiving the whimper: “but when?”

This eternal cry of ‘when’ is becoming a laughing matter to most voters who, after all, were also among those to make suggestions to the PL. It is surprising for many to learn that suggestions to the PL were also made by former GonziPN voters. When? Following GonziPN’s poor performance in government and the advice of many that the PN needs to be in opposition for its own sake.

On the eve of the PL’s publishing in whole its electoral manifesto, the PN ideologists continue asking “when”, pretending not to notice that every day this manifesto is being released in solid parts. The concrete and costed proposals are various and include measures such as the investment in human resources, especially those of women as more numerous participants in the labour market.

Incentives for more women to join the labour market cannot be a simple idealistic expression and, for us to move up from the bottom of the EU list where it comes to women’s participation in the labour market, they must be pragmatic.

Labour has explained the proposal on further tax incentives in the direction of encouraging more women to contribute to the progress of the country by their competence.

The proposal of free childcare, figuring in the PL manifesto, has also been explained. It is related to both social justice and socio-economic progress. Children of all ages would be looked after in free childcare centres while more parents contribute to the country’s economy.

In education, the PL intends to strengthen the basis to increase the self-confidence of young people who are reluctant to go to tertiary education. Teachers would be allowed to be more creative as opposed to the straitjacket they have been placed in by GonziPN educational strategies.

While PN ‘ideologists’ have been interminably and boringly asking ‘when’, the PL has been daily holding political activities during which parts of the PL’s electoral manifesto are issued before this is done in toto shortly. “But when, when, when?”

It is probable that, when the manifesto is published, the strategists will churn out their ‘post-when’ objections of ‘insufficient pragmatism’, reminding one of the ‘pragmatism’ of eternally postponing the reduction of electricity tariffs, the Whistleblower Act, the party’s accounts publication, the many projects carried forward from one election manifesto to the next, etc., etc.

I am finally tempted to ask another ‘when’ myself. When will the public be given proof that the €500 per week given for a number of years to the Prime Minister and ministers have been returned to the coffers of the nation?

Dr.HelenaDalli@gmail.com

Helena Dalli is shadow minister for the public sector, government investments and gender equality.