I can still vividly recall when the former Prime Minister, Lawrence Gonzi, used to brief the media on the proceedings of Cabinet meetings only minutes after these marathon sessions used to end. The practice only lasted for a few weeks.

Even people who never voted Labour have sent in messages congratulating the party for the new momentum it has created in the country

I equally recall one of the positives of the early Fenech Adami days at the helm of his party – then in Opposition – when he used to conduct dialogue sessions to “read the pulse” of the electorate while gauging and harnessing the public sentiment on pivotal issues.

While the recent PN analysis of its resounding electoral defeat virtually justified most of the criticism that came its way from our end in past months, as well as from certain dissident MPs within its own ranks, the thing that stood out most was that at no stage did the then party in government find any real time or inclination to switch into an effective listening mode. This despite repeated flimsy and cosmetic reassurances that it planned to do so, particularly every time it earned itself a political setback of sorts.

Oddly enough, while many valid reasons were given for the defeat, no accusing fingers were pointed at those directly responsible for the cataclysmic outcome.

Even the usual suspects whose blogs must have provided music to the ears of diehard supporters were eventually singled out as contributors to the resounding defeat for having instilled so much negativity while indulging in over-the-top personalised attacks that gave politics and the PN itself such a bad name.

That the party itself did not even bother to distance itself from such a hackneyed and jaded way of doing politics reflected far worse on the party itself than on those who simply found and still do find themselves straight jacketed in a role that they simply cannot get out of. That the new PN leader even refuses to do so now is symptomatic of the fact that nothing has effectively changed on the ground. The former PN president had adopted a similar attitude during the past campaign itself – in the printed media.

In sharp contrast, the PL has been in a listening mode since much earlier than the beginning of the election campaign itself; ever since its change in leadership in 2008. Consultations were not conducted solely on election eve as it might have been with others.

And while others chose to sit on the fence on controversial issues, the PL had no hesitation in spelling out its position on issues that could have ‘lost’ it votes among certain segments of society – be they involved in hunting or land reclamation. The PL felt duty bound to explain its manifesto proposals and intentions way ahead of the election date proper. Those who voted for us knew in advance what our key proposals were. No hidden agendas or last-minute surprises.

The new government that is fast approaching its first 100 days in office has left no stone unturned to maintain its listening mode. Not only have most ministers been in constant touch and consultation with leading constituted bodies, environment NGOs and other interested parties, but it has been a very positive decision that even prior to the 100 days threshold, Cabinet members have already subjected themselves to the first of a periodic series of ‘listening’ sessions at the Office of the Prime Minister which any member of the public could have attended.

In my case, apart from last Monday’s session, I also had the pleasure to host an activity that my ministry organised on Environment Day to take stock of the situation regarding trees in Malta. There seems to be general consensus that matters have only worsened and trees are now far less protected in urban areas than they were decades ago. This is in spite of all the fragmented institutions and monitoring boards that may be ‘up and running’.

Stakeholders in the audience behaved in the most gentlemanly of ways even when they spoke with passion about something so close to their hearts. Other stakeholders, economic ones included, who meanwhile preferred to merely listen were equally welcome since through their presence they showed they were deeply interested in taking stock of the public sentiment on the subject.

The same can be said for the isolated few who rooted for the ‘status quo’, possibly in defence of past misdeeds or else for other reasons that I will rather not speculate about.

With this in mind we did not limit ourselves to a mere two-and-a-half hour consultation session but we have now also asked for written submissions on the subject so that when we crystallise and formalise our position as a government through the necessary legal amendments, we can really take stock a priori of all the various suggestions, proposals and concerns raised.

We are committed to remain in a listening mode throughout the whole legislature while obviously also acting as dynamically and as proactively as we can – particularly with regard to implementing our electoral programme pledges.

We never promised a perfect government and I am sure that we will not be one. But it gives me great satisfaction that even people who never voted PL have sent in messages to me and others congratulating the party in government for the new momentum it has created in the country without creating any new tensions and while showing an eagerness to take on board suggestions and proposals – at the same time keeping our focus on the key to our success: sustainable economic growth.

This is an ingredient without which the country cannot and will not move forward an inch if it is really after real and tangible results. As I am sure that indeed it is.

Meanwhile, the moment we lock ourselves up in an ivory tower, as the PN did over the past years, we will be digging our own political grave. If there is a lesson to be learnt from the PN electoral defeat report, it is important that we learn it fast. Now.

Brincat.leo@gmail.com

Leo Brincat is the Minister for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change.