Has anyone kept count of the number of libel actions filed since the start of the election campaign? It is not surprising at all that an election campaign produces enough libel suits to keep the courts busy for months on end but it looks as if this election will be a record in terms of number. Claims and counter-claims over corruption are matters that can almost guarantee more than a libel suit or two but a new controversy has arisen, that over a 2004 report about the payment of fees for health services.
The Labour Party is saying the report had been discussed by Cabinet but Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has strongly denied the claim, insisting the report had not even made it to Cabinet as it was shot down by a social affairs sub-committee.
Leaving aside for a moment the twists and turns in this new controversy, does the stand adopted by the two parties over the financing of the health services mean that, whatever the costs, they will never consider the possibility of raising fees, in some way or other, or in some particular cases, to help ease the burden?
If so, the policy they are adopting, clearly born of their interest not to lose political support, is wrong. It is, in fact, as wrong as Labour's half-baked plan to halve the surcharge on water and energy irrespective of the cost of crude oil.
When, according to one government document, expenditure on health care is now rising at a faster rate than gross domestic product, is it not wise to make every effort possible to ensure the sustainability of the service? A Labour government had once attempted to introduce a measure of responsibility in the distribution of free medicine by charging a nominal fee. But the measure was, and still is - wrongly - highly criticised.
To go back to the controversy over the 2004 report, Labour are, of course, making great political capital out of it. Even though Dr Gonzi has said that a Nationalist Party in government would not introduce any fees for health care, Labour are not taking his word for it. Labour leader Alfred Sant held that the 2004 report proved that the Prime Minister had "lied blatantly" when he denied that Cabinet had discussed introducing fees for health services. Dr Gonzi took strong exception to this and is taking legal action against the Labour leader.
Giving his version of the story, Dr Gonzi said the Cabinet had only once discussed a memorandum dealing with the idea of introducing payment for health services. The memo had been presented by the Health Minister but the ministers agreed that, before any "definitive decisions could be taken", a more detailed policy proposal had to be submitted.
The report referred to by Dr Sant earlier in the week and which had been shot down by a Cabinet social affairs sub-committee was drawn up by a Health Ministry executive. Labour particularly zeroed in on one paragraph in the report: "Fees imposed by regulations for the provision of health care or health support services to Maltese or foreign citizens. The Cabinet has agreed in principle to this concept but fees for Maltese citizens will not be introduced for the moment due to their political underpinnings". But the Office of the Prime Minister held this was a misrepresentation, on the part of the expert who produced the report, of the mandate that had been given by Cabinet. The author of the report has confirmed that this was only his "misrepresentation at that point in time".
It is unlikely for Labour to let go of the story in the last few days before the election but, ultimately, it is a matter of whom to believe. However, in his repeated affirmation that a Nationalist government would not charge fees for health services, Dr Gonzi is leaving no doubt where he stands.