I read with interest the local news feature entitled Young Gozitan Notary Launches EP Seat Bid (March 26). Notary Christian Zammit is very young indeed and so he does not remember well what happened five years ago. Neither did he care to research what went on before making his statement that "five years ago, he was disappointed that no Gozitan had taken the initiative" to contest these elections. He added: "That was a 'grave error' because no Gozitan expressed the options, pleas and ideas of the island."
Now let me remind him. I had every intention to contest that election and I submitted my application before the Vigilance Board for approval. This board accepted my application. The second step was a contestation for approval by the party delegates. According to the rules of the game then prevailing, my application could only be approved if I got 70 per cent of the votes.
With such high a percentage required, a dozen persons who did not like your face could make all the difference and a sure failure. In fact that is what happened. I did not make it for just a few votes.
There were 11 candidates who the first contested. Only four managed to make it. The other seven were left out.
It did not stop there. Sharon Ellul Bonici and I made great efforts through our representatives in the National Executive to contest a second time. In the meantime much precious time had been wasted. At last our plea was accepted, however on the condition that anyone who had second thoughts and wished to apply could contest again. This did not seem fair and so many of the first contestants simply opted out.
I stayed on for Gozo's sake but apparently the Malta Labour Party, unlike the Nationalist Party, did not care at all about the Gozitan vote. If it did, it could have made it a must that at least one candidate had to be Gozitan. So I contested for a second time but failed for just 12 votes.
So Gozo was left without a Gozitan candidate and many Gozitans, like Notary Zammit, felt disappointed and did not vote at all.
Then the first EP election came. However, none of the candidates approved to contest the second time managed to obtain a seat.
Now times have changed. This time Notary Zammit is fortunate enough that the rules of the game have been favourably revised. So he will be allowed to contest the EP election without being given a hard time.
As far as I am concerned, now it is my turn to stay aloof and let other people work.
I congratulate Notary Zammit and wish him every success.
Clarification from Not.Christian Zammit.
With reference to the article published on the 25th March, dealing with my campaign launch, I must emphasize that this was partially incorrect.
Anton F.Attard, in his letter published today stated that I have been reported to say that no Gozitan had taken the initiative. What I stated in reality, is, that no Gozitan has ever formed part of the Gozitan final list of Labour EP candidates. May I remind Mr.Attard, that I remember quite well the circumstances preceding the 2004 MEP elections, as during that period, I occupied the Assistant International Secretary post of the Labour Party, and I lobbied in favour of his inclusion in the final list of EP Labour candidates, as I thought that a Gozitan had to be part of that list, in order to express the Labour Gozitan electorate’s pleas and requests.
With regards to the failure by the PN government to obtain a priviliged status for Gozo, this handicap is precluding Gozo from obtaining the majority of state aid, apart from non-entitlement to supplementary European regional funds.
This handicap is further compounded by the failure on the part of the PN government to file a report with the European Commission, before the adoption of the last EU budget, which report had to list Gozo's problems in dealing with double insularity, and the absence of foreign investment which is afflicting the Gozitan economy.