Wise governments listen to what the people have to say. Sadly for our country, the Malta Labour Party is not listening at all to anyone.

Last May, Labour deputy leader Michael Falzon accused his party that there was an ongoing frame up "against him and his people". After turning to the Commissioner of Police to investigate the allegation, he appealed to the Labour secretary general to report his accusations to the Commissioner of Police.

On November 7, interviewed in an English-language newspaper, Dr Falzon, commenting on the need for a change of government, hit the nail on the head when he confirmed what is obvious to us all, that Labour's problem "is that some people feel they cannot trust Labour enough". The irony of it all is that a spate of letters to the editor and articles in The Times wrongly claimed that "the MLP is being understood, supported and trusted". It later transpired that these free-lancing "floaters" inundating the pages of The Times were none other than an organised busy group of MLP diehard elves following higher orders.

The leader of the Labour Party has picked up the queerest of habits quoting the people right, left and centre... the people want this, the people want that, the people have told him this and the people have told him that....

The classic catch phrase is the "people want a change". Yes, the people do want a change: they want a change of leadership style in the Labour Party; they want a change in Labour policies. They also want a change of the various Labour "leaders". In a nutshell, the MLP is in dire need of a major overhaul. Above all, it needs a new and vibrant leader, not one who has been at the helm for 15 years now, brandishing unpopular and appalling policies and losing election after election.

Referring to Budget 2008, the Labour leader declaimed that the "people have concluded that the budget was too little, too late". In the same breath, the same oracle professed that the budget was "driven by political expediency". Two contradictory proclamations par excellence!

Who, pray, may I ask, gave this self-styled apostle the divine right to take the people's name in vain? People are no fools and Alfred Sant is more than fully aware that the "people", as in the members of all the constituted bodies, including the MLP's privileged union, the GWU, explicitly described the budget as "positive", "credible", "sensible", "sustainable" and "visionary".

To add insult to injury, in Dr Sant's wonderland world, when it comes to listening to what the "people" are actually saying in ongoing surveys and polls he says he is "not in the habit of discussing surveys...."

Winston Churchill once said: "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen". And, yet, Dr Sant refuses to listen.

He refuses to listen to his people. He refuses to answer questions. He refuses to explain his policies. But he loves speaking, promising heaven and earth. He loves discrediting official statistics with a passion, unless, of course, they are excitingly negative enough for him to quote ad nauseam.

"Since November 2006 to November 2007 Malta has registered the lowest increase in the cost of living - standing at 0.5 per cent" (December 16, 2007, Eurostat). Although Dr Sant admits that prices have soared abroad he still goes around giving the "people" the impression that the government cum importers, retailers, shop owners, are to blame for the "higher" prices!

The "people" ask: What miraculous potion will the Prime Minister in waiting concoct to control the price of imports?

Regarding his ridiculous proposal to introduce a reception class for our kids, the "people"' are asking where he will find human resources to teach these "repeated" classes. Where are they going to be housed? How are they going to be financed? Even the MUT, which was never consulted, is adamantly against it.

The "people" ask why is he promising to open all the polyclinics in Malta. Where is he going to find enough doctors and nurses to man them? How is he going to finance this wild promise of his?

The "people" ask how is he going to slash the surcharge by half. From when and till when? Why are shops, businesses, commercial enterprises etc. excluded from this bonanza? Will he behead the capping industry enjoys? Will industry pay the full surcharge? If not, what percentage?

The "people" ask how is he going to boost production and competition when he re-introduces the public holidays that fall on the weekends? How will he curtail abuse with his zero tax on overtime proposal?

The "people" ask how Dr Sant advocates zero tolerance when he refuses to pass any of his allegations to the Commissioner of Police. Why does he fling accusations of corruption right left and centre while shielding those who perpetrate allegations?

The "people" ask why does he say he will re-open negotiations with the EU when we all know that this is impossible! The "people" and the "media" have asked 1,001 questions but...

For the country's sake... listen to the people.... the "people" want to know, the "people" need to know, the "people" have the right to know!

Hello, earth calling Alfred Sant....