In 1961 the Colonial Administration embarked on the construction of the Regional Road, stretching from Msida to St Andrew's, one of the biggest projects at the time. The Nationalist Party, elected into office a year later, continued with this massive project which was expected to be completed by the late 1960s.

The target was not met and, ironically, the project was officially inaugurated by the late Lorry Sant, then Minister of Reconstruction, a few months after the election of the Labour government in 1971.

The use of this major road over the past 35 years has resulted in substantial damage to the Manwel Dimech bridge, which needed major repairs to make it safe. The Nationalist government started work on it earlier this year and, as a result, a part of this road was closed to traffic. This was a necessary evil and the government declared that the inconvenience to motorists would be over by last September.

The target date for the execution of this project was not met. The most recent date of completion was given by the minister responsible for the project, Jesmond Mugliett, who almost staked his life that the repairs will be completed by March 31, 2008. The contractors say it will be May rather than March.

Whatever, it is possible that the general election will be held before but certainly not later than the end of March. Many believe that, after nearly a decade in opposition, the Labour Party is very likely to be returned to power. So if that happens, we could have 1971 all over again and the official inauguration of the works on the bridge of the Regional Road would most probably be presided over by a Labour minister.

Not a good omen for the PN!

The delay on this project is not an exception as far as major projects undertaken by this Administration go. Most of the projects promised before the last election have either been left on the drawing board or completed well past the projected date and at a cost which was double, and in some cases triple, the estimated expenditure.

Now we are being promised "a wide-ranging vision for the Grand Harbour," unveiled by Minister Austin Gatt in a colourful brochure inserted in all Sunday newspapers, listing 20 ambitious projects, worth an estimated Lm500 million, to be completed by 2015.

"The projected project, intended to revive the Grand Harbour, was greeted with enthusiasm and not a little cynicism. There is, after all, an election round the corner." Those are not my words, but of The Times in an interview with Minister Austin Gatt.

It is worth recording that before the last election the PN promised a number of new projects, including the rebuilding of the old opera house - a promise the PN made prior to each election since 1962; the embellishment of the surroundings of the same opera house; the entrance to Valletta; the bus terminus; the Barrakka lift; the Ta' Qali crafts village - another project in the pipeline since the days of former Minister George Bonello Dupuis; and also the development of Dock number 1 at the Drydocks. All these promises remain on the drawing board.

So it is hard to believe that the Nationalist government will implement this very ambitious project in a relatively short span of a few years when it failed to deliver during so many years in office, considering that it took the same Administration almost 17 years to build a hospital, at a cost of about Lm250/Lm300 million, that is almost double the original estimate.

Apart from the unfulfilled promises, there was also substantial delay in the execution of other important projects, including Mgarr harbour and a number of new roads. Mgarr harbour should have been completed almost two years ago yet there is no date in sight for its completion, although the sum voted for the project has almost trebled.

The same goes for most of the roads built in recent years, not to mention that some of those completed had to be repaved within weeks of completion because of poor workmanship.

Which reminds me of what Lawrence Gonzi said soon after being appointed Prime Minister: "Don't judge us by what we say, but judge us by what we do" which, in other words, means that most of the ambitious projects unveiled with much fanfare by Dr Gatt are likely to remain on the drawing board permanently. They are certainly nowhere near Dr Gatt's achievements in the IT sector.

So if the past is any indication of the future, and the PN is returned to office, the chances that the projects being proposed will be completed are as likely as scaling the Portomaso Tower using a plasticine ladder!

So much for the grand plan!