Sunday, 20th September 2009
The PN “No Alternative” myth
The Nationalist Party media excels in creating myths which serve the partisan political interests of the PN but which are surely not in the national interest.
One of these concerns the suitability of the Labour Party as an alternative to the Nationalist Party in Government whose record will probably go down in history as one of the most negative of any Maltese government since Responsible Government was granted to Malta in 1921.
The idea that Labour is no alternative to the Nationalists has no factual basis whatsoever.
It is unfortunate, however, that some potential voters seem to have swallowed this wholesale invention hook, line and sinker.
Such people should know better because mature reflection shows that the record of the Labour Party in government has always been a positive one and this includes the period 1996-98. Furthermore, the present Labour Party is made up of several new faces who cannot be dismissed as no alternative to the PN as they have never been given the chance to show their mettle.
Labour Leader Joseph Muscat's performance record is second to none. As a Member of the European Parliament he achieved gains for Malta and the Maltese people which to this day are unequalled by any other MEP.
As Leader of the Labour Party and of the Opposition, people have been highly impressed by his analytical skills. He is able to immediately pinpoint the heart of a problem and suggest not one but several practical and workable solutions. Do you have any concrete reason to refrain from choosing Labour at the next General Election because of any deficiencies in Malta's future Prime Minister? Of course not!
A future Labour Government would be made up of tried and trusted veterans who have proved themselves in the period 1996-98 and several gifted newcomers eager to work for the welfare of the country and its people.
What do you want? To remain with this incompetent lot led by Dr Lawrence Gonzi? I would like to ask potential voters to seriously reflect on the performance of the present Nationalist Government. Its performance has been so abysmal that it does not make sense to ask in which areas of administration it has succeeded but rather in which areas of administration it has not failed!
The crucial question is : "Even if you usually vote for the Nationalist Party, do you sincerely believe that a Labour Government will not be better for the country and its people than the present one?".
Be honest with yourself! Remember the failures of this Gonzi administration : a disaster in the public finances, a drying-up of foreign investment in Malta, absolute disrespect for environmental matters as illustrated by the Power Station extension saga, a lack of ability to effectively tackle unemployment and inflation, a health service that is rapidly deteriorating in quality and with the problem of hospital waiting-lists still unresolved, an energy crisis brought about by incompetence at the top and for which the price is being paid at the bottom by the ordinary citizen, a drop in the standard of living of many Maltese due to several PN Government anti-social measures, the exclusion of all people from decision-making who do not form part of the inner Lawrence Gonzi clique, need I go on?
Is this the government you want? Surely simple common sense tells you that you can expect something better from Labour? It's up to you now to start seriously thinking about doing something to hasten the date when you can once again have a government to be proud of and when your dignity and rights as a Maltese citizen will be respected and consolidated by the decision-makers because you yourself will once again play a really significant part in such decision-making.
You can also choose to remain as you are today or even worse if you place your confidence in the PN, the political party which has let you down so many times and continues to do so. Surely you have more self-respect?
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Comments
The essential difference is that nowadays there is no state-sponsored police violence, no police frame ups of innocent people, no cover up of a murder inside the police headquarters and no police complicity with political thugs burning printing presses, political party clubs and vandalizing the Curia or the premises of trade unions.
Playing deaf and blind to yesterday’s Times editorial is ample proof that you see and define accordingly. Told you many times you define Democracy according to what side of the fence your beloved party is.
Physical violence used by the police while interrogating any individual is always condemnable. I condemned it in the past I condemn it now. Such atrocious behaviour happened in the past under different Administrations and all open minded citizens condemned it.
For you and your likes ( it seems), that such police atrocious behaviour carry political responsibilities ONLY under MLP Administrations. When such atrocious behaviour is carried under PN Administrations you ALL play deaf and dumb!
As The Times well said we all deserve to know the truth. An internal enquiry is enough nor sufficient. A public enquiry is a must.
Giov Demartino … this is another reasons why I departed for good from your beloved party.
The Times ..WELL DONE!
The G.S. of the PN ( whom I esteem a lot, as I did with his relatives in the past) asked me same question some days ago on the Gozo Ferry. May I assure you that I bear no political grudge or any other grudge towards any PN politician or sympathiser: most are also personal friends.
I assure you too that there was never anything personal with my decision to pack all from the PN. The EXACT reasons why I made such a step you can see in my writings. You can find the EXACT Truth why I made such a step if you are capable to read between the lines of all I scribble here and elsewhere.
The ‘PN’s greed for power ‘has no limits. That greed goes too far..Too far for any open mind to ever accept. All that is legal is fair enough but ALL THAT IS ILLEGAL or MOST DECIETFUL I can never condone or accept. The deceitful behaviour of the Capo on the eves of the many General elections, since 1976, was not only shameful but condemnable.
Should I say more, my friend?
The NP would never recognize me as one of its "spokesmen". I pride myself on being a true democrat interested in the alternation of power between all political parties that prove their willingness to exercise power in a non-violent democratic way. I am not happy that the LP, through its own unaided efforts, has so far failed to present itself as a credible alternative government. It would be a great help to others like me if you were to divulge the real circumstances surrounding your personal “conversion on the way to Damascus” from NP to MLP.
I took up your challenge two and a half days ago. Were you too lazy to look up those comments or do you wisely prefer that the memory of those incidents should not be revived in a DZM blog? You are not the only one who "lived those times" you know!
The PN called it a day when Gonzi and EFA anointed each other and put themselves on the throne of power, on that day Gonzipn,the PN’s Phoenix was born, only this Phoenix became a has-been after a few years. Gonzi’s former popularity and effectiveness has peaked and is now in decline, his success is now behind him. At the last count 60% of the population told Gonzipn that it’s quitting time and you are asking our friend from Gozo “What EXACTLY made you see the light and realize that the MLP is the better party?”
And please refrain from mentioning tal-Barrani, Haz zebbug, deaths of Raymond Caruana, Karen Grech etc etc. The TRUTH is not what you want to portray and deliver. If any of you have the courage to dig deep and come open with his/her findings there will be another different story to tell and deliver. I know I lived those times.
Each party has it cons and pros. Each of us has his/her right to judge the pros and cons of each party. Only a very open mind can find the right conclusions.
Capish my friends?!
"History shows us that when not in office your party's greed to power has no limits and most of the horrible events that took place in our Political History was a result of that greed for power by your beloved party .. the PN! "
You seem to have really lost it! For every one skirmish attributed to the NP, a hundred more serious incidents can be tagged onto the LP and there is no denying that. Besides the NP supporters never murdered anyone minding his own business, framed the innocent - you know who I mean. We are still paying for Socialist backed corrupt police practices. Does e186,000 ring a bell with you? So please do not refer to any NP 'violent' past because your party's is monumental.
And with regard to NP's greed for power, may I remind you that in the last fifty years, the NP has governed for thirty-two and the period you refer to, the NP wasn't just fighting for power, it was fighting for democracy and free speech which you are enjoying to this day!
Since the MLP past is in your opinion justified, it's you who dwells in it!
You Only mention the cons of one party and the pros of your beloved party.
The CONS of your beloved party goes back more then you can never accept! Remember Terrinu? Remember the shooting at Zurrieq?? etc etc
History shows us that when not in office your party's greed to power has no limits and most of the horrible events that took place in our Political History was a result of that greed for power by your beloved party .. the PN! There is not the smallest doubt about that! The period you excell in is the biggest proof of your pary's greed for power goes at uneccaptable lengths and unacceptable behaviour in any democracy. Your beloved party even defines DEMOCRACY according to which side of the fence it is! Your beloved party excelled and excell in playing dirty politics.
As regards political corruption pleaae note that your beloved party condemns corruption when in opposition and 'legalise and institutionalise corruption'' when in office. that is the norm of your beloved party. Corruption should ALWAYS be condemned.
Please note:PN's CONS are endless!
The political violence of the 70s and 80s was very extensively trashed out in the Andrew Borg Cardona blogs "Unexceptionable" and "Predictable" in August 2008 to October 2008 with answers to your present queries. What is the need of going round in circles when it is so easy to look them up?
He describes 1971-1987 and 1996-1998 as, "...the record of the Labour Party in government has always been a positive one and this includes the period 1996-98". Unfortunately he fails to describe what were the positive achievements of his beloved party during those terrible times. What? The violence, corruption, loss of personal freedoms, or the CET or polling tax etc? The political murders, frame-ups and the police force protecting a political party and shooting tear gas and bullets at the opposing party? The destruction of NP clubs, the burning of The Times presses, the terrorizing and looting of the Leader of the Opposition's personal family residence?
Why, but why, does someone like DZM who obviously favours the LP, keeps reminding us of its dastardly acts of past? How much good is he doing to the same party he adores? Why does he not stop and make some comparisons between the NP achievements which have helped Malta change into a modern broad based economy and a tourist attraction and the stagnation and violent periods under Socialist regimes?
Please re Raymond's death keep you mouth closed because I am convinced that in the very near future the truth will emerge and a very different story will enfold. History will be re written and the sooner the better. The truth is that Raymond's 'murder' was used used by your beloved party to gain power. Of course, we all know that your beloved party's creed by your for power has no limits! Your beloved party and your likes should be ashamed!