The best of times ....

Whoever is interested in politics follows the electoral manifestos published by the political parties to ruminate on the promises presented. An electoral promise is a promise, a guarantee, made by a political party contesting the election. Before accepting the promises blindfoldedly, the electorate should check the past of who made the promises and whether some promises are practicable or vote-catching. During the past 6½ years Muscat’s Labour made promises which were either not carried out or turned on their head. The past is a mirror for the future.

A just society - a right

About “a society which cares for everyone”, the Labour manifesto for 2017 declared “belief in a state which should help those most in need. For Joseph Muscat’s new government, social justice remains a prime value. It will be a fundamental value enshrined in all our decisions. Social justice will guide us in choosing our priorities”.

In Malta there are parents who work hard to make both ends meet, to see their children advance. We have youths who work long hours weekly so one day they get married, but with the exorbitant prices they cannot afford to buy or rent property. This notwithstanding the declaration in the Labour marifesto that, “access for dignified accomodation is a fundamental right which should not be hindered”. We have senior citizens and pensioners who worked hard for our country all their life but find it difficult to financially reach the end of the month with the increase in prices of essential commodities and with the necessity to purchase certain medicines from time to time if not regularly.

Some weeks ago it was reported that a person employed as HR Director with a Government Authority was encouraged, offered and given an early retirement of over €150,000 through a scheme drafted by himself. A few weeks after receiving his lucrative severance package, he was re-employed as head of the HR department with an offshoot agency of the company he was employed with originally. The agency stated that he was employed after a call for applications. It is unknown whether he was asked to return the severance pay.

Other employees of the company transferred to the agency held their original position and without being given any fiscal incentive. A senior official of the company claimed this is a scandal. The people’s taxes should not be squandered in this way. This is not social justice. This case goes against the electoral promise that, “the wealth which is created reaches everyone”. Was a similar case in the pipeline? Where is the Minister for Finance? Is he busy working on his Budget to ensure that the wealth created reaches everyone?

The environment - more trees and gardens

“Joseph Muscat’s new government will prioritise the environment because we believe that this will give a leap forward to the quality of life of our citizens”. The Labour manifesto added that, “we shall keep creating initiatives for the planting of trees” and “the use of the land should be given higher priority”.

Our environment is in a sorry state. Wherever one looks one sees cranes and highrise constructions some of which replace old buildings which gave identity to the locality concerned. We often hear of old buildings that are recommended for demolition by the Planning Authority’s case officers against the advice of the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage, Din l-Art Ħelwa and the residents. And what about the butchered trees that we see around us? Does this go against Art.9(1) and Art.9(2) of the Constitution?

I have nothing against controlled construction but the excessive construction and development that is taking place is making Malta lose its identity. This construction is the root of dust and dirt which is driving people crazy. Also, the trucks transporting construction waste (supposedly covered) spill material all along their trip. All this contamination together with the number of cars and the disproportionate butchering of trees is increasing the number of those suffering from asthma or pulmonary disease.

Is this the leap in the quality of life promised by Muscat? I feel certain things go against the Planning Authority’s vision of making Malta and Gozo more pleasing to visit or live in.

Studies regarding the impact on life should be obligatory in the case of big developments.

Local Councils

A few weeks before the Local Council elections of May 2019, addressing a general conference, Joseph Muscat showed how unimportant were Local

Councils to him. He said, “am not saying anything special, some big secret, Local Councils were never something super favourite to me”. After such a declaration, how can Muscat be taken seriously when in Labour’s electoral programme he promised that, “Local Councils will keep renewing themselves and bring to them energy and wider participation especially from the youths”?

Regarding the youth’s participation, the programme added that, “we shall give the opportunity to those over 16 years to contest the elections for the Local Councils and / or the

Administrative Committees”.

When Muscat was addressing the conference, the Labour Party had already thrown out of the window the promise to youths to contest for the Administrative Committees: the Administrative Committees had been dissolved. Labour took for a ride the youths and those interested in contesting for the Administrative Committees.

In this same conference a shocking declaration was made by Silvio Parnis, Parliamentary Secretary for Local Councils. Parnis referred to a meeting he had with Robert Cutajar,

Shadow Minister for Local Councils. Cutajar offered some advice on behalf of the PN to which Parnis replied, “We do not take advice form the Nationalist Opposition”. This is how much Muscat’s Labour respects the Opposition. What a difference from what Muscat declared after being elected in 2013 that “in our challenges, we shall involve the Opposition”.

“We want to see the Local

Councils continue renewing themselves,” declared Labour’s manifesto. On their part, the Local Councils should keep the citizens well-informed. According to the official website of a particular Local Council, the last updated minutes were of the 20 May. Also the website still shows the formation of the Council prior to the May 2019 elections. Is it possible that no time was found in four months to adjourn the website? Where is the surveillance? This is neither serious nor is it a good service to the citizen. Apparently even for the Local Councils, the best time is yet to come.