Labour’s soul has spoken

The Labour Party has been taken to the cleaners. It faced a frenzied attack of damning accusations. Who was behind this public assault on Labour?

“How did Malta finish in this shambles we have today?”, “Labour in name only”, “representing interests of big business”, “developers can fatten their pockets”, “obscene permits for development”, “developers.. raping our countryside… their illegalities sanctioned”, “week after week…. new cases of corruption”, “arrogance at its best”, “contempt for democratic values”, “a sham”, “arrogance, lack of transparency and accountability…putting oneself on a pedestal”, “are we going to continue going down further into this cesspit?”

This wasn’t one of PN’s regular inane ‘statements’ from Stamperija. It wasn’t ADPD’s Cacopardo. It wasn’t some critical columnist with former links to the PN. This was one of Labour’s staunchest stalwarts - a former councillor and lifelong activist, respected for his integrity and for never having gorged at the communal Labour trough. Here was a deep red veteran who stuck with Labour through thick and thin for decades. Even he can’t stomach Labour any longer.

Desmond Zammit Marmara raged “we cannot go on like this”. “Unless the Labour Party puts ’the citizen first’ it cannot but remain a sham”. “A political party that puts the interests of big business first, as is happening today, cannot by any stretch of the imagination be called a Labour Party”. His denunciation was ruthless. “Only a fool will continue to live in a state of denial and continue to defend what has now become indefensible” he declared. “Why does the law continue to be flouted?”

“I still consider myself a staunch Labourite, but by this I now understand as simply yearning for the day when once again I shall be able to form part of a Labour Party that is really Labour and not a sham”.

‘Simply yearning” is not going to bring about the change Zammit Marmara lusts for - an honest, decent, transparent party of integrity. ‘Simply yearning’ is passive blind optimism that is utterly dumb. It’s not only stupid, it’s dangerous. Nothing will improve by yearning. If Zammit Marmara sits back and does nothing he’s not going to see any progress. Nor will our country.

Zammit Marmara had two options. The first was to stay in the party and to agitate for change from within. He could have kept his membership card and militate against the gross corruption that engulfed his beloved party and which he so eloquently outlined in his article.

His second option was to leave the party and join another movement, party, civil society organisation or other political grouping to fight for the changes Zammit Marmara wants to see - a clean executive which is transparent, accountable to the public and whose priority is the welfare of all citizens.

But Zammit Marmara chose none of these two options.

He chose to leave Labour. Why? Maybe because he’s tried hard and failed to bring about change. Probably because he’s given up on his party. You don’t blame him. With the current crop of MPs - Rosianne Cutajar, Edward Zammit Lewis, Michael Farrugia all tarnished by their links to the big businessman accused of criminal association and being an accessory to murder - he’s quite right. With the current cabinet - Ian Borg, Clint Camilleri, Owen Bonnici, Anton Refalo, Michael Falzon, Silvio Schembri, Byron Camilleri, Clayton Bartolo who’ve all had their own scandals, rebukes from the Commissioner for Standards, convictions for human rights breaches - Zammit Marmara’s right to give up. With a prime minister linked to alleged criminals through his business deal on a “small Zabbar plot”, who’s purchased a massive Zejtun property at rock bottom price days after numerous illegalities were sanctioned on the property which he later rented out to absent Russian prospective passport buyers, who abused his position of power to “inform” the Tax Commissioner about the Opposition Leader’s tax affairs and whose business partners Bonnici brothers have benefitted from undisclosed sums of money through Malta Enterprise, no wonder Zammit Marmara gave up and left.

Zammit Marmara didn’t choose the second option either. He’s too loyal, still attached to Labour. He cannot bring himself to cross the Rubicon. He cannot possibly join the enemy, PN, broken and riven by internal strife and overwhelmed by self-centred prima donnas.

But that leaves him in no-man’s land, voiceless and unrepresented. Like Zammit Marmara there is a majority. According to recent polls those who won’t vote or don’t know who to vote for or who vote for small parties are in the majority - 40.7%. Labour can only claim 39.4% support. PN only 19.9%. Amongst the younger generations (18-35 years) those like Zammit Marmara who don’t support PN or PL are in the absolute majority - a staggering 64.4%.

If an election were held tomorrow, Zammit Marmara and another 40% of voters would be in the majority. Amongst the young, they would almost reach the fabled twothirds majority.

Yet, despite their huge strength in numbers they would remain unrepresented in parliament. They would have no voice. That is an utter waste of Malta’s human capital, especially when they include those aspiring to higher values, better social justice, a fairer society, equal opportunity for all, good governance, strong institutions and the rule of law.

Our electoral system is rigged in favour of the two major political parties. The opposition’s current disarray guarantees power for Labour despite the latter’s poor and dwindling support amongst the electorate, even amongst its staunchest supporters.

Malta needs to change its electoral process to ensure smaller parties are given a chance to represent that considerable majority disgusted with what is currently on offer. We cannot allow decent, honest citizens to continue to be deprived of a viable alternative representation in parliament.

“We cannot go on like this”, Zammit Marmara complained. Without radical change, we will go on like this. For a long time to come Labour will continue to hog power, trample on the electorate and persist with its self-serving litany of corruption.