L-GHAQDA

Kullhadd ghandu l-preferit tieghu. Kullhadd ghandu D-DRITT li jkollu l-preferit tieghu. Kull min huwa fdat bil-vot naf li ser jaghmel xoghol kif mistenni, jigifieri bil-galbu. Jigri x’jigri fl-ghazla tal-mexxejja taghna huwa necessarju li lkoll kemm ahna nzommu quddiem ghajnejna xi riflessjonijiet.

L-ewwel riflessjoni hija li m’ghandniex nippretendu mirakli. Gia hemm min qed jikteb fil-gazzetti kollha li min ser naghzlu zgur ser ikun il-Prim Ministru ta’ Malta hames snin ohra. Dan qed jinghad billi jidher li hemm min donnu qed jirraguna li l-PN semplicement rega ha r-riedni ta’ pajjizna bi zbrixx u mhux ghax fl-ahhar mill-ahhar riditu l-maggoranza tal-poplu malti, zghira kemm hija zghira din il-maggoranza. Dan ir-ragunament huwa ZBALJAT. Sa hames snin ohra jrid isir hafna xoghol mill-mexxejja taghna sabiex insibu u nispjegaw l-formula necessarja biex inmexxu l-pajjiz taghna mill-Gvern. Huwa necessarju li verament inhossu l-polz tal-poplu. Li verament inkunu nafu x’inhu jigri madwarna. Li verament noffru alternattiva tajba. Inridu noffru nifs gdid, pagna gdida, aspettativi godda.

Importanti ghalhekk it-tieni riflessjoni. Il-mixja li ser naghmlu trid issir flimkien. L-ghaqda biss iggib maghha s-sahha necessarja li tista twassal ghal rebha elettorali, li mbaghad issarraf finalment fi gwadann ghall-poplu malti kollu. Dan qed nghidu mhux ghaliex ma kienx hemm l-ghaqda fl-ahhar elezzjoni, izda sabiex inkomplu nsahhu dik l-ghaqda li kienet hemm sabiex indahhlu aktar u aktar nies fil-familja laburista. LI nserhu rasna fuq l-ghalza tal-mexxeja u nieqfu hemm ikukn zball. Dan inridu dhahhluha f’mohhna minn issa.

Ghalhekk din l-ghaqda hija necessarja wkoll sabiex insahhu aktar lill-mexxeja taghna. Ma ninsewx minn x’hiex ser jghaddu bis-sagrificcju li qed jiehdu fuq spallejhom. Haddiehor ser jaghmel minn kollox biex ikisser il-mexxeja taghna, anzi, gja bdew jitfghu l-vlegeg! Li jigri dan jaf idejjaq ghaliex min jitfa l-vlegeg mhux dejjem ghandu intensjonijiet puri, anzi l-oppost! Dan pero’ inridu naccettawh. Kif ahna dejjem lesti nikkritaw lil haddiehor, inridu nkunu lesti dejjem li naccettaw il-kritika tigi mnejn tigi u tigi kif tigi. Basta nwiegbuha effetivament. Irridu naraw ukoll li mill-kritika nistghu wkoll nitghallmu u nikbru. Min jigi kritikat jaf li qed jaghmel hoss, sta mbaghad ghalih juri li minn din il-kritika qed jikber. Hawn terga tidhol l-GHAQDA. Il-mexxeja li jafu li ahna warahom ser ikunu aktar b’sahhithom meta jigu biex jaffaccjaw il-mewg u maltemp. Kaptan fil-bnazzi facli, id-difficli huwa fil-maltemp. Izda jekk ghandek madwarek kumpliment ta’ bahhara li huma mieghek u jafdawk kif inti tafda lilhom allura fl-ahhar il-vapur iddahhlu fil-port!

First amongst equals

I, for one, am not prepared to join in with the chorus and cast blame on Dr. Alfred Sant. First and foremost mea culpa: I was there with the rest so some of the blame must lie with me. There were so many possible reasons for the electoral defeat for the labour party that are now coming to the fore, that it seems almost puerile to just blame one man. It is necessary for us to remember how the man (not the politician) was vilified throughout all his years at the helm of the MLP for percieved mistakes. Definitly a case of over the top criticism which went on unabated right to the very end of the electoral campaign. I cannot recall the same sense of vilification with regard to Dr. Gonzi.

Although the PN tried to portray Dr. Gonzi as a superman, we all know that he is not. The marketing behind him was better than Dr. Sant’s and that’s about it. Gonzi the man was sold as being a better option than Sant. His greatest marketing coup was in indicating to the electorate that he needed the electorate’s help not only in getting re-elected but in changing the people around him. In truth this was a sign of weakness which I believe too few people appreciated. It is a weakness that has re-surfaced in his first few days in office with some clearly strange decisions and I am sure it will come back to haunt him. Not everybody within the PN camp is happy with his GonziPN takeover.

(As an aside, is it not a shame that so many people look to politics as mainly an issue of marketing over subtance)

Be that as it may I prefer to look to the future of the labour party. To look to the choices to be made in our leadership selection. My opinion is simple: I believe that all the contestants are equally competent in different ways. Their task as leader will be to convince the electorate that where they lack, they are capable of delegating. They must be capable of having the right stuff around him or her. All have the right credentials. All have the right potentialities. All will have our 100 % backing.

One thing is sure: He or she will have to have thick skin to ward off the arrows that will be shot his or her way. Some of the contestants have already had to ward off criticism which has been by and large unjust. It is fair and correct for all and sundry to have their say. The choice of leadership of the MLP is obviously a matter which affects us all. As such I find no objection to having people express their opinion on the whole leadership matter. Needless to say opinions are relative to the opinionista! Some will have to be taken with the proverbial pinch of salt, which salt rubs both ways.

06.05.05.

Have just given the local papers a read. My letter to the Times relative to the pairing issue has been published. My basic reasoning is a simple one: in order to ensure that pairing is carried out in the appropriate manner by all concerned, it is necessary in the first place to let the MLP carry out its leadership exercise and then commence with discussions. In this we are to also examine the track record of both the labour party and the nationalist party. The MLP track record here is much better thanthat of the PN. The PN in opposition declined to pair. For now i feel the MLP must do the same, if for nothing, also out of respect to the previous positions taken by the PN - no regrets anyone!