interview

The legion of the few

The Malta Labour Party has made some positive changes over the years, but it needs to free itself from the few who have hijacked the party, former MLP secretary general, Dominic Fenech, tells RAY ABDILLA

Many of the changes that have been made in the Labour party since Alfred Sant took over the helm are welcome. But other developments, such as the manner in which certain players are pulling the strings, need to be stopped.

These are the sentiments of Dominic Fenech, a former Labour Party secretaray general and university lecturer.

I had been trying to catch up with Dr Fenech for some time, but found that he was abroad for a few months so it was a pleasure when we eventually got together.

"I am still a Labourite and a paid-up member of the MLP but I do not see completely eye to eye with the present leadership," the historian says. "I admire Alfred Sant for changing the party’s image, such as getting rid of unruly elements that used to give it a bad name and establishing the new headquarters in Hamrun. "But the way he tackled some of the other problems were not so well planned."

Dr Fenech highlights one case in point - the way some people run the party media and expect everyone to toe their line. "The worst event happened just before the last elections when an extraordinary party conference was held to discuss the prospect of an early election.

"Dr George Abela - surely a missed personality in the party - made it known that he did not agree with the idea of an early election and the next day he was criticised and taken to pieces by Super One Radio. It did the same and worse to Dom Mintoff.

"The Labour party media is supposed to be of service to all Labourites but it sometimes looks like an instrument to streamline opinion."

Dr Fenech’s belief is that although it is important to modernise the party, it remains equally important to avoid cutting it off from its roots. "It is, after all, those roots that make the party what it is today," he says. "Its first interests must be the workers and the needy. But also it must earnestly believe that working people are at least as vital to national prosperity as the business community. If one cannot believe that, then one cannot be a socialist."

He believes that the MLP gained in support between 1992 and 1996 because it created space for different shades of opinion, but once in government it had a hard time reconciling different and sometimes opposite expectations. This was to be expected. But instead of remaining flexible, it began closing ranks, sidelining those who did not agree with it tactically, and, he says, unfortunately it has not changed much since losing the election in 1998.

"Immediately afterwards, Dr Alfred Sant referred to some of the Labourites as being disloyal, saying: ‘You’re either with us or against us. If you want consensus then go with the Nationalists.’ This is not the way to lead a party."

He admits to being unhappy over the fact that a number of the Labour party supporters who would be of value to the party are keeping their distance, or are being forced to keep it.

"Not only the likes of Lino Spiteri, George Abela and Dom Mintoff, but others who can also make a good contribution to the party," he says. "I would like to see people with a mind of their own, but capable of living with other people’s opinions, in the party because that’s what it needs.

"People like Manwel Cuschieri and Alfred Mifsud are not the best assets of the MLP."

Dr Fenech always loved politics and at one time he also planned to contest the general elections in the 12th district, but admits he got fed up with the whole process. "At the time it had nothing to do with the party. People coming to you for a million things and only voting for you depending on whether you gave things away to them, was not any life I looked forward to," he says.

On the subject of the European Union, Dr Fenech highlighted the polarisation that exists on the issue.

"The Nationalists are mad about joining, while the MLP doesn’t want to know," he says.

Dr Fenech stresses that he is against the Nationalist party’s stand on the European Union because of this. He gives as an example the lack of new investment being brought to Malta.

"There is a faltering industrial base here," he says. "Many industries opened in the seventies and eighties, and we rely too heavily on ST Microelectronics. Let’s hope that since we have so many eggs in one basket, it doesn’t break."

He still believes that Malta has the potential to attract investment.

"Fortunately we have managed to maintain momentum in the tourism sector, but we need people who can come up with new ideas to really get investment rolling into Malta," he says.

Returning to the subject of the EU, Dr Fenech thinks that the PN only wants to join out of obsession and not because they are committed in the real sense. "Unfortunately, they are obsessed with joining and the Labour party is obsessed with staying out."

The polarisation irks him, he admits.

"It is not healthy that you are unable to support the European Union and still work with the MLP," he says. "If you are against social services or social assistance, then that is another thing, since the Malta Labour party was created to take care of the workers and the deprived, but the issue of Europe does not come into the equation."

He believes that for the good of the country, first and foremost, both parties should have started negotiating the package and then have decided what is best for the country.

"How can the PN say that if we do not join it’s a tragedy?" he asks. "And how on earth can the MLP be against membership when it withholds itself from all negotiations?

"The MLP should have agreed to join in the negotiations and then it could comment with more confidence, whilst the PN would have been under pressure to fight harder to get the best deal for Malta."

On the other hand, he doubts whether the PN were ever serious in wanting consensus because that would have meant slower negotiations. "Anyway, they offered the MLP nothing in return. It’s a vicious circle."

Dr Fenech believes that there will, of course, be advantages and disadvantages both in opting to join the EU or staying out. But he admits that with the problems the country faces, membership has the attraction that it is a change from where we stand.

He points out that environmentally, we are "in a mess".

"The country is in a poor state, our beaches are appalling. We seem to be going nowhere in many other areas, state education for example.

"I am happy with hardly any of the people running the country. Many look stale and not very energetic in their work. There are loads of things which could be solved without breaking bones."

I ask him about the Switzerland in the Mediterranean option, and he points out that we need no acts of faith, either about Switzerland or the EU. "If we could guarantee that there are countries which are ready to support us by staying out, or that investment would be more forthcoming, well that’s another thing altogether," he says. "Then we could consider that option. Why not?

"Mintoff used the Switzerland in the Mediterranean concept, but that was justifiable because we capitalised on our unique features. We used to get help from the Libyans, the Saudis, China, Korea, Italy.

"Those were the days when there was the American bloc and the Eastern bloc and Mintoff used to deal with things accordingly."

He describes it as a great shame that the new Labour party fell. "When Alfred Sant took over the party leadership, many started to believe in the MLP," he says.

"People were fed up with the Nationalist party after two electoral terms. "People like George Abela joined the ranks, alongside old Labourites and even former Nationalists who all felt that this was a good, reliable party, which could lead Malta into a new era."

Dr Fenech recalls the problems that the MLP has had to deal with in recent times, beginning with Lino Spiteri disagreeing with the prime minister on financial policy. The government had found itself faced with a daunting financial situation. That being the case, he suggested the government should review its position as regards VAT and the EU. Then came the Mintoff saga, which was rather ideologically based. Instead of compromise, the leadership went for discipline.

As we turn to the subject of the next general elections, Dr Fenech tells me he believes things will probably be close, but adds it is unfortunate that the present Labour party machinery feels that it can win by default.

"They are working on the assumption that the people are fed up with the Nationalists so the MLP will get their vote," he says.

I cannot end the interview without a word on the old giant of politics. Is Dom Mintoff still a relevant person in politics, I ask?

"Dom Mintoff will be remembered as the best of leaders ever," is his answer. "As for today, I do not know if he will make a difference if an election comes along now or in about two years.

"All I can say is that his departure definitely did contribute to the Labour party’s losses in the last election, especially in the Second District.

"He was a big enough figure for people to not vote for the MLP because of the rift he had with the party. And that contributed to the Nationalists winning a second seat.

"We will have to wait and see whether this happens again.”