interview

On politics, partisanship and polling day

Do the local council elections serve as a barometer for the political parties’ popularity, or are we reading too deeply into the results? As 9 March approaches, KURT SANSONE asks Nationalist party secretary general Joe Saliba this and other questions

Joe Saliba is a prime example of job mobility. The 44-year-old Zebbug-born secretary general of the Nationalist party started his career as a construction worker, after which he entered university until finally reaching the coveted post he occupies today.

Mr Saliba is best remembered as campaign manager for the 1998 electoral campaign, which saw the Nationalist party returned to power after a two-year stint in opposition.

He is currently immersed in the political boiling pot that has been heating up as the forthcoming local elections approach. I naturally enquire about his expectations.

"This is an MLP group of councils," he responds immediately explaining that the largest localities are mainly Labour party strongholds.

Mr Saliba recalls that three years ago, in the same group of localities, the Nationalist party had surpassed the MLP by three percentage points. "But the 1999 elections had come a couple of months after the 1998 electoral defeat for the Labour party. We were still enjoying the wave of support that saw us win the general election," he adds.

He continues, "This year we do not have the advantage of contesting after a general election apart from the fact that we have been three years in government."

Despite the odds, Mr Saliba hints that he would like to consolidate the places where the party has a majority and improve on the result in localities where the Nationalist party has a minority. "But Zebbug is the locality, which I would like to take," he admits with a smile.

But the secretary general has his feet on the ground and knows that the global result will depend on voter turnout.

Mr Saliba admits that although the parties inevitably try to shift the result of the local elections onto a national level, the analysis is not at all correct.

"The abstention level is too high in local elections and the winner will probably be the party which manages to get the most voters out," he explains.

He outlines a number of scenarios that can influence a voter’s choice on a local level. "If everything is fine on a national level but nothing has been done in the locality, a person might change his vote. Local elections present a number of variables that are different from the variables of a general election."

I raise the issue of MLP voters being less likely to vote in local elections, but Mr Saliba disagrees. He cites the example of St Paul’s Bay, which is the PN’s largest locality in the forthcoming elections. "Three years ago the turnout in St Paul’s Bay was 52 per cent while the turnout in the MLP stronghold of Zurrieq was 70 per cent," Mr Saliba remarks.

The next round of local elections will see the renewed participation of Alternattiva Demokratika. The Green Party is contesting in four localities, which are all predominantly Nationalist. I ask Mr Saliba whether he views AD’s participation as a threat.

"I think AD made its calculations about where to contest. It is a good thing that AD is contesting once again on a local level. Obviously it is another player and as any other competitor we have to give weight to AD’s performance," he responds.

I hark back to last year’s local elections when the La Salle issue came to a head during the electoral campaign. The government was accused of creating the issue to boost its popularity at the polls. The General Workers’ Union made a similar accusation this year in relation to the situation at the Drydocks, but Mr Saliba stands firm.

"God forbid that the government plans its actions to the tune of a local council electoral campaign. On the eve of last year’s local elections we had sent thousands of letters to people abusing social security services, and I do not think that that action boosted our popularity at the polls."

I bring up the ‘B’ word, which has characterised the political discourse since day one of 2002. How does Joe Saliba justify the Nationalist party’s boycott of Super One while simultaneously criticising the MLP’s boycott of Where’s Everybody?

The secretary general explains that he had sent a letter to Super One’s management informing them that nobody from the Nationalist party would be attending unbalanced discussion programmes on Super One television.

"We could not accept to participate in programmes where one PN representative had to face six or more MLP officials or sympathisers. A sense of balance has to be found and I would not describe our course of action as a boycott. We will participate if balance is restored."

He refuses to compare the boycotts.

"The Labour party just wants to shut itself off and not attend programmes conducted by independent journalists. Dr Sant hasn’t given a comment to Radio 101 since 1996."

With the boycott controversy and the run-up to the local elections creating even more political ripples, polarisation seems to be on the increase. But for Mr Saliba it is only natural for the political debate to become more intense.

"Every year before a general election there is a gradual build up of political activity and the probability is that the rivalry will continue to increase," he explains.

He also highlights the referendum, which is an important decision of a national standing. "But I am convinced that after the referendum the political parties will lose their importance and we will see the start of a new phase in the political development of this country."

I dwell on the referendum and wonder whether the Nationalist party will decide to go directly for a general election.

"The Nationalist party is committed to holding a referendum and it will occur," Mr Saliba emphasises. He explains that within the Nationalist party there has never been any discussion on the option not to hold a referendum.

"I have no power to decide when the referendum is to be held - that is the Prime Minister’s prerogative - but in my opinion it should not be held after an election," the secretary general adds.

Mr Saliba admits that the referendum will not be an easy victory but he trusts that people will differentiate between voting in a general election and voting in the referendum.

"In a general election people evaluate what is being presented by the political parties and the government’s track record. In a referendum a different reasoning comes into play. It is not determined solely by the government’s track record but a major part of the formula depends on the success or failure of the EU to help countries develop. People will ask themselves how the EU will evolve and how will it influence their future."

I raise the issue of the Armier boathouse owners and their threat to vote against EU membership in the referendum. "Their reaction hurt me but their statement could have been made at a moment when emotions were running high," he says.

So what happens if the referendum goes in favour of membership but in the general election that follows people go back to their respective political fold risking a defeat for the Nationalist party at the polls?

Mr Saliba reflects for a moment. "I am convinced that between the referendum and the general election countless other scenarios can occur. The next step is the referendum and I believe that the party should work to win the referendum for the country."

No term in office comes without its problems, and I am interested in what he regards as the government’s main hurdles at present.

"The government is working earnestly to introduce new legislation but little is done to market the positive changes. Sometimes it amazes me how the Labour party manages to give a different version of facts and get away with it," he replies.

The second shortfall of this government, according to Mr Saliba, is the lack of contact Members of Parliament have with the people.

"MPs should be more in touch with people otherwise they risk becoming technocrats."

I ask Mr Saliba about the precarious state of the economy but he immediately interjects, "We have done miracles during the last three years."

He lists the government’s achievements. "Over three years we have reduced the deficit well below the projected target even though the expenditure on projects has gone up. The number of shop permits has increased, unemployment has gone down and all this has occurred at a time of restructuring. In this context I cannot say that we had no success."

I raise the cash flow problem but Mr Saliba is not fazed by the criticism. "The government has increased its efficiency in tax collection, something that was missing in previous years. This is a positive development and the administration should not be castigated for this."

But despite the government’s increased efficiency in collecting revenue it is not doing enough to control its expenditure, which is continuously on the rise.

"That is a cliché because it is easier said than done," he answers. "Last year the government sent out 16,000 letters to people abusing social services but there is a limit to how much it can cut down on expenses when one considers that the bulk of expenditure is on social services and wages."

The discussion turns towards the leadership race in the Nationalist party, which till now has pitted John Dalli against Lawrence Gonzi. I ask Mr Saliba for his views on the matter and whether the battle is creating internal tension.

"There is no doubt that people who believe they could lead the Nationalist party would work to achieve the necessary popularity in the general council," he says. "This is natural and expected in a democratic party, as long as the rivalry does not affect the party’s operation. But I do not believe there is tension, or else it does not show."

However, he doubts whether Lawrence Gonzi and John Dalli will be the only contenders.

To my question of whether the choice will be between two different ideological tracks, Mr Saliba emphasises that the leader of a party does not determine policy on his own.

He explains, "This is a mistaken view because while the leader is expected to give direction and inspiration, the decisions are taken by the party’s structures through internal discussions."

Mr Saliba believes that a good leader would have the ability to bring people of different opinions together in a bid to find a compromise between the differing views. "That is Eddie Fenech Adami’s strength and Alfred Sant’s weakness as a leader," he stresses.

Outlining the challenges ahead for the Nationalist party, Mr Saliba mentions the EU referendum as the main issue, followed closely by the general election.

"We have to convince the Maltese public that there is no other suitable road except EU membership," he says. "The second challenge is to continue presenting a vision and to offer new opportunities so that we will win the next general election."

The secretary general adds that another challenge for the party is to develop further the internal structures in such a way as to continue promoting the participation of the sectional committees in the decision-making process.

But Mr Saliba’s pet challenge is definitely the construction of the new headquarters. It is planned that the first phase will be ready by the year’s end. True to his roots in the construction industry his eyes light up when he mentions the volume of work that needs to be done. But ever the optimist, he is confident that the job will be ready on time.