What the backbenchers are really saying

As a former teacher, Nationalist MP Helen D’Amato knows all about the importance of communicating. And she is not afraid to tell RAY ABDILLA that the political party she represents might need a few lessons of its own

Malta’s referendum on European Union membership is such as important issue that it deserves more importance than being dealt with on the same day as a general election.

So says Nationalist backbencher Helen D’Amato.

"I think that both are totally different issues," she says. "People must think carefully about the European Union and not confuse it with the country’s other needs.

"The EU referendum is something which is vital to our younger generations. If we stay out we will definitely pay a high price."

The MP also warns that the nation must never take democracy for granted. "Just because we have managed to bring about change doesn’t mean we should rest on our laurels," she says. "There are countries where democracies were the order of the day, but now everything has changed.

"When we hear the Malta Labour Party through its leader Alfred Sant state that he will not abide by a referendum, then we must stand up be counted, and protect our democracy – the same one which the Nationalist Party obtained," she says.

Mrs D’Amato told MaltaToday that when one weighs up what both parties are offering, it is evident that the PN is way ahead of the MLP.

"On the front benches the Labour Party has some valid people but when you go through their backbenchers they are really appalling," she says candidly. "The MLP has been depleted by the loss of some of its best elements such as Lino Spiteri, Maria Camilleri and Alex Sceberras Trigona. In the Nationalist Party there is a different situation, it is more difficult to make decisions about whom to appoint at certain levels."

Turning to the subject of how she combines her career and domestic commitment, Mrs D’Amato describes herself as " spoilt woman".

"My husband supports me in every respect," she says. "He’s part of what I’m doing, and instead of the rhetorical grumbling of a man whose wife attends parliament morning and evenings, arriving at home at about 10pm at the earliest, he supports me throughout.

"In fact when I had to make a decision as to whether I should contest or not, he urged me to go for it, saying he believed that I had the ability to succeed."

Years back, Mrs D’Amato admits that she never dreamt of contesting an election, explaining that she and her husband, Carmel, were delegates with the Malta Union of Teachers.

"We were both supporters of the Nationalist Party," she says. "In fact, I pride myself on the fact that I made the decision to support the PN on my own and not because of my family roots. I know that my father definitely did not vote for the Nationalist Party!"

She steps back to1981, recalling that tension was growing at the time when the couple used to go to mass meetings.

"But things eased off and we were not given such a difficult time after the 1981 election, when the Nationalist Party lost despite obtaining the absolute majority of the votes.

Mrs D’Amato explains that she was happy with her career as a teacher, although the couple were angry at what was happening politically.

In 1984 she had her first child and made the decision to leave teaching because she always felt that children would be better brought up by one of the parents.

She describes the first three years as being happy ones, although she jokes that staying home to look after children is certainly not a soft option.

"But I don’t mind admitting that I felt there was something missing in my life," she says. "I needed to do something else and one of my friends, Josette, who was in the Zurrieq women’s movement of the Nationalist Party, urged me to go along."

It was a humble start, but Mrs D’Amato immersed herself in politics and later formed part of the general council of the Nationalist Party. She also worked to demolish the women’s party movement which was something outside the sectional committee, making it difficult for women to get into the local committees.

Mrs D’Amato remembers also her speech made at the general council just after the PN won the 1987 general election. She had, she says, criticised the party on the broadcasting issue, editorial wise and had also started to work with AZAD and many other political organisations.

Then, five years later, came one of her most difficult moments, as she explains.

"Before the 1992 elections, the Prime Minister sent for me and asked me to contest the general elections," she says. "But I didn’t think I was ready at the time and told him that she couldn’t.

"It was very difficult for me to refuse but I honestly thought I wasn’t up to the job at the time, so I said no."

She admits the PM even sent for her another time, adding with a smile that he is not an easy man to say no to.

"My husband also tried to convince me to go for it, but he was fair, eventually conceding that it had to be my decision."

She decided that since the first batch of local elections were not far away, she would instead contest those. She did so successfully and increased the number of votes three years later when she was elected on the first count.

During 1993, Mrs D’Amato was also president of the PN women’s movement.

She recalls with a smile that the Prime Minister told her he would ask her to contest the next general election.

"He didn’t forget," she says. "It was easier to say yes with more experience and the children now grown up, she I decided to go for it."

She resigned from her post as teacher and, even though she was up against heavyweights such as Ninu Zammit and Louis Galea, was elected in a bye-election and was returned successfully in the 1998 election.

On a personal level, she highlights her satisfaction at having addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations in the Beijing +5 conference. She is expected to address the United Nations again when she attends the World Fit for Children Conference.

Turning to the issue of anti-EU propaganda, she highlights some of the scare-mongering that has been going on.

"Before we had stories about Sicilians coming over to take our jobs and how we Maltese would have nowhere to work," she says. "This MLP propaganda has recently died down and now the Opposition is trying to focus its attention on agriculture, a topic which is very difficult to discuss not only for Malta, but for all the European countries."

"But the government will continue to push for the best deal for Malta, as it has done in all other areas."

I ask her about the recent controversy surrounding the Nationalist backbenchers.

She rejects the claim that they are not being informed or given tasks to work upon and is also completely against a them (ministers) and us (backbenchers) scenario.

"We all form part of the same team," she says.

Her own responsibility is co-ordinating work on the Social Aspects Policy. "I have had meetings about the subject with various ministers such as Lawrence Gonzi, Tonio Borg and John Dalli," she says. "I work as hard as I can and believe that I am contributing.

"Yes I would like that the parliamentary group to meet more frequently but most of all I would like to see implementation of the one on one situation system.

"I know that there are some people who think that they should have more responsibilities but there isn’t room for everybody," he says. "And we cannot underestimate the importance of experience.

"There are some very valid people such as Louis Galea and Ninu Zammit. And what about the new faces such as Louis Deguara who was a Parliamentary Secretary and Austin Gatt?"

On the subject of the party’s popularity, Mrs D’Amato said it was impossible to make a fair valuation at the moment.

"The Labour Party has done well at the local council elections, because Labourites are now going all-out to vote, while the Nationalists are not doing like-wise," she says.

She also dismisses claims that the PN is arrogant and fails to listen to its critics.

"A good example is Budget Day," she says. "Today, everyone has a feel about what is coming following the consultations with the MCESD.

"People forget that during the Labour administration the budget was a secret.

She gives the example of how Labour spokeswoman Helena Dalli is always criticising the Nationalist Party for abandoning their projects.

"In fact not only did we set up a shelter for domestic violence, but I also went to see the place Mrs Dalli is always boasting about," she says. "I was astonished about the state of the place, which was small and uncomfortable.

"Few people know about what we do. All I know is that the Nationalists are not very good at communicating – maybe we need to address this issue."