Opinion • 11 May 2003

Tough times

Change in Labour, Eurosceptisism and fiscal woes in Kurt Sansone’s sight

Change comes with difficulty in Malta and when there is hope for it, it’s almost as if we are giving birth to a monster. I cannot understand all the misgivings and trepidation that has hounded Labour Party supporters, delegates and parliamentarians after the defeat at the polls a month ago.

It is simple: the Labour Party needs to change. It has to rethink a number of its policies and more importantly install a new leadership. It has to become the inclusive party it was prior to 1996.

A fortress Labour will only serve to alienate potential new voters. This is not very difficult to understand but somehow some people just cannot stomach swallowing their pride.

Next week we will probably have the same Labour Party led by a born-again Alfred Sant. Sant’s toy-boy, Manwel Cuschieri will also be there to direct the concerto for die-hards.

Now that will be a very exciting option for voters. The man who lost terribly in 1998 and twice in 2003 will attempt a fourth time in 2008. And his adversary won’t be a worn out Fenech Adami but somebody new, with fresh ideas and possibly enjoying the benefits of EU membership.

On Thursday Labour delegates must reflect hard. The sour defeat at the polls must be rationalised but they must look ahead. There are questions that need to be asked about past policy decisions, especially those related to the EU.

The European Union is not fundamentally against the social democratic principles that guide the Labour Party. It may not be clear because of the rigid anti-EU at-all-costs approach adopted in the past, but a deeper analysis of what the EU entails will reveal a different perspective.

Alfred Sant’s yo-yo decision, first not to contest and then to contest, may have prevented people both from within and outside the party to contest the post of leader. Anglu Farrugia and John Attard Montalto were the brave guys. Their efforts must be commended given a situation where the party structures are heavily stooped against them.

Alas, we, who on the outside hope for a strong Labour Opposition for the good of the country, will have to wait and see.

Offload SEB

The Labour Party must off-load Sharon Ellul Bonici from its ranks. Sharon, an avid euro-sceptic is not ideologically aligned with the European Socialists but with the EDD Group, which comprises fringe parties adamant on dismantling a united Europe.

But what really strikes me about these eurosceptics is their passion to criticise and ridicule a Union from which they totally depend for their livelihood. Without the EU Sharon and her friends wouldn’t be around. Sharon has a whale of a time running all over Europe, at the expense of the EDD, to preach her anti-EU sentiments. She would be among the first persons to feel the pinch if the EU ceases to exist.

With friends like Sharon the Labour Party needs no enemies. If the new leader takes her advice and aligns the party to the EDD in the European Parliament, the Labour Party will become a non-entity. Sharon is right, European Socialists are avidly in favour of further EU integration and that is what the Maltese Labour party should be.

Reality Bites

We’re back to reality. No more income tax refunds in the letterbox or hefty pardons from VAT fines. The election is over and the financial results for 2002 clearly show that the Finance Minister was clearly off target during the November budget speech.

No more milking of taxes now. The onus is on government to control its expenditure. It’s going to be hard, but John Dalli cannot be allowed to do it all alone. The Finance Minister must give the direction and the rest should give their valid contribution.

Playing the blame-it-on-Dalli game won’t get this country anywhere. There are urgent economic issues that need to be addressed and only a united cabinet can do the job right.

After years of paying taxes through their noses wage earners expect a thorough crackdown on tax evasion by professionals and self-employed individuals. They also expect greater scrutiny of how government departments, authorities and entities spend their money. Furthermore, tackling the overstaffed civil service is of paramount importance.

There just seems to be no end in sight for the economic rut the country is in. The EU flags should be neatly packed away, the champagne bottles stored out of sight and the ‘Iva ghall-Ewropa’ CDs turned off. The tough road has begun. Let’s only hope that the tough get going if this country expects to make a success of EU membership.

kurt@maltamag.com

Saviour Balzan’s column will be back next week