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Posted by Matthew S:
A point which has been missed in the electoral campaign so far is the comparison between 2009 when the Nationalist Party was in government and 2014 when Labour is.
These years are equivalent (to a certain extent) because they both came a year after a general election and they were both European-parliament-election years.
The main difference is that in 2009, the world was going through a financial meltdown, unemployment was exploding across Europe and the very existence of the euro was at risk, which means that the Nationalist Party was at a serious disadvantage.
This is what the Labour government is bragging about in 2014 (taken from an Enerġija Pożittiva circular).
– Petrol and diesel prices have been slashed and will remain locked for the rest of the year.
– Prices of 12kg gas cylinders have been reduced by €1.30 to €17.10, and will remain fixed until September.
– Electricity tariffs have been reduced by 25% and water tariffs by 5%.
– The Government is refunding the illegal tax paid on imported vehicle registration previously imposed by the Nationalist administration.
– Stipends have been increased and strengthened.
– The Children’s Allowance has been adjusted to better meet the needs of families.
– Provided free childcare service for working parents and families.
– The top rate of income tax for people earning less than €60,000 has been cut to 29%.
– The prices of school uniforms are being cut by 10% and will remain at this reduced price for the next 5 years.
All these measures will leave more money in your pockets.
On the other hand, this is what the Nationalist government was trumpeting in 2009 (taken from May 2009 press releases):
“EU MEMBERSHIP HAS HELPED IN CREATING JOBS AND MAINTAINING STABILITY” – DR MARIO DE MARCO
MNEDIJA L-KAMPANJA GĦAT-TURIŻMU ‘APPREZZA’ BIS-SEHEM TA’ TFAL MINN DIVERSI SKEJJEL
L-INTRAPRIŻI Ż-ŻGĦAR GĦODDA GĦALL-ĦOLQIEN TAX-XOGĦOL: IMNIEDI MANWAL GĦALL-SMEs
IS-SOSTENIBBILTÀ FINANZJARJA GĦADHA OBJETTIV IMPORTANTI, IŻDA L-PRIORITÀ HUMA L-IMPJIEGI TAL-ĦADDIEMA MALTIN U GĦAWDXIN.
The difference between the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party couldn’t be starker. Labour is all about handouts (taking your money and putting it in someone else’s pocket) and the Nationalist Party is about creating the right environment for people to prosper.
‘Twas always thus, and always thus will be.
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This brings to my mind Lejber’s promise for job creation: “Tista’ ma taqbilx maghna; imma xorta tista’ tahdem maghna.”
A la Bondi.
Repeat that to the civil servants, and you will get a rather colourful reply from people from both camps.
The PN traditionally looks after the bigger picture, manages macro economic issues, projects vision. The MLP buys its votes by letting people think they’re getting more money, rather than more opportunity to develop their potential.
Some, or, I regret to say, most Maltese want the fish not the fishing rod.
This reminds me of the following famous quote:
“The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”
Margaret Thatcher
Indeed. Spot on…I add this though: PL always thinks in terms of votes and how to be populist, in other words for the short term.
On the other hand, PN always thinks of the individual and the country as a whole and how to prosper- in other words …for the LONG term.
MLP was always that way and one just has to remember Mintoff’s words.
The famous ‘cake’ and ‘inqassmu ic-cejca’.
It is very difficult for those who did not live those times to understand today’s situation but for those who did live those days Muscat’s actions are a premonition for worse things to come.
Well done indeed Matthew.
However, one cannot but shudder to think that all this rhetoric by JM will maybe lead us back to how things were after Mintoff’s second electoral win and onwards !
‘Twas always thus, and always thus will be ….and who forgets the past is condemned to re-live it – will the maltese people bring this saying to reality?
Good. But go and explain that to Cetta li tkun ghand il-grocer tifrah li l-gejjijiet issa jistghu jizzewwgu, jew lil Marinton li temozzjona ruhha taht it-tinda tisma l-ispeeches storici in true Martin Luther King style li jsammruk ta l-eks gurnalist tas-Super Wan. *facepalm*