Labour demands stimulation
The Labour Party has spent the last few months creating a ruckus on any convenient pretext, from a museum extension to electricity bills to the fate of our factories to the arrival of a boatload of 270 immigrants. And each time it is patently obvious that the party’s motivation is not to help resolve the difficulties – heaven forfend, because it might help the government look good – but to add to the problems.
This is all very annoying to those of us who are watching and listening, who are not elves in some comments-generating grotto, and who want nothing more than a quiet life. We want to see problems solved, and not problems exacerbated for the sake of political expediency.
Now Joseph Muscat has called for a ‘stimulus package’ to ‘help the workers’. To my mind, the starting-point for any stimulus package would be for Labour and the GRTU to put a sock in it and speak up when there’s something constructive to say, rather than when there’s political advantage to be gained (Labour) or when the GRTU decides to do an FAA and entertain itself with a nice spot of rabble-rousing. That much is within their gift, though they fail to realise it.
But there’s more. The Nationalist Party in government has an expert track record in taking the wind out of its opponents’ sails, whoever those opponents may be. Sometimes it nods, and dramatically so, as with the museum extension project. But this sort of failure seems to jolt it back on form with a vengeance – hence the announcement of the St Elmo revamp as a cultural venue, diluting the FAA’s call for something similar at the entrance to the city. Then came the announcement, just as Joseph Muscat was grandstanding in parliament about a newly arrived boatload of immigrants, that Simon Busuttil was the EPP’s negotiator on a new EU law which will remove the main incentive for illegal immigration across Europe.
There was also the prime minister’s measured response to Muscat’s agitated shouting about illegal immigrants from Africa. No matter how much pressure is put on me, he said, I will never treat other human beings as waste or garbage. You and I have the duty of ensuring that others do the same, he told the leader of the opposition, rather than encouraging them to think and speak of people as though they are ‘skart’. Then the home affairs minister asked the Opposition to behave in a positive way by helping to propose solutions to the problem.
Now there has been a similar tactic in reaction to Muscat’s demand for stimulus by helping train employees. Immediately, John Dalli called a press conference to announce two EU-funded programmes for the training of job-seekers. This sort of thing makes the Labour Party come across as though it hasn’t a clue what is going on. Is it possible that Labour didn’t know about these EU programmes? Labour could save itself a lot of this sort of embarrassment by making a few telephone calls and doing its best to build bridges.
I am quite sure that Joseph Muscat perceives his role to be one in which he spends the next four years doing his best to undermine the government, to destabilise the situation in parliament, and to incite anger among the people. The net result of all this is trouble down on the ground: trouble with the economy, a lowering of the general mood and of people’s motivation, and it is just generally not good. It might be precisely what Muscat wants, believing that discontent will help him seize the reins. But he will do so at the expense of the people whose best interests he claims to have at heart. The next four years are going to be a test of his leadership skills, and not of his ability to put spokes in wheels. People don’t want to see him challenging the government for the sake of challenging the government. They want to know how he’d do it, if he had the chance.
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This is what James Debono had to say about the issue of illegal immigration. I’m pasting his latest blog post to stimulate discussion.
“Labour leader Joseph Muscat is right in saying that not discussing the immigration issue is creating xenophobic sentiments. For a lack of leadership by mainstream parties creates a vacuum exploited by the far right. But having a discussion which fuels misconceptions to score political points will only aggravate the problem. What I would suggest is a pact signed by both government and opposition (and why not AD) which clearly states;
1. Irrespective of whoever is elected in government, Malta will honour all its international commitments to rescue immigrants who are found in distress in Maltese waters and will repect their human rights.
2. Malta will work energetically within the EU to have a “responsibility sharing” mechanism in place as well as a scheme for the entry of economic migrants to the EU to decrease the illegal traffic.
Labour would only be scoring cheap points if it continues criticising the government for only securing a voluntary burden sharing accord if it does not also say what it is prepared to do to get such an agreement signed. If Labour is hinting at Malta breaking any of its international obligations, it should say so. If it is hinting at stamping it feet in EU institutions by blocking other business until Malta gets it way, it should also say so. I doubt whether this attitude will get us anywhere.
In the meantime both Labour and PN continue to ignore the need for an integration policy aims at ensuring that those migrants who live here start feeling a part of us rather than against us.”
This strategy, albeit in a subtle mode, used to be employed by The Times some years back. Every now and then they used to publish a strong editorial against the government, the Labour Party Opposition would pounce on it and quote it ad nauseum. I was once told that they do it to keep the government on its toes. Surely this is not the intention of the LP, but as you can see, there have been positive reactions from government already. So inadvertently the LP is helping the government shape up.
So Daphne, don’t you think that this ‘botta u risposta’ attitude between LP and Government is turning out to be quite positive in a way since every time Dr. Muscat criticises something, the Government takes some kind of positive counter-measure?
[Daphne – You miss the point of this piece, which is that Joseph Muscat demands action when action has been taken already. The government then announces that action has been taken and he looks like he’s been left out of the loop. You don’t honestly imagine that John Dalli’s ministry sorted out those EU programmes in the few hours since the Labour Party made its demand for employee-training, do you? Or that Austin Gatt pulled that St Elmo board and outline strategy together in the week since the St John’s museum project blew up? Or that Simon Busuttil and the European Parliament wrapped up that law in the 24 hours since Labour intensified its shrieking about illegal immigration? Come on. The government isn’t taking action in response to Muscat’s demands. On the contrary, it is timing announcement of its actions precisely to make him look a fool.]
Mr. Debono’s comments appear well thought through and positive. However, considering the track record (past and present) of the opposition, my considered response is, unfortunately, ‘fat chance’.
But Daphne, these matters are actually harming the government’s image rather than Dr. Muscat’s and I’m sure you will agree to that even though Dr. Muscat might turn out to be a fool!
[Daphne – No, I don’t agree at all. One major difference between the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party is that the Nationalist Party decides to get off its butt and act, it’s got what it takes to do things properly. The Labour Party, on the other hand, does not. So even if it does decide to do something, it can’t. Latest example: chartering Eurojet to take a ballot box and umpteen hangers-on to Cyprus, so that the athletes can vote in the MEP elections. The MEP elections! Maybe they don’t have any idea what chartering a private jet costs or what the fuel bill will be, but I can see that Jason is seeing it as his one chance to live the Monaco life. He’s probably pressed his white jeans already.]
I have no doubt that the ministers are working on their projects every day, but criticism, whether from the media or from the Opposition no doubt contributes to push them to step-up their pace.
Daphne this is Malta. A politician can convince half of Malta to graze in the fields like goats if they wanted to.
Ghandek ghal GRTU bil-kbir. X’ghamilnielek ? Do you know what it’s composed of and by whom and do you care to at least find out?
[Daphne – OK, invite me over and let’s talk. Imma m’iniex se noqod nixrob il-kafe tal-landa b’daqxejn halib tal-bott. Mur ixtri xi haga sewwa.]
You don’t know me. I’m very very fussy about coffee. And so is everyone there. We don’t drink Nescafe, and the halib tal-bott I leave for my 6.00am builders’ tea at Big Shot Bar, which I am sure you know. I will sms you some proposed dates and times.