Budget ghall-Ambjent, ghall-Holqien tax-Xoghol u ghas-Solidarjeta'

Il-Partit Nazzjonalista jixtieq jesprimi s-sodisfazzjon tieghu ghall-Budget li ghadu kemm tressaq mill-Ministru tal-Finanzi u li hu Budget b'hafna inizjattivi ghall-ambjent, ghall-holqien tax-xoghol u ghas-solidarjeta'.

Il-Budget ipprezentat ghas-sena d-diehla qed isir b'ghaqal fid-dawl tac-cirkostanzi internazzjonali li qed jitfghu dell fuq l-ekonomiji ta' hafna pajjizi b'sahhithom. Il-Gvern ghalhekk qieghed jaghti spinta lill-ekonomija b'investiment qawwi f'numru ta' oqsma; investiment li l-pajjiz isibu mhux biss hu u jsir izda wkoll fis-snin li gejjin.

Bil-Budget ghas-sena d-diehla, il-Gvern qieghed jinvesti bil-kbir fl-ambjent. Ambjent fis-sod hu l-programm ghal din il-legizlatura u l-Gvern b'dan il-Budget nieda numru kbir ta' mizuri, uhud fuq livell ta' pajjiz u hafna fuq livell li minnhom jistghu jgawdu l-individwi, il-familji u l-intraprizi, biex isahhah l-ambjent.

Il-Gvern qieghed jinvesti wkoll bil-qawwi fl-edukazzjoni fil-livelli kollha; investiment fil-Maltin infushom u l-aqwa mod kif il-haddiema Maltin ikollhom il-hiliet mehtiega ghal xoghol ahjar.

Il-Budget qieghed ukoll jaghti stimolu lill-ekonomija b'hafna inizjattivi li jincentivaw l-impriza u l-holqien tal-impjiegi. Il-Budget qieghed jaghti ghajnuniet lill-imprizi, lir-ricerka u l-izvilupp, lit-turizmu, liz-zoni industrijali, lill-holqien tax-xoghol anke fil-livell ta' lokalitajiet u f'oqsma ohrajn fejn l-investiment se jservi wkoll biex johloq aktar xoghol.

Is-solidarjeta' hi wkoll element importanti f'dan il-Budget b'inizjattivi li jghinu lil min ghandu bzonn, li jkomplu jwessghu l-ghajnuniet ghan-nisa li jahdmu, li jkomplu jghinu lill-anzjani u l-pensjonanti u li jinvestu bil-qawwi fis-sahha u fil-prevenzjoni.

Il-Partit Nazzjonalista japprezza li dan il-Budget iwettaq numru tajjeb ta' weghdiet fil-programm elettorali tal-Partit Nazzjonalista. Japrezza wkoll il-fatt li, minkejja c-cirkostazjoni difficli li gejjin minn barra u li jaffettwaw ukoll id-dhul tal-Gvern, dan il-Budget qieghed ukoll fil-parametri ta' dak li hu possibbli jnaqqas l-Income Tax kif sar fl-ahhar tliet Budgets.

L-Onor Louis Galea, Speaker tal-Kamra tad-Deputati, flimkien mal-Whips taz-zewg nahat tal-Kamra, l-Onor David Agius u l-Onor Joe Mizzi, akkumpanjati mill-Agent Skrivan tal-Kamra Pauline Abela, illum zaru l-Fiera tal-Ktieb fis-Sala Robert Samut, il-Furjana.

L-iSpeaker Louis Galea qal li z-zjara tieghu u tal-Whips f’din il-Fiera hija turija tar-rikonoxximent tal-Parlament ghall-kontribut u l-genju ta’ dawk l-awturi u pubblikaturi li qed jaghtu lill-poplu taghna kotba ta’ kull tip, fuq kull suggett, u f’hafna kazi ta’ kwalità tajba hafna. Louis Galea appella biex il-Ktieb Malti jsir ghazla aktar popolari bhala rigal xieraq f’hafna okkazjonijiet specjalment fejn jidhlu t-tfal u z-zghazagh. Huwa rringrazzja lill-Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb (KNK) ta’ l-impenn u l-entuzjazmu li qed juri biex ikattar l-imhabba ghall-ktieb u l-qari. L-iSpeaker offra l-kollaborazzjoni tal-Parlament lill-KNK biex il-hidma tieghu tissahhah u tikseb rizultati ahjar.

Il-Whip tan-naha tal-Gvern, l-Onor. David Agius fisser li m’hix haga zghira li f’dinja tal-kompjuter u f’pajjiz hekk ckejken, jibqa’ jkollna awturi li jippubblikaw xoghlijiet ta’ letteratura, storja, arti, u fuq suggetti ohra bil-Malti u b’ilsna ohra. Huwa qal li lkoll irridu nahdmu biex inzidu l-impenn favur il-qari tal-poplu taghna ghaliex fil-qari niskopru dinja mill-isbah ta’ gherf, kultura, fantasija u pjacir.

Il-Whip tan-naha ta’ l-Oppozizzjoni, l-Onor. Joe Mizzi qal li l-firxa tal-kwalita` tal-kotba li gew esibiti fil-Fiera huma xhieda ta’ kemm huma kapaci jkunu kreattivi l-awturi u l-pubblikaturi Maltin. Joe Mizzi qal li dawn il-kotba jghinu mhux ftit il-gieh tal-poplu taghna bhala poplu matur fost il-popli Ewropej.

Id-delegazzjoni Parlamentari giet milqugha mic-Chairman tal-KNK, Dr Gorg Mallia li rringrazzja lill-iSpeaker u l-parliamentary whips ghaliex bis-sahha tar-rikonoxximent ta’ nies bhalhom, u li gejjin minn istituzzjoni bhal dik parlamentari, qeghdin ipoggu l-ktieb Malti fuq l-agenda nazzjonali, kif jisthoqqlu.

In most countries, political leaders leave a legacy behind. Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, Helmut Kohl and Ronald Raegan all left immense legacies behind them. They all changed their parties and transformed their countries.

Last week, just prior to the election of the MLP new leader, Alfred Sant resigned from Opposition Leader, a position he held, except for the 22-month stint in 1996-1998, since 1992, a good 16 years. What’s his legacy and where would his place in history be? For sure he would go down in history as the leader who said “no” to the EU, called his predecessor Dom Mintoff a “traitor” and lost three general elections and a referendum in a short span of time. He holds a lot of grudges against numerous persons, mostly within Labour itself.

Should we say that Malta was very lucky that he was Prime Minister for 22 months only? His own political party shattered under his rule, and we can’t even imagine what would have happened to Malta, had we given him the slightest chance to manage the Maltese economy. The Maltese were never impressed by the empty slogans. Surely one of his legacies was his ability to create pseudo policies out of mere slogans – Switzerland in the Mediterranean, partnership, good governance, new beginning, barons, friends of friends, cliques. We now know that these slogans never meant anything. They were just slogans, which were repeated ad nauseam, in order for the people to start repeating them and start to think that these pseudo policies exist.

Now we are all wondering whether he has really left the local political scene. We all suspect that he has symbolically stepped out of the limelight and together with the party machinery pushed the delegates into choosing his anointed one. His obsession will never allow him to let go, and as a kingmaker, will still be in a position to press on his failed policies that the electorate has rejected over and over again.

It’s a matter of time before he claims back the favour for helping the anointment of the new leader. We have already lived this experience between early 1980s and 1992. Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici was officially the leader of the Labour Party, but we all know who was calling the shots behind the scenes. History repeats itself.

On the other hand, the Nationalist Party delegates have always shown the ability to elect strong personalities and visionary politicians at the helm of the party. The PN leaders proved themselves and showed enormous ability to transform the party. The PN today is different from the one we knew in the 1980s, which was again different from the party in the 1960s and 1970s.

Today the PN should not rest on its laurels and become complacent, even though there is no real alternative at the moment. We all know that empty slogans and numerous buzzwords do not deliver any results. Results require a real structure, and that’s why it is fundamental for the Nationalist Party to keep evolving and to keep on re inventing itself.

This does not mean that we change our principles and beliefs. We need to adapt to today’s realities and to the Maltese society that the various PN governments have successfully built.

The time is now ripe for substantive reorganisation. The party structures might need to change. New internal committees and structures need to be set up. The party structures should create space for new policies, ideas and even candidates. We are not in politics to create empty slogans. We can leave that task to others. We are there to come out with real tangible policies, solutions and new initiatives.

The media out there is evolving at a very fast rate that up to a few years ago was not even remotely possible. Communication techniques are changing; the electorate is changing. The Nationalist Party has contributed immensely to the evolution of the Maltese economy, and inherently our quality of life. The Maltese expectations are much higher now, than they were 20 years ago, and rightly so.

The party needs to do its utmost not to fall victim of its own success. PN governments have delivered in the past, and continued to build up on their achievements, and therefore expectations from the PN are constantly much higher than those from the Labour party. It has to transform itself and remain up to the electorate’s expectations.

On a personal note, I would like to thank Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, the Nationalist Party and the parliamentary group for my appointment as the PN parliamentary group whip. It heartens me, and I’ll do my best to perform my duties with utmost diligence and effectiveness. This will be a challenging task, considering the government side enjoys a one-seat majority and the opposition has not agreed to a pairing agreement so far, but I will fully commit to this task.

One final note. Ten years ago the Nationalist Party embarked on the project of setting up NET TV. I feel emotionally attached to this anniversary. I remember the excitement during those hectic days. Ten years have passed and the station has evolved into our beloved asset. It has become part of us. I would like to share this moment with all the colleagues who participated in this project, who contributed to make NET TV a success, to all the viewers and to the Nationalist Party supporters who contributed financially to make this dream come true. It’s a great legacy.

David Agius

In the last few weeks, during the MLP leadership contest campaign, we have been hearing a lot of nonsense about our fellow Maltese who live or study abroad. These fellow citizens are the latest target of the Labour Party. Their cannons have been turned on them.

It’s amazing how the Labour Party is so capable of creating enemies in different sectors. During the campaign, the students were the target. Now, after the election, it’s the turn of the Maltese who live abroad.

Instead of thanking the Maltese living abroad for doing their duty and coming over to vote in the election, they are now being the target of venom and all kinds of threats from the main exponents of the Labour Party. The outgoing MLP leader himself, Alfred Sant, has mentioned this subject in Parliament, and said that he “has” a list of the people who did their duty and came to Malta to vote. Obviously, the subtle message was one of threat. But obviously, our fellow Maltese living abroad need not to worry, and should not be threatened by these unethical tactics. The Labour Party exponents are simply clutching at straws to alienate their voters from the real reason for which they lost the election after 20 years in opposition; the fact that they were not trusted by the Maltese electorate over and over again.

It’s amazing that while the Nationalist Party is always thinking of ways to expand democracy, the MLP is constantly in a destructive mood. Their revenge urge easily takes over and they constantly think of ways to restrict democracy. Their mindset originates from the old communist books of Eastern Europe. They crave for government control – big government and individual restrictions. For years they have insisted on reintroducing the embarkation cards, where circumstances dictated otherwise.

They claim to be European, but act completely opposite. It’s amazing how at the end of the day, the paranoid, control freak Labour Party mentality prevails. While the European Union is all about individual freedom, and less government involvement, the Labour Party is obsessed with our movements, where we live and where we work. They have not even realised that we form part of the Schengen Treaty and that we have the right to live, work and travel to all the places within the EU without any questions being asked by any authorities. This concept is accepted by everyone except the Malta Labour Party. They claim to be European only when it’s convenient, and as part of the PR campaign. Being European, thinking European and acting European is much more than that.

Most modern democracies are constantly thinking of ways to widen their democracy by expanding the electorate base. They are also thinking of new ways to vote. Are these new methods beyond the comprehension of the Labour Party? Due to their control freak paranoia, will they ever accept any changes in the way we vote? Countries like the US, Italy, UK, etc, allow numerous citizens beyond the ones residing in the country to vote. In Italy, for example, a number of seats in the chambers are reserved for representatives of Italians living abroad. The same concept applies to the US and UK citizens. In the current US primaries, for example, US residents and registered voters are allowed to download their voting document from the internet and send it by post.

Residence is not defined as physical residence only. It also comprises residents living abroad. Today the term residence is expanded to its widest definition possible. No political party will be able to sabotage our freedoms and the rights we gained through EU membership. EU freedom of movement is here to stay, irrespective of whether this concept irritates the Labour Party or not. They have no business to interfere in our lives and in our freedom of movement.

The Labour Party tried to jeopardise and stop fellow Maltese from voting in 2003 during the referendum campaign, but they lost the court case. Definition of residence was not restricted but broadened by the Maltese courts. Fellow Maltese living abroad should not feel threatened by the Labour Party and the lists they claim to have. We should not be surprised that the Labour Party acts in this way, given the way they act within the Labour Party itself. Even within the party they act in a destructive way. Each clique tries to destroy the other. They are all paranoid, and this behaviour reflects on the way they look at the Maltese citizens.

Hopefully, in the future the Maltese political parties will keep on expanding the electoral base and finding new ways for the Maltese citizens to express their vote, even if we have to face the paranoid and backward-looking Labour Party. However, change is inevitable.

We should encourage our citizens to broaden their horizons. They can venture beyond our shores, study and work abroad. For this they should not be punished. I am sure that most of them remain in close contact with Malta; they stay abreast of what’s happening in the country and maintain constant interest.

At the end of the day, we should be grateful for the sacrifice that these voters endured to travel all the way to Malta, just to exercise their basic right to vote.

David Agius

The general election was held more than two months ago. It was won by the PN and the Maltese people have accepted the results. The expected following steps, as happens after every general election, were for the political parties to analyse the results and this is what the PN is currently doing. The general council of the Nationalist Party held during last weekend is proof of this.

Since then we all moved on. As promised, the Prime Minister formed a younger and leaner cabinet, everyone started to pull up their socks to work hard. The government has already embarked on a number of tasks, namely the reform of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, the budget consultation process and various other initiatives. Since then we all moved on. As promised, the Prime Minister formed a younger and leaner cabinet, everyone started to pull up their socks to work hard. The government has already embarked on a number of tasks, namely the reform of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, the budget consultation process and various other initiatives.

Everyone seems to move on with their life, except for the MLP, or rather certain factions within the MLP. Initially, immediately after the result, all the different factions and certain Labour personalities started to criticise their electoral programme in public. I wonder whether this electoral programme, if it can be called an electoral programme, was ever discussed within the Labour Party.

We were led to believe that it was the result of a long consultative process held over a number of months, but it seems that nobody within the Labour Party was bound by it. Apparently, they did not share the same views. I wonder what would have happened if the Labour Party made it to government.

Since the last MLP extraordinary general conference, which was held last Friday, it seems that the party has regressed 10 full years. In 1998, after losing the general election, Alfred Sant declared war on everybody and everyone under the sun in Malta (remember the famous slogan “gwerra, gwerra, gwerra”?).

Now they’re at it again. Instead of going through a serious analysis of the last election, and find ways to come out with new ideas and new policies, the MLP leadership is utterly in denial. They are blaming everyone for the election defeat. Everyone is to blame, the media, the Maltese who study and work abroad, civil servants etc, except of course, themselves and their pseudo policies.

In Parliament this week, he had the audacity to insult Louis Galea, the Speaker of the House, for criticising his (Sant’s) failed and unaccepted policy relating to the famous reception class. He had the cheek to speak of justice for the fact that Dr Galea was not elected, forgetting that he himself was rejected by the Maltese electorate for three consecutive times in general elections. On top of these losses, he also lost the EU referendum. His audacity has no limits.

The MLP are in such disarray and state of denial that they are trying to convince themselves that the government is illegitimate. Speaking of illegitimacy only helps to reveal their low level of knowledge and respect for democracy. Their mindset is still constrained by their siege mentality.

They are also trying hard to convey the message that the PN government will not last five years and will collapse before the full mandate is over. Where did we hear that before? We heard that after the electoral losses of 1998, 2003 and now again. Instead of focusing on new policies, they blame others for their mess and lack of direction.

Although Malta deserves a better opposition, a truly constructive opposition, we cannot wait for the Labour Party to put their house in order. The prospect of that happening seems to be light years away. In the meantime, our country needs to move forward. We need to ignore the spokes in the wheels that the opposition might throw in our way. The economy is still growing, while the government will deliver the electoral promises. This will not occur overnight, but it will occur gradually over the next five years.

David Agius

During the general election campaign a few months ago, Prime Minister Gonzi was persisting on the fact that Malta will be facing a number of challenges in the immediate future. The Prime Minister claimed, on several occasions, that we were facing a looming global recession, spearheaded by the recession in the US, the ever-increasing oil prices and increase in the price of cereals.

The scenarios mentioned by the Prime Minister are a reality. The whole world, including Malta, is facing a shocking situation whereby certain food prices are spiralling up. Economic statistics are alarming. Prices of major food crops have risen by 48 per cent since early 2007, partly reflecting pressures from increased world demand, rising biofuels production and drought, but also export restraints by some major food countries.

Basically, rising oil prices, environmental concerns and the desire to be less dependent on fossil fuels result in the advanced economies opting for well-intentioned, yet maybe misguided policies, to stimulate biofuels made from foodstuffs through subsidies and protectionist measures. Other factors, such as droughts, floods, and political instability have also contributed to higher food prices. The result was that barley, corn and other crops, which are fundamental in the food chain, are becoming scarcer.

For example, corn is used as fodder to animals, which in turn leads to higher raw material cost for the agricultural industry. Corn by-products such as corn starch, corn syrup etc are used in various other food items. Hence, the ripple effect is quite substantial.

Oil prices are currently at around $120 per barrel. The recent oil price this year has reflected financial and supply factors, and is coming on top of continued strong demand growth from emerging economies, such as China, India and Brazil.

These price increases have boosted headline inflation in many countries. The hefty increase in food and fuel prices caught many by surprise, raising the political stakes in various countries, along with concerns about the food situation of poor people in middle and low-income countries, about inflation, and in some countries, about civil unrest.

Malta is not immune to all these crisis. Today the economic scenarios can change at a much faster rate. Malta is net importer of food and energy, and hence can be affected negatively. Certain price increases are inevitable, namely milk, flour, rice, eggs and other farm food items. However, the government must ensure that no unnecessary speculation takes place. The government has so far proved that it is ready to roll up its sleeves to tackle economic issues. The budget deficit was a case in point.

This crisis might also serve as a catalyst for local opportunities in the agricultural sector and energy sector. The time might be right for Malta to maximise its agricultural output to reduce the dependency on food imports, even though local agricultural products are not a substitute for all food imports. This crisis might also induce investments in organic agriculture, which does not use any fertilisers, the price of which is going upwards too. As a small country, with a smaller scale agricultural industry, local farmers should look out for new opportunities arising from the global crisis.

The time is also ripe for the government to invest in alternative energies, such as solar energy and wind energy. Since wind energy is controversial, a deep analysis would be required. On the other hand, solar energy implementation is more immediate. Incentives to switch to solar energy and other environmentally friendly energy sources should be encouraged. Unnecessary waste of energy should be discouraged as much as possible. For example, systems can be introduced in public buildings, public offices, schools etc, whereby energy is switched off automatically when these buildings are vacant. Similarly other systems might be introduced to limit the waste of water (which needs electrical energy to be produced). For example, in public toilets, flowing water can be automatically switched off after, say a few seconds when one washes his hands. The list of ideas can be endless. Education is the key to success in this new venture for an environmental-friendly world.

Malta is no exception.

David Agius

Gheziez,

Grazzi minn qalbi lil kull wiehed u wahda minnkom li wrejtu l-fiducja taghkom fija permezz tal-vot taghkom.

Kien mument ta’ ferh u sodisfazzjon ghalija meta gejt elett ghal darb’ohra fil-Parlament.

It-triq kienet twila u iebsa aktar minn hames snin ilu ghaliex l-irhula li kont ikkontestajt fl-2003 inqasmu fuq zewg distretti f’din l-elezzjoni. Izda meta nghodd il-voti totali li rcevejt minn fuq iz-zewg distretti, ferhan li zidt aktar minn 500 vot fl-ewwel ghadd. Anke l-voti numru 2 ecc li nghatajt kienu ta’ ghajnuna kbira biex gejt elett fil-Parlament. Grazzi lil min kompla billi ta l-vot lili wara xi kandidat iehor.

Hames snin ta’ hidma qawwija

Il-vot fl-ahhar elezzjoni generali kellu sinifikat kbir ghaliex kien vot ta’ konferma ta’ politika li tista’ tkompli ggib il-bidliet. Hi politika mibnija fuq programm politiku li jirrifletti s-socjetà Maltija u Ghawdxija u li fih hemm il-kunsiderazzjonijiet li l-aktar jolqtu lill-poplu. Ghaliex dan hu programm politiku msejjes fuq dak li jrid ilpoplu... flimkien ma’ l-isfidi u l-opportunitajiet li l-poplu Malti u Ghawdxi ghandu quddiemu.

Se jkunu hames snin ta’ hidma qawwija li permezz taghhom il-Gvern irid jassigura li jwettaq il-hidma politika li ghazel il-poplu fl-ahhar elezzjoni. Il-poplu ghazel lill-Partit Nazzjonalista ghax ghandu fiducja fih. Ta’ din il-fiducja, il-Partit Nazzjonalista mill-Gvern se jkun impenjat li jrendi lura hidma qawwija u bla waqfien li fiha hemm ikkunsidrati l-kategoriji kollha tas-socjetà Maltija.

Il-Partit Nazzjonalista mar quddiem l-elettorat bi programm politiku li jinkludi proposti li jistghu jitwettqu. Proposti li jpoggu l-edukazzjoni, l-ambjent u x-xoghol bhala prijorità. Se jkunu hames snin mill-aktar interessanti u mimlija opportunitajiet ghall-poplu Malti. Se tkun legislatura li fiha l-Gvern se jkompli jsahhah il-finanzi tal-pajjiz u johloq il-gid li minnu jgawdu l-familji Maltin.

Id-Deputat taghkom li jibqa’ vicin taghkom

Bhalma dejjem kont u ghadni, inwieghed li se nibqa’ d-deputat taghkom li jibqa’ vicin taghkom f’kull mument. Tiddejqu xejn tfittxuni f’dak kollu li nista’ nkun ta’ ghajnuna ghalikom.

Jien se nibqa’ nkun… dejjem ghas-servizz tieghek.

Wara kollox, il-politika dik hija – vokazzjoni ta’ servizz. Lest li nkun ta’ servizz f’kull qasam li pajjizi lest li jafdali.

Grazzi mill-gdid.

David Agius MP

Diane Abbot, UK Labour MP, once said that being an MP is the sort of job all working class parents want for their children – clean, indoors and no heavy lifting. Conversely, David Agius, Nationalist MP, who happens to share this lady’s initials tells me that his mother did not want him to ‘become’ a politician. “There is no one remotely involved in politics in my family but as a teenager I was immersed in the turbulent mid-eighties.” In 1986 while at Sixth Form, he re-established the Students Representative Council due to the fact that the latter was suspended by the Labour Government. He was then elected President of the well known SDM (Studenti Demokristjani Maltin).

I have a vivid recollection of David during an event organised around 1986 by the group known as ‘tan-numri’. A group of young people were protesting outside the gates of the President’s palace and the President eventually came out and asked: ‘What is it that you want?’ Someone shouted: ‘We want democracy and freedom from terror!’ That someone was 17-year-old David Agius. The President asked: ‘Who said that?’ And I remember a trembling hand going up slowly. All hell broke loose at that instant with the President making a beeline for David and the policemen that surrounded us suddenly became, to put it but very mildly, ‘rough’.

Later on David became a member of MZPN and in 1991 he submitted an application to join Radio 101 as a sports journalist. “I never worked as a sports journalist but as a News journalist. For seven whole years, every Sunday morning I hosted Radiopoli, a radio programme which eventually became an institution.” His listeners loved him because he is the kind of person who never uses insensitive words when speaking about any one and his ready laugh became his trademark especially during the whole three years of a morning breakfast show on Radio 101 and lately on Smash Radio.

In 1996 he married Debbie and they moved to Attard. A few years later he contested the local councils’ election for his adopted locality and he obtained an astounding 1139 votes – twice the quota. “I am not a doctor and do not have that personal contact with people so I worked really hard to get elected.” I gently remind him that his popular radio programmes were probably the reason for his success. He argues that he really tries to help people. “My mobile number is known to everyone and it has remained unchanged for years so anyone can reach me. It’s 79423101.” In fact his telephone rings incessantly during our chat and I can listen in to the short conversations. Most of them are people with a grievance of some kind or other.

Before he decided to contest last year’s General Election he sat down with his wife and told her that if he did contest she would probably see very little of him for several months. “She gave me her full approval and I managed to surpass my own expectations and get elected straight out in a district where the competition from my colleagues was tremendous. In fact I managed to nearly double the vote I got in the local council – 2095 votes.”

His four and a half year old daughter Davinia is obviously infatuated with her father because she does not leave him for an instant. “It is because we enjoy the little time that we have together,” he explains. In fact apart from his parliamentary duties, David holds a full time job at the Free Port where he puts his degree in economics and management to good use.

His parliamentary duties do not stop in Parliament because he believes that Parliament – politicians on both sides of the House – should cultivate good working relationships. His recent participation in the Euromed conference together with Labour MP Dr George Vella is a case in point. “He is a man with valuable experience in the international field so I discussed my speech with him and he is great to work with.” David also helped set up the members of parliament football team. “Recently we played a game against the Austrian MPs and we lost 4 -1. The fact that I scored the only goal is of no importance,” he laughs out loud. I finally ask him to give me his core ideology in one sentence and he gives me two: “Our society is as strong as the weakest link so we should concentrate on the frailest. However the rich should be encouraged to become richer because they generate the wealth that society needs.”

by Joe Demanuele

When Lawrence Gonzi was appointed Nationalist Party leader and, thus, Prime Minister of Malta, he made one of the boldest decisions in Malta's history: he decided to assume responsibility for Malta's finances. It wasn't an easy task; the challenge was daunting given that the deficit at that time stood at about 10 per cent of GDP. Four years later that deficit is down to 1.6 per cent and Malta made it into the eurozone. This shows Dr Gonzi's determination, hard work and no-nonsense attitude.

EU membership brought numerous benefits to us as a country, first and foremost because, apart from the millions of euros we could avail ourselves of - €855 million - the EU gave us stability and placed us among the elite. Foreign investors view our country from a totally different perspective. Our children can even venture abroad and avail themselves of the opportunities out there.

Labour was always against the EU. It is only for the sake of convenience that they are making us believe they are now in favour. We also hear of how hard Labour worked within the EU when, in reality, they tried to backstab the government and, as a result, our nation. Not so long ago Labour tried to have Malta lose on EU funds so as to be able to blame the government.

When we all thought that EU membership was a closed chapter, we find Alfred Sant telling us he would renegotiate certain aspects. Various EU officials have already said this is not possible. However I ask: Why is he talking of negotiations only now? Why didn't he negotiate when he was in power during those 22 months? Why wasn't he around the Meusec negotiating table? Has he forgotten the disparaging statements addressed at EU dignitaries? Has he forgotten that he abstained from voting in the referendum? Has he forgotten that he stated that his partnership fiasco had won? Has he forgotten that the EU made it clear that his partnership wasn't possible?

These are questions that need to be asked and we demand an answer from him and not from historians! We will leave historians to continue updating Malta's history, highlighting the achievements of our glorious nation! EU membership is not a stand-alone issue. Perhaps the issue which is most directly linked to it is the state of our economy. A Nationalist government after March 8 will continue to put forward schemes such as those offered by SmartIsland. Internet at €3, PCs at €180 and software at €2 are but some of the incentives launched. This will indeed continue to narrow the digital divide and further assist Malta and its hard-working population achieve success. In a few years' time Malta will be one of the most technologically-advanced countries. We are quite close! Labour has stated its interest in protecting and promoting industries that are no longer viable and something of the past.

It seems that the economic worries of the MLP revolve only around the surcharge. The MLP is once again playing about with words. First and foremost the amount one pays as a surcharge depends on consumption. Apart from that, this no-no word does not mean anything to 30,000 households that are exempted due to their low family income. Cutting the surcharge by half of what? We have all heard different Labour ministers in-waiting mentioning various figures. Can't they come up with one clear figure? In addition, how will they pay for the rising oil prices (with no sign of the price going down)? Will they increase the electricity and water rates and justify this by saying they kept their word on the surcharge being halved? Need those 30,000 households worry that the time will come when they will start paying much more? Will they decrease social benefits? Or will they start to borrow again at an excessive rate?

The surcharge seems to be the issue that affects the citizen more directly than anything else. However, there are other matters that have a direct influence on our level of well-being.

Dr Gonzi and the PN have clearly stated that, by 2010, we will start to speak about a surplus in our annual budget. We are not far from reaching such a goal together. Needless to say, for this to materialise, our economy will have to be stronger and more attractive to foreign investment.

Labour didn't commit to this and, judging by their past, will start to borrow extravagantly in order to patch up day-to-day operative costs. This would mean we have to postpone such an achievement and possibly forget such a target for the foreseeable future.

That is why it is not true that this election is void of particular issues. And there are others, both national, community and personal issues. Think about them well.


David Agius

Nhar is-Sibt rajna lil Alfred Sant jippartecipa mal-poplu f’Lejl Imdawwal ta’ attivitajiet kulturali fil-Belt Valletta. Stramba li Alfred Sant jippartecipa fin-Notte Bianca, imma fiha hafna x’wiehed jitghallem minnha.

Fostna, iva. Imma wiehed minna?

Alfred Sant kien maghna. Alfred Sant dar mat-toroq tal-Belt bhalna, mexa maghna. Biss nistaqsi: Alfred Sant hassu bhalna? Ha gost bhalna? Il-poplu Malti kien qieghed jiehu gost flimkien bhala poplu wiehed fil-Belt Kapitali tieghu. Ma kienx hemm biss Nazzjonalisti.

World class tenor José Carreras will kick off a football match to raise money for charity on June 9 between a team expected to be led by former Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel and Maltese parliamentarians.

The match will take place at Luxol grounds the day after Mr Carreras' concert in St George's Square, Valletta.

Otto Karasek, chief executive officer of the Bawag Bank in Malta, which is one of the sponsors of the concert, told The Times that money raised from the match will go towards Mr Carreras' Leukaemia Foundation, which is currently assisting a Maltese family.

The opera singer set up the foundation in 1988 after beating the life-threatening disease himself. He has since taken part in numerous initiatives to raise money for the cause.

Mr Schüssel, who now chairs the centre-right People's Party in the Austrian Parliament, will be accompanied by former deputy Chancellor Susanne Riess-Passer.

They will be heading an Austrian delegation of businessmen and will attend the concert, meet Maltese counterparts and also take part in the football match.

The organiser of the Maltese team, Nationalist MP David Agius, said members from both sides of the House would be taking part together with local businessmen and personalities. He said money would be raised through sponsorship and a collection is also expected to be made during the concert.

"This is our second match against the Austrians. We won the first one but I am not so sure what will happen this time," he said.

Mr Carreras, who achieved worldwide fame when he sang with Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo at the 1990 World Cup, will be performing in Malta as part of his Mediterranean Passion Tour.

He will be accompanied by soprano Lydia Caruana and the National Orchestra of Malta, which will be conducted by the tenor's nephew David Giménez Carreras.

Tickets for the concert, organised by NNG promotions, are available online from www.maltaticket.com and from all Exotique outlets and Agenda Bookshops.

The Malta Labour Party percentages campaign is an insult to all the people of average intelligence. It is the same MLP which kicked up so much fuss when they accused Gordon Cordina as head of the National Statistics Office of cooking the figures - an accusation which proved itself to be the height of impropriety when Eurostat itself amply vindicated Dr Cordina.

It turns out that Alfred Sant himself, who is orchestrating this airy fairy percentages campaign, never even bothered to find out how much work was undertaken and completed by the various PN local councils. He is risking losing every last vestige of credibility with the overwhelming mass of people who are not gullible enough to believe that every MLP council with a majority performed better than any other.

This silly propaganda will rebound on the MLP when people realise the inanity of this twisted strategy.

If this is the best that the MLP can do after contemplating their belly buttons for 20 long years on the opposition benches, then may the Lord have mercy on us should they get elected to govern.

Their insincerity is mind boggling, and mind boggling too is the way they seem to get away with the twisting of known facts. An example that comes to mind is when they talk about the cost of living rise that is awarded to both pensioners and working people. Now everybody with an ounce of grey matter between their ears realises why pensioners get two-thirds of any given rise. It is easily explained by considering two men working together where both earn the same wage of Lm60 per week.

One of the men is 61 years old and retires on two-thirds of Lm60 i.e. a Lm40 a week pension.

The other man is 51 years old and has to work for another 10 years. If a Lm1 rise is given to both men the first man that retired will be earning Lm50 a week.

The younger man who also received the Lm1 rise will be earning Lm70 a week at the time when he is also due to retire. His two-thirds pension worked out on Lm70 will work out at Lm46.66 a week; Lm3.34 less than his colleague who retired 10 years before him.

But to get back to the bamboozling that is going on with the MLP percentages game, suffice it to say that if one considers a local council who promised to fill one pot hole the size of a pigeon's egg, and actually manages to fill a pot hole the size of a chicken's egg, such a council would be awarded 200 per cent.

Another council aspired to build 50 kilometres of new roads, but only managed to build 40 kilometres of new roads. In such a scenario, the council which filled one pot hole the size of hen's egg will be deemed 120 per cent better than the local council that built 40 kilometres of new roads.

Such is the propaganda that Dr Sant thinks he can win with. If this is a measure of the thinking they are capable of then indeed we have a sick opposition waiting vainly in the wings.

David Agius

Siggiewi Smina yesterday halted a barren run of several years without an honour after beating Sliema Wanderers 76-64 in the Enemalta Shield final.

Sliema were only in the match in the initial stages but then Alex Farrugia's team took over and never looked back. At half-time Siggiewi led 41-32.

The best scorer yesterday was Siggiewi's David Camilleri. At the end of the match, Enemalta chairman Alex Tranter presented the cup to Siggiewi.

Accompanying her rambling Opinion piece (Through His Eyes, October 25) Lorna Vassallo invited her readers to browse her website and answer a very pertinent question.

"Do you agree that the PN has a better vision of the future than the MLP?"

This is the sort of question, that without any lengthy preambles, invites readers to go straight for the jugular.

I obliged by clicking yes to her questionnaire and proceeded to give my reasons, which were many and varied.

Apparently Dr Vassallo has not yet read A World Without Work, by Jeremy Rifkin, to appreciate the folly and short sightedness of the Malta Labour Party and its leadership in thinking that there is any future, in manufacturing industries, for a people used to the good life.

On her next visit to any supermarket, I invite Dr Vassallo to note that sea salt and even capers are being imported from Spain. Why should a small island surrounded by briny water find it cheaper to import than produce its own sea salt and to bottle and market its abundant crop of capers?

The reason is simple, we are no longer a Third World country that can compete in labour-intensive, low-tech industries such as making hammers, shoes or jeans.

We do not have, and we do not want to have, a cheap working population, which satisfies itself with a bowl of rice in return for a long day's work.

The Nationalist Party, unlike the MLP, encouraged the study of computer science and technology by allowing IT equipment to be freely imported.

Dr Vassallo might not remember the days when under a Labour administration, computers used to be confiscated by the Customs at Vittoriosa. The present MLP leader occupied the high office of party president at the time when to be allowed to import a computer one had to declare no one will be made redundant as a result.

The PN, unlike the MLP, encouraged the study of computer science and technology by not only allowing them to be freely imported but also by investing heavily to ensure that every classroom had access to a computer.

The PN had the vision to realise that a tertiary education in IT was going to be the deciding factor for the survival of a country that aspires to take its place among the affluent developed nations. The number of university students rose from 600 to more than 10,000, covering a spectrum of specialties that are needed to advance a country from a producer of pots and pans to pharmaceuticals and computer software. That did not happen by accident.

The PN did not shy away from opening up the economy. Does Dr Vassallo remember the time when to obtain permission to purchase a colour television set for approximately four times the current prices, one had to be recommended by a friend of a friend and wait in a queue?

She may not recall the daily farce at the old decrepit airport, when am incoming flight from Sicily or England meant an influx of boxes of bars of chocolate bars and tooth paste with "particular workers" salivating for their share of the booty.

Labour's vision was to make Malta a champion scrounger for cast-offs and hand-me-downs. But worst of all was the dangerous flirtations with the worst pariah states on the face of the earth. From Libya to North Korea, from Communist Russia, to China of Tiananmen fame, to Ceausescu and Rumania. Dr Vassallo might have even seen a copy of Dear Leader, the little red book that was freely circulating in Malta in the days of Dom Mintoff's Premiership and Dr Sant's presidency of the MLP.

The PN, on the other hand, sought the company of the democratic states of the European Union, while Dr Vassallo fervently campaigned against within the CNI. I would like to ask her if she still prefers the sort of international relations the MLP always cultivated instead of our accession to the EU, now that we are seeing the advantages of membership. I think she agrees that we got considerably more than the Lm1.5 million that her CNI bed-fellows, in league with the MLP, used to predict.

To attract investment, the PN government invested heavily in this country. This administration gave us good quality potable water instead of the highly dubious liquid that used to be pumped to unhygienic roof top tanks from bowsers. With a clear vision of the future, the PN also gave us a power station and a telephony system, essential infrastructural elements for the introduction of a high tech economy.

Solving unemployment by setting up labour corps under military discipline or employing 8,000 people in the public sector, as her CNI guru had done (in vain) prior to an election, was all the imagination that Labour proved to be capable of.

As Dr Vassallo can see from official statistics, the public sector is being slimmed down to correct the excesses of past Labour mal-administrations. At the same time, the take-up by the private sector is more than compensating for the reform in the public sector.

It is also worth noting that this administration never had to resort to a wage freeze or a four-day week.

This government believes in the advantages the consumer will have as a result of free, unfettered competition, as opposed to socialist distortions caused by protectionism and government interference.

These are the policies that saw Malta advance from a pathetic little island, trying to force Japan to comply with its silly import and export exchange protocol, to the dignity of equal membership within the EU.

Judge the PN on facts... then the vision of a bright future with the PN in government becomes more clear.

David Agius

How on earth can the MLP sustain its “Paint Malta Black” campaign in the face of one of Europe’s largest job creating enterprises? Smart City Malta is just that, it will not only create thousands of well-paid jobs in a clean environment, but it is being sited in the south of Malta, Labour’s traditional stronghold.

How can they be seen to genuinely welcome this project while continuing to rubbish such a massive foreign investment? This must have been the conundrum faced by the news staff at SuperOne. Someone had a brainwave, casting doubts about the actual percentage of ground being used for direct use by Tecom. This ploy will do as a stopgap measure, until the public realise the true extent of this development and the environmental embellishment that will surround it. Such false propaganda is fraught with danger. It will eventually hit them like a boomerang. They know full well the adage, attributed to Abraham Lincoln that, “You may fool all the people some of the time, you can even fool some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.

One never ceases to be amazed by Dr AJS's (Alfred Jeremiah Sant) intuition and prophetic propensities. Before the EU referendum in March 2003, he predicted that if Malta joined the EU, it would be inundated with Sicilian hairdressers, and who can forget the enormous billboards proclaiming that all we will be getting out of our EU membership is a paltry Lm1.5 million?

We also recall AJS warning manufacturing industries, which were already in deep trouble because of their lack of competitiveness that our membership of the European Union will bring about their demise.

He was indeed being clever, as if the whole world did not know that globalisation is a fact of life, and that manufacturing processes are shifting to cheaper third world countries, but then why not blame it on the EU as well, if you can dream of a Switzerland in the Mediterranean?

Dr Sant is occasionally correct. Writing in The Times last Wednesday, he said that people will regard his criticism as jeremiads made with a purpose, and by Jove, he was right!

He now realises that his predictions of the Budget that were meant to send expectations soaring, only to be followed with dismay and disappointment, have actually turned out even better than his merry men could have predicted.

But then there is yet another rabbit to pull out of the hat - why not discredit the Budget and the government by discrediting the National Statistics Office (NSO)? So there you have it, only statistics of economic data, alias jeremiads, that come out of the Hamrun Glass House are to be believed. One wonders if the very professional people who make up the NSO are going to be given a hard time should the MLP be elected.

Dr Sant clearly faces a credibility issue of mammoth proportions. How can he carry on claiming that we have a stagnant economy when every indicator shows such vibrancy? GDP growth in real terms has gone up from 2.2 per cent in 2005 to 2.6 per cent (June this year). Foreign investments have gone up from a respectable Lm9.5 million to an unprecedented Lm31.6 million.

We are exporting more and importing more, proof if any were needed, that the economy is far from stagnant. People have more money at their disposal, they are buying more and still managing to save more, as Central Bank figures have shown.

People in employment, both full and part-time, are at a record high; this is true for both men and women. What is particularly encouraging is that while employment in the public sector has gone down by 4,250, it has gone up by 5,300 in the private sector. This marks a departure from the MLP's Mad Hatters' way of saddling the public sector with a grossly unproductive workforce, hoping that they will be buying their votes in the process.

Instead of going into the despondency mode that the MLP has hoped and worked so hard to foster, we can now look to a bright future. Having coped with all the turbulence in the global economy, from upsets in incoming tourism figures, as a result of a multitude of factors, largely beyond our control and the explosion in oil prices, Dr Gonzi will go down in history as the man who successfully steered a safe course despite an unhelpful opposition.

We have built a sound economy, investing heavily and wisely in our future without the degrading begging for alms and hand-me-downs that was a feature of past Labour administrations. Instead of having to flirt with pariah states, such as Soviet Russia, China, Libya of Lockerbie days, and North Korea, the Nationalist Party in government sought its future among the democratic states of the European Union.

It all boils down to business acumen, the MLP is a party which believe in frugality, shying away from tough decisions when an opportunity beacons.

The Nationalist Party, on the other hand, never lacked the confidence to invest in the future. In every field - from education, where the student population at the University has gone up from 600 under the last Labour administration to 10,000 today - from computers and colour televisions which were frowned upon by the Mintoff administration, to telephones that were once only available as a personal favour and at a price, to new cars instead of the British MoT failures and wrecks.

We have invested in new fleet of airplanes, a new modern airport, reverse osmosis plants, a brand new hospital which is the envy of many other European states, a multi-million property investment in the fast appreciating markets of Brussels.

The lie of the so-called weak stagnant economy has now jarred with the tune of the highest of mobile telephone penetration rate in Europe, the highest number of new private cars per capita and a population with a predilection for foreign travel and the good things in life.

By the time SmartCity starts creating thousands of well paid jobs in IT and ancillary services, instead of manufacturing hammers and jeans, this Gonzi administration will be the one that could rightly claim to have made Malta a Switzerland in the Mediterranean.

Do not judge the PN by the jeremiads of the MLP but by facts: by what we deliver.

David Agius

It is often said that politicians are all the same. It is therefore very refreshing to come across a young member of Parliament who has turned out to be unassuming, hard working and as loyal to his constituents, as his constituents are to him.

The Honourable David Agius is such a man, He does not go for empty promises, but his word is his bond.

I met David a few months ago and during a conversation I mentioned the parlous state of the Attard clinic and how I have to go to Mosta pharmacy to collect my medicine because the existing clinic, a corrugated iron structure, did not even have a refrigerator, nor a toilet for that matter. David promised to see what he could do, and I more or less forgot about the whole affair.

I was very pleasantly surprised to find out that he really meant business. He was kind enough to keep me informed with the progress being made, by sending me a copy of the plans for the new clinic together with a copy of a call for tenders. He later told me that he had the full support of Louis Deguara for this project. So I and the people of Attard also feel indebted to Dr Deguara for his understanding of the needs of our community.

This is not the only achievement that his constituents in Attard have to be thankful to David for. He worked extremely hard to rally behind him enough support from the people, who would have been adversely affected by the transfer of the Trade Fair to Attard. His quiet but solid arguments won the day. We can sigh with relief, that this calamity, which would have destroyed the peace and quiet of our village, has been averted.

On a personal level, David can also be relied upon to do his utmost to help where he can. He will never promise anything, it is not his way, except that he will try, but if you have him on your side, the outcome will be almost guaranteed. He has become a huge asset to our community, and I augur to have him as my Member of Parliament for many years to come, I am certain that this wish is shared by all his constituents especially those who had the good fortune to get to know him better.



Maria Dolores Spiteri, Attard.

Ghat-tielet darba, il-Kunsill Nazzjonali Taz-Zghazagh (KNZ) qed jorgamizza il-Parlament taz-Zghazagh. F'din l-attivita' qed jippartecipaw 60 zaghzugh u zaghzugha li l-etajiet taghhom ivarjaw minn 14 sa 35 sena.

Bi preparament ghal din l-attivita' il-KNZ qed jorganizza diversi attivitajiet socjali u edukattivi. F'attivita' li sehhet dalghodu, l-partecipanti kellhom l-opportunita' jiltaqghu ma' ghadd ta' membri miz-zewg nahat tal-Kamratar-Rapprezentanti fosthom id-Deputat Nazzjonalista David Agius. Huma tkellmu dwar il-politika u z-zghazagh waqt li nghataw informazzjoni fuq il-process paralmentari.

Il-partecipanti huma mqassma fi tliet partiti li gew iffurmati apposta ghas-seduta Parlamentari li se sehh nhar it-Tnejn 11 ta' Settembru 2006. Dawn il-partiti qed jiddiskutu l-Opportunitajiet Ewropej ghaz-Zghazagh, id-Diversita' u Xoghol, l-Edukazzjoni u l-volontarjat. Fil-11 ta' Settembru dawn il-partiti se jipprezentaw mozzjoni dwar is-suggetti rispettivi.

Il-Parlament taz-Zghazagh hu riflessjoni ta' l-ghanijiet u l-vizzjoni tal-KNZ li jheggeg ic-cittadinanza attiva filwaqt li jilhaq ukoll lil dawk iz-zghazagh li mhumiex membri ta' ghaqda. L-attivita' mal-membri Parlamentari kienet opportunita biex iz-zghazagh itejbu l-personalita' taghhom waqt li jsemmghu l-vuci taghhom b'mod demokratiku.

Environment Minister George Pullicino with businessman Kevin Decesare (left) and Nationalist MP David Agius (centre) during the waterpolo activity in aid of 34U campaign at the Neptunes waterpolo pitch on the 4th June 2006.

The Neptunes waterpolo pitch in St Julians yesterday hosted some unlikely players who gave their all - fighting for every ball and scoring goals - to raise funds for the 34U campaign, a nationwide tree-planting programme.

Could Malta, a little island nation with a population of 400,000, be the most IT-savvy country in Europe?

Well, it all depends how you measure it. Technology exports, innovation, research spending or broadband usage: all skew the answer in different directions. Scandinavian countries lead in telecommunications deployment, Germany in patent awards and others in technology exports.

For instance Malta, a member of the European Union since May 2004, derives a greater proportion of its export revenue from high technology than any other European country, according to figures from Eurostat, the statistical service of the European Commission. High-tech goods and services accounted for 55.9 percent of Malta's exports in 2004.

Did you hear the drums sounding a funeral march?

Last Tuesday was another Good Friday. It is confirmed:

Malta has imported dark glasses. One pair for each and every one of us. These have to be worn all the time, every day, everywhere we go.

This product was distributed in Valletta before Alfred Sant addressed the nation in Parliament.

He surely was the first to lead by example: Black, dark, ugly, uncompetitive, disaster, no future, unbelievable accounting figures, worst in the world and as many more negative adjectives as you can think of.

David Agius (PN) said bureaucracy had a negative impact on businesses because it complicated matters unnecessarily. All service providers, including Mepa needed to be as efficient as possible. Time means money for businesses. The situation where a Mepa application takes long to be processed was unacceptable.

David Agius was speaking during the debate on the EU Charter on Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. Mr Agius said that one must always aim to achieve quality standards, no matter how small a business was.