When you analyse the way forward for the Nationalist party, you come to a point where you ask one important question. Should the party now embrace a different ideological point of reference ? Should it become more liberal ? Or should it become more conservative? Should it go to the Left or go to the Right ?
This poses one important question. Is the Nationalist party really conservative? as everyone seems to be depicting it. Does the Nationalist party want to adopt a extreme liberal attitude as did the Labour party embracing all, in a so- called Movement and denuding itself completely from its Socialist background promising everything to everyone. By doing so, and ultimately wining the election, can it actually deliver all the goods ? Will it now retract to a more subdued Liberalism pointing more to the center ?
Liberal politicians are defined as the ones who want change. Conservative politicians are the ones who are happy not to change, content with things as they are. Conservative politics would never have embarked into a Transport Reform, they would have been content with the old buses. The numerous milestones Malta has passed from, whether entry into European Union, and numerous reforms are all Liberal in nature; never conservative.
Therefore saying that the Nationalist party should NOT remain Conservative is absolutely wrong because it never was .Ideologically the Nationalist party was always a champion for change and never status quo .It does have economic conservative thoughts in that it stimulates business by direct help including tax credits ,grants etc ,hoping that these would trickle down to increase jobs and decrease unemployment . These are however also labor s economic proposals . Liberal economic principles envisage a less government intervention, letting supply and demand dictate economy while at the same time taxing the rich.
What is really meant by PN changing from being conservative is in the social conservatism. Do we need to radically change the social conservatism characteristic of PN ? The Divorce issue pointed to that. It hit PN where it hurt and in total surprise. The referendum result and not the Parliamentary result is an answer to radically change and re-think its social conservatism ideology. The majority voted for a radical change in radically conservative issue .The majority voted for a minority right. This is a sign of change in the acceptance of social issue which was unthinkable in the 80s and 90 s. Also Labour s landslide victory in March could also be attributed to a voting shift in the young generation caused by a "Progressive" attitude by Labour to minority rights and therefore to social issues which could have been perceived as taboo by PN
PN ,in its electoral manifesto was moving in that direction, albeit in measured steps and with the least possible aplomb. It was( and is ) shedding its social conservative skin.
It is now time to elicit debate on what social conservative issues to regard as archaic and, most important those issue in which part of our society are suffering.
It is not because of an election defeat PN has to change or because of a leadership change but because PN during its history has always evolved to represent todays challanges in today s changing society.
Sunday 7 April 2013
Saturday 23 March 2013
Partit Nazzjonalista. A new era unfolds.
Unlike Partit Laburista Our glorious emblem Will never Change . We do not need to change it . We are proud of this because we associate this emblem to the progress of our country . We are at par with the most of the affluent European friends and much better than the rest of our European friends . No one can deny this .
Our Partit Nazzjonalista will change . It will evolve but it will never replace its Emblem or its Fehmiet Basici . The foundations of the Partit Nazzjonalista will remain there forever . These foundations based on the document issued on the 9 th july 1986 Fehmiet Bazici dealt with the basic building blocks of our Party . The significance of our Name , a Christian Democratic Party .and committed to fulfilling christian democratic principles ,fulfilling the ideal of each person's right to full development and guaranteeing maximum individual freedom in a framework of know laws and institutions which treat the rights of all persons as equal. That it believes in dialogue and in the principle of solidarity and subsidiarity and that the Nationalist party believes that everyone has the right and the duty to participate in the country's economic activity .
With new realities and a changing society ,it was obvious that the Partit Nazzjonalista had to move one step further . This was done with a document which was entitled "L-gheruq Taghna" . It encompassed 10 concepts which in Lawrence Gonzi 's words where our fingerprints . Our identity as christian democrats ,the family as the centre of our society, freedom of the individual ,respecting the rule of Law, responsible decisions taken by Partit Nazzjonista which are important for the common good but which can also be unpopular ,the solidarity and subsidiarity concepts ,dialogue as a means of inclusive politics ,the complete faith in the ability of the Maltese people who where always able to change difficulties into opportunity to grow ; direction and vision which where always maintained by the Partit Nazzjonalist and therefore everbody new the path taken and where this will eventualy lead to.
No other Party has ever been committed to these ideals .On the contrary ,to obtain a widespread voting catching base Labour shunned all its basic principle of partit tal haddiema ,changed to a Movement to encompass everyone ,changed its emblem to renounce its past ....and won the election.
In theory every person can identify himself or herself with the Labour party ,but now in government not everyone will be able to acknowledge this . It can never accommodate everyone and everything .
New realities and changing society require a new in depth study of these basic principles .
The new chapter which is now unfolding will also have to recognise these facts . The future leaders of our Party will have to acknowledge this before anything else . Our basic identity will remain there but our vision for this country and about this country will have to evolve . Divorce is a reality ,civil partnership is also a reality , the definition of a family has to be broadened ,single parenthood and mixed families are a reality ,multiculturalism is also a reality . The role of Malta in foreign issues ,whether in a European context or as happened with stark reality in Mediterranean issues has to be taken into account , the economic upheavals have also changed the playing field increasing the need for aggressive competitiveness and safeguarding the future of our children . We are now passing through a post-technology era where technology is part and parcel with human development and therefore our role in ensuring everyone has access to this.,Globalisation and ever changing strong economies of future China and India which can also bring economic challenges. These are new realities which have to be taken into account when leading a nation for future prosperity.
It is essential to do a post -mortem of an election defeat . It will always find human faults and human defects and million other causes .
It is now time to move forwards . Step by step the Partit Nazzjonalista will grow again . It will regenerate itself from above downwards . It will enrich itself with new talent and new ideas but maintain its firm commitment to ensure its basic principles coupled with a new vision and new direction . It will succeed because the past has shown that the Nationalist Party has always risen to the challenge when called for ,and it will do so now .
Saturday 16 March 2013
Analysis of Defeat.
We have lost . We have lost massively . A crushing defeat . There is no way of denying this .
The people have literally booted us out and told us to get lost . The once proud Nationalist Party is presently at its knees .
What has caused such a massive defeat? what has caused such a massive across-board swing?
The reasons are numerous .What i can say is that major factors which affect the country as a whole, which make the country tick , which ensures progress , what i call the macro elements where discarded from the electorates line of thought . It was useless promoting the fact that Malta fared better than other European countries in terms of economic strength or that unemployment was at a fair percentage or that tourism had another successfully year ,four years in a row . It was also useless promoting major projects especially parks ,restoration works ,Valleta and Mdina rehabilitation and numerous other projects . Eu funds and what was done with these funds major roads ,renewable energy grants ,agriculture and fisheries grants , where also not taken into any consideration.
People chucked us out because of micro factors . All the above have either been taken for granted ,or people are not relating their well being today as a consequence of the above . Instead of a positive feel good factor ..i am what i am today thanks to the economic progress ,there was a negative feel ...i am what i am today because this so- called economic progress has adversely affected my pocket . No one seems to realise that our country's economic well being depends both on money coming from outside ;investments ,tourism etc but also on everyone s ability to help in the economy by working ,paying taxes etc. The fact that we import everything and most prices fluctuate according to external factors and these will in turn affect every ones pockets are never positively appreciated . Oil ,steel ,copper. gold, maize where all heavily priced four years ago mostly due to the financial crises which lead to price hikes in goods that utilise these products. The ability to avert disaster and massive unemployment during the 2009 financial crises where not taken into account. The ability or inability to turn money losing enterprises into financial stability without actually firing workers where also not taken into consideration . On the contrary ,all of this hurt the people . No one seemed to ask the important question what would have happened if things were the completely opposite ,that is economic stagnation ,increasing deficit ,rising unemployment . What would the scenario be today ?
So what really made people give us the boot ? The perception of an incompetent government. It was useless doing house visits and pointing all of the above because the perception was of a failing,tired ,corrupt,group of people who were only interested in statistics and not the basic needs of the family . The continuous perception of a broken internal executive which day in day out lead to a complete distrust in the basic core of the management of this country. The perception of a Klikka taking over . If each letter of this word has a value in Labour votes you would get a substantial amount add this to the word oligarchy and you would get any even bigger amount .
Then there are major issues which on theory made sense but in practise where a disaster . The insensitive ARMs and occasional haphazard issuing of bills and the hikes in these bills , the transport saga and resultant Arriva disaster , the power station and energy dilemma where people were left believing more in Labour s arguments than Governments policy coupled with a perception of corruption . Air Malta and its massive restructuring which hurt hundreds of people not because they were made redundant ,on the contrary some were given a good lump sum of money and managed to open up business but the fact that their stable job was finished . MEPA which was a continuous topic in the house visits .An entity which i suspect adjusts its own rules and regulations every day .Mater Dei and its waiting lists ,waiting times ,Casualty problems, out of stock medication to which i could mention plausible reasons why this has occurred but will not help the patient affected .Then there were social issues which also affected parts of the population ,the Divorce issue , gay right movement ,the hunters issues ;all these were craftily taken by Labour with open arms.
My conclusion is a government which achieved plenty for the country but failed to address middle management issues and basic client focused priorities .
The way forwards is actually not so difficult . We need to change to get rid of the bad perception . This will be done by getting new people with new ideas and new management skills and restructuring our party from top to bottom . It will not be difficult because we have the people who want this new change and who want to participate .We will be a constructive opposition and will keep the government on its toes .It has promised everything to everyone and we will be there at its heels if it does not deliver .
The Nationalist Party has a glorious history behind it and even now in defeat it can still be proud of achieving things no other country could have ever dreamt of achieving ,countries which are begging to be saved . History will judge whether Labour was the right choice .History will judge whether Lawrence Gonzi 10 year statesmanship was a a blessing for this country and whether its abrupt end was a disaster for Malta .
We close a chapter and open a new one . Malta must move on. We must move on .
The people have literally booted us out and told us to get lost . The once proud Nationalist Party is presently at its knees .
What has caused such a massive defeat? what has caused such a massive across-board swing?
The reasons are numerous .What i can say is that major factors which affect the country as a whole, which make the country tick , which ensures progress , what i call the macro elements where discarded from the electorates line of thought . It was useless promoting the fact that Malta fared better than other European countries in terms of economic strength or that unemployment was at a fair percentage or that tourism had another successfully year ,four years in a row . It was also useless promoting major projects especially parks ,restoration works ,Valleta and Mdina rehabilitation and numerous other projects . Eu funds and what was done with these funds major roads ,renewable energy grants ,agriculture and fisheries grants , where also not taken into any consideration.
People chucked us out because of micro factors . All the above have either been taken for granted ,or people are not relating their well being today as a consequence of the above . Instead of a positive feel good factor ..i am what i am today thanks to the economic progress ,there was a negative feel ...i am what i am today because this so- called economic progress has adversely affected my pocket . No one seems to realise that our country's economic well being depends both on money coming from outside ;investments ,tourism etc but also on everyone s ability to help in the economy by working ,paying taxes etc. The fact that we import everything and most prices fluctuate according to external factors and these will in turn affect every ones pockets are never positively appreciated . Oil ,steel ,copper. gold, maize where all heavily priced four years ago mostly due to the financial crises which lead to price hikes in goods that utilise these products. The ability to avert disaster and massive unemployment during the 2009 financial crises where not taken into account. The ability or inability to turn money losing enterprises into financial stability without actually firing workers where also not taken into consideration . On the contrary ,all of this hurt the people . No one seemed to ask the important question what would have happened if things were the completely opposite ,that is economic stagnation ,increasing deficit ,rising unemployment . What would the scenario be today ?
So what really made people give us the boot ? The perception of an incompetent government. It was useless doing house visits and pointing all of the above because the perception was of a failing,tired ,corrupt,group of people who were only interested in statistics and not the basic needs of the family . The continuous perception of a broken internal executive which day in day out lead to a complete distrust in the basic core of the management of this country. The perception of a Klikka taking over . If each letter of this word has a value in Labour votes you would get a substantial amount add this to the word oligarchy and you would get any even bigger amount .
Then there are major issues which on theory made sense but in practise where a disaster . The insensitive ARMs and occasional haphazard issuing of bills and the hikes in these bills , the transport saga and resultant Arriva disaster , the power station and energy dilemma where people were left believing more in Labour s arguments than Governments policy coupled with a perception of corruption . Air Malta and its massive restructuring which hurt hundreds of people not because they were made redundant ,on the contrary some were given a good lump sum of money and managed to open up business but the fact that their stable job was finished . MEPA which was a continuous topic in the house visits .An entity which i suspect adjusts its own rules and regulations every day .Mater Dei and its waiting lists ,waiting times ,Casualty problems, out of stock medication to which i could mention plausible reasons why this has occurred but will not help the patient affected .Then there were social issues which also affected parts of the population ,the Divorce issue , gay right movement ,the hunters issues ;all these were craftily taken by Labour with open arms.
My conclusion is a government which achieved plenty for the country but failed to address middle management issues and basic client focused priorities .
The way forwards is actually not so difficult . We need to change to get rid of the bad perception . This will be done by getting new people with new ideas and new management skills and restructuring our party from top to bottom . It will not be difficult because we have the people who want this new change and who want to participate .We will be a constructive opposition and will keep the government on its toes .It has promised everything to everyone and we will be there at its heels if it does not deliver .
The Nationalist Party has a glorious history behind it and even now in defeat it can still be proud of achieving things no other country could have ever dreamt of achieving ,countries which are begging to be saved . History will judge whether Labour was the right choice .History will judge whether Lawrence Gonzi 10 year statesmanship was a a blessing for this country and whether its abrupt end was a disaster for Malta .
We close a chapter and open a new one . Malta must move on. We must move on .
Saturday 2 March 2013
A reality check ..
We are nearing the end of the electoral campaign. It has been tough. It has been stressful. Often ending with a fair amount of sleepless nights. At the same time, making new friends, whatever their political allegiance. Every day, bringing with it, a fair amount of new problems .
The only thing I can say is that I am more convinced than ever that my party, the Nationalist Party under Lawrence Gonzi, deserves to continue governing this beautiful island of ours.
Labour portrays itself as a well-oiled political party, but when you study it in detail you will find deep flaws which will crack if under any stress. It is as if you have a grandiose ship, like the Titanic, which broke apart in its maiden voyage and on deep analysis flaws in its structure were found.
What has happened to its energy policy and the grandiose power station idea? One week yes, 8 weeks nothing. Why? There are so many questions, time frames, variables which are difficult to quantify or qualify. They know that they got it all wrong. 5 whole years of preaching of lowering the energy and water utilities. In any parliamentary discussion, whether social, economic, environmental, this was always labour's battle cry. Now, a whole campaign relegated this issue to a few words. Did Muscat mention any of this in Friday's 'Xarabank' programme? They probably banked on the oil saga and this backfired on them. In fact even this was not mentioned in the same programme .
The Nationalist Party can boast of good results. Everyone knows this, maybe not everyone feels it but unlike the pre-EU era, now we have certificates which confirm results. No one can challenge these. They are there.
It is logical to say that getting these results against all odds, gives us some certainty for the future under Lawrence which labour under Muscat can never give. Ok, admittedly Muscat was never in Lawrence's position, but during his political career he was associated either directly or indirectly with descions which could have brought us, our country to our knees. Muscat is a political risk.
Malta is not a 'superpower'. Malta is not an oil producing country. It is a small island which can boast that out of all EU member states around a round table, it can hold its head high and can point to other members and say I am better than you -much better- than you .
Labour strikes at our heart. They want unity between all of us. They want to fix everything. They give us hope that all potholes will be fixed, that I can use Arriva and get to a place at super time, I can have my operation tomorrow and will have all customer care in every department greeting us with 'Hello, do you want a coffee?' They will reduce taxes as well as reduce electricity tariffs, they will pay for every operation done privately if these are not done on time at the state hospital, they will also spend millions on a new useless power station. They will do this with a new team. The majority have rarely been seen during this campaign. They are associated with past labour, so no good for the image. They will come out with full glory if Labour is elected .
That is Labour today. A nice bottle of wine with a beautiful label but with sour contents. Sometimes you go to a flea market and you find things which seem decrepit but with a bit of extra care, you get its full use and glamour, more than the recent new type which is usually cheaper, better looking to attract more but less durable and fails more. Some of us like designer stuff, they look cool, makes you feel important but are they really functional? That is Labour of today just good looks nothing else.
We need to assimilate all this and decide whether we want a showy Labour to lead us for the next 5 years or a battle hardened Nationalist Party who can withstand any onslaught thrown at it and yet obtain results and win each and every battle that is thrown at it.
we are human beings and not perfect . we all do mistakes and certain decisions taken for the good of the country could have actually hurt a section of the population .But this is the medicine which was needed at that particular time which enabled the whole country to move forwards
This is the reality the Nationalist Party has faced throughout its office .
It is this what the people need- reality not illusions or gimmicks.
Michael Gonzi
Saturday 16 February 2013
Leaping into the Unknown is Dangerous and Crazy
During the speech i made yesterday 16 Th February at Qawra (Taht it-Tinda) ,i wanted to elicit three points . The first was that the Health services in Malta have passed from a point where it was at an absolute ruin during the '77 to a service today which ,in the majority of areas is first class
.The second point i wanted to make is that in the press ,we hear about cataracts ,hip replacement ,knee replacement, waiting lists and waiting times but no one ever mentions the excellent service various departments in Mater Dei offer. Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology ,Ophthalmic department,which is not only concerned with cataracts ,it saves people's eyesight when more serious conditions affect the eye . No one knows that this department ,this year has invested in a more sophisticated Laser equipment and has turned a single large room into four small rooms so that more Patients can be treated in one session. Our Medical Specialists , respiratory medicine and Cardiology are tops in their own class. Orthopaedics is not only involved with hip and knee replacements but it treats patients with multiple fractures ,treats bone decease, spinal problems and multitude of other ailments.
Than i mentioned these small specialised clinics most of them run by specialist nurses , Commcare which is a blessing for primary health . Nurses assess patients at their homes and direct holistic care to the patient . The recently established Crises Intervention Unit which is another brilliant idea where patients with psychiatric or psychological acute problems are treated urgently. I also mentioned the fact that Medicine is continuously evolving; new things crop up every day , new technology ,new medication .A stent ( a small expansible tube inserted into the heart' artery to open it up) is not the same type of stent we used 5 years ago. We use more sophisticated ones which try to keep the artery open for much longer periods .
All this can happen because we budget for this ,year after year and a budget means having funds to do this .If these are lacking ,than Health in Malta will fall back.
The third point i wanted to make is the way forward .
Our programme for the next five years is exactly what Malta Health service needs today. A leap forward in Primary Care .Three regional health centres equipped with minor operating theatre which enables small operations to be performed there . This will reduce the work load on Mater Dei as well as enables patients to be cared for closer to their locality. Not only so ,but more community services can be introduced which will ensure a more preventive type of approach to be taken .This is the way forwards .Medicine today is not only tackling the disease that crops up but it tries to prevent disease . This means that instead of waiting for the patient to come to the doctor ,it is the community service which asks every client to come for a specific check up. This is giving excellent result in the breast screening .It will give excellent result with colorectal screening (intestine) .We can envisage the potential eradication of colon cancer if everyone cooperates . Now we plan to screen cervical pathology ( Pap tests etc)which will also help in saving lives .
Why did we concentrate on Diabetes ? 10% of the population suffer from this condition and it can affect any age group .Younger age groups suffer more and normally they need more aggressive medication. Older age groups suffer from a progressive deterioration in the condition . These disease affects the small arteries in every part of our body ,it literally narrows them ,so untreated and uncontrolled it affects all organs of the body.This means that complications are widespread .Heart,eyes,legs,feet etc can all be affected .So every diabetic has to undergo an array of tests and investigations to minimise these complications and treat immediately . We are already experts in treating this condition .We want to go one step further where research and community based preventive medicine takes over .We want to catch the disease before it shows up .We want to teach potential diabetics the benefits of a change in lifestyle which is basic in avoiding or delaying complications .
I did not mention the new state of the art oncology hospital ,rehabilitation centres ,and investments in the Pharmacy of your Choice. I did not mention that although we passed from a period of global financial instability we still managed to increase the health budget every year.
One last thing i did mention .That this is a free service and it will remain free .Provided that the country maintains its present direction .Embarking on a different direction could pose a risk to our financial stability . If this happens, the first two factors which will be affected are the social services and health .Look at what is happening in Greece ,Spain, Portugal. UK is also passing from these cuts with education taking a big toll .
Do we want this ? Do we need a change in direction ? Can this change really bring about a better Malta? Can this change bring about a worse Malta than today? This risk would not be so grave if Malta is down in the dumps as was the case in the '80 when there was a change in government from MLP to PN .Today Malta fares well with any European country ,if not better .So a change for the sake of change is a grave risk to every Maltese person .
Leaping into the unknown is dangerous and crazy.
Michael
.The second point i wanted to make is that in the press ,we hear about cataracts ,hip replacement ,knee replacement, waiting lists and waiting times but no one ever mentions the excellent service various departments in Mater Dei offer. Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology ,Ophthalmic department,which is not only concerned with cataracts ,it saves people's eyesight when more serious conditions affect the eye . No one knows that this department ,this year has invested in a more sophisticated Laser equipment and has turned a single large room into four small rooms so that more Patients can be treated in one session. Our Medical Specialists , respiratory medicine and Cardiology are tops in their own class. Orthopaedics is not only involved with hip and knee replacements but it treats patients with multiple fractures ,treats bone decease, spinal problems and multitude of other ailments.
Than i mentioned these small specialised clinics most of them run by specialist nurses , Commcare which is a blessing for primary health . Nurses assess patients at their homes and direct holistic care to the patient . The recently established Crises Intervention Unit which is another brilliant idea where patients with psychiatric or psychological acute problems are treated urgently. I also mentioned the fact that Medicine is continuously evolving; new things crop up every day , new technology ,new medication .A stent ( a small expansible tube inserted into the heart' artery to open it up) is not the same type of stent we used 5 years ago. We use more sophisticated ones which try to keep the artery open for much longer periods .
All this can happen because we budget for this ,year after year and a budget means having funds to do this .If these are lacking ,than Health in Malta will fall back.
The third point i wanted to make is the way forward .
Our programme for the next five years is exactly what Malta Health service needs today. A leap forward in Primary Care .Three regional health centres equipped with minor operating theatre which enables small operations to be performed there . This will reduce the work load on Mater Dei as well as enables patients to be cared for closer to their locality. Not only so ,but more community services can be introduced which will ensure a more preventive type of approach to be taken .This is the way forwards .Medicine today is not only tackling the disease that crops up but it tries to prevent disease . This means that instead of waiting for the patient to come to the doctor ,it is the community service which asks every client to come for a specific check up. This is giving excellent result in the breast screening .It will give excellent result with colorectal screening (intestine) .We can envisage the potential eradication of colon cancer if everyone cooperates . Now we plan to screen cervical pathology ( Pap tests etc)which will also help in saving lives .
Why did we concentrate on Diabetes ? 10% of the population suffer from this condition and it can affect any age group .Younger age groups suffer more and normally they need more aggressive medication. Older age groups suffer from a progressive deterioration in the condition . These disease affects the small arteries in every part of our body ,it literally narrows them ,so untreated and uncontrolled it affects all organs of the body.This means that complications are widespread .Heart,eyes,legs,feet etc can all be affected .So every diabetic has to undergo an array of tests and investigations to minimise these complications and treat immediately . We are already experts in treating this condition .We want to go one step further where research and community based preventive medicine takes over .We want to catch the disease before it shows up .We want to teach potential diabetics the benefits of a change in lifestyle which is basic in avoiding or delaying complications .
I did not mention the new state of the art oncology hospital ,rehabilitation centres ,and investments in the Pharmacy of your Choice. I did not mention that although we passed from a period of global financial instability we still managed to increase the health budget every year.
One last thing i did mention .That this is a free service and it will remain free .Provided that the country maintains its present direction .Embarking on a different direction could pose a risk to our financial stability . If this happens, the first two factors which will be affected are the social services and health .Look at what is happening in Greece ,Spain, Portugal. UK is also passing from these cuts with education taking a big toll .
Do we want this ? Do we need a change in direction ? Can this change really bring about a better Malta? Can this change bring about a worse Malta than today? This risk would not be so grave if Malta is down in the dumps as was the case in the '80 when there was a change in government from MLP to PN .Today Malta fares well with any European country ,if not better .So a change for the sake of change is a grave risk to every Maltese person .
Leaping into the unknown is dangerous and crazy.
Michael
Saturday 9 February 2013
1.128 Billion Euros. Thank You Lawrence. Vera Futur Fis-Sod
Last November i wrote a piece where i tried to describe what happens during European Union council meetings where head of states meet to discuss specific important topics.The last three meetings dealt with European Union Budget for 2014-2020 . Most of us get the end result of these meetings ,whether good or bad .No one really appreciates what goes on during these meetings or even the preparation needed for these meetings .
Last November s Council meeting also involved European Union Budget for 2014-2020 . That meeting was hectic and ended with no tangible result except for good prospects for Malta s share of an EU budget . This February meeting was a rolleroaster one but which ended with excellent results for Malta .
At this session ,Lawrence proved without any doubt what leadership,statesmanship ,shear determination means .I might be biased ,but i have never seen my brother and his team work so hard to get results. Forget elections ,get the money to continue building our Malta.
24 hours non-stop of head of states meeting ,with the occasional hour of stoppage where a draft document is presented for study . This resulted in a flurry of deep analysis by all the team under the scrutiny of Richard Cachia Caruana . They analysed the document with pinpoint accuracy pointing flaws which were not in our countries interest .Numbers in millions thrown all over the place ,each million gained is another potential project for Malta .
As i said before ,this meeting was a rolleroaster one . It started with what seemed to be a positive outcome for Malta following discussions in the previous two meetings. so all the staff where at a comfortable state of mind but at the same time wary that things were not yet on paper . All of a sudden in the initial stages of the Council meeting ,goalposts were changed bringing Malta at a disadvantage .Things got serious and a sense of anger abounded . Having such a professional team with a completely focused Prime Minister enabled solid arguments to be prepared and a determined Prime Minister ready for the presentation .
Everyone was tense .After nearly 24 hours of Council discussion there was some progress but not what the Prime Minister and his team had been working for the past months
The shear determination of Lawrence managed to convince Council president that Malta s position is final and resulted in obtaining Malta s financial package .Lawrence came out tired and elated .
Malta 's future is guaranteed.
This victory is a huge one .For a number of reasons . Objective 1 status means a country which is in early development .Due to our success in economic matters we have lost this status ,which is good in one sense because we have another certificate of good economic governance but this meant that we have lost financial allocation to countries under Objective 1status . Not only so but the whole EU budget has been reduced drastically . Theoretically we should have had a reduction in financial allocation as compared to the previous EU budget . Fortunately for us but also due to the great work performed by the Lawrence ,s team we have had a bigger budget than before .
Over a billion euros obtained for the period of 2014-2020.
This is what leadership is all about .
This is proof of what a real Statesman Lawrence Gonzi is.
Five years of political,economical turmoil but yet getting results.
Malta having a solid base today ready for the leap forwards. Getting Malta and Gozo better than ever.
VERA FUTUR FIS-SOD.
Last November s Council meeting also involved European Union Budget for 2014-2020 . That meeting was hectic and ended with no tangible result except for good prospects for Malta s share of an EU budget . This February meeting was a rolleroaster one but which ended with excellent results for Malta .
At this session ,Lawrence proved without any doubt what leadership,statesmanship ,shear determination means .I might be biased ,but i have never seen my brother and his team work so hard to get results. Forget elections ,get the money to continue building our Malta.
24 hours non-stop of head of states meeting ,with the occasional hour of stoppage where a draft document is presented for study . This resulted in a flurry of deep analysis by all the team under the scrutiny of Richard Cachia Caruana . They analysed the document with pinpoint accuracy pointing flaws which were not in our countries interest .Numbers in millions thrown all over the place ,each million gained is another potential project for Malta .
As i said before ,this meeting was a rolleroaster one . It started with what seemed to be a positive outcome for Malta following discussions in the previous two meetings. so all the staff where at a comfortable state of mind but at the same time wary that things were not yet on paper . All of a sudden in the initial stages of the Council meeting ,goalposts were changed bringing Malta at a disadvantage .Things got serious and a sense of anger abounded . Having such a professional team with a completely focused Prime Minister enabled solid arguments to be prepared and a determined Prime Minister ready for the presentation .
Everyone was tense .After nearly 24 hours of Council discussion there was some progress but not what the Prime Minister and his team had been working for the past months
In the last few hours of this meeting, it was either getting Malta s rightful share of the EU budget or taking a stand in stopping procedures, meaning every head of state going home with nothing decided .It would have been a distaster for Europe
The shear determination of Lawrence managed to convince Council president that Malta s position is final and resulted in obtaining Malta s financial package .Lawrence came out tired and elated .
Malta 's future is guaranteed.
This victory is a huge one .For a number of reasons . Objective 1 status means a country which is in early development .Due to our success in economic matters we have lost this status ,which is good in one sense because we have another certificate of good economic governance but this meant that we have lost financial allocation to countries under Objective 1status . Not only so but the whole EU budget has been reduced drastically . Theoretically we should have had a reduction in financial allocation as compared to the previous EU budget . Fortunately for us but also due to the great work performed by the Lawrence ,s team we have had a bigger budget than before .
Over a billion euros obtained for the period of 2014-2020.
This is what leadership is all about .
This is proof of what a real Statesman Lawrence Gonzi is.
Five years of political,economical turmoil but yet getting results.
Malta having a solid base today ready for the leap forwards. Getting Malta and Gozo better than ever.
VERA FUTUR FIS-SOD.
Well done!
Saturday 26 January 2013
The Next Five Years
Have you ever thought of how your life would be like in five years time ? Did your life change ,for the better or the worse in the past five years ? And if it did change ,was it your own doing or someones s else decisions which affected you life?
In five years things really change .You always want to change for the better . If it is not for yourself ,it is for the ones closest to you .Especially those who still depend on you .
In these coming five years you will have to make personal decisions which can alter the direction of your life .In these coming five years you will have to adjust your direction because of unforeseen circumstances which will require your immediate attention .
Some of us have became parents or grandparents ,have changed jobs ,have embarked into new carriers with more responsibility ,have passed through illness ,opened business ,etc all this in five years.
In 5 years time things can happen to you which are not entirely of your own doing and which can result in hardships or a painful change in direction .
What is important in all this, is that if there is a change in your direction, it is your own decisions and not imposed on you by man- made external forces which could hinder your path,your direction ,your aim in life. Obviously i am hinting at government induced forces. A generation has suffered because of bad government decisions
In these 5 years, your life could change with bad government decisions ,and they can change drastically
Can you just imagine ,today ,our small Island literally surrounded by countries who are barely surviving. Greece and Cyprus on one side, Italy and France on top, Spain and Portugal on the other side, Libya and Egypt below us. We, at the centre of the Mediterranean, proudly holding our heads up. most of us disbelieving that this is really us . Yes ,this is us, The Maltese People .
Can someone ask how could this be possible ? Can someone really acknowledge that this government under PN had some say in all this. That policies whether economic ,foreign ,social had a direct impact on averting disaster and that if the unthinkable had occurred, Labour in government from 1998 onwards, we would have been pleading for help due to wrong directions taken by the than future Labour governments. The world economic bust occurred in a matter of months and pulled down, one country after another and it was past PN policies, and also immediate government intervention, which saved us all.
Now we come to the next five years.The question is are we clear of the danger ? Is it still lurking around trying to plunge us down ? United Kingdom is talking of a triple dip. Can you really trust Labour with managing this country for the next five years ? They have good economists on paper but when it comes to their own ideas ,they are so radically different that you don t know whether Malta would become a superpower under their governance or end up worse than Spain .Not one of their brilliant economists pointed to flaws in the Labour Party s idea of the New Power Station and reduction in electricity and water tariffs . We are hearing a lot about a change in management systems which is ideal ,but this will not avert economic disaster. SMS messaging for Law Court deferments are ideal but do not deal with jobs ,with economic growth. A tablet at school as depicted by Labour is just a toy and therefore a waste of money .Will this bring better students ? Look at PN s idea of IT in education .
PN has been tried and tested and got results . It is battle hardened .It has new blood .It has experience which ,at this moment in time is paramount to withstand any new onslaught .
This brings us to an exciting five year plan which encompasses what we have today and what we need to overcome tomorrows challenges.( Qabza Ohra ta Kwalita: PN electoral programme ) New ideas which centre around PN s ideals .The "untouchables"
Education ,Jobs,Health . These three words signify The Family . A strong family means a strong society and a strong society means a strong Malta .
That is what we PN believe in and strive to achieve. A strong Family with education at its foundation ,good jobs as a base and health as its pillar .
In five years things really change .You always want to change for the better . If it is not for yourself ,it is for the ones closest to you .Especially those who still depend on you .
In these coming five years you will have to make personal decisions which can alter the direction of your life .In these coming five years you will have to adjust your direction because of unforeseen circumstances which will require your immediate attention .
Some of us have became parents or grandparents ,have changed jobs ,have embarked into new carriers with more responsibility ,have passed through illness ,opened business ,etc all this in five years.
In 5 years time things can happen to you which are not entirely of your own doing and which can result in hardships or a painful change in direction .
What is important in all this, is that if there is a change in your direction, it is your own decisions and not imposed on you by man- made external forces which could hinder your path,your direction ,your aim in life. Obviously i am hinting at government induced forces. A generation has suffered because of bad government decisions
In these 5 years, your life could change with bad government decisions ,and they can change drastically
Can you just imagine ,today ,our small Island literally surrounded by countries who are barely surviving. Greece and Cyprus on one side, Italy and France on top, Spain and Portugal on the other side, Libya and Egypt below us. We, at the centre of the Mediterranean, proudly holding our heads up. most of us disbelieving that this is really us . Yes ,this is us, The Maltese People .
Can someone ask how could this be possible ? Can someone really acknowledge that this government under PN had some say in all this. That policies whether economic ,foreign ,social had a direct impact on averting disaster and that if the unthinkable had occurred, Labour in government from 1998 onwards, we would have been pleading for help due to wrong directions taken by the than future Labour governments. The world economic bust occurred in a matter of months and pulled down, one country after another and it was past PN policies, and also immediate government intervention, which saved us all.
Now we come to the next five years.The question is are we clear of the danger ? Is it still lurking around trying to plunge us down ? United Kingdom is talking of a triple dip. Can you really trust Labour with managing this country for the next five years ? They have good economists on paper but when it comes to their own ideas ,they are so radically different that you don t know whether Malta would become a superpower under their governance or end up worse than Spain .Not one of their brilliant economists pointed to flaws in the Labour Party s idea of the New Power Station and reduction in electricity and water tariffs . We are hearing a lot about a change in management systems which is ideal ,but this will not avert economic disaster. SMS messaging for Law Court deferments are ideal but do not deal with jobs ,with economic growth. A tablet at school as depicted by Labour is just a toy and therefore a waste of money .Will this bring better students ? Look at PN s idea of IT in education .
PN has been tried and tested and got results . It is battle hardened .It has new blood .It has experience which ,at this moment in time is paramount to withstand any new onslaught .
This brings us to an exciting five year plan which encompasses what we have today and what we need to overcome tomorrows challenges.( Qabza Ohra ta Kwalita: PN electoral programme ) New ideas which centre around PN s ideals .The "untouchables"
Education ,Jobs,Health . These three words signify The Family . A strong family means a strong society and a strong society means a strong Malta .
That is what we PN believe in and strive to achieve. A strong Family with education at its foundation ,good jobs as a base and health as its pillar .
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