‘Electoral Promises’ Articles at j’accuse

In parliament it’s been reduced to a question of motions and counter-motions. While the nation fakes a collective breath-holding session as the MP’s battle out the latest round the few who can be bothered set up impromptu betting odds as to what will happen next in the drawn-out Debono saga. In the press we have the usual white elephants – from the White Rocks Sports Complex that resurfaced a few weeks ago to the Feasibility Plans for Bridges to Gozo.

All the while the business of government is stalled and hedged because the money bills have not been voted and because – let’s face it – every other moment is being dedicated to secret strategy meetings (pace Maltatoday) that are about as secret as whatever Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando has had for lunch or Owen Bonnici’s latest hobby. The opposition is busy painting the state of the nation as one floundering in abject poverty, expensive bills and of course mention has now begun to be made of the debts and holes that this government will bequeath to its successor. Mais bien sur.

While the circus is in full force the world around the navel-gazing isle is on a rapid mission of the “change or bust” kind – one that cannot afford to give a rat’s arse about arty farty obvious promises in the form of Joseph Muscat’s latest populist mantras. Whether the circus lasts till June or October one thing is for sure. There will be an end to the party. After that it will be down to the business of governing in a time of austerity.

Speculation is rife that this spring could end up being a hot European spring politically with the anti-austerity wave finally taking the European leaders heads-on. A Hollande vicotry in France and a failure by Merkel to push on with further measures could risk spelling disaster for the fragile instability that currently is a European reality. Within that perspective – and outside the childish noise of the four walls of our Franco-led parliament – the future looks daunting.

Will our parties take the realist approach and moderate their promises in the run up for an election? Will they participate in a much needed eye-opening campaign for voters to appreciate the realities of the world beyond the shores of San Pawl-il Bahar and Mellieha? Or will they proceed with their pie-in-the-sky populisms feeding off a skewed view of the world and the immediate economic ills?

At this rate, the after party promises to be uglier than the mother of all hangovers.

Is it ironic, dramatic or downright farcical that in all this hullabaloo and with the two main parties completely at sea and in full panic mode, the AD can only* come up with a challenge regarding the boathouses at Armier? Throughout last Friday’s Xarabank Arnold Cassola seemed to provide the only reconciliatory potential for all the other members of the panel. They were at each other’s throats most of the time and Edwin and Michael had their tongues so far up Debono’s behind that they had trouble speaking but the moment Cassola attempted to use the precious space on public TV to highlight the deficiencies of bipartisan thinking and logic he was drowned by a concerted chorus of denigration.

I only watched Xarabank today and you may be surprised to find that even I thought that Franco was coherent in his arguments. I said coherent not justified. I particularly like his idea of a holistic approach to institutional reform intended to sanitise the business of government and democracy from the impending rot caused by the PLPN. I cannot not like this kind of thinking. It’s what J’accuse has been on about for a long long time. The retorts from Edwin and Michael were obvious – from the denial that PLPN act in their own interests to the dismissal of the importance of a role for other parties and forces in the country.

Then again it will be back to business once the election is called. As Arnold pointed out mid-program no reforms will take place before the next election. Forget a law on party financing, on data protection of individuals and other similar safeguards. Protect you from the parties? Ma tarax. I am told that NET TV reported today that the PL has started taking action in court to deprive expats from their votes. I am still waiting for the denial from Muscat. Who knows we might constitute an additional danger to the “instability” of the country. So yes. No changes before the election. Which means no new thresholds. No nationwide district. No tweaks in favour of proportional representation. AD are still up shit creek with no paddle and with no visible candidates to attract the protest voters who cannot get it into themselves to vote PL.

Which brings me to the boathouse challenge. It’s a legitimate challenge. AD wants PL and PN to commit to remove boathouses in Armier. Here’s Cacopardo:

With a general election seemingly on the radar, the Nationalist Party and Labour Party should take up Alternattiva Demokratika’s challenge and openly declare their stand on these boathouses if they want to gain credibility with the local environmental lobby, which has advanced into something more than a simple lobby.

It’s an important matter. Of the kind that has often the potential of exposing PLPN’s duplicity in these matters. Remember Gonzi’s letter to boathouse owners? Remember the pandering of PLPN to hunters? Last minute promises to specific sectors such as the LGBT movement are rumoured to have swung the last election. So AD is asking for something simple. A commitment. On paper. Will the big parties take up the challenge? Will voters give the challenge any importance?

My guess? AD will be ignored as they have always been. Because they are a non-entity. Like the last standing boathouse they are too small to be noticed. And anyway we are busy voting for the next party that is to become our permanent grudge. Busy shooting ourselves in the foot.

Because we have been taught to believe the stupid lie: if we want everything to change, then everything must remain the same.

Fuck you Tommasi di Lampedusa.

*not really only but it’s what is in the news right now.

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