A government in waiting? | Mark Said

It is the duty of the Opposition to make known in parliament the feelings of those sectors of society whose views may otherwise be ignored or unknown to the government. Sometimes referred to as a ‘government in waiting’, the Opposition is also expected to scrutinise government policy. It does this through the various functions available in parliament: asking questions, sitting in committees, and chairing select committees. It will also scrutinise and challenge the government in the media.

The Opposition has the responsibility to pay attention to the continuous development of its policies and to keep these in view. The major challenge for the Opposition is its need to be seen as credible in this role. In order to do that, it must be as responsible, respected and united as a political party, and it must create policies that are relevant to the day-to-day lives of people. Parliament provides a good forum for an effective Opposition and must be used as such.

Again, the Opposition has to be adequately resourced if its members are to raise questions and suggest methodologies that are well researched. Otherwise, they could end up wasting the time of parliament, with bad effects not just for the Opposition but also for democracy as a whole.

One of the main functions of the Opposition is its work in scrutinising the operations of the executive and exercising oversight on the implementation of laws, and the use of public finances. This is perhaps where the Opposition can not only make a sound contribution towards the efficient running of the country but also make its own points and demonstrate how its policies might have achieved better results. Has the PN been making such a contribution lately?

To what extent is the PN today organised as a unit and sufficiently recognised that it has had experience in office and is prepared to form a government when the incumbent Labour administration starts, as it seems to have already, losing the people’s trust? How many positive policies of its own does it have, or is it merely opposing destructively to ruin the game for the sake of power?

In politics, second place is no consolation prize. However effective an opponent you are, unless you eventually achieve power, you cannot possibly make the difference that is needed. Perhaps against all odds and in stark contrast to what the PN looked like just a few months ago, the Opposition appears to be embarking on devising sensible and sound policies and a holistic vision on incomes, services and quality of life for working people, their families and communities.

After a prolonged period of lethargy and hibernation, the PN seems, at last, to be springing into worthwhile action. Yet, it must totally accept that it should not be overcautious and that preparing for government is about far more than having undisclosed plans and meeting with people. It also needs to show what kind of government it will be and why it wants to be in government. But as well as the why, it needs to show how it will provide government. So, when I refer to a government in waiting, I see the challenge and the journey for the PN during the remaining three years until election day.

Being a government in waiting is not just a factual observation because the PN might be doing well in the opinion polls. Up until now, few treated the PN as if it were ready to take office. That is now changing. Commentators and the public alike no longer think that a PN government with Bernard Grech as prime minister is fanciful.

A government in waiting should always examine and question whether it is ready to take power. Failing to do so means they do not examine and stress-test policies, processes and personnel with that hard-forensic look to see if they are truly ready for what lies ahead.

Being a government in waiting is about more than rising in the polls and getting votes, and it is not just about having political courage and confidence. Thomas Edison famously described genius as being 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration, and he added that a genius was just a "talented person who had done his homework". The same could be said about being a serious political party and being ready to govern.

The PN might be making some headway with hiccups. It still has a long way to go to garner the credentials of a doable government in waiting. At the same time, though, the Labour administration is, little by little, earning credentials that might make it a veritable Opposition in waiting.