The third week of Labour’s electioneering

Here we are: week three of the electoral campaign is finally over as we edge closer - at a snail's pace - to the date on everyone's mouth: 9 March. Admittedly, it wouldn't be such a bad idea if we were to have an election every year, especially if political parties were to fight over each other to see who's going to give away the latest gadget for free.

It turned out to be a special week for Labour leader Joseph Muscat, who turned 39 on Tuesday and got to see avid supporters queuing up for a signed copy of his biography, an illustrated tome of praise authored by former PN councillor turned Labour activist Cyrus Engerer, entitled 'Malta li rrid nghix fiha' ('The Malta I would like to live in').

Muscat was also surprised with a birthday cake - an open book with his face and the party's slogan on it - as he took a break from all the electioneering.

Undoubtedly planned to coincide with Muscat's birthday, Labour also released its first music video, evoking the aspirational ambitions of their leader. The video is undeniably different from the typically tacky campaign songs that the electorate is accustomed to. And although it takes more than one leaf out of the book of the Obama campaign song producers, its aesthetic does reflect the youthfulness of the Labour campaign and its fresh approach.

It was a week dominated by MaltaToday's revelation of kickbacks paid for Enemalta oil purchases and the 'war of the tablets' - where, mysteriously, billboard slogans were changed from 'Tablets for Year IV students' to 'Tablets from Year IV onwards'.

But Muscat also made it a point to tackle some of the relatively smaller issues on the political agenda but which would otherwise make a difference to the electorate directly affected by the proposals. On Friday, he pledged to finalise projects started off by the PN administration but which got delayed or abandoned. Braving the strong winds and cold weather, the Labour leader descended on three localities - Bormla, Birzebbugia and Qormi - promising to finalise the Dock 1 project "during the first months of the legislature", the completion of the water polo pitch in Birzebbugia and the building of a footbridge or underpass - depending on what the feasibility study suggests - for the Mriehel bypass.

Muscat also found time to visit other localities, including the Fgura primary school - where he was swamped by mothers - and the hawkers' market in Mosta, where the rain may have kept hawkers away but didn't stop residents from flocking to meet Muscat.

And for the second time in three weeks, Muscat also descended on Gozo for a four-hour visit in which he held a 15-minute press conference in Mgarr on good governance, toured the Gozo agriculture cooperative and held a 30-minute political activity under the tent in Sannat.

Although in relatively small numbers when compared to the usual activities held in Malta, the crowd that gathered gave Muscat an enthusiastic welcome amid cheers of "Joseph! Joseph!" and "Viva l-Labour".

Muscat also spent a few minutes signing copies of his biography before heading back to Malta.