Labour launches 2012 general conference

Labour has launched the 2012 annual general conference in a press conference addressed by deputy leader for party affairs Toni Abela, party president Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi and executive secretary Lydia Abela.

Toni Abela said the conference will commence this Thursday, and explained that the conference was scheduled before the current political crisis. "This conference is business as usual for the party," he said.

Asked whether the party is prepared for the possible announcement of a snap election, Abela said the party would call a meeting of its national congress to approve its programme and candidates. Abela said both the manifesto and list of candidates are at an advanced stage and "if and when elections are announced the party will be ready."

"The list of candidates is substantial and many candidates have been approved. However the party will officially announce the list when the general election is called," he said.  Asked whether the PN had made any contact with Labour about a possible pact, Abela also said there had been no contact between the two parties since the crisis started.

The general conference commences on Thursday 12 January and ends on Sunday 22 January. This Sunday, Opposition leader Joseph Muscat will participate in a question-and-answer session with party delegates and local committee members.

PL president Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi announced that the conference will be discussing two motions. The first motion to be discussed will be about local councils' governance. The other motions concerns the governance of the country, entitled 'Prudence in governance: progress and stability'.

Recently a number of local councils have been in the news for a number of alleged irregularities and foolish in-fighting. The motion concerning Local Council governance says it "regards transparency, efficiency and social solidarity are amongst the most important values in regards to governance." The motion urges the PL to present a team of candidates that "embrace the value of good governance and are ready to defend communities and families against bureaucracy through flexible local institutions by assuring transparency and being closer to the electorate."

The second motion concerns the general governance of the country and looks forward to the first ever party congress later on during the year. The motion says "success can only be achieved if quality jobs are created, wealth is spread, governance is equal to all, social justice is practiced, the environment is improved and civil liberties are strengthened."

Labour's executive secretary Lydia Abela said the conference will include five workshops, to be organised by the party's local councillors, youth section, the Ideat Foundation, the woman's section and the veteran's section. The workshops will also be addressed by activists and experts coming from civil society.