Busuttil pledges ‘clear vision and direction’

Adds Labour Party's reaction

The Nationalist Party's "credibility suffered greatly" in the run-up to the last election, however it never "committed the blunders" the Labour government has done in the last six months, Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said today.

Busuttil said the party would only regain the electorate's trust if it convinces the people that it has a clear vision for the country's future, however he restricted himself to pointing out the government's failings while promising that the PN would offer a better alternative.

In a brief statement, the Labour Party said "politics was not about sleeping". The PL was picking on the PN's closing song, 'Wake Me Up' by Avicii.

"Politics is not about 'sleeping until it is all over' but about staying awake to get the job done," the PL said in a statement. "It is clear that Simon Busuttil simply does not get it."

Addressing a PN mass meeting for the first time since succeeding Lawrence Gonzi at the helm of the party in May, Busuttil saluted the party's past achievements and said that the party supporters should be proud of its history and values.

However, the PN leader acknowledged that following years of success which culminated in Malta's Independence in 1964 and EU accession in 2004, the PN suffered its worst defeat in March.

"I am conscious of how hard these last few months have been for all of you, who dearly love this party. I know that you hurt, you cried and you worried," Busuttil told the party faithful who attended the final event of this year's Independence Day festivities in Floriana.

Busuttil said that after a period of soul-searching it was time for the PN to rise up and "become a strong Opposition."

"We are here today because we know that although the PN did great things for the country, we also committed a number of mistakes. We recognize these mistakes and we apologise. We also need to show that we have learnt from these mistakes and ensure that these mistakes are not committed again, neither by us, nor by the current government."

In an attempt to identify these mistakes committed by previous PN administrations, the PN leader said that the party "no longer appeared united and this greatly dented the party's credibility."

Busuttil added the PN allowed the Labour Party to sling too much mud at it, denting the party's integrity.

"We also recognise that the party should have remained closer to the people, we should have listened more and we should have been more sensitive to the people's needs."

The PN was now paying a high price for these errors, Busuttil said. However, turning his attention to the Opposition, the PN leader said that his party's mistakes come nowhere close to what the Labour government has done since taking office in March.

 "Although we have committed these errors, we certainly have never committed the heresies we witnessed in the last six months. Who was elected upon the promise of not committing such mistakes is in fact doing the opposite of what was promised."

Taking a dig at the Labour administration, Busuttil said that the government was "gorging" in dishing out favours and jobs. Despite promising meritocracy and transparency, the Labour government was acting furtively and brushing off responsibility.

"I do not want to be measured by the twisted measure of this government. We want to measure ourselves to the highest standards of integrity, competenece and responsibility. This is what we have learnt."

Busuttil pointed out that the party's responsibility was to expose the government's errors and failings.

"Part of our responsibility as an Opposition is to uncover the government, which after six months is already slipping up."

He went on to list a number of the government's shortcomings, including its decisions to part-privatise Enemalta,  its failure to switch the Delimara power plant from heavy fuel oil to diesel and the controversial promotions within the Army.

"There is no doubt. The 'Malta for all' slogan was deceitful. 'Malta for all' has become 'Malta for labourites only." But Mr Prime Minister Malta does not only belong to Labour, it belongs to us too."

However, Busuttil warned that the PN cannot rest on its laurels and expect to "regain the people's respect and trust just because the Labour government was stumbling from one gaffe to another. In order to regain the people's trust we must rely on our strengths and not on other's weaknesses."

The PN would only regain the people's trust if it appears honest, united and offers "better ideas than the government," he said.

The Opposition also needs to offer a "clear vision and direction" and show that it is better than Labour at managing the country's economy, Busuttil said without delving into what the PN's vision consists of.

Instead Busuttil restricted himself to claiming that the PN would regain the electorate's respect showing that it is capable of attracting investment, creating jobs, fostering wealth and social justice.

"We need to win the people's trust by showing them that we deserve it. We will regain their trust by showing that we do things the right way...because righteousness always wins (is-sewwa jirbah zgur)."

"I am in politics because I believe that politics is a tool to create prosperity and not hunger for power at all costs. I am not in politics to promise everything to everyone, but to make my utmost for the common good."

He added that he was not in politics to be a salesman "but to offer a vision." Moreover, Busuttil said that he wished this generation to be remembered for its selflessness and "intergenerational justice" to ensure that future generations enjoy a better country.

The PN faithful were also addressed by the new secretary-general Chris Said who expressed his satisfaction at the party's efforts to reorganise itself in recent months and conveyed a message of hope.

"We can look ahead with optimism to continue strengthening the party for the sake of the party itself and the above all for the country," an energetic Said told the PN supporters who gathered at the Granaries in Floriana.