The Nationalist Party (PN) has used the traditional Independence celebrations at the Granaries in Floriana to drum up support among its party activists, most of whom were feeling alienated and dejected after five successive electoral defeats in the last four years.
The latest electoral poll published in MaltaToday two weeks ago, which confirmed the trend that the Labour Party (MLP) was still ahead with 51.9 per cent as against 43 per cent for the PN and four per cent for Alternattiva Demokratika (AD), must surely have made uneasy reading for the boffins at Tal-Pieta`.
Those who wished to a contrite Prime Minister who acknowledged the catalogue of blunders made by the Nationalist Party in Government over the past few years were disappointed, as Gonzi would have nothing of that.
A hyped-up Gonzi boasted that opportunities in Malta were “palpable”, citing the Mater Dei hospital, the growing IT industry, pharmaceuticals, electronics, financial services and other sectors as places where Maltese people were employed, leading to an increased improvement in quality of life.
The Prime Minister accused the Labour Party of always choosing the wrong side of history, committing grave mistakes during crucial times. “This is the party that tried to rob your destiny during the run-up to the referendum.
“Now they are presenting themselves again to the Maltese people to win their trust. But the people will answer back by renewing their confidence in the Nationalist Party”, he told the crowd.
Strangely enough, there was no shout of “Gonzi, Gonzi” by the sizeable crowd on the Granaries for the concluding act of the PN’s Independence celebrations, although the crowd did chant “Nazzjonalisti, Nazzjonalisti” at times.
However when Deputy PN leader Tonio Borg referred to former party leader Eddie Fenech Adami, the crowd warmly shouted “Eddie, Eddie”, as if yearning for a return of the more charismatic veteran leader.
On its part, the MLP challenged the Nationalist stronghold on the Independence Day celebrations and for the first time ever has organised a mass activity (aptly called “MassFest”) at the same time as the PN’s mass meeting.
Labour activists, who have been buoyed by the party’s string of victories at the local council elections and the European Parliament elections, have been longing to show their might in the streets since the ill-fated 2003 general elections.
A sea of red confetti welcomed the Labour leadership as they went up on stage to deliver their speeches to an enthusiastic crowd shouting “Viva l-Labour, Viva l-Labour” which thronged Pretty Bay to have fun and listen to the political speeches.
An ecstatic (and slightly incoherent) Alfred Sant said that Maltese and Gozitan people were ready for the party to catalyse a new change in the country after 20 years of stagnation under the Nationalist Party.
“People want a change and we are ready to give them the change they are longing for,” Sant declared.
The people were tired of the government of the day, in which, he said, incompetence had become the rule of the day and seriousness the exception.
He gave a litany of the Nationalist Government’s string of scandals since Gonzi took office in March 2004, the latest cock-up being the cost overruns at the Water Services Corporation.
Sant referred to Gonzi as “Doctor Gooooonnnnzzzziiiii”, using a drool that was intended to ridicule the Prime Minister in front of the Labour supporters and create dramatic effect. However, drooling can also be associated with other types of behaviour, not all of which are necessarily good things when attributed to future Prime Ministers.
He also mentioned the recent problems at declaring that the station cannot be described as “Xandir Malta” anymore but “Mandra Malta” (“Pigsty Malta”).
Twenty years ago, it was the Nationalist Party who had used a similar strategy by calling the state broadcaster “Dardir Malta” (“Nauseous Malta”) in its campaign against the imbalance of the State broadcaster at the time.

Those who spoke of the “MLPN” have been proved right, as the two main parties even chose the same song to warm up their respective supporters during Thursday evening’s activities – the summer hit “Rise Up” sung by Moonraisers’ frontman Jaba.
Have you noticed anything interesting related to the electoral campaign? Then send an e-mail to Charlot Zahra at :
czahra@mediatoday.com.mt