Saviour Balzan is amused by JAM’s latest promo and ponders on what might happen next Saturday
If there is one candidate who leaves me gobsmacked, it has got to be John Attard Montalto. Mike Jagger lips and a permanent smile (that, I could do with myself), he epitomises everything that Labour should not stand for.
“JAM”, as his number plate on his Mercedes coupé once proudly announced, this very week spelt out in an advertisement the reason to vote for him.
He said he was a gardener, an artist, a voyager... and then a politician.
Really, we all laughed so hard in the newsroom that we were in need of medical attention for sudden choking. JAM is flamboyant and bohemian, yes... but a gardener and an artist? Please, no. And since when does one proudly boast about travelling as a good enough reason to send someone off to Brussels for a five-year holiday?
Needless to say, JAM has no qualms about showing off what he likes most when not playing the role of a Europolitician.
And yet again, if JAM succeeds in getting himself elected, it will not be because he has convinced us of his evident unclear contribution as a European parliamentarian. There is little doubt in my mind that it would have been his excessive election budget and spending spree during this campaign, that enticed some voters to go for him.
For this very campaign underlines the serious problem supposedly facing the Electoral Commission when it comes to controlling spending by candidates.
Indeed, the first problem is that the Electoral Commission does not consider spending to be a problem.
Which otherwise leaves many potentially ideal candidates racing to compete with the excesses of Sharon Ellul Bonici and Simon Busuttil.
The former has a budget that surely should have raised a few eyebrows at Mile End at the Electoral Commission. But no, everything is perfectly all right if an individual spends thousands and refuses to disclose the origin of these funds.
Meanwhile, Simon – who as we all know will soon be competing with Mother Theresa for beatification – has helped himself to the role of unofficial campaign manager of the Nationalist party, when he himself is a candidate. Just in case he does not get enough exposure, he also serves as the Prime Minister’s compere during his press conferences.
No wonder everyone falls in love with this guy, and that is why he is expected to reap thousands more first-count votes this time.
But back to JAM. JAM is indeed a more problematic candidate for the Labour party than, for example, Edward Scicluna.
Yesterday’s hate mail addressed to some Labour delegates by an anonymous letter writer about the MLP’s prime candidate Edward Scicluna – came with a special aroma. An aroma that takes anyone with a nose to the Stamperija in Our Lady of Sorrows Street, Pieta.
This is the kind of Machiavellian scaremongering that you find brewing in Nationalists circles when the walls of Jericho start to crumble.
I have been there, I know.
Which brings us back to the campaigns and the superficiality in the line of arguments presented to the public. Surely, the Labour campaign is more on the ball, more focused and effective... but like many electoral campaigns it does not draw up clear solutions to the fundamental theme issues which are, immigration, high utility tariffs and free health.
Most of the time Labour says the government is wrong, it does not come up with hard-nosed solutions.
The PN, on the other hand, is reactive and inspired by the two polite gentlemen, Simon Busuttil and Stefano Mallia: two great minds who believe that their focus on who presses the right button is going to shock the Maltese electorate not to vote for Labour.
Even the PN portal Maltaright.now, and of course other friendly presses, have little to say other than emphasising the peripheral issues such as the fact that Muscat arrived half and an hour late for a TV appearance on one of those bloody boring BA debates.
Of course, no one would have commented if the latecomer were Guido DeMarco. With the DeMarcos you are guaranteed to wait for hours before they show up with a big smile on their face and outstretched hand for a handshake.
But then DeMarco is not Muscat, and...
Politics is all about perception and emotions, as one Maltese old hat told me. And this is exactly what favours Muscat over Gonzi.
The other question is what does Muscat really need if he is to blow his bugle on Sunday night? He definitely needs an absolute majority. Anything below that would be a victory for Gonzi.
If Gonzi does suffer a defeat which translates into an absolute majority for Muscat, it will spell out a few home truths:
• That GonziPN has failed;
• That those in his campaign team are to be held responsible for this and this includes the one and only Simon Busuttil and Richard Cachia Caruana;
• That the shit has hit the fan.
If Gonzi believes that he can entertain a reshuffle then he had better think twice. What the people want to see and hear are the following:
• A government based on meritocracy;
• A government that opens up its doors to civil society;
• A reform at PBS;
• A reform at Mepa;
• Not appointing The Cardinal as Commissioner;
• A new electoral law;
• A law on party financing;
• A revamped Broadcasting Authority and Electoral Commission.
If on the other hand Gonzi does not suffer such a major defeat, then he can keep on doing what he has been doing... in other words, imposing political apartheid and taking the wrong decisions. As for Muscat...
Well, he had better start thinking whether it was such a good idea to leave the European Parliament and head the Labour Party here in Malta, or better still enjoy his two daughters, the star and the sun, and get on with life.
Tomorrow Saviour Balzan asks what it takes to be a candidate and what he plans to do on Saturday 6 to get away from the great temptation of casting his vote.
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