The news that Marisa Micallef was appointed one of the Labour Party consultants spread like wildfire. It is understood that Micallef’s task will be to report directly to the Leader of the Labour Party and of the Opposition, Dr Joseph Muscat.
She will be advising Dr Muscat on how to attract to the Labour Party family persons who, like her, formed part of the rank and file of the Nationalist Party and at present feel to be without allegiance to any political party. To try convince people who never formed part of the Labour family to join the party with the expectation of winning their votes in the next general election is definitely a great step forward. In this way, the Labour Party hopes win the next election and find itself in power. Therefore whoever wishes to come forward and join the Labour Party should be welcome.
However, first and foremost, the Labour Party should be careful to see that it does not lose Labour votes of diehard supporters, votes that at present are quite secure. As a matter of fact it would be futile to try to win a vote and then lose another, or double the number to say the least. What is Labour doing to help those Labourites who feel abandoned and without any support whatsoever, especially from the administration of the party and the parliamentary group?
What is Labour doing to keep such people in the workers’ family? When will Labour be putting the necessary pressure on the Nationalist government to control prices and make other effective controls to stop inflation? What is Labour doing to see that sentences pronounced by commissions, tribunals and the office of the Ombudsman against the government will be effected, and the injustices suffered remedied? A decision by the Select Committee regarding these sentences had to be taken by the end of October 2008. What happened? Was the matter shelved?
Regarding such matters, it might well be said that in spite of the fact that the Opposition does not form part of the government, it had come to an agreement with the government regarding the rent laws. The Opposition is also discussing with the government on an agreement regarding MEPA legislation. So the Opposition can likewise take seriously matters regarding injustices suffered by Labourites. To do this it does not need anybody’s advice, because even Nationalist party supporters suffered such injustices.
On the other hand, the Labour Party should not render itself a charitable institution by employing within its ranks as consultants ex-Nationalists who found themselves unemployed. In my opinion such important posts should never be filled by birds of passage, but before anyone is appointed to shoulder such responsibilities, first he or she should prove their abilities and convictions concerning his Labour principles. It is a known fact that until quite recently Marisa Micallef was one of the best known staunch Nationalists who criticised the Labour Party, including Dr Joseph Muscat himself.
Persons like Marisa Micallef should therefore give voluntary service to the Labour movement without any remuneration. Only after proving themselves to be loyal and efficient should such persons be considered for other important posts within the administrative set-up of the Labour party.
According to reports carried in local papers, for her work as consultant Marisa Micallef will be pocketing a salary of about €40,000 per annum, which is quite substantial. This salary is even higher than that of the highest civil servant. According to the PN’s secretary-general, Marisa Micallef went to the Nationalist government asking for work. Has then Marisa Micallef turned to the Labour party because she really and honestly feels that the Nationalist party in government is not administering the country properly as it should or simply because those who once were her colleagues did not give in to let her have her way?
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