Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1034189
15 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 30 SEPTEMBER 2018 ANALYSIS leave voters fuming struction, he sees high-rise buildings as an inevitable part of the country's future and insists that Malta's resources consist of "stone, land and labour", and all gov- ernments have striven to use them to get investment. Yet even Grima acknowledges that pro- gress comes with new challenges. "You have to break eggs to make an omelette." He also warns that despite social mo- bility, there is a growing layer of people at the bottom layer. But he still does not see any risk for Labour to face a left-wing insurrection similar to that in the UK where Corbynism swept Blairism aside. A guardian of identity Yet not everyone, including Labour voters and activists, is comfortable with the direction taken by the country. The anger is palpable not just in Pembroke but also amongst a segment of educated Labour-leaning voters who care about governance. In this context Sant may well stand up as a "guardian" of party identity more than a challenge to Muscat's hegemony. Moreover, with the Opposition in tatters this may even be the ideal time for some internal debate. Sant may even be filling a gap left by the Opposition which is not only rid- den by factional in-fighting but whose leadership is hesitant in its willingness to confront big business and further alien- ate its traditional allies. In a way criticism from the Labour party's 'left-wing' helps to keep the debate within the confines of the party and keep it from erupting else- where, for example in third parties or a new left-wing outfit. Sant can do this comfortably, fully knowing that his words carry gravitas without posing a threat. In a way Sant's words may well feel "reassuring" for those in Labour who resent Muscat's over familiarity with big business. If he contests next year's MEP election, Sant would remain a choice for these voters. "Alfred Sant belongs to a generation of politicians who do not need to af- firm their status basking in the shadows of the current leadership and while he was never a good communicator, he is universally appreciated for having sub- stance and an analytical mind which contrasts with the lack of gravitas among most of the party's young Turks," a left- leaning academic who preferred not to be named, told me when asked whether the words of the old leader still carry weight in the party. So what Sant may have in mind is to "steer a debate" to en- sure that his party does not abandon "principals for which he fought for heart and soul", the same academic told Mal- taToday. And if Muscat does keep his word and leave the party's leadership before the next election, this debate may also in- fluence the succession process. Even if internal observers are quick to point out that "there is no Maltese equivalent of a Jeremy Corbyn on the horizon." What could be a problem for Labour is the ability of the next leader to keep the party together in the same way as Mus- cat. So far, the best hope for Labour's left is to push for a debate. Time is ripe for debate For Desmond Zammit Marmara "the time is ripe for a discussion" on the is- sues raised by Sant in the Labour Party. "Many are questioning the closeness of the PL to the developers' lobby. Does this not go against the very ideals of what a Labour Party should stand for?" Yet like many other in- ternal critics who have spoken to this newspaper Zammit Mar- mara is cautious. "One has to be realis- tic and pragmatic and recognise the fact that continued economic growth cannot be sustained without a government pro- business approach that sees it energeti- cally supporting the private sector… "But the Labour Party should discuss how to find a balance between the in- terests of developers, those of local com- munities affected by development, and the national interest in general." The crucial question I would ask is, "How crucial is the economic model challenged by Sant to Muscat's vision of a cosmopolitan Malta characterised by never-ending construction and growth?" The other question is, "How crucial a cosy relationship with the fat cats is for implementing a growth model which may be alluring for some but dystopian for those living in its shadows?" jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Sant may even be filling a gap left by the Opposition which is not only ridden by factional in-fighting but whose leadership is hesitant in its willingness to confront big business and further alienate its traditional allies Desmond Zammit Marmarà