Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1305625
13 BUDGET 2021 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 1 NOVEMBER 2020 Top 10 issues and measures Robert Abela Bernard Grech Pandemic 29 Environment 57 Pensions/Elderly 23 Gozo 51 Gozo/Gozitans 18 Work/jobs 31 Comparison 2013/2019 17 Health 25 Environment 16 Pandemic 23 Governance/rule of law 12 Education 22 Jobs saved in pandemic 11 Tourism 15 No taxes 10 Reputation 11 Boat Immigrants 10 Poverty 11 Wage supplement 9 Construction 11 Social Conscience 9 mentality which sees foreigners as little more than a source of revenue for the Maltese. He also said that all those who come here irregularly will be sent back ig- noring the fact that asylum seekers also come here irregularly but have an inter- nationally guaranteed right to apply for asylum. Abela could have at least spec- ified that he was referring to those with no claim to asylum and not to all those who arrive here by boat. To further ag- gravate matters he took pride in block- ing the harbour to "boats of COVID infected immigrants" when this was not even the case with boat arrivals in March and April. Abela's complete lack of empathy with people arriving in boats can only serve to embolden bigots who are not keen on fine distinctions. In the same speech correctly praised the contribution of foreign nurses and other foreign workers particularly nurs- es for their contribution during the pan- demic. Here it is Abela who fails to make a dis- tinction between foreign workers needed to provide vital services in hospitals and those imported in precarious conditions to perform lowly paid jobs particularly in construction. Moreover Abela's recognition of their work falls short of granting these people political rights, including the right for third country nationals to vote in local council elections. Yet while Abela's discourse is problem- atic, he appeals to the common sense of the people, in an area where Grech is bound to appear more moderate than Abela. Curiously Abela found himself contrasting the PN to more hawkish par- ties in the European People's Party some of which are allied to far-right parties. But his own discourse on the issue may well make most European socialists cringe. 5. Abela manages to project unity in his own party while hitting at divisions in the PN During his speech Abela reached out to his leadership rival Chris Fearne, de- scribing him as the best health minister in history while repeatedly mentioning him along with national icon Charmaine Gauci (whom he mentioned five times). The image he projects is that of a party which is united and open to everyone. That is why Abela repeatedly referred to his party as a movement. He has also resurrected the divorce is- sue, proposing lifting the four-year sep- aration requirement, in a move which could ignite tension in the PN, now led by a leader who had campaigned against divorce. Moreover, aware of the multifaceted nature of his coalition, he distinguishes himself from Joseph Muscat's party by emphasising the socialist orientation of his government which he substantiates by measures targeting low income earn- ers and protecting jobs during COV- ID-19, while still proclaiming himself to be "both pro business and pro market". And unlike most socialists the world over he prides himself on not taxing the profits of the rich and instead prefers an economic model in which the country is hooked on capitalist growth and pass- port sales. Despite his green pretensions, Abela was quick to remind property developers on how dire the situation in their sector was between 2008 and 2013. Significantly in his litany of superla- tives he now also claims that his party is the best even in governance, taking pride in the fact that under his watch heads have rolled. Yet he failed to convincingly reply to Grech's challenge to hold an inquiry on the Electrogas project and boasting about becoming a model of good govern- ance for others shows a lack of humility especially when considering the silence of nearly all present Labour MPs on this issue before last December. In this aspect Abela still has to prove himself, and his cockiness may raise ex- pectations which he is in no position to deliver without turning against his pre- decessor and his legions of sycophants. Abela is now facing another test, ini- tially resisting calls for the removal of MFSA CEO Joseph Cuschieri following revelations of his Las Vegas trip with Yorgen Fenech in May 2018. Cuschieri later suspended himself pending an in- vestigation. Grech is in the same position with re- gards to party unity with time still need- ed to heal past wounds. For while he did congratulate Adrian Delia for his court case on Vitals, he is vulnerable to criticism that he formed part of a plot to remove a PN leader, al- beit one legitimised by a strong vote of party members. Abela did exploit these divisions, warning Grech that others like Roberta Metsola could end up doing to him what he did to Delia.