Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/900922
maltatoday WEDNESDAY 15 NOVEMBER 2017 News 7 PN DEPUTY LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS This Saturday, the Nationalist Party will be electing its two deputy leaders. ROBERT ARRIGO and TONI BEZZINA are contesting the election to replace Beppe Fenech Adami as Deputy Leader for Party Affairs ROBERT ARRIGO TONI BEZZINA Together Normality ... as an alternative T here are no two ways about it. If the Nationalist Party wants to regain the people's trust, it must come together. Our aim is one: a better alternative to Labour - especially now, when the country is down a slippery slope. For a country's progress is not measured, solely, by its economic success – and even that, is disputable. When the fundamental values and safeguards, for a strong democracy are put in jeopardy, what you have is a country flat on its back. And, government spin aside, and hundreds of thousands of euros from our taxes to get that spin across, that is what we currently have. If having the European Parliament discuss the rule of law in Malta, as it did yesterday, is considered to be another day, another occasion, then we've really hit rock bottom. For crying out loud, who would have thought that in this day and age, with Malta as an EU member state, our rule of law would be put under the spotlight of the European Union? The current situation strengthens my resolve to work, tirelessly, within the Nationalist Party, and its leadership team. Admittedly, the Nationalist Party has seen better times. But it has seen worse. I've been there, with it, and within it, when democracy, rule of law, and freedom of expression were unheard of. We were beaten in the streets, and on our way to the polls, but we didn't give up, never, ever. And we won't give up now, especially now, when at stake is what we fought for then, and achieved, through hard work, vision, and the right policies. We shall not surrender. Challenges are there to be won. I know that, in politics, and beyond – I've had to face many a challenge. Challenges give me a stronger purpose to live, and work hard. Because hard work, and a positive attitude, is what the Nationalist Party requires if it is to succeed. And succeed it will. This Saturday, I'm offering the card-paying members of the Nationalist Party voting for the new deputy leaders a clear choice: 25 proposals which are doable, and necessary if we are to strengthen the party. Mine is a bottom-up approach, in all aspects, ranging from our party media, to its sectional committees, and the commercial side of the party. To the table, I bring years of experience in local and national politics, and in the business world. But this is not a one-person job. Team effort is crucial, if we are to succeed. Team – for united we stand, divided we fall, and the country goes to the dogs. The Nationalist Party requires a strong, stable leadership. The country needs a strong Opposition party, to rein in the government and present a better alternative to it when the country goes to the polls in 2022. It is a herculean task, I know; but not an impossible one. The other day, a long- time Nationalist Party supporter told me that if the latest surveys are correct, then the Nationalist Party stands no chance of winning the coming general election. I disagreed, strongly. As an aside, one needs to put these surveys into perspective for they come at a time when the Nationalist Party is still going through the process of appointing its new leadership team. Truth is that it is a volatile situation which the party is in, and this gives it little, if any, time to explain its policies and vision to the people. That time will come, soon. With the leadership and party administration in place, the Nationalist Party shall, from day one, embark on a wide-ranging exercise of listening to the people's needs and aspirations and drawing up policies in return. With the right polices in place, with its internal structures working as they should be, the Nationalist Party will be able to explain its vision, give Labour a strong opposition the country deserves, and concurrently explain in detail how it plans to be a better alternative to Labour. Interesting, challenging times are ahead. I, for one, am determined to give the Nationalist Party my all – and more – to make it electable again. Together, for then we're strong, credible and electable. T he only political force in this country that is organised both structurally and legally to take on the current government is the Nationalist Party. As the only political party forming the Opposition in Parliament, we need to ensure that we are up to the task and not just making our voices heard but felt. The only way that the Nationalist Party can ensure that this role is fulfilled is by engaging with civil society and representing their cries and calls in Parliament and with the people. The Nationalist Party has always been a people's party, placing people's needs above all. This is not a populist call, but a popular approach. We need to, once again, be engaging with the people, but most of all with those who represent the interests of all sectors of our society. Only then can we be in a position of proposing policies, with a long-term positive and lasting effect. This is why I am adamant on the need of an active document by which we propose our electoral programme. The electoral programme needs to ref lect the ever-diversified society we aim at satisf ying. The party is already very representative. It has hundreds of active members of society already elected as officials and scattered around our localities in the form of local councillors, we also have hundreds of local committee members and over one hundred members of special interest branches within the party structure. All these people are, on a daily bases, in contact with the people, our electorate. We need to organise better the way we communicate and open a two- way dialogue with the aim of using these exchanges to formulate current and relevant polices. We need to actively be present in people's hearts and minds in order to make the difference. We need to win people over by first gaining their respect and having them on board with us in decision-making that will in turn better their lives. This is what people-based politics are all about, this is what I believe in and what I set out to do ten years ago when I decided to embark on a political career. Everybody needs to have their part set out clearly. While it is up to activists and civil society to air their views as vociferous as necessary, it is then up to us politicians to propose, debate and legislate accordingly. I am also a firm believer in appointing the right people to do the right job. Whilst politicians have the gift of the gab and the ability to facilitate and move ideas forward, they also need to have the ability to engage the right person for the right job. I am not presumptuous enough to assume things, the best way is always to being on board the best people and the right person for the job. We need to engage more, discuss, bring out the best in each other, motivate, encourage, be supportive and get things done. It seems that over the years we have gone from bickering to jiving each other. We seem to always be waiting for the next person to slip in order to react to that. The time has come to move forward, and I say the time has come for much needed institutional reform. Reform that needs to take place and put in place the right checks and balances that make us all accountable across the board. We need to have less political weight on our independent authorities and institutions. Let us appoint the experts we so willingly quote across the f loor and give them the tools and the authority to act on the nation's behalf. We need to take our democracy onto the next phase of autonomy that will really and truly better our standard of living and provide the freedom and justice we so dutifully need to ensure.