His last stand

The Gonzi strategy has finally come out into the open. Many political analysts, including this news portal, have been expecting Lawrence Gonzi to use the budget promises as the launching pad for his re-election campaign. The fact that these promises would be unachievable is of little consequence. Whatever the outcome of the next election, the budget that Gonzi wants to read in parliament will not be administered by this legislature.  It’s Gonzi’s last stand in the pursuit of a personal obsession.

The Prime Minister said that the current legislature is in its last weeks. Reading between the lines, it is obvious that he does not entertain hopes of obtaining approval for the budget. It is equally obvious that besides promising the impossible, he wants to gain time and call the election in 2013. A vote of no confidence, at the time of his reply to the Opposition leader’s speech on the budget, would topple the government but this would give him the excuse to call elections in 2013 instead of during the Xmas period.

Lawrence Gonzi knows that by procrastinating and delaying debate on the pending Parliamentary motions he can prolong the few weeks he is talking about to a few months. National interest does not figure anywhere in Gonzi’s strategy. The Labour Party Leader has said that “We are not in a hurry”. Besides, the few weeks that Gonzi speaks about will not change the people’s opinion. However the urgency is about the welfare of the country. Even traditional PN sympathisers, such as the President of the Chamber of Commerce are saying that this uncertainty is creating instability. Gonzi has been proved untrustworthy and will do anything to satisfy his personal ego.

Mr. Speaker will give a ruling on the motions presented in parliament. He has sought advice from a constitutional lawyer but he has a duty to the country. He cannot allow himself to be used for partisan reasons at the expense of the welfare of the nation. Lawrence Gonzi believes that he has a God-given right to stay in power, even though he knows that he has made a mockery of Parliamentary democracy.

Franco Debono has said that he deems it a privilege to give the final blow to Gonzi’s oligarchy. He also said that when a Prime Minister hangs on after losing parliamentary majority, it would be changing democracy to a dictatorship. 

Nationalist strategists say that Gonzi feels a duty to complete his mandate. Lawrence Gonzi has every right to feel whatever he wants but he has no right in forcing his feelings on the electorate, in disrespect for democracy and the people of Malta and Gozo.