Monday, March 10, 2014

Sena ta’ Gvern Laburista

Intlabt naghti kumment ghall-gazzetta it-Torca (9/3/14) dwar l-ewwel sena ta' Gvern Laburista. Wegibt hekk:

Sena ta’ Gvern Laburista, wara kwazi hamsa u ghoxrin sena ta’ Gvern Nazzjonalista…. Hemm min forsi kien qed jistenna l-mirkali f’din l-ewwel sena, specjalment wara li l-Partit Laburista bena politika ‘minghajr avversarji’ – dik ‘taghna lkoll’- li waslet ghal rebha elettorali fenomenali fl-2013. U hemm min jirraguna li fl-ewwel sena, il-Gvern gdid ghadu qed isib saqajh u ghalhekk hija xi haga naturali li jiehu decizzjonijiet tajbin u ohrajn inqas tajbin, forsi wkoll frott ta’ nuqqas ta’ esperjenza.

Dan huwa Gvern tal-politika tat-‘third way’ – il-politika li giet teorizata minn hassieba bhas-socjologu Anthony Giddens u mhaddma minn politici bhal Tony Blair. Din it-tip ta’ politika hija wahda prammatika li ghandha aspetti xellugin – bhat-twemmin fl-inkluzjoni socjali, u aspetti leminin, bhat-thaddin ta’ politika ekonomika neo-liberali. Imbaghad hemm aspetti li jippruvaw jirrikonciljaw il-gustizzja socjali mas-suq hieles.

Fil-fatt ,fl-ewwel sena ta’ Gvern Laburista f’Malta rajna kif ihares lejn l-ugwaljanza f’termini ta’ l-inkluzjoni socjali u drittijiet civili. Ghalhekk, il-Gvern qed jahdem biex idahhal l-unjoni civili bejn koppji ta’ l-istess sess – bl-istess drittijiet ta’ kopji mizzewga; ser idahhal childcare centres b’xejn ghal genituri li jahmdu jew jistudjaw; kif ukoll li jdahhal mizuri ta’ welfare li jinkoragixxu lil persuni biex jidhlu fid-dinja tax-xoghol u jzommu l-beneficcji socjali ghal medda ta’ snin.

F’dak li ghandu x’jaqsam mal-faqar u l-eskluzzjoni socjali, hija pozittiva li l-Gvern hareg green paper ghall-konsultazzjoni mas-socjeta’ civili, u hija pozittiva wkoll li l-Gvern qieghed jirikonoxxi li dawn ir-realtajiet ghandhom dimensjonijiet varji. Dan imur lil’hinn minn hsieb fossilizzat ta’ one-size-fits-all fil-politika socjali.

Rajna wkoll li l-Gvern qieghed jipprova jkun iktar inklussiv fis-settur edukattiv, billi, fost ohrajn, jirikonoxxi li hemm tfal li gejjin minn tipi differenti ta’ familji u kulturi.

Bosta policies f’dan ir-rigward ghadhom ma dahlux fis-sehh, izda kollox jindika li ser jiddahlu. Dan zgur ikun ta’ sodisfazzjon mhux biss ghal persuni involuti direttament f’dawn l-oqsma fil-hajja personali taghhom, izda wkoll ghal min jemmen f’socjeta’ iktar gusta u iktar inklussiva.

Min-naha l-ohra, rajna li l-Gvern Laburista wettaq bosta decizzjonijiet li jxeqilbu lejn in-neo-liberalizmu. Per ezempju qieghed inaqqas it-taxxa fuq id-dhul ghal min jaqla’ l-iktar. Din il-politika tista’ tidher sabiha u tista’ trebbah il-voti, izda tista’ twassal ghal riperkussjonijiet finanzjari li jheddu is-sostenibilita’ ta’ servizzi pubblici, li huma tant importanti biex nevitaw il-faqar u inugwaljanzi kbar.

Hawnhekk tidhol il-famuza kwistjoni tac-cittadinanza, fejn huma stmati li jidhlu xi Biljun Ewro fil-fondi pubbli. Ovjament, din hi somma kbira, izda wiehed irid joqghod attent li ma ggibx maghha infieq insostenibbli li jwassal ghal kollass finanzjarju hekk kif dan id-dhul jispicca. Biex ma nsemmux l-aspettattivi gholjin li jirrizultaw minn dan id-dhul, fejn korpi u gruppi differenti jibdew jaghmlu iktar pressjoni fuq il-Gvern ghal htigijiet settorjali taghhom.

Il-problema li ghandi jien b’dan kollu hu li pajjizna qed jiftah il-bibien ghal min jiflah ihallas, u jghalaqhom ghal min qieghed jahrab minn sitwazzjonijiet tragici f’pajjizi foqra. L-isfortuna ta’ dan kollu hu li dan kollu qed isir bil-barka tal-Kummisjoni Ewropea, li qed tersaq il-boghod minn mudell socjali u egalitarju.

Fil-qasam ambjentali jidher ukoll li l-Gvern Laburista qieghed jaghti priorita’ lill-interessi ta’ zviluppaturi u negozjanti kbar. Nassumi li l-ghan hu li ddur ir-rota ekonomika, izda dan ser jigi bi prezz gholi: prezz li diga’ rajna kemm jiswa taht Gvernijiet Nazzjonalisti li ghamlu ftit li xejn f’dak li ghandu x’jaqsam ma’ sostenibilita’ ambjentali. Kemm nistghu nibqghu nibnu mega-progetti? U kemm nistghu nibqghu nahlu rizorsi bhall-ilma qisu xejn m’hu xejn?

Dwar l-energija, il-Gvern qieghed jimxi skond il-mandat tieghu favur uzu ta’ gass u b’mod prammatiku qieghed jipprivatizza parti mill-EneMalta. Il-mistoqsijiet tieghi f’dan ir-rigward huma jekk il-Gvern huwiex qed jghaggel wisq fil-politika tieghu – per ezempju f’dak li ghandu x’jaqsam mal-hazna tal-gass f’Marsaxlokk- u jekk il-Gvern huwiex ser jaghti priorita’ li jisthoq ghall-energija rinnovabbli. Din ta’ l-ahhar tista’ twassal ghal iktar sovranita’ fl-uzu ta’ l-energija f’Malta, specjalment jekk l-istat ikollu rwol ewlieni fil-qasam. Dipendenza fuq oligarkiji ta’ l-energija ghandha l-perikli taghha.

Qasam iehor li qed johloq kontroversja hu dak tal-hatriet f’karigi ewlenin fis-settur pubbliku. Filwaqt li nifhem u naqbel mal-kuncett li nies ta’ fiducja ghandhom ihaddnu twemmin simili ghal tal-partit fil-Gvern, u filwaqt li nirikonixxi li bosta nies li nhatru f’karigi ewlenin ghandhom il-kwalitajiet u l-kwalifici mehtiega ghar rwoli rispettivi taghhom, fl-istess hin nahseb li saru numru ta’ hatriet li m’humiex fuq bazi ta’ meritokrazija. Jidher li pajjizna – bhal pajjizi ohrajn fin-nofs in-nhar ta’ l-Ewropa, huwa mdorri bil-politika ta’ patrunagg.

Ghalhekk, jidher li dan il-Gvern ghandu pluralita’ ta’ dimensjonijiet u direzzjonijiet.

Nahseb fiz-zmien li gej ser tkun iktar cara li politika favur l-ugwaljanza ma’ tistax tinjora l-klassi socjali. Per ezempju, fil-kwistjoni tax-xoghol prekarju, x’ser jaghmel il-Gvern? Ser jintroduci ligijiet cari li ma jippermettux dan it-tip ta’ xoghol u li, per ezempju, jghollu l-paga minima, jew ser jaghmel kif jixtiequ l-ghaqdiet ta’ min ihaddem – jigifieri li jhalli s-suq isuq? Liema klassi socjali ser jappoggja l-Gvern?

Probabilment il-Gvern Laburista ser jibqa jahdem fl-isfond ta’ strategija ta’ politika minghajr avversararji, u jipprova jsib kompromessi f’kwistjonijiet li jaharqu. Izda din it-tip ta’ politika tista’ tahdem fuq medda ta’ snin? Rajna li fil-kaz ta’ Gvern Laburista bejn l-1996 u l-1998, kien hemm impluzzjoni, fejn l-aspettativi kbar li holoq il-Partit ma setghux jintlahqu ghax kien hemm wisq kontradizzjonijiet. Min-naha l-ohra rajna li Gvernijiet Nazzjonalisti irnexxilhom jirrikonciljaw interessi differenti ghal bosta snin… .. Izda mhux ghal dejjem, bhal ma rajna fil-kwistjoni tad-divorzju.

Nemmen li fis-snin li gejjin nistghu naraw zewg toroq ghall-politika tal-Gvern Laburista.

L-ewwel li l-istrategija ta’ ‘taghna lkoll’ hija wahda mimlija kontradizzonijiet li ma jistghux jigu rikonciljati – u li ghalhekk sarfet biss f’rebha elettorali minghajr garanziji.

Jew, it-tieni, li l-Gvern Laburista ghandu strategija effettiva ta’ kif jirrikoncilja l-politika tieghu u li qed jibni egemonija, l-istess bhal m’ghamlu Partit Laburista fis-sebghinijiet u l-Partit Nazzjonalista ghal kwazi kwart ta’ seklu, fejn saru bidliet kbar fis-socjeta’ Maltija.

Nittama li jekk dan hu l-kaz, il-Gvern Laburista jaqbad triq li thares iktar lejn ix-xellug.

Labour’s year at the helm

The Sunday Times 9th March 2014
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140309/local/The-more-things-change-Labour-s-year-at-the-helm.509802


The Sunday Times asked me for a short comment on the first year of Labour Government. This is how I replied:


With regard to social justice and civil rights, Labour is attempting to increase equality through measures such as universal childcare centres and recognition of plural family forms, even in education.

This is a big step forward in Malta. On the other hand, Labour’s fiscal policy is regressive. Shortfalls will possibly be aided through the cash-for-citizenship scheme, which, in turn, can generate new antagonisms through the demands it creates. The latter is also in line with the discriminatory concept of Fortress Europe.

On energy, Labour is in line with its electoral pledge, but it may be rushing too much in its risk analysis of gas storage. Besides, overdependence on energy oligarchs has its dangers.

The same can be said with respect to over-reliance on big business land developers.

Where public appointments are concerned, not all can be deemed as meritocratic, as is the case with southern European patronage.

Challenges such as the battle against precarious employment and the need to increase the minimum wage will give a clearer definition of Labour’s direction. This is a ‘third way’ pragmatic government which is attempting to reconcile social justice with neo-liberalism.

This is a government that can implode due to its internal contradictions, or that can be building a hegemonic government, as was the case with Labour in the 1970s and the Nationalists for almost 25 years.