Joseph's Vision

"I want to see the Labour Party not only transformed internally but rather taking in its stride the leading role to transform the country’s agenda into a more progressive one. I want to see the Labour Party at the forefront of proposing and advocating the environmental reforms and social changes that are overdue under this conservative rule."


Saturday 7 June 2008

Joseph Muscat wins MLP Leadership Race

Well, here we go. We've been given an extensive programme for change within the Labour Party to prepare it for Government. The first challenge has been overcome and now we must all work together on the second, and more important challenge - to create a modern progressive party that can develop a vision that can inspire and engage people, lead the party to Government and change Maltese society for the better and for good. Good luck Joseph!

I'll be keeping an eye on things and will continue updating this blog as we see how things develop

Joseph Muscat wins MLP Leadership Race

Watch his first remarks after winning the election.

Joseph Muscat wins MLP Leadership Race

Read the statement on his website.

Saturday 31 May 2008

MLP Leadership Contest - Joseph Muscat's Vision (Part Nine)

OBJETTIV 9: PARTIT LABURISTA ATTWALI

Issir revizjoni ta’ l-Istatut biex permezz tieghu l-istrutturi tal-Partit Laburista jaggornaw ghal din il-generazzjoni u ohrajn futuri.

I'm not reaally clued up on the structures of the Labour Party. As someone looking in from the outside it's all a bit of a mystery. Still, let's have a look.

35. Billi fost il-proposti li jigu miftuha ghad-diskussjoni jkun hemm li l-Assemblej jinhataw dimensjoni statutorja u jkunu miftuha ghal membri.

To be honest, not sure what this means but it seems to reinforce the ongoing theme of opening up discussion and engaging support more effectively into the decision making process.

36. Billi l-Konferenza Generali titwal permezz ta’ laqghat ghad-delegati fejn jigu diskussi u dibattuti policies, kif ukoll jigu mizghuda permezz ta’ kelliema minn sezzjonijiet differenti tas-socjeta’ kif ukoll minn barra l-pajjiz.

Absolutely a good idea. Less of the long speeches with the big heads telling us what's right and more open debate and discussion with groups reporting back to the conference. How to choose and integrate the different ideas is the question.

37. Billi jigi propost li fuq medda ta’ snin, il-Kunsilliera Lokali, li huma eletti direttament mill-poplu, jinghataw rwol akbar fid-decizjonijiet li jittiehdu.

Agree - absolutely!

38. Billi jigi propost li kariga fl-Amministrazzjoni tal-Partit Laburista tkun responsabbli direttament mill-kordinament tal-hidma rigward Kunsilli Lokali.

Ditto!

39. Billi l-Kumitati Lokali jissahhu halli ikomplu jsiru l-punt fokali ta' l-involviment tal-Partit Laburista f' kull komunita'.

This could be an interesting one. I can't be certain because I've never been involved in the frmal structure of a political party in Malta but they do give the impression of being a little too top-heavy in their structure. Getting local committees more involved will help morale and motivation and get people out on the street to canvass and campaign. Any party needs that.

40. Billi r-revizjoni ta’ l-Istatut tal-Partit tinghata prijorita fl-ewwel sena. Dan isir permezz ta’ Kummissjoni li titwaqqaf apposta ghal dan il-ghan u li tiltaqa ma’ l-istrutturi kollha tal-Partit sabiex tigbor ideat, suggerimenti u proposti. Wara, bis-sehem ta’ professjonisti minn bosta oqsma, fosthom mill-qasam legali, jitressqu ghad-diskussjoni proposti biex l-Istatut tal-Partit jittejjeb mil-lat prattiku, politiku u legali.

You judge an organisation on its results so there's only one judgement to make about the Labour Party over the last twenty years. Something hasn't been working very well and that needs to change. The structure of the party has not been able to deliver a winning formula and therefore the time is rype for reveiw and reform. I think it's fair enough that this is something to which attention is given as quickly as possible.

MLP Leadership Contest - Joseph Muscat's Vision (Part Eight)

OBJETTIV NRU. 8: PARTIT LABURISTA AMBJENTALI

Partit li jsahhah il-kredenzjali ambjentali tieghu u jfittex li juza prattici Ewropej fil-qasam ta’ l-energija u ambjent.

32. Billi ssir review ambjentali tal-prattici uzati fic-Centru Nazzjonali Laburista bil-ghan li jitnaqqas il-konsum u jizdied l-uzu ta' energija alternattiva u nadifa, u jigi generat inqas skart.

You've got to lead by example. The fact is that so far all the 'environmental' activities in Malta have been a bit hollow. It's all been nice fluffy stuff. Oooh, let's plant a few trees. How pretty! There's been little or no effort to actually get it in to people's heads that we have to change the way we live. We are actually going to have to make a personal effort - each and every one of us. We are going to have to take personal responsibility for this. So far, our Government simply hasn't had the balls to do this.

Of course, it's a tough one all the more so when elections in Malta are so tightly contested. But taking the lead and actually doing something pro-active to force the party to change its behaviour and to become more carbon friendly I think is absolutely necessary. If we have to get people to change the way they live, we have to set the example. I hope this happens whoever wins next week.

33. Billi dan iservi ta’ progett pilota li fuqu jkunu incentivati biex jimxu c-Centri Laburisti madwar Malta u Ghawdex.

Of course .... and then all Government buildings one hopes.

34. Billi l-Kunsilli Lokali b’maggoranza Laburista u dawk il-Kunsilliera li jinsabu f’minoranza jahdmu aktar biex il-Kunsilli Lokali juzaw prattici ambjentali fil-komunitajiet i jirraprezentaw.

Mhux ovvja siehbi!

MLP Leadership Contest - Joseph Muscat's Vision (Part Seven)

OBJETTIV 7: PARTIT LABURISTA TA’ IDEAT

Partit li, permezz ta’ l-istrutturi godda tieghu jaghti l-possibilta’ lil kull individwu biex tressaq/jressaq ideat u proposti personali.

30. Billi jitwaqqaf il-“Forum ta’ l-Ideat” fejn kull persuna tkun tista taghti l-ideat u suggerimenti taghha ghal proposti Laburisti.

It seems to me that the building of a big progressive tent is something on the forefront of Joseph's mind. I'm sure there will be lots of people wanting to contribute ideas but the big challenge will be to recruit people who are currently outside the tent.

The problem I see is that people in Malta are still mostly stuck blindly to one side or another and the big battle ground are the few thousand in the middle (like me) who are prepared to make decisions on a case by case basis based on which party we believe represents the best option for Malta.

Unfortunately the Labour Party has lost so much credibility with this core (and it has to be said) growing group that the first challenge will be to engage them and re-integrate them into the debate on Labour policy.

If this happens, then Joseph's ideas forum could be a fantastic tool for the centre ground to begin to feel some ownership over progressive policy development and that could make a hell of a difference come election time.

31. Billi jitwaqqfu Gruppi ta’ Hsieb dwar oqsma ewlenin tal-politika lokali, Nazzjonali u internazzjonali biex jghinu fit-tfassil kontinwu tal-politika gdida Laburista f’ dawn l-oqsma.

This is something that's always perplexed me - the lack of think tanks in Malta. I know resources are a bit of an issue. Well, they're a massive issue and there's always more pressing things to spend money on.

But, if we did have some groups that stood slightly apart from the political battlefield and looked more carefully and analytically in to the future we'd perhaps not have the awful looking building site that we call home.

For those of us who consider ourselves moderates and progressives there are lot sof areas in which Malta needs to develop some really tight policy strategy. Climate change resulting in rising temperatures, rising sea levels and increased migration are having an obvious impact.

Our present policy seems to be either ignore it or pass the buck or deal with it as a continuous emergency.

What we should be doing is getting people ready forthe fact that the days of a homogenous Malta, for example are over. How do we adjust to a multi-cultural society? Boq!! Well, let's have a think shall we?

Obviosuly there are loads of other things to worry about and politicians frankly need help with these big global questions which now, perhaps for the first time in our history, we alos have to take responsibility for. That's what being in the EU means!

MLP Leadership Contest - Endorsements

It seems there's been a bit of a ho-ha recently over endorsements, following Martin Schulz's statements about Jospeh when he was in Malta. I'm not sure whether what Martin Schulz says has much bearing on how delegates, or Maltese people in general think.

Obviously every candidate is trying hard to get as many high profile people to support him or her as possible and the other candidiates feel that Mr Schulz is perhaps the most high profile endorser yet. Maybe they still subscribe to the theory that becuase he's foreign he must have some special power to persuade people.

To be honest I think it was a load of hot air. Who the hell is Martin Schulz anyway? Sure, I think having his endorsement does help Joseph to further cement his international credentials but I don't think his input makes such a difference. I also diagree with the arguement that he shouldn't comment on Maltese affairs. He's head of the European Socialists. We're European and we're socialists (however you define that), so it seems to me it's fair enough that he comments.

Oh well, it all seems to have blown over now anyway.