I have been upholding and militating within the Labour Socialist Party and the General Workers Union for a very, very, long time. Ideas started being implemented in my head when during the 1955 Labour Government under Dom Mintoff we introduced free school books to one and all. Parents no longer needed need to put aside some small change each week or month from their food budget to buy school books for their children.

I lived through the times when the General Workers Union fought and took to industrial strikes to better the workers wages which were “peanut wages” and at a time when workers had little or no say at all.

I was one of the G.W.U. Youth Committee alongside others like Eddie Scicluna, David Mallia, Borg the Ginger, Richie Mifsud, Joe Gerada, Charles Miceli, now Profs Pirotta and a few more, who under the Guardianship of Union Asst. Secretary Mr George Aguis and Esposito at that time, organised and held “discos” at the General Workers Union Hall.

I remember the time when working hours were 48hrs with a 6 day week before the 40 hour week was introduced. Factory workers wages for a 48 hour, 6 day week were only 1 pound 5 shillings.

Distribution of Plots to Couples

I remember the time when the Government introduced plots for married and engaged couples to build their own homes. This is why our Islands now have an 80% ratio of privately owned homes.

The Government also gave couples two thousand pounds from the newly created Lohumbus Bank as a loan with the interest to be paid based on their wages.

How Principles Change!!

As I see and view things nowadays, I see that the policies of the Labour Party and Governmental bodies have changed dramatically. It appears that these policies have been shifted in favour of the capitalists and land exploiters.

Protests against land grabs and building outside of the development zone are falling upon deaf ears. When one of these business persons takes the law into his/her own hands and builds on or takes over a street or sidewalk without a permit and is cautioned, they simply apply for sanctioning of the illegal works and in most cases are given a permit!!!

Is this right? Are these permits justified? How is it that they can break the law and then have their illegalities sanctioned by the board, which after all also falls under the governments auspices, who should of course be protecting the rights of their citizens?

The General Public Are Fed Up

How is it that in quiet streets or in a basement an individual can illegally build a restaurant or bar without any permit which seriously affects all of the residents  and then when action is finally taken an application for approval is submitted and a permit is issued!!!

The majority of these are being approved. Adieu to the normal citizens who made huge investments in buying their surrounding properties. So on and so forth.

Is this right? Is this the way things should be sanctioned by the authorities? Ultimately it is the Government and Parliament who are responsible.’

People are admiring protest groups such as “Graffiti” who are taking positive action against these abuses as we have lately seen with the Graffiti group taking action in Comino and other places.

Government Responsibility

Quo Vadis “Labour Party”? Is this the way we, the elderly Socialists fought for, being eroded by not at all good “Modern Way Policies?”

During my time in Government I had stopped all of the submitted building applications for the Marsalforn Valley. No permits were given or issued during my time. It was after the change in administration that building permits were issued for and in the valley.

I also spoke out when the Military Cemetery in Chambray was to be “bulldozed.” It happened as I had warned and now we have lost it forever.

It is no wonder that about sixty thousand voters didn’t bother to go and submit their vote. I do believe that many thousands are losing hope in the authorities.

A parking ticket is issued and a fine has to be paid. That is it for the normal citizen. But for the big developers and abusers the laws are simply not being applied.

It is high time for Government and the responsible authorities to take positive and urgent action to stop these ongoing abuses which are destroying all the things we hold dear.

We simply cannot carry on like this, there will be nothing left for our children to enjoy and most certainly nothing left that will attract tourists to visit, and any that do happen to visit will surely not return.

“Our Goose That Laid The Golden Egg” is very sadly already well on the way to extinction and heading towards permanent oblivion!

Lino DeBono

Photo Caption: Xlendi Fertile Valley (supposedly protected) which in former years a bulldozer entered on a Saturday night and wiped everything away. This paved the way for the developments which took place afterwards and sadly continue today – Lino Debono

Permalink: Changes, From Good To Bad, by Lino DeBono