Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela stood before a sea of blue and white at the Labour Party’s headquarters in Pietà yesterday, not to celebrate victory, but to reflect on resilience. The party, he said, has been ‘protecting people, crisis after crisis’.
From Financial Crisis to Pandemic
Abela’s speech, delivered to mark the Labour Party’s 75th anniversary, was a walk down memory lane, a journey through the trials and triumphs that have shaped Malta’s political scene. He started at the turn of the century, when the party faced its biggest challenge yet – the financial crisis.
‘In 2008, when the global economy was on its knees, the Labour Party stood tall,’ Abela recalled. ‘We protected Maltese jobs, we protected Maltese families, and we protected our economy.’ He pointed to the party’s swift action, including the introduction of the ‘1800 Euro Challenge’, which provided financial assistance to those most affected.
Navigating the Pandemic
But the crisis that dominated Abela’s speech was, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. He praised the ‘strength and resilience’ of Maltese people, highlighting the party’s role in keeping them safe. ‘We closed our borders, we implemented strict lockdowns, and we rolled out one of the fastest vaccination programmes in Europe,’ he said.
Abela also addressed the criticism the government has faced over its handling of the pandemic, particularly regarding the procurement of vaccines. ‘We were accused of not doing enough, of not acting fast enough,’ he said. ‘But we knew that our priority was to keep our people safe, and that meant waiting for the right vaccines, not the fastest.’
Abela’s speech was not just a retrospective, but also a look ahead. He outlined the party’s plans for the coming years, focusing on economic recovery and social justice. ‘We will continue to protect our people,’ he said. ‘We will continue to build a fairer, more equal society. And we will continue to do so together, as one nation, one community.’
Abela’s words were met with cheers from the crowd, a testament to the Labour Party’s enduring appeal. But as the party looks to the future, it does so with an eye on the past, guided by the principle that has seen it through crisis after crisis: protect the people.
