ELECTION SpECIaL ELECTIONS dayS12 TO gO Harry’s ‘silent revolution’ - pg 8 mIssue 1 • MONDAY,alta 25 FeBRuARY 2008 • www.tmaodayltAtoday.com.Mt PRICE €0.50 / LM0.21 HYPE SUNDAY Leaders stir up thousands at mass rallies with tried and tested slogans, but say nothing new gONZI in Sliema – pgs 6,7 SaNT in Floriana – pgs 10,11 NATIONALISTS mt SURVEY SHOCKING! JOSIE’S ‘ENEMIES SQUARELY BEAT MLP OF THE STATE’ ON ENVIRONMENT pg 3 3 SPEECH pg 9 3 159, Labour Avenue, Naxxar Tel: 2388 0088, 7939 2939 paper post News 4 maltatoday2 maltatoday election special election | special Monday | 25Monday February 25 February2008 2008 newsnews maltatodaynews survey Monday 25Monday February 25 February2008 | maltatoday 2008 | maltatoday election special election 3 special 5 PN squarely beats Labour Labour on environmental issues MLP shows the party’s failure to ronmental policies to those of the ties. capitalise on discontentment cre- rival two parties, only 2.6% would Yet significantly, 44% of those 18% think AD has best ated by the onslaught of develop- vote for the Greens in the forth- who prefer AD’s environmental ment over the past years. coming election. In fact 42.8% of policies are either undecided or ‘poor’ policy on environment The MLP’s manifesto also sends those who think that AD has the refuse to divulge their voting in- contradictory messages on the best environmental policies are tentions in the next elections. High on the hug - PN leader Lawrence James environment, with the party still equally split between the PN and This could be an indication that Gonzi makes his entrance in Bormla with Debono supporting the development of MLP. Only 11% of these would the battle for the green vote is still a round of hugs from his voters golf courses and a yacht marina vote for AD. raging and that some potential MALTATODAY’S ongoing elec- Ulysses Lodge in Ramla l-Hamra in Gozo and refraining from tak- This is an indication that the en- green voters are still undecided toral survey has revealed that and the extension of development ing a commitment to reverse the vironment is not such a primary whether to follow their instincts on while 39% think the Nationalist zones, the PN retains a significant extension of development zones. concern for these voters who are or to choose the lesser evil be- Party has the best environmental lead on this issue. The party’s ambivalent stand on swayed to vote for the other par- tween the big parties. policy, only 23% think likewise on The survey comes in the wake hunting could also dent the par- the Labour Party. 18% say Alter- of Lawrence Gonzi’s promise ty’s green image. And kisses too - zealousness turns nattiva Demokratika has the best to redress the country’s “envi- Even MLP voters show a degree Which party has the best Voting preference for those into affection as Lawrence Gonzi environmental policy. ronmental deficit” by taking the of scepticism on their part y’s envi- policies on the environment? (%) who believe AD has best green takes his seat But among those aged between Malta Environment and Planning ronmental policy: a third of MLP policies (%) education, 18 and 34, AD is judged to have a Authority into his own hands if voters refrain from expressing a PN 38.7 PN 21.4 better environmental policy than elected back to power. It corre- preference for their own party’s MLP 22.8 MLP 21.4 the more established Malta La- sponds with the importance given policy, with 10% opting for AD AD 18.4 AD 11.4 bour Party. to sustainable development in the as the party with the best policy AN 1.5 AN 0 This shows that although overall PN’s electoral programme. on the environment, 2.4% opting None 3.9 Not voting 1.4 GILBERT CALLEJA the PN is deemed to have the best The survey indicates that the for the PN and 21% expressing no Don’t know 14.6 Don’t know 30.7 environmental policies, a political PN’s strategy of backtracking preference at all. No reply 0.1 No reply 13.6 says Gonzi force like AD which is still aspir- from controversial development The survey result also reflects ing to enter parliament is deemed like the Xaghra l-Hamra golf AD’s historic role in raising the By age groups (%) to have the best environmental course and the Ramla l-Hamra profile of environmental issues PN MLP AD AN None Don’t know No reply PHOTOGRAPHY BY policy by a fifth of the Maltese development coupled with meas- and its consistent opposition to 18-34 39.9 14.4 26.1 1.3 2.6 15.7 0 population. ures to control the construction spring hunting, golf courses and 35-54 32.5 24.2 19.7 1.4 4.6 17.7 0 This emerges from a survey industry have helped to restore mega development. 55+ 43.9 27.8 7.8 1.3 4 14.9 0.3 “They are trying to hang on of choosing on conducted among 900 respond- the party’s green credentials. Th is is especia l ly the case among MATTHEW VELLA ents held last week. Still, while 39% prefer the PN’s younger voters aged between what Lord Adonis has claimed education. “This Methodology in a study on the reception is not question a recollectionpage 4 of the clashes college in Qormi, with Gonzi Surprisingly, after a turbulent green policies, 43% prefer the 18 and 34. Among this category The survey was held between Monday 18 and Thursday 21 February. A total of PRIME Minister Lawrence class when Labour’s proposal of being Labour or National- between the Labour govern- announcing a new school to be five years which saw the Gonzi- policies of the other three oppo- while 26% express a preference 1,638 respondents were randomly selected from the telephone directory with Gonzi yesterday laid emphasis is nothing like what is being ist. The question is whether ment and university students, built in Verdala, Cospicua. He led administration clashing with sition parties. But only 23% deem for AD’s environmental policies 900 accepting to be interview. The survey was stopped as soon as the 900 once again on Labour’s pro- done in the UK. And it’s us, you want a government that Gonzi paid tribute to foreign also said a new PN government environmentalists on major is- the MLP’s environmental policies only 14.4% express a preference quota target was reached. The survey results were weighed according to the sues like the Xaghra l-Hamra as the best. for the MLP’s policies. age and sex distribution of the population in the 2006 demographic review. The posal to introduce an extra the Nationalist Party, which will have your children repeat minister Michael Frendo, a wanted cruise liners berthing survey has a margin of error of +/-3.26%. ‘reception’ class for kindergar- has uncovered this decep- a year in their education. And protagonist of those days as a at Senglea alongside berths golf course, the redevelopment of The poor result achieved by the But while 18% prefer AD’s envi- ten children, denouncing it as tion.” it would be a big loss and a university student. “Labour’s currently used by the dock- a repeater year. Gonzi said that a gulf is big mistake for our country. proposals for MCAST and the yard, while adding he “hoped “Labour are just stubborn on separating the PN from the We would be ruining our only university are poor,” Gonzi the GWU won’t order actions” this issue,” Gonzi said during MLP in education, and called resource in our country if La- said. against their proposals. his public dialogue in Cos- on voters not to let political bour is elected.” Yesterday, the government al- picua’s Gavino Gulia square. affiliation come in the way Harking back to the 1980s in so inaugurated the St Ignatius [email protected] Sant hits back at The Times: they wrote about puddings WAKING up to the news that Francis Zammit Dimech will be suing him for libel over the interview appearing yesterday in The Sunday Times, Alfred Sant hit back at the newspaper’s editorial stand challenging him to bring forward evidence of corruption instead of shooting from the hip. “The Opposition leader makes a damning implicit admission: that he is making statements which undoubtedly damage people’s reputations without having anything but gossip and hearsay to back them up,” said The Sunday Times leader Simone Cini tends to bring out the best yesterday under the title ‘The in Sant, who looked ‘cool and relaxed’ proof of the pudding’. “This is on Il-Hadd ma’ l-Ahbar, on One TV not acceptable in pub conversa- tion, let alone on the political platform.” Speaking during the Sunday programme on One TV pre- rided the Times for its stand. he told the presenter as she they don’t even bother investi- morning newspaper analysis sented by Simone Cini, Sant de- “They wrote about puddings,” broached the subject. “truth is, gating corruption.” Dive in now. www.maltatoday.com.mt daily 6 maltatoday election special | Monday 25 February 2008 news news Monday 25 February 2008 | maltatoday election special 7 Fear and loathing on the campaign trail MaltaToday’s reporters sum up the last weeks of campaigning Julia Farrugia has experienced the good, The election campaign Julia the bad and the ugly has been hijacked Farrugia in this election and Karl by non-political previous ones.