We all make choices, hundreds of choices each day. We choose what we wear, what we eat, what we drink, where to go, what to buy and so much more. For most of us, many of these choices are insignificant. We do not even realise we are making them.There are harder choices in life. Some we take with close family members others with dear friends. We choose the model, the make, and the colour of the car. We choose the house. We choose to take a new challenging employment opportunity or set up a business. For every choice we make, small or big, we have to be prepared to shoulder responsibility.
On a different level the electorate is called to make a collective decision, almost at regular intervals. We choose the political party which inspires us most and gives us hope for a better future. People always dream of living happily ever after. In most cases our decisions shape our present and future. In a democratic society the winner takes it all. People made a clear choice. People voted out the PN and called in the PL to take charge. People are now expecting the promised goods. It goes without saying the deliverables should be better than those delivered by the previous administration.
Transparency, accountability and meritocracy promises mesmerised our society and thousands saw it fit to embrace and make these values theirs. The PL gained a nine seat majority in Parliament. However,against all odds,in a rather short span of time instead of maximising positively the advantages of this large majority, government is repeatedly failing to honour the commitment made. The PL leadership is looking weak as important national decisions are being postponed and citizens are being deprived from information to the extent that even members on the PL back-bench are getting restless while a number of ministers and parliamentary secretaries are getting cold feet. Since the party leadership is failing to take decisions in line with the promised transparency, accountability and meritocracy the PL delegates should exercise pressure on theirparty leadership. If PL delegates fail to push for a shift in direction they would be renouncing to an important privilege. Like the PL leadership, they will certainly regret their inability to take action now.
The budget 2015 is also about choices. Last week the budget addressed too many minor challenges but did not address the real bread and butter issues.The budget failed to address public transport, the new power station, Air Malta, the EU funds, the second pillar in the pensions' reform, the Individual Investors Programme and the environment.Workers and pensioners will get €0.58 wage increase weekly while the lucky ones will receive a one-time-cash payment of €35 also. As expected the budget measures announced for 2015 will continue to be debated at various levels not least in Parliament. The promised PL change in direction is now taking its toll.
However, all this has shifted as road rage has hit our streets again. This has now reached unprecedented levels. On Wednesday night, a foreigner was involved in a very minor traffic accident following which shots were aimed at his car and fired as he was driving away from the incident. The shooting incident marginalised the four hour budget speech. The aggressive behaviour by a motorist in response to the actions of another road user is deplorable and not acceptable. It becomes a matter of greater concern when the aggressor is a police officer and an escort to the Minister for Home Affairs and National Security. Why the Prime Minister is wasting so much of his time, energy and public funds to save the minister is raising too many questions.
Closer to home, a dear relativelately was hospitalised.My relative stay at Mater Dei was a night-mare. A corridor turned into a small hall with no space for the medical professionals to manoeuvre among the patients was shared between eight patients. Other patients had their beds parked by the way-side.All patients were deprived from a bed-side cupboard and were left with no option but to keep their belongings in a plastic bag. While most of the health care professionals and auxiliary workers make an extra effort to attend to patients'with care and empathy the place has grown too small for an aging population.
While the opposition party leadership may have all thegood intentions to work closely with government in the health sector the reasoning behind this move is certainly not the best choice. Patients receiving treatment at Mater Dei deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. My gut feeling is that the PN is not looking forthe proper and just solutions in the health care sector but instead is looking for a scratch-my-back-and-I-scratch-yourstruce with the government. If this is the case patientswill continue to be the end losers.
People are silently observing, following the events from a distance waiting patiently for the leader to show them the way. From what I have followed during the past days there is one in the making.