Let us start at the beginning, when some young , honest and hard working people had a cause and started going out on the streets, stopping at cars stuck in a queue to Gozo, or in traffic, knocking on doors and setting up stands in Valletta to collect signatures.
They stood up and did something for what they believed in. We owe them big time. Thanks guys, we will not forget what you did to try and bring some sanity into our thinking and protect not just the birds migrating to breed but also the formation of young minds.
Unfortunately, the cross dressing politics of Joseph Muscat being what they are, the grand effort and commitment shown by the young referendum makers, was dismissed discriminately when they were not allowed to vote. They were given the vote for the Local Councils but not for the Referendum.
What a way to instill confidence in the next generation of Malta! This double speak is damaging and goes against the spirit of trust and respect. But it seems that local politics extend only to selective minorities which bring the right kind of vote in. Those, whose vote would be likely to promote environmental issues and going beyond the local scene, are to be denied and victimised.
It is quite likely that with the vote of the young generation, the one that will have to live with the legacy of the previous generations, the No vote would have prevailed. Years of education and a new wave of thinking crashed against the rocky shore of labour politics to be drawn back out to sea. Had they not been allowed to vote for the Local Councils, one might have followed the logic but allowing one and not the other cannot be seen in any other way than direct interference.
The old style politics prevailed upon the minds of those who cling to the status quo for all they are worth. These men and women know only one way of living and it is the same as it was centuries ago. Servility and fiefdoms. Given to believe that the end of the British base in Malta meant Jum il Helsien and empowerment, they ask for little more, boosted occasionally by anointing an outsider, like a sacrificial offering, to a Suldattal-azzar. If ever we needed any reminding of the pathetic control over the state of mind of the greater part of the population, the macho gestures of the Labour Party in the discourse on the hunting issue demonstrated it is very alive and well. And the message to children and adolescents remains one of dependence and tribalism.
This is done not just by the politicians but also with the compliance of the women. I am curious to know how many of those who did not vote were women. Have they been too busy, unable to find even the 10 minutes needed to go down to the polling booth and cast their vote? Do they consider it something outside their responsibility and competence? Is keeping the peace at home better than taking a stand? How close does domestic violence come into these households? Will shifting allegiance onto the party leader somehow alleviate the guilt?
These are all outdated legacies which will continue to prevail if they are fed by the political classes, as has happened.
The message from the leader of the opposition on the result of the referendum was that maturity prevailed. Firstly, an absence of brawls and jeers is not the only benchmark of maturity. And really, how would it have been if the No vote had won? Would all hell have broken loose? It would have been good to see a strong message of new politics being made, by the opposition declaring that it would support the No vote, that what was good for Malta 12 years ago, has now been superceded by the real maturity of people and politics and by offering to support the campaign with the best spokesperson the party has, a woman, Ann Fenech. Ann is able to capture the message so well and speak to many. On the eve of the local councils election, speaking at the eleventh hour on Net TV, she was able to put forward strong, simple and persuasive arguments that go right to the essence of the matter. I am sure that with her oratory and drive the No campaign would have attracted many female voters who otherwise did not bother to vote. Her energetic pace would also have resonated with the younger crowd and promoted the vision of renewal which was lacking in the campaign, both for the referendum and for the local councils.
New politics should be about women and youths. It should convince and become a reality. Female politicians must stand out and confront the media. Why is there the need to have them flanked by men? Or abroad in Brussels rather than here, now, where they are needed to make the difference? In the past, women were the teachers and the nurses. Today they are MEPs or rushing to child care centres and nursing homes to visit their ailing parents. Malta needs concrete action that addresses gender politics not by empty words but by serious opportunities and encouraging more participation in public life. Unfortunately, our female President is always seen with her husband by her side and I cannot imagine why he has to be present for so many public functions - after all, which woman takes her husband to work with her? And so many of the initiatives being organised by the President reflect the role of the woman in the family rather than in society. The fairy tale of the Princess and the castle is well cast at San Anton.
And not far off from the patriarchal society, is the message given by Joseph Muscat to the hunters, on the Yes win. Thinking to appease the 49% who voted No, he gave the hunters a scolding. First the hunters were led to believe that Joseph Muscat had their corner and was sticking his neck out for them, then when they brought home a good bag of birds, they were scolded. The threat of a ban came down on them and the reverse of what they fought for happened. They had won a doubtful future. How can they honestly say that another flamingo will not be shot? Or that any poor soul or tourist who happens to wander onto a country lane in spring will not be harassed with a shot gun pointing towards them? Rightfully, the hunters are now scratching their head and wondering what to do, while trying to shift the responsibility onto the police. Restoring the restrictions that had been removed by Joseph Muscat, would help to put words into action and restore some balance. The trapping of birds should be stopped too.
The referendum has shown us that the old way of doing politics in Malta is really past its expiry date. True, the Yes vote did win but it will be the last Hoorah. Any party that reinforces the old belief system is doomed to the scrap heap. The wave of now, the wave of new, the wave of innovative ideas will carry on and I don’t think Joseph Muscat can play Moses much longer.