In the sweltering summer days, the Nationalist Party is in search of a new leader.   And it seems the search is urgent.  The reason or reasons as to why this hurry, baffles me.   PN members, now entitled to cast their vote to elect the leader, should have ample time to discern.   Party leaders do not grow on trees.

Recently, I read the biography of John Henry Newman, written by Ian Ker.  Newman was an important controversial figure in the religious history of nineteenth-century in England.   He was an Anglican priest, poet and theologian, who later became a Roman Catholic Cardinal.   Amongst other acknowledgements, he is cited for his conversion, and his quote “to live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often".  This quote intrigues me and here I will use it profusely; without a shadow of doubt not as intended.  

Let me state at the outcome that I am not in the fashion business.   I am a traditionalist in my dress code.  I feel comfortable in dark suits, matching ties when and if required, and white or light blue shirts.   So what follows here is not about fashion trends, but about changes.  Like other things, fashion changes with the times and therefore it is a fine example of change, which dovetails neatly into the line of thinking I want to share with you.   Dovetail fittings are, as you are aware, used to fix firmly two different parts - male and female!

I was brought up in a time when many mothers trained their daughters to, from an early age, stitch small holes and tears once they appear on any garment, particularly socks.  Since then, times have changed drastically, and so have the mothers and the rest of society.  A lot of fashion-conscious parents now wear shredded jeans and custom-holed t-shirts.  Wearing ripped, loose threads and faded fabric clothes has come into fashion.  While I find this kind of tattered fashion absurd, without any hesitation I acknowledge that the way people dress is entirely a personal issue.  People should be left to form their opinion as to what is appropriate or not.  Of course, there are some limits.   People do what they think is best for them, and this should not be an issue as long as they do not impinge on the rights of others. 

This brings me to the other point.

With the snap general election over and done with, everyone has returned to their daily chores and commitments.   Many parents will soon be relieved from toing and froing their toddlers from one teaching institution to another, or to grandparents. Teenagers will invade our beaches, despite the many warnings by the health authorities to stay out of the sun, at least in the midday hours. Clubbing till the early hours during weekends remains an attraction for the younger generation, and perhaps to the not so young.  Retired persons, admittedly mostly male, head towards the village square to meet friends, and in the shade, exchange viewpoints about issues raised the previous day in prime-time news bulletins.  

In the afternoon, after a light snack, many enjoy a siesta.  After all, it is summer.           

Politics will, during the hot months, be pushed on the back burner to simmer until the weather gets cooler again.  Despite the lull, it is acknowledged that politics is a noble service to the community and politicians of all shades and colours deserve nothing but loads of respect.  Even when it goes ballistic, politics is the most effective tool to mould the present and shape the future.    

However, it looks as if this will not to be the case this summer within the PN.  The PN, as yet, is determined to appoint a leader forthwith.  I cannot fathom why the rush, unless there is some good and sufficient reason which has not been disclosed.  I feel that the PN should stop from engaging party members from entering into a leadership race, particularly in the hot summer months and the current political fatigue.   I do not understand why the haste and the very tight schedule announced last week.  Tomorrow, the PN’s General Council will be convened and, hopefully, the PN, being the people’s party, should encourage councillors to actively participate in the proceedings.    

In the meantime, I keep to my original stance.   I strongly believe that, unless there is absolutely no other way, the PN needs to give its members a break from politics.  Party members need time to reflect, to re-energise and to have ample time to discern.  

To reiterate Cardinal Newman’s quote: “to live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often”. The PN members should keep this in mind and cast their vote for new party leader after due reflection and acknowledgement of the rapid changes in our society.  The nineteenth-century Cardinal was right back then, and hopefully PN party members will be allowed enough time to think.

 

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