Lemon juice has many beneficial attributes, but what about the squeezed lemon?

Earlier this week, I congratulated Dr Anthony Buttigieg after he had announced his decision to stand for the leadership of the Democratic Party. He will possibly be taking up the vacancy created by Marlene Farrugia who opted to depart after just some months in the post.

Dr Buttigieg is a very sensible person. On the morning after the general election he was faced with a declaration by Marlene Farrugia that she would not exclude running for the position of PN leader after Simon Busuttil’s resignation. Dr Buttigieg resigned as PD deputy leader, thereby taking a clear public stand opposing the impulsiveness of Marlene Farrugia. He also stated that Farrugia’s declarations were contrary to his beliefs, maintaining that, in his view, the PD should always be separate and distinct from the PN.

As a result of his stance, he made it clear to one and all that he considered being willing to form a coalition did not in any way signify discarding his party’s distinct identity. Being a critical ally on the basis of an agreed political programme is the way forward and in no way is it comparable to the boot-licking attitude of some others.

Apparently Marlene Farrugia thinks otherwise, as she has already made it clear that she still harbours the thought of possibly leading the PN in five years’ time. In her view, all four candidates currently vying for the PN leadership are worthless! She thinks that, eventually, it is inevitable that she will have to take the plunge. This unfortunately conveys one clear and simple message: that the current PD leader only sees a future for herself and her party as an integral part of the PN. Marlene Farrugia effectively considers the PD as a squeezed lemon to be discarded at the appropriate time.

As a result of her scheming to be elected at all costs, Marlene Farrugia has caused a great deal of long-term damage to third party politics in Malta. It is therefore appropriate that we seek to remedy this damage as soon as possible.

Alternattiva Demokratika will have no difficulty in exploring the development of common ground with a PD led by Anthony Buttigieg. Unfortunately, an earlier attempt at carrying out this exercise had to be abandoned as a result of the fact that, so far, impulsiveness has had an upper hand in the running of the PD since its founding. Buttigieg is more consistent: there is no perceived mismatch between what he says and how he acts.

There is so much to do and too few volunteers. Among the energetic colleagues of Anthony Buttigieg, I would single out Timothy Alden – the brains behind the current Democratic Party initiative to increase the protection of Malta’s valleys as well as the water table by possibly including them within the public domain framework of the Civil Code. AD supports this initiative. It is an initiative that deserves the support of everyone, even though strategically it would have been much better to first insist on the implementation of the existing policies and regulations which already afford substantial protection of both valleys and the water table.

The future of third party politics in Malta is dependent upon how successfully we can pool resources and not on the kind of prima donna politics that has been the source of so much long-term damage.

Squeezed lemons may have some use but they do not last long.

An architect and civil engineer, the author is Deputy Chairman of Alternattiva Demokratika – The Green Party in Malta.

[email protected] ,    http://carmelcacopardo.wordpress.com