Some saw the rain during Carnival as a curse. Others saw it as a blessing because it is much needed. Our soil and rocks were crying for it. It is sad that those who prepared for Carnival suffered expenses and inconvenience, but the truth is that we need rain and it is a blessing.

The same can be said for other happenings in our country. Some tolerate corruption to a greater or lesser extent. But as the Nationalist Party realized, one cannot permit corruption, mismanagement, and loopholes, as has always happened in planning and building. This hurt most the small fry and they responded with vengeance. Now the small ones are allowed to eat their morsels while the big ones feast on their big cake at the expense of our natural environment and urban landscapes. The truth is that one cannot permit rot to reign because it is hurting the country now and will affect the future.

It is as if we have come to realise that we must rein in the big corporations who are dumping tons of plastic on us and on the environment. Now it is being found even in far-away seas. The truth is that when something new is created (like a new cleanser for the skin or an appliance), the manufacturer should be obliged to study how it is recycled and that it will not cause damage to the natural environment. Otherwise, we will suffer dire consequences.

Before we parade ourselves as the saviours of the world, we should first be just and charitable with ourselves by believing that correctness, legality, checks and balances (against greed, egotism and whims) and foresight are an investment for our future.

 

Joe Portelli

Nadur