“Be smart” is this year’s slogan for the festivities of one of Malta’s milestones, Independence Day, another in the long chain of achievements by Nationalist governments.
Being smart is not just a slogan. It is a notice that puts you in alert mode. Alert to the resignations at the preferred union, the General Workers’ Union, where just because you are moderate, you are kicked out.
This is a direct message to floating voters, usually considered to be a moderate, that if you vote Labour, then you must become militant and aggressive.
They have no room for moderates. Just imagine your vote going to the left, what dividends are you going to reap? Imagine helping Labour win the election by not voting or once again trusting “new Labour”, who will be unable to govern, due to its moderates.
They would have to purge these people, not that they are new to this kind of job. But this would end becoming a non-government.
Coupled with the internal feuds within the Labour party itself, then, a recipe is brewing for more resignations. Being smart is to take up all the educational opportunities that this government has created.
On all levels, this government is working to help produce professionals in various trades and sectors. Banking and ICT are at the forefront, but other jobs are being created in call centres and the like.
But being prepared is a must. What a difference from those years when students had a points handicap to get into university, MCAST was shut down, and sponsors were needed to continue learning.
Being smart is seeing the difference in today’s life and the opportunities that are available.
The new consultative group on tourism was smart too. The private sector knows what and how to deliver. We are amazed that it took so little to come out with a confirmation on proposals forwarded by low cost carriers.
For those of us in the private sector and in tourism, this is normal, because decisions are there to be taken and challenges to be turned into opportunities.
We could have done this faster. Too many signs were ignored, some seen years ago. I was on the board of the NTOM at the time and I had made a presentation on internet bookings and how the world would look in five years’ time.
The marketing board chairman and consultant shot my suggestions down as being too futuristic. Time proved me right.
Tourism is not just about low cost airlines. Tourism is a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle, and every piece is important. Besides getting our house in order, and hopefully the long drawn restructuring exercise at the MTA will be really completed, palm reader and all, our focus should be on marketing.
Branding Malta abroad and locally, advising the population to go back to our roots has been done before, we know how to do it, so stop blaming the construction industry or the state of the roads.
Other destinations like Cyprus, have more construction work going on than we do here. Still, they receive nearly three times our incoming numbers.
Listening to professionals is not a sin and bringing in professionals is not a crime.
I was really pleased with the appointment of our new MTA chairman, because finally, the stigma of conflicting interests in this country is removed once and for all.
Coming directly from the trade, not by a job, but by vocation, makes all the difference. Some people do the job because they like it, and not because of newly-given perks.
Conflict of interest is there only if that person uses his position to acquire something, or take advantage of others. Let these people do their job. These are smart people.
On another note, during the St Julian’s feast I saw a mobile police station. It would be a good idea that this mobile station – if only one exists – is used in specific and in sensitive areas.
Ta’ Xbiex immediately came to mind, a locality without a police station due to the size of the locality. The use of such a mobile station would, in certain streets, serve as a deterrent to would-be criminals.
Since wardens have still not made an appearance in Ta’ Xbiex, maybe the Commissioner of Police would accept an appeal from the residents to have this mobile station parked there on some days. This would be a smart move.
The political summer is over, we are now looking forward to the various budget proposals, and for parliament’s work to restart. The coming months and years are an opportunity for us to build on what we have achieved… to build smartly.