It finally seems to be happening.

By giving a fair and honest assessment of AD’s chances in the next general elections, The Malta Independent editorial (Wednesday 24 January) reflects a gentle but ever stronger whisper among the electorate which we at AD have been starting to hear for some time now. These whispers seem to be finding voice in many of the issues AD has been pushing ever since AD was founded nearly 18 years ago.

More and more people have started to feel that the traditional parties, trapped in the partisan negative dynamic of black and white politics, do not have adequate proposals to solve the changing problems Maltese and Gozitan society is facing. Time and time again we are meeting people from all walks of life who express frustration, anger or disappointment at the manner in which local politics has been reduced to a zero-sum partisan battle which leaves little space for intelligent debate on the issues concerned.

More and more people have come to realise that their quality of life is rapidly deteriorating as the natural environment continues to receive a veritable onslaught. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the land we depend on are all under threat and people have started to face the stark reality that we finally have to do something about this. Many have begun to notice the clear link between serious illnesses such as childhood asthma and the air we are all breathing.

More and more people are reaching clear conclusions about the power of the construction industry to deface the last few remaining open spaces of our country or to change quiet residential areas into round-the-clock building sites. Many question the link between this power and the influence these large construction companies exert on the PN and the MLP. The environmental degradation, which is threatening our quality of life and that of our children, cannot be tackled by political parties which are so closely tied to an industry which is the main culprit of this very same degradation. It is for this reason that more and more people are turning to AD as a voice of hope and change. AD has been proposing solutions to these problems for years, solutions which are now becoming an urgent need for our country.

Other crucial issues come to mind. The need for an urgent reform of our antiquated rent laws in an attempt to open up a much needed rental market becomes ever more apparent as property prices keep on rising. While the other political parties seem oblivious to the ever-mounting pressure this situation is placing on the social fabric of our society, AD has placed this issue on the national agenda in an attempt to shake this state of inertia. Other proposals in the economic sector push forward an economic vision which works towards the elimination of monopolies and a work ethic based on meritocracy as opposed to political patronage. In education, AD believes in liberating the educational system from an overemphasis on examinations and towards a system which develops the creativity, enthusiasm and sense of learning of our students.

These and other issues are finding voice among a growing sector of the electorate who are turning towards AD to seek political change in Malta. Old fears are being shed as people come to realise that the only thing they need to fear is fear itself. Political change in Malta is possible despite an electoral system which is continuously being cannibalised by the PN and the MLP to suit their own partisan electoral needs.

Change is around and is waiting to happen. All it takes is 2,000 men and women of courage in one electoral district to come close to achieving the threshold to get elected to parliament. Two thousand people can indeed make history and help our country become a truly European country, pluralistic and healthily democratic in its respect for a wide range of voices in parliament.

We at AD believe in this vision of positive change for our country.

We believe in the importance of the positive values we strongly believe in: a respect for our common humanity, a respect for our common environment and a respect for a truly democratic and just society.

We believe that our 18-year commitment to promote these values against all the odds has given us the credibility to pledge our continued steadfast commitment to build a better country for us all.

Two thousand men and women of courage in an electoral district can help bring about a change our country so desperately needs.

Join the gathering whisper and together we can make a voice so loud it will make history.

Stephen Cachia is Deputy Chairperson of Alternattiva Demokratika –The Green Party

www.alternattiva.org.mt