Malta is a microcosm of the world at large. Its location is in the very cradle of civilisation. Throughout its chequered history its people have come in contact with the most powerful and the most advanced empires. They have tenaciously maintained their national identity and fought doggedly and bravely when their freedom was under threat from outside.

Yet they have a tendency to be clannish and to subdivide themselves in terms of saints and fireworks, band clubs and political parties.

In the normal course of events, this characteristic could have provided fertile soil for pluralism to take root in an environment congenial to tolerance. But in the Malta context this division often expresses itself in intolerance and in the game of divide and rule.

Formidable problems

At this point in time, Malta faces formidable problems, not least of which is the tax burden and the national debt. The bureaucracy is suffering from strain and unable to cope with environmental problems and with the imperatives of enforcement.

It is overburdened by a proliferation of quangos that seem to operate by guess and by God.

The problems of delayed justice, as well as the high incidence of drug abuse and criminality, continue to be cause for worry

What makes matters worse is that Maltese politicians seem to be permanently at loggerheads.

In any viable democracy, there must be enough room for differing policies and opinions and for dissenting voices. The point is to seek the support of the polis, so that the process of government could move forward, hopefully with the consent of the government.

Battle of ideas

In the hurly-burly of politics, new ideas, new political parties, new alignments may emerge and the general will would express itself freely in due course. For this to happen, the democratic process must be allowed to run its course,

In such an ideal scenario, there would be a battle of ideas and reason would ultimately prevail, resulting in the people getting the government they deserve.

Ours is far from an ideal scenario. A deep-seated

intolerance poisons the political climate. For every positive opinion legitimately expressed, one hears half a dozen negative reactions. Ulterior motives are freely attributed. Character assassination comes into play.

Intolerance

Any proposal with the flavour of originality is promptly shot down and denounced as the harbinger of disaster. If one expresses a dissenting opinion, he or she is described as

immature and politically dangerous, the individual concerned is maligned and even denigrated.

Each political party leader is depicted by the other side as the Prince of Darkness and their respective partners are systematically demonised. The more one denounces corruption and abuse, the more one is depicted as a traitor to the future of the human race.

It is this cancerous trait that impedes progress

and renders impossible attempts to build bridges, and to link progressive politicians on both sides of the fence.

No easy solution

There is no easy solution. It is not a situation that can be remedied by Act of Parliament. Of course, this situation is not exclusive to Malta. But, in so far as polarisation has afflicted our islands, it must be our concern. Dare we hope for better times?

Optimists who consider history in the light of eternity and who know that civilization did not begin and does not end with the 2lst century, may feel hopeful in an open-ended way.

The Maltese people possess an incredible vitality. They have survived invasions, war and siege. The have lived through times of stress and political tension.

Chary in yielding its secrets, history has, thus far, taught us one great lesson: what the hand of man has done, the hand of man can also undo.

It is a question of courage and determination and, next to that, of experience.

The last sequence of four electoral consultations has shown, I would say convincingly, that the Maltese electorate is fast grasping an understanding of the present, which is born out of a realistic knowledge of the past.

The prevailing climate is amenable to the triumph of reason.

The silent majority has it in its power to make sure that, given time, tolerance will be the wave of the future in our island.

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