The idea that a pre-budget document is presented to the public and the social partners for them to discuss before the actual budget is presented by the government later in the year has taken root.

In the past, governments used to present their budget as a fait accompli, with unions, employers’ associations and the people having little say in what the Finance Minister, on behalf of the government, proposed for the following year.

As time passed, the concept of involving constituted bodies and the people more in the drafting of the budget began to take shape. Debates at Malta Council for Economic and Social Development level preceded the presentation of the budget and, in more recent years, the government decided to issue what has become known as a pre-budget document.

This is presented to the social partners and the public in the summer, giving all concerned the chance to react to the suggestions made and offer alternatives, which the government considers before finally presenting the budget later in the year. Whether recommendations are accepted or otherwise is another matter, as the government must first look at the national interest before that of a particular sector, but at the end of the day the fact that people are given the chance to participate is positive.

In the past, budgets were kept under wraps right till the last minute, and although this practice is still observed today, the pre-budget documents, as well as public consultation exercises, allow for more participation in their drawing up. Decisions taken by the government are still announced on budget day, but more or less the social partners, and to a lesser extent the public in general, will know beforehand which direction the government will be taking and what to expect.

Last week, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi started off a series of public consultation meetings, which are tackling different subjects, with a view to enabling the government to better understand what the people are saying and suggesting before the publication of the pre-budget document, which this year is expected earlier than usual, in June.

The government has often been accused, even by this newspaper, of detaching itself from the people, and that 20 years of power – except for 22 months of Labour – have pushed it away from the grassroots level. Labour has taken advantage of this, realising that by keeping close contact it stands a better chance of winning the coming election.

It is by understanding what the people are feeling, what they would like their leaders to do and what wrongs they want corrected that politicians are able to get a better grip of what the public is demanding of them.

The holding of seven discussions with the Prime Minister, which started last Wednesday and resume tonight with a rather hot topic – the environment – and will continue until 6 June, will perhaps not be enough to turn around the above perception, but it goes a long way towards providing the opportunity to those sections of society that do not often get the chance to express their views, to do so.

Last Wednesday, when the subject discussed was job opportunities, Dr Gonzi did the right thing in listening more than he talked, because ultimately the idea should be to listen to what people are saying. Very often, politicians tend to dominate discussion or dialogue meetings, defeating the purpose of such activities. This did not happen last Wednesday, and it is hoped that the Prime Minister will continue taking the same approach in the remaining meetings.

A government, any government, must keep in touch with the people to get to know what they are thinking. A government that does not is taking a big risk.