When the Grupp Indipendenti Marsaskala (GIM) was formed to contest the local elections, it unhesitatingly declared that it had done so in the belief that the continuous state of war between the PN and the MLP had robbed the Marsascala local council of any possibility of being able to administer the locality.

GIM had warned the people of Marsascala that a local council that took its orders not from the people but from the two distant headquarters of the parties represented on the council would be paralysed. As the general election draws ever nearer, the rift in the council is becoming alarmingly familiar. Do you remember the constant personality battles, the inability to agree on anything? Do you remember how divided the community was – and unfortunately still is – into a red and blue camp? Has the position changed in any way from what it was before? Has Marsascala and its people benefited in any way since then?

The answer is obviously “No”.

The recycling plant is still there. The Ricasoli drainage outlet is still going to come nearer to Marsascala. The fish farms are still going to be located a few miles from one of the favourite bathing areas in the south. The Jerma has closed down and we are still waiting for what is to replace it. And the MLP is happy to sit back and carry out its fight by proxy, ready to claim any victory or disown any defeat.

Those of you who follow the correspondence columns in the local papers have seen for themselves the arrogance with which the mayor responded to criticism. These are facts, not assertions. The arrogance displayed by the politicians in Valletta is echoed by some of their representatives on our local council. GIM had warned that this would be the case; that the PN/MLP that have governed Malta for the last 50 years would not tolerate any diminishing of their power.

GIM had presented a programme in its electoral manifesto. We had said that the only way out of the present impasse was for the Marsascala people to forget the past, look to the future with courage and vote for a new way of doing things. GIM has its roots in the community, not in the palaces at Hamrun and Pietà. Of course, since only Dr Josie Muscat was elected to the council, there was no way that GIM could carry out its promises. But now at least, every person in our community can see for himself whether what GIM had said would happen has in fact happened.

This tragedy is not just taking place in Marsascala of course. It should be quite clear that the old tired system of politics is no longer bearing any fruit. Malta cannot survive anymore on il-politika ta’ l-irkant where both parties try to win votes by promising things for free and then sending us the bill once they are in power.

We live in the day of the computer and the internet. Many people today can surf the latter and find out for themselves how things are done elsewhere. You do not need any more to make up your mind according to the propaganda machines of the two parties that between them have tried to render the citizen voiceless.

The Ta’ Qortin Dump in Gozo has been removed because people united to fight it. The golf course at ix-Xaghra 1-Hamra is now going to be a nature park because people united to fight it. The fight to save ir-Ramla 1-Hamra is ongoing.

All the people of Marsascala have to do is to unite in a fresh bid to find their voices, throw off the shackles of the last 50 years and then, they too will emerge victorious.

John J. Cole

Secretary

Grupp Indipendenti Marsaskala