There is one supreme and basic rule that applies to all democracies. Every so often, they are obliged by law to hold their breath, and to take measure of their performance. At this critical stage they may consider themselves well advised to change course. That’s what free elections are all about, and that’s why each election marks the moment of truth.

At this particular point, many electors are feeling that the rejuvenation necessary for their survival in tomorrow’s competitive world has eluded them. The local economic landscape is darkened by an unsustainable deficit and steadily mounting debt.

There have been warnings along the way. Some were outspoken, although they did not come from many sources. Some of the business institutions went out of their way to make their point, although their words were muted and their laments less persistent.

Obstinate truth

The obstinate and irreducible truth is that the Maltese economy has endured serious wounds due to inertia, fear of change, or fear of loss of votes – and this at a time of upheaval of established values, fast technological change and mounting competition in the world’s markets.

Close at hand, political partisanship and polarization have intensified, causing elements of chaos to seethe on in the crucible of public affairs.

All this evokes thoughts of Macbeth before the witches’ cauldron.

The question that arises is: What is to be done?

Enough time has passed for descriptions of the problems confronting the economy. The country needs a safe and dependable prescription.

If this is a good reading of the situation, it is time to put pontificating aside, and to concentrate on positive proposals and initiatives.

Electoral sovereignty

The future is ours to build. And, to do so, we must have a policy. It must be equal to the demands and dimensions of the prevailing situation. We must prepare for the moment when the electorate has the power to exercise its sovereignty, and to assert itself in order to open the way forward.

Malta being a democracy, there is room for an Opposition with full rights to promote its point of view. It would be a mistake to challenge this democratic right. The incumbent government would be well advised to recognise this right and to compete with the Opposition on fundamental issues that divide the nation.

Having said this, there is no reason why the government and the Opposition do not work for a meeting of minds on issues of common interest, such as environmental issues, the promotion of the tourist industry, so vital to Malta’s survival, the fight against corruption, the fair distribution of the tax burden, the control of public expenditure and so on.

Role of social partners

Some of these issues could be easily removed from the arena of partisan politics and could, conceivably, also involve the joint cooperation of the social partners, at the level of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.

I feel strongly that, if Malta is to break through to a period of social tranquillity, it has to rope in the social partners and create a consensual environment going beyond the political parties and involving the social institutions.

This calls for rapid and basic changes so that productive enterprise would not be neglected and wealth would not remain inert. Progress cannot be achieved by granting minimal and disjointed concessions that permit the impulse for progress to run aground on parliamentary quicksand.

The objective is to renew the economy so that the collectivity is uplifted in step with the profitability of private interests.

So far, we have banished the fear, as old as the human race, that sickness, accident, old age or unemployment would fall with crushing weight upon the workforce. The poor will always be with us – but not the wretched, the starving and the hopeless. That Plimsoll line must be defended at all costs – the objective for the future is to boost up standards and enhance the quality of life. And, in this, all the political parties have a common stake.

Overall target

This overall target is difficult to achieve, unless all the political parties pull on the same rope and put their shoulders to the wheel.

This implies granting the workforce responsibilities that raises them above the role of instruments to which they have been hitherto confined. They have to be associated with the progress of industry, and their labour should enjoy the same rights as those accorded to capital. Likewise, their remuneration should be linked, like that of stockholders, to the results of the industry’s developments.

In this way, the organised working class could apply itself of its own accord to the development of its own capacities, so that resources could be added to productive capacity and, thereby, to the power of the national economy.

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