Don’t be mistaken. The next President of the Republic is set to be a man. Malta lacks fertile ground for a female president. The only Maltese woman ever nominated for this office was known as the best in the cabinet of Prime Minister Dom Mintoff and like a cowboy she saddled the Maltese lira.

A brief look at the University of Malta reveals that female students have by far outnumbered their male counterparts. But when it comes to top positions in government employment there seems to be a gender monopoly. Doors for the corridors of power are only open to men who in turn rope in other men.

Schemes to entice more women to the gainfully employed sector have had very limited success. In Malta women seem to be happy with a part time job that fits in their timeframe and many prefer to stay at home. Only few are asking why this is happening and fewer still are questioning the status quo despite Maltese women producing one of the lowest birth rates in Europe.

Could it be that Maltese women are rejecting to play the role expected of them in a very subtle manner? Are they in fact saying no to more low paid jobs with no future prospects at all? Are they realising that what once fed a family of five, could now feed a family with one child? In other words, a sole breadwinner’s income suffices.

What’s the purpose, some might reason, of a wife joining the workforce and burdening her family with babysitting and office wardrobe bills, higher taxes, and higher social security payments for only an incremental addition to the household income? Perhaps Maltese women have figured out something our economists are oblivious to. Life is worth living and not wasted in drudgery and meaningless outside work.

It’s about time we commit the logical next step and nominate a woman for Head of State. We need someone with fresh perspectives that would be more in tune with the wisdom of Maltese housewives.

Flimkien kollox possibbli (i.e., “it takes two to tango”) ran Gonzi’s motto for his election. I pray he didn’t have only men in mind.

Agnes Debono

Kercem