Throughout my political life, I have often emphasised that to be effective, we need to be all pulling one rope, preferably in the same direction. Even in a tug of war, there are two teams pulling one rope, but in opposite directions and each side is only determined to pull hard enough until it can topple the other side.

Malta is too small a country for us to persist with bickering at various levels – our electorate is not really interested in seeing which side or which player is scoring most, as it is interested in ensuring that there is a team that is scoring well in the national interest.

The Nationalist Party must always stand by that vision. For those among us who have made it through the difficult years, when we suffered violence, victimisation, blatant discrimination, and had to stand up to be counted, loyalty towards the national cause, even when tested through difficult circumstances, comes easy.

We have been moulded through thick and thin – made our way through the party ladder, were active at our respective town and village levels, through the Youth Movement, through the different organs and structures of the party, through the fire and brimstone of the harsh Socialist era which cannot be simply relegated to the footnotes of our contemporary history, through serious formation in the party’s values and principles, eventually through different positions of trust and responsibility when we really had to build up a new Malta from scratch, through internal debate and occasional suffering which is part and parcel of a the life of any politician who looks upon public life not as a career path but as a mission to be fulfilled with integrity – for all of us who have been through it all, soldiering on is a crucial part of our mettle.

I am all for rejuvenation and, within the Nationalist Party, have always and will always encourage new elements to take up the same cause. I remember former Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami referring to national projects as what we need to place on the country’s conveyor belt – when one project is making it to the finish line, there must be new ones that are entering into production mode, in order to sustain momentum and growth.

The same could be said of politicians themselves – there is always space for new elements to come on board and enrich the party mosaic. I would however add one important word of caution: the process of formation can never be underestimated, and in that respect we always stand to learn from each other. Experience and new blood are equally important. A mature temperament can blend well with energetic enthusiasm. In Nationalist Party terms knowing and appreciating what our old stamperija is like for having practically lived within the building is as important as also having newcomers who need to be told the address.

In a democratic society, the media makes much out of the internal discussion that goes on within the major parties. In reality, we are reaping the rewards of an evolutionary process that we have ourselves worked hard to secure for Malta. I recently told some foreign friends of mine who were enquiring about various aspects of contemporary political life in Malta that what is happening right now is ultimately because we have truly evolved into a modern and European nation.

Switching allegiance from one general election or another is no longer an act of heresy. If a person changes track, he or she does not have to be hounded by fundamentalists. Expressing opinions openly is again part of the democratic menu. Investigative and pluralistic journalism hasn’t just grown on our garden trees but is a new plant that has been sown and nurtured by the present government. The fact that the tree that has evolved from the initial acorn that we had sown appears to lose sight of its initial roots is proof that when we bestowed freedom, respect for fundamental human rights, open choice, pluralism in broadcasting, subsidiarity through which Central Government came down from its traditional all high and mighty throne – we did it without imposing any conditions as otherwise it would have a classic contradiction in terms and that is not our style.

Over the past days, the European Commission report about the euro zone offers the government an excellent certificate for its economic and financial policies which are in turn having a positive impact on the country, and leading to job creation and investment. I personally hope that the forthcoming Budget will provide more impetus for further growth, and above all for jobs. That should be the ultimate bottom line: Jobs, stable jobs, and more stable jobs.

Malta, like the rest of the world, is not yet out of the economic recession and that makes sailing ahead more difficult since the waters surrounding our national ship of State remain turbulent.

Even more so, in times like these, it is important for all of us to pull the same rope... in the same direction.

Francis Zammit Dimech is a Nationalist MP