At last, Malta has a President with a vision. President George Abela is losing no time. He knows that there is much that he can do and that Malta wishes to join him in doing it. Political destiny and party strategists have hindered him from becoming Prime Minister of Malta. Another person would have given up along the way but not Dr Abela.
His clear vision is that Malta belongs to all Maltese and that it has to be a welcoming home for all. This seems very simple but we are far from being there yet. A glance at what he has achieved so far reveals a clear pattern. When he travels abroad, he does not travel alone. He either takes business people with him to promote Malta and the Maltese product abroad or he visits his fellow Maltese and takes time to speak with them.
He removed prize giving from l-iStrina because he knew that real solidarity was at stake. He truly believes that Maltese are generous with their fellow citizens who are less lucky and that such generosity does not depend on the prices one gets in return for his own donation. There is a much deeper insight in this move than some are tempted to think. Before, we were led to think that nobody would give you a freebee. In a country where subsidies are being dismantled one by one, the President is giving the authorities a clear message. Maltese are ready to show their solidarity and would like to retain solidarity embedded in our state institutions.
By opening the New Year’s Concert to the general public, the President is more than just bringing music to the people. The spin doctors were telling us that we have to fork out huge sums for high level cultural events. They wanted to have us believe that only the chosen few are keen on having such activities in Malta. The president seems to believe otherwise. He knows that we have got talent in Malta and that the people should have access to it.
Our President has no elitist background. He has opened San Anton and the people flocked to this palace. He knows that Malta has limited resources and that these should belong to all the people and not only to the few who are defacing Malta. With his vision it is not difficult to guess what could come next.
The President will in his own way invite all Maltese to enjoy, preserve and make better sustainable use of our countryside. He will support those who aim at sustainability and equitable distribution of our resources and he will in this way continue to expose the greed and corruption of the few that have always benefited to the detriment of us all. The President deserves our full support and we will not let him down.
Agnes Debono
Kercem