Here’s wishing all our readers a happy new year, with health being the foremost wish, alongside with all our personal dreams and wishes.

Malta has started with a bang – the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a very significant milestone in relations between the two countries. It was a great honour to host a person who can make things happen. Probably she will be the one to lead Europe out of the recession, and to a full, albeit slow recovery that we all wish for and need.

Parliament has resumed, amid the latest furore on the salary increases; the way it was done, the timing, and different opinions on what to do with it. We have thus made sure that the way one spends his money is now public.

We must keep in mind that 35% of any increase goes back to government in income tax. This increase is untimely and very badly marketed anyway. I have made this known in all quarters, as we are there to serve people and not otherwise. The moment we lose our serving attitude and approach, and just do this for monetary terms, then we have lost, in my opinion, the plot in Maltese politics and society. I, for one, did not contest the elections to serve in Parliament for the money, but to serve, after having established and proven myself firmly.

Going to Parliament for the money, to stay there at all costs because it’s lucrative, will induce some to do their best to stay there. Look at the uncalled for expense to open a public garden, when this money could have helped a few families in dire need of government assistance and help instead.

Attendance of MPs in Parliament seemed to have grabbed the attention of the media and is also a common topic among the public.

I’d like to share an instance when I was marked down as absent in Parliament because I happened to be taking part in a radio programme at 5pm, a press conference at 6.30pm and a ministry public meeting at 7.30pm, ending at around 10.30pm. So the media deduces that I was absent for the parliamentary sitting when I was being probably more useful as an MP elsewhere.

Let’s take journalists. Do they need to be in the office to write up their article, or can it be done, on a laptop, at home or elsewhere? Will it be said that the journalists are absent from work? In the present system of government and Parliament work, sitting idle on a chair for hours on end, is not productive to the MP, neither to the constituents, nor to the country.

As an MP, I attend my political office every day, and dedicate at least half of my time to politics, dedicated to the electorate. Afternoon house visits form part of an MP’s role, as otherwise, the media will have it that the MP is aloof and out of touch. If these visits stretch over to Parliament timings, I am marked absent again. But was I really absent from my duties, or just absent from an armchair within the chamber?

The Public Accounts Committee resumed its functions again and the media is once more focusing on its duties. The fishing expedition questions to the auditor have come to an end and a government motion has been tabled to summon witnesses.

The Opposition then added more to the list of persons to be summoned, so we are in for long sessions.

PN stalwart Mario Felice has recently passed away. Being my father Ralph’s age, I used to frequent Mario in no small manner. They both contested the 10th district elections in the different days of politics, not easy elections at all. Mario and my father were two of a kind. Mario Felice used to surprise us all, at election time, as with one conference he used to obtain the necessary votes.

We had even given him the Europa Hotel foyer for one of his conferences. Politicians were real colleagues at that time, and this should serve as an example to some politicians of today. My condolences to his family.

However I am nearly certain that Mario Felice will not make it to be recognised for what he did for the country. He was nobody’s canvasser. He was his own man, and barely canvassed for himself, but had the Nationalist Party to his heart. Hopefully the party will pay tribute to him and others who have joined eternal life.

Robert Arrigo is parliamentary assistant in the Finance Ministry