It seems that everywhere one goes in Malta, the sounds of grumbling, moaning and whining are not far off.
If you go at a bus stop, you hear people moaning about the air conditioning not being at the right temperature (my, how quickly we forget), the timing of the buses and the amount of people on board.
Oh, but they are “much more comfortable, you have to give them that”. You do not hear anything mentioned of the improved service. You do not hear how the time tickers actually work and tell you exactly when your bus is due to arrive. You do not hear anything about the ride being smooth and painless. You do not hear anything about the very good-mannered drivers. No, because of course, Arriva is ‘rubbish’.
If you go to City Gate, you hear people moaning about the project which is going on at City Gate. “It’s ugly and I don’t like it. We don’t need a new parliament.” Another favourite moan is : “I wish they would hurry up, I am sick of bumping into people while crossing the bridge into Valletta.”
Of course, no mention is made of the irreparable damage to the Grandmaster’s Palace. No mention is made of the slowly taking shape entrance to Valletta. No mention is made of the absence of toxic fumes. No mention is made of the place being much cleaner. Of course not, that’s because all Maltese are expert architects and Renzo Piano is ‘rubbish’.
Just when you thought there was nothing else to moan about, you come across the “My goodness, what a terrible winter we had”. The conversation continues: “I couldn’t put up with more of it. It was terrible, humid and cold. But now it’s turned hot, too hot.”
Do you ever hear anyone say that we have one of the shortest and mildest winters in Europe? No, of course not. Because, of course, nature is ‘rubbish’. Just like anywhere else in the world, the Maltese people have gripes. Some of them are totally justified: The atrocious and shameful state of the roads, the inability to do anything without confusion and noise, rampant flouting of noise and building regulations, lack of customer care… these are all issues that need addressing.
But on the flipside, we are a manic nation. We fluctuate between periods of enjoying our Mediterranean lifestyle and hating it. If only people would stop complaining for just one minute and appreciate what we have.
We have a wonderful climate. We have wonderful food. We have wonderful seas. Our islands are still relatively safe. We have excellent levels of employment and low inflation. After years of being deprived, the last 20-odd years have brought market choice to us. Our students are paid to stay on in school. All in all, we have it pretty good. We always have, really. But when one compares Malta to what is going on in the rest of Europe, we should be thankful!