Today, 21 September, is a day worth remembering, as it was this very important milestone that started off our road to where we are today.

The week-long festivities organised by the Nationalist Party on the Granaries in Floriana were a success, with a very good participation. True, this is election year and people gear up more for such activities. Eagerness was seen in the eyes. I did see the so-called floating voters there, the people who said that they will not vote next time round, but have decided to vote now. I recognised some faces who voted Labour last time, and will be voting PN for the first time, due to the opportunities that have unfolded. A person told me that might as well keep the PN in power, as Labour can only copy what is being done. Better the devil you know, rather than the one you don’t.

Independence Day is also a time when one looks back and sees what vision then Prime Minister George Borg Olivier had at the time. Criticized during his political life, the public only appreciated this step in full after his death.

Unfortunately, Dom Mintoff wanted to change history. He too knew the importance, if not the magnitude, of Independence Day, and wanted to transform the 1979 sending-off of British troops into something of bigger importance. Unfortunately for Mintoff, the Maltese recognise Independence Day as the start of a free Malta. History cannot be rewritten or retold.

There were many efforts, even lately, to diminish the importance of the feast. Outbursts by front-bench Labour exponents do not do any good to the Labour’s image. Coupled with what is going on in various social networks, and no apology forthcoming, the future does not hold any good news, should Labour be given confidence by the electorate.

It is an electorate that, at times, astonishes me when you get people saying that all is good and fine on the global picture with Malta defending itself in this economic upheaval, but who will not vote due to the lack of a transfer, or because 12 years ago the person was not given something he/she wanted. This proud non-voter risks our future based on a missed promotion.

When you see a lot of the world fighting and dying for the right to vote and here in Malta, where we have the luxury of criticising without being beaten up, where we have the freedom of expression and

not hide the newspaper we buy, we go round saying “I am a hurt voter and will not vote”. Some say it proudly too.

But it seems that some people put their personal perspective before the wider picture, and for whom a pavement, a bulb, a building site comes before the future of a child or grandchild.

Yes, we all can find fault in many things. But nobody shoots oneself in the head, because he/she is not perfect. We strive to get better, and vote for a better future.

As things stand today, the voter has a chance to express himself/herself freely and decide on what’s best. You know where we stand now with policies being spelt out clearly. On the other hand, we have an Opposition that has joined the bandwagon of every critical comment done, which changes its stance every week, and speaks only of doom and gloom. You then see the very same people who criticise out in restaurants, enjoying society life, on boats in Sicily. A life that, under a Nationalist government, is taken for granted. It may soon change.

One day this August, in Syracuse while the sea was rough and the marina was full of Maltese boats, one could hear Labour voters commenting on the price of diesel in Sicily – €1.85 per litre, a full 50 cents more expensive than Malta. One person was saying how he had believed One TV on the high prices in Malta. Only when he went to Sicily did he realise this was propaganda and reality was something else. Net TV should be more proactive in pointing these things to the public as only by awareness one can make an informed opinion.

On a lighter note, I would like to spare a thought about a house visit to an elderly couple in Msida. On entering the house, they told me they would like to be straight with me. Although they see me as a nice guy, they promised their vote to another candidate and will keep the promise. It resulted that they had promised it to an MP called Arrigo. I told them how correct they were, and I wished them a good evening.

Robert Arrigo is parliamentary assistant in the Finance Ministry