The current situation where Maltese resident abroad have to physically board a plane and haul themselves to Malta to cast their vote is completely ludicrous. One would think that by the year 2013, the political parties would have got together to hammer out a deal to allow voting from abroad – at least in embassies.

With the situation as it stands today, people who have a right to vote in Malta have to take time off work (or make arrangements at home) to leave their country of residence to vote for elections taking place here. In addition, they have to board a flight and disrupt their lives for a couple of days just to exercise their right and fulfill their obligation.

The government lays on subsidized Air Malta flights, and there are four things that are very wrong with this system. First of all, as we mentioned, it is just plain wrong to make people board a plane to cast their vote. Secondly, the flights are few and far between and do not depart from all destinations – on a seat basis. They are specially sourced out charters. Thirdly, it is an absolute waste of tax payers’ money. And lastly, what on earth is Air Malta doing getting involved when it is so deep in restructuring and passing on the burden to full fare paying passengers in terms of exorbitant ticket prices?

It is just wrong. But voting in embassies is still not good enough. Many will argue that this is because people might be anywhere in the world and miles away from their nearest embassy. True. But the argument goes deeper. The Prime Minister has accused the opposition of trying ‘cling’ to political power by opposing a move to vote in Maltese territory abroad. But in truth, both parties embrace to status quo.

We do not believe that voting in embassies is the solution. People should be able to print out a form and vote by post – just as all civilized countries in Europe and the world do. We are supposed to be one of the most IT plugged in countries in the world, so why don’t we put our money where our mouth is and set up some form of secure voting by email? This is what other countries do, and it works. But no, not in little Malta. Politics is the bloodsport of the islands, and always will be. 

The parties like it just the way it is. They like to have their travel agencies, their newspapers, radio stations, television stations and even football teams. In the same fashion, they like to make us have to live and breathe the pervasive overload of politics that clouds over the islands in election time. People do want to vote.

They want a say in the country’s future. But they do not like doing it with a metaphorical pistol held against their heads. Just as we yesterday talked about the over bearing intrusion that emails are causing to citizens, this too is an inconvenience and an insult to people’s intelligence.

The longer it goes on, the longer politicians will have to dig their claws in deeper and we will continue in this piteous state of affairs that holds us so far back from political and European maturity. We are islanders and we are behaving like it.

All it takes is for one person to sue the state, for breach of fundamental rights, and the system will change. It’s a wonder no one has thought of it yet – and perhaps this might just jog them to do it. Let’s not embarrass ourselves for longer, just implement a modern system. And while you are at it, why not electronic exit polls, that way people can be rid of the cloud so much quicker?