Honesty is the best policy both for its own sake as well as for the inner tranquillity and peacefulness it generates.

The majority of citizens look up to parliamentary members and expect them to have honest backgrounds and the integrity to lead and govern the nation. This is necessary for citizens to rest assured that there will be no abuse of governance by rulers intent on feathering still further their already comfortable nests at society’s expense.

It is worthwhile to remember the old advice that the first and foremost thought should be that of being ‘true to thyself’.

Persons lacking an honest background and foundation are most unsuitable to occupy public office where temptation ever trails behind those in authority and posing great risks for them to bow to the tempter’s wishes and machinations.

That honesty is the best policy is also reflected in the enormous progress, physical and intellectual achieved by nations with honest governments. The classic, textbook example being that of Singapore, quite rightly considered to be the most advanced and leading democracy of South-East Asia, established and governed for many years by an honest leader and a gentleman, Lee Kuan Yew.

Parents should start teaching the basic principle of honesty to their children as soon as they reach the age of reason and are capable of differentiating between what is good and what is evil. In the long term it will be these children who will be the nucleus of potential, honest, leaders and managers and be of inspiration to others.

Honesty is not restricted to the monopoly of a social class or religion but is universal and recognises no boundaries. Most unfortunately indeed has been the fact that some religious have proved the worst and most scandalous offenders in this regard.

Apart from mutual love and respect it is also the practice of honesty that binds the family as one solid indistinguishable unit sharing reciprocal respect and attention to all the needs and necessities of its members.

The arch foe that threatens the virtue of honesty is almost invariably money, or rather, the excessive greed of desire to grab more – as if our earthly stay knows no end.

It is every government’s business to encourage and promote honest standards not only by example but also through fair and reasonable legislation that aims at achieving the moral objective of honesty – the principal indication of the level of civilization attained by a country.

Edwin Calleja

BALZAN