The strong, clear and uncompromising message by Archbishop Paul Cremona, as guardian of the moral fibre of our society, to our politicians and others in public office on Independence Day did not come to many as a surprise. The timing could not have been better either. Mgr. Cremona, the soft spoken clergyman, challenged the assembly attending the Pontifical Mass, largely made of parliamentarians and senior public officers about their efforts and actions to strengthen the moral fibre of our country.
Mgr. Cremona and his advisors clearly have a very good insight of our society and the way it is shaping up. Indeed, he is aware that our society has changed, but rather than pass judgement on others, he warned us through his wise observations to change course before it would be too late. Our society must reflect on his message, irrespective of the fact that the Church as an institution has over the years lost its significance in the lives of many for a wide range of alternatives. His message is a valid one and an echo of our society. It is straight to the point and reflects largely what people talk about in clubs, canteens, coffee shops, on social media, at home and many other places where people congregate
Church Authorities are duty bound to evangelise to attract new members to its fold but similarly it has a duty to foster and encourage amongst people universal values, regardless of religion and beliefs, and this is exactly what Mgr. Cremona did on Independence Day.
Not too many years ago, the Catholic Church was heavily involved when authoritarian leaders under different guises suppressed their peoples. Pope John Paul II played a leading role to bring down brick by brick the suffering and suppression of people living in the former eastern bloc within Europe. Whether this has brought many closer to the Church, I am in no position to confirm or otherwise; but irrespective of whether this is the case or not, millions today enjoy a better quality of life.
A national debate on the moral fibre of our society is a must. I do not take the stand of a Christian fundamentalist, but of a lay person who, at most, errs with good intentions. People in our small island are not any different from those in other countries irrespective of creed, religion or colour and thus are subject to make mistakes and take decisions which may favour the interests of the selected few. It is not beyond the imagination of people that business organisations, private consultancies and even politicians may be corrupt. The recent news that our government has sought consultancy from an internationally black listed lobbyist continues to project corrupt practices in administration.
On this basis I will attempt to make a case in favour of the message delivered by Mgr. Cremona. Not that he needs one!
Rumours have been rife for many years about members within our political class and other institutions who are perceived to be implicated in corruption and abuse of power. Likewise, some holding public offices are perceived to be above the law.
To avoid entering into unnecessary local political controversy and unproductive polemics which are not my intentions in this article I will make reference to the news coming from Greece. The penny has dropped. The former senior Greek socialist minister has been convicted on charges of money laundering, bribes, tax fraud and failing to declare the source of his wealth. He will be serving a long term in prison.
This confirms the findings of the Corruption Perceptions Index 2012 in which Denmark came top followed by Finland and New Zealand as being the least corrupt. Greece placed at the 94th place while Malta ranked in the 43rd post.
As one would presume in countries where bribery and corruption are a concern, economic development is chopped. The Index clearly points out that corruption is a major threat facing humanity, and with two-thirds of the countries scoring below the 50 mark, this clearly indicates problems. Corruption destroys lives, undermines institutions and destabilise countries.
The present Government made repeated statements, witnessed by all, claiming that meritocracy, transparency and accountability will be the guiding road signs of the promised new road map in the day to day running of the country. This I leave to you to judge.
In this light, the call from Mgr. Paul Cremona for a concerted effort to promote and raise the "moral fibre" of the Maltese was very timely.
Mgr. Cremona and his advisors do not live in a cocoon and in isolation. They are hands on, have open access to information and can speak on behalf of the many. Expressing the concerns of people is a duty of the clerical authorities.
Without going into the merits of the many shady decisions taken recently, many are forced to believe that power is sought to entertain one’s greed, that of family members and close friends discriminating against others rather than serving in the interest of the common good. This brings me to the timely motion presented recently by Simon Busuttil Leader of the PN to the Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia the aim of setting up a parliamentary committee, with equal representation from both sides of the House, and the appointment of a Commissioner whose main duties would be to look into a variety of issues that include the proper application of transparency, accountability, meritocracy, honesty and the integrity of all public office holders including parliamentarians. Whether a parliamentary secretary or a commissioner is entrusted with such an undertaking is irrelevant. What is crucial is that the need is there and that this is being felt by society leaders. Mgr. Cremona is on record. Dr Busuttil is also on record. Civil society is also waking up to the smell of manure. Perhaps the PL should take the cue to address these issues. I hope that action is earnestly taken before it would be too late for some while the credibility of our institutions continues to nosedive.
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