Last Friday, between meetings, I went to have a cup of tea in my favourite spot inValletta. I couldn’t help but overhear a conversation between four people who were sitting close by.At times they spokeloudly, seemingly peeved. They appeared to have been very disappointed.From what I’ve gathered they were talking about a journey which had, at some point, turned into a nightmare. Discreetly I tried to detect their destination; however I did not manage to assuage my curiosity. They spoke of some trip they were persuaded to go on by a very convincing sales team, despite the hefty price.
The most timid of the four claimed that, on boarding, all passengers felt and looked comfortable enough not to question the capabilities of the pilot. It is very unusual, if ever, his colleaguesrightly pointed out, for passengers to doubt the competency of the pilot on boarding. ‘Well, from now on, I will’ was the prompt reply from the onesitting opposite him.
The only lady at the table gave descriptivedetails of the flight. With her graphic memory she was quick to gesticulate and mimic the pilot. The others stopped from interrupting. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to flight EU 560/022, nonstop flight from Malta.The route flight is very clear. Sarcastically she continued: ‘I am theyoungest pilot ever, and I know what is best for you. Rest assured that I will make every effort to continue to learn while we are flying. The weather ahead is good and we should therefore have a smooth and uneventful flight. Please, sit, relax and enjoy. Flight attendants will be serving you in a while. In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face’.
When I was about to lose interest in their conversation the waitress came to their table to refill their cups and more toasted sandwiches. Politely she interrupted the conversation and asserted that their disillusionment was very similar to the colourful pledgewhich was repeatedly made by the PL during the electoral campaign. The PL also spoke of roadmaps but refrained from giving details. The PL found refuge in the thousands of switchers and in those who had decided to make a quick buck and opted to sell their souls for the promise of an appointment for accepting to harangue the PN in PL mass meetings,or give a broad smile to passers-by from a bill-board. One doubts whether today they will bejust as willing to come forward and do the same.
As the waitress left their table, the four sitting next to me looked stunned.Seconds later, they all started to giggle and chuckle at her comments until silence reigned.
The most elderly at the table cleared his throat and, following the waitress’s cue, passed somerather scathingly parallel remarks. Last Thursday, he said, Malta had received a severe blow to its credentials and high reputation which we had, until now, enjoyed and which had been painstaking builtover many years. The massive vote against the sale of citizenship in the European Parliament is cause for concern; but our Prime Minister’s immediate reaction to this vote is by far more worrying. Challenging and taking on collectively the European Union institutions including the PL’s EU Socialist friends, the international media, the PN and the local constituted bodies allhead on,is definitely not the best of options. Some sense of proportion and loads of diplomacy could have saved Malta from earning and attracting such massive negative publicity.
I had to leave for my next meeting but continued to think about their conversation. I believe that we may still be in time to turn things round. Itrust that good judgement can still prevail. One would have to be silly to think that the vote in the European Union Parliament against the sale of citizenship is the making and motivated by the two PN MEPs.
In the circumstances damage control should be undertaken immediately. An urgent meeting for Cabinet members, away from their busy schedules, should be convened while Government should refrain from making further flamboyant public statements. An objective debate should seek to find an early exit point for Government, find a face-saverand come to a broad agreementby deleting all references to the sale of our citizenship.
The agreement should also highlight that Government has constructively taken note of the EU Parliament vote. This should be communicated to the most seniorofficials of the European Union and the international media.
It was bad enough that the sale of citizenship project was launched on the wrong footing. The hotchpotch legislation and the lack of meaningful consultation did not help one iota.
Boarding aeroplanes for pleasure, business, work or other reasonsis a normal practice, as having tea in the morning is for many. Well trained pilots gladly provide for safe journeys to millions around the globe.
Regretfully the announcement from the European Parliament to Malta and the Maltese is clear: “Ladies and gentlemen please fasten your seat belts.Weare now entering an unexpected area of turbulence. Short from convincing the Pilot in charge of Malta to change course,let us pray and hope that he will not hammer the plane really hard into the runway”.
GejtuVella
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