The more agitated our politicians become over trust funds, properties and other riches very few of us can aspire to, the stronger the feeling that politics in this blob of land have encased themselves in a kind of foolproof time warp. This is not what we were all promised when the two major parties underwent what was perceived as a remarkable rejuvenation process that in the end gave us the present, relatively young leaderships.
The hideous undermining – by obvious local sources – of Toni Abela’s nomination to the European Court of Auditors, a post previously held by another lawyer, shows the trend that for some people it is unfortunately back to the eighties, a decade which was supposed to be closed, dead and buried a long, long time ago. That an institution like the EU should allow such unwarranted witch-hunts to take place against an officially appointed citizen speaks volumes, alas. There is no real “European” thinking or inspiration in any of these processes, but merely a sequence of machinations aimed at exploiting ideological differences and causing politically-motivated disruptions. Is it any wonder that both Britain and Denmark, among others, still ruminating over their own continued allegiance, seem to have suddenly mustered a majority of people wanting a quick exit from the so-called union?
It is so sad to see the hidden forces of Maltese politics being used against a fellow compatriot in the corridors of Europe. One does not need to waste any time trying to visualise who was actually behind it – those very people who, when in power, made their own nominations but had no problems as there was no interference from such dark sources. Minuscule Malta in the EU at that time presented a united front which is always an advantage within such a large and cantankerous institution.
The political time warp that has emerged is not only worrying, but is also highly destructive. Is this that the “young” generation of Maltese politicians has been aspiring for since taking over from the old guard? One certainly hopes not, as there were positive signs in the recent past that a new chapter was about to start – suffice to mention the general agreement on the need for constitutional reforms, party funding, mutual respect for the two politically-tinged national holidays (21st September and 31st March 31), and other matters of national significance.
What has happened? At a time when the country is doing so well in all aspects, from the economy, business and trade, to tourism, employment, infrastructure and civil liberties, the nation is being brutally dragged back into this stinking time warp that is regurgitating a confusing eighties-style concoction of personal piques, a total disregard for fairness, and desperate displays of empty one-upmanship.
Why has this happened? The obvious reason is that when a political party in Opposition has no answer to present-day achievements, the only option left is that of obstruction by whichever means at its disposal, including embarrassing clandestine political intrigues aimed at undermining the actual process of national reawakening.
The result is a surge of dirty politics, culminating in the current mud-slinging campaign, unfortunately now undertaken by both sides in the Maltese political arena. There is a reaction to every action, which is why being caught in this time warp can only cause harm to both the national well-being and the people’s own aspirations. Perhaps this is the ultimate aim of those politicians who have chosen to take this backward slide into the obsolete psyche of more than three decades ago.
Perhaps there are some who think this could be an effective “back to the future” tactic. Their choice. The problem is they could easily end up chipping away at those among them who believe in a fairer and more transparent way of doing politics. Or was this collateral damage intended? The Hillman case is just one glaring example of how a political boomerang can act. And we don’t have to go into names.
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A bishop who talks sense
I often find that bishops overseas seem to talk a lot more sense than our bishops traditionally do. What is it... the cultural divide? The size of their diocese? The lack of any political agendas? Recent declarations by the local Curia on such issues as immigration and, even more recently, gay marriage only made one want to go and hide somewhere.
Take the Archbishop of Canterbury, for example. Last week he declared that Britons have a “justified” fear of mass immigration and that it was “absolutely outrageous” to condemn people who raised concerns about the influx of large numbers of migrants as racist.
Archbishop Welby did not mince his words, insisting that the scale of Europe’s migrant crisis meant such anxieties were entirely reasonable and that fear is a “valid emotion” at a time of such “colossal crisis”. He said it was essential the “genuine fear” some people felt was listened to with regard to jobs, housing and health services.
There are multiple sides to an issue and one is right to consider them before reaching a decision, something in which the European Union has been found wanting and to be utterly inept.
It is also wrong, but perhaps inevitable, to look at the problem of immigration in terms of votes. The Merkel debacle in recent German elections shows people think new policies and methods need to be found before it is too late. Europe has to help the genuine immigrants and refugees, but it also has to balance this by being fully aware of the anxieties felt by its own communities. The Archbishop should opt for an EP seat, unless he’s for Brexit...
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The only way
For EneMalta to boost its income by €30 million as a result of a systematic, well-executed campaign to stamp out what used to be rampant theft of electricity at both domestic and industrial levels, is good news to the majority of law-abiding citizens.
It is the only way to do away with, once and for all, the bad habits and arrogance of a minority of people who think they are privileged in the some-are-more-equal-than-others mentality. What happened at Armier over many years with the illegal constructions is a national disgrace. The same goes for private owners who prohibit the public from making use of natural and time-honoured pathways in the countryside, the hunters and bird-catchers who look threateningly at you if you go anywhere near them, the owners of noisy cars and motor-cycles everywhere, and so on. The list is so long, it’s exasperating just reading it.
No less welcome are the new, tough traffic fines. And about time, too. After the economy, we need to have our heads adjusted as well.