Big building contractors and businessmen were getting too close to the Labour Party, former PL deputy leader Dr Anġlu Farrugia revealed in an interview after he was unceremoniously forced to tender his resignation from the post of Deputy Leader for Parliamentary Affairs in December 2012.  Back then, Dr Farrugia asserted that the PL was changing its core values, from a party which mainly represents the working class to one which felt too comfortable with capitalists.  This was clearly demonstrated when the PL erased “workers” from its political vocabulary and introduced the “middle-class” catchphrase.    

While I see nothing wrong with political parties working closely with the business community and other organisations, a demarcation line has to be clearly drawn and scrupulously observed.

Politicians should not render themselves as an extended arm to unscrupulous persons from within the business community or any other organisation.  Politicians should refrain from being enticed with perks of whatever nature.  If the democratically elected leadership of the islands is discreetly transferred to a small group of unelected persons, then the whole society stands to lose.  The electorate should retain its sovereign right to choose the political party to lead; however, this should not be transferred to the unelected select few.  

In the last general election, under the stewardship of Dr Joseph Muscat, the PL garnered the support of the crowds and gave the PN a thrashing at the polls. The electorate wanted something different, something fresh and inspiring.  The PL exhibited a wide array of proposals which enticed the electorate heart and soul.  Within minutes from the electoral results, Dr Muscat made his way amongst the cheering crowds to his new office at Castille. 

People had very high hopes.

Correct me if I am wrong, but are the allegations of corruption and scandals which have surfaced just three years after the general election serious enough to sow doubt in the current political administration?     

What is your take?

I am not interested in what the previous administration did or did not.

Due to the current wave of political scandals and corruption, our politicians cannot focus their efforts on how to take our economy and Malta’s international standing to the next higher level.  This is now showing extensively and is not doing Malta any good.  This can only be addressed by re-enforcing transparency, political integrity and good governance.   

Unfortunately, since these scandals and corruption allegations have surfaced, other important issues have been side-lined, one of which is Malta’s competitiveness.   We all know that there are no free meals in a market economy. Taking a market economy to a social market economy requires many more efforts.   

It is widely acknowledged that Malta’s competitive edge supports our bread and butter.  This has always been buttressed by a wide range of measures under different administrations.  Malta’s competitiveness has always been recognised by the social partners and the civil society as the most important and effective tool to protect Malta’s economic stability and sustainability.  Economic growth should lead to improved safety nets for the under-privileged, better quality of life for all citizens, while ensuring that investors earn an improved financial return on their investment that adequately compensate for risking their assets.         

At times, Malta’s competiveness was, and still is, closely associated with wages and salaries. While there is no doubt that salaries and wages can impact negatively on Malta’s competiveness if not supported with improved efficiency and productivity, it is not fair to point fingers at and lay such responsibility with the workers or their representatives when it is clear that a wide audience has been handpicked to entertain partisan needs to receive a salary that is by far beyond the market rates.  It is only to be expected that this will, sooner or later, mount pressure from workers in the public and the private sectors for wage and salary increases.

It can hardly be otherwise.                      

Another component that is impacting negatively on competitiveness is the unreliable public transport which, as a result, is congesting our roads. Travelling from one place to another has become a nightmare. Traffic congestion should be looked into before irreparable harm is done to Malta’s competitiveness. A case in point was last Tuesday.  In flowing traffic conditions, an 8.5 kilometre distance is normally covered within 20 to 25 minutes.  However, last Tuesday, workers on their way to work must have arrived more than one hour late to their place of work.  Delivery people, ready-mix concrete trucks, minibuses and workers were all held up in snail moving traffic.        

Maybe a seasoned economist could look into the matter from an economic point of view, and make calculations on what our economy suffers due to such delays. I am certain the resultant cost is considerable.  It is a cost we can all do without.

Corruption and political scandals know no boundaries. In this regard, irrespective of their political party affiliation, well-meaning, upright politicians should stand up and be counted.  They should strongly voice their concerns within the structures of their political grouping and outside. I know this must be a big challenge but in such circumstances all depends on the politicians’ values and their willingness to protect the common good. 

I am sure we can count on many.  Time has come to start counting.      

 

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