One of the greatest gifts humans have been granted by their Creator is the freedom to choose. Other freedoms that go with freedom of choice are freedom of association and expression.

It is indeed a great misfortune how individuals and even nations use their freedom of choice to associate freely with individuals, groups and nations, which in the final analysis take their freedoms away rather than enriching them.

This was the case in point with our dear Malta and its dependencies. We celebrate Independence Day, Freedom Day and Sette Guigno without reminding ourselves that what our forefathers lived and died for, is gradually being taken away piece by piece.

How can a country have the decency to celebrate such important landmarks in Malta’s road to free itself from colonialism when it has handed its rights to choose to the big and mighty club called European Union (EU)?

We speak of the upcoming Presidency of Malta of the EU. This is just a cosmetic Presidency in that it will only incur more expenses and nothing else. Malta’s voice in the EU is so small and insignificant that its say in EU matters is one out of a 1000 voices.

Also, Malta’s Constitution is being flouted big time; Malta’s laws, and here I refer to the strategic ones that are being decided and imposed on us from Brussels. We, the small people and ordinary men and women in the street have no idea how our rights to choose what is best for our country are being eroded. Our Parliament just endorses whatever Brussels throws at them, even if it is against our country’s interests.

I admire the stand Britain is taking in its Brexit move. Indeed our political, social, administrative and economic system has been modelled on the Whitehall one and it will come as no great surprise if, in the future, the Maltese will wake up and re-think their membership in the EU and emulate the British move. 

As with most things in life, bitter pills come with a sugar coating. Perhaps, as in the case of Britain the sugar coating is subsiding in Malta’s case and we are about to taste the other sour reality of Malta’s membership.

Anthony Zarb Dimech