All we need are a few red roses and a romantic weekend break at a wine estate in Sicily to
complete this pathetic picture of lovers seeking their soul mate on Tinder. Find a complete stranger and become an instant hook up. In this case, swiping right actually took them "left"... though that's another mis-hap.
During the 2013 election we had the now well- worn video of the daughter telling her mum that she is going to vote labour. Come June 2017, it was a different tune. This time it was Simon they showed up for. Only, the good parents who do anything to please their children and after the clear rejection of the PN at the polls, must have thought that they should listen to their upcoming sons and daughters and follow suit and reject this unpopular party this time round. Un-fortunately no one sent them the memo that Simon was their guy now.
Most times mothers have a hard time catching up with the latest happening in their kids' life, whether they are going out with someone, hanging out with someone, out of love with someone, or even are pregnant from someone. They try to pick up bits and pieces from friends' or facebook and hope that one day soon all will be revealed. It's not exactly confusion is more like catching up at a later time.
The problem lies in communication. There has been so little of it unless you count all the information coming out of the labour party machine about the latest goings on at Dar Centrali. Who's the mole? Are there listening devices? Or simply a mobile-phone recording being leaked? People want to hear something and put their trust in what they hear but instead they only find silence, which then leads to a sense of betrayal. When, then, the energetic, friendly and speak-easy voice rises above the void, ears turn, heads lift and eyes blink. Romance and stars are in the air.
As we know, though, love often comes with deceit, or at least, an element of it. But having fallen in love and having now put your trust in the soul-mate before you, you find it very hard to recognise that he or she has cheated on you or very badly deceived you and you continue to hope for a happy future.
They will eventually realise that the weekend in Sicily was just a smoke screen. Until then they cannot forget the sense of abandonment felt after their first love gave them the silent treatment and the discard and cling on to the new chariot.
The good times are forgotten. Even the candidates who approached this election for leader are again betraying the many people who elected the PN over the past decades by not boasting of the work that had been done in education, in health, in the economy, in Europe, as they bow their head and recite contrition. If society and the last couple of generations have changed it is due to the expansion of education and opportunity that was generated by the PN, right across the political divide. In a sense they, the Party, are renewing that gap between themselves and the supporters by stressing that they are going to change things.
The issue is that actually they do not need to change anything but they need to communicate better, much, much, much, better. Starting from their media, with TV, internet, radio and newspaper and their physical communication, making contact and working to project a confident, assuring, honest and effective relationship with people on every level. Most of all it has to be transparent and sincere or forget it.
Since, it has emerged clearly that the breakdown in communication is not just of the party with the people but within the party itself, as seen by the conflicting interests of persons diverging in all directions. The dispersal is huge. Then rumour spreads that there is a chap in town who is capable of drawing the faithful to him and renewing the love. The bond is created and the myth generated. No more suffering. No more shame.
The fact is that the void had to be filled. No one, not even now during the campaign for leader of the Party, made any or only oblique mention of what happened to bring us to this situation. And we still do not hear, from any corner, where and how we go from here. People wonder and ask, if Simon did not have the support and backing of the party - silence, mis-direction, a quick jump-ship and cross to the next horse for some (or many) - how will these new contenders have it?
So, the outsider begins to seem like a better and safer bet. The heart was longing and willing to bond and bond they did. Star-crossed lovers.
If the Nationalist Party still cares, it is now time to stand up and be heard.
Who do they, the 140 year old Nationalist party Council and present members, trust? Where is their voice? Some hear it from Europe - Theresa Comodini Cachia was quick to choose her place in Brussels, even after having gained the trust of the people. She changed her mind and took up her seat in parliament but we have heard nothing since, although, to be fair, it was a mistake for Comodini Cachia and Metsola to be given shadow roles in the opposition, let alone to run for election (Metsola did not contest). Simon enjoys respect and support in Europe and other worthy MPs have left our island to take up work there. It seems like the PN has been a very good export to Europe from Malta, with one notable exception. When Simon left Brussels for Malta, people admired him for it and offered their support even though they were not yet convinced that he was the man for the job but not everyone had his courage.
Those who remain to form the opposition party are tainted with inertia, doubt, betrayal and lack of passion. People cannot distinguish anymore between the faithful and the brigands and nobody wants a mediocre lover. Do they enter politics solely for personal advancement? Do they turn up their nose at local politics and our country? Even being a Mayor of a local council is seen as a first step to something more later down the line and not a dedicated role in itself. Party officials transferred to the list of candidates in a stream and left vacant their council seat.
In the music industry you have something called stage musicians and studio musicians. They give full support to the main artist, even though many of them are excellent musicians themselves. Studio musicians too, come in to record with an artist on an album as needed, giving life to the music and helping to make it happen. They have to work closely and together, sometimes without being noticed at all. It's the love of music, though, which inspire them to do it.
Get your act together now and do it fast. Shed the reluctant and the doubtful, start afresh if need be, maybe recovering some valid individuals with past experience. Get behind one of the two worthy candidates - we know who they are - or leave if you do not have the power of your convictions. But please, for the good of the country and for your children, wake up and heal.
The infantile attitudes that have emerged on social media and beyond, have contributed nothing but empty anguish, wasted passion. That enmity will not bring the change needed to resolve this dilemma. A good, intelligent, honest leader with experience and quiet confidence will be the only hope of re-gathering our strengths and talent, our grit and determination to renew the party and inject some common sense and good organisation into it again.
That good organisation must have a chance to be built up without childish tantrums and negative attitudes. People are out there, willing to return to the office and get things up and running again and they have offered to do so, saying they will be there if they are called. Accept! Accept their offers. Find the funding by the power of your conviction and a measure of audacity. Besides, not everyone looks for remuneration. There are people who give their time voluntarily. But for them to do so, there must be a structure in place that can make it work and above all, trust on all sides. Find it, make it, sell it.
If we do not see that on the Granaries on 19th September, don't bother calling.