Seismologists use a seismograph to measure an earthquake. The seismograph is an instrument that measures seismic waves caused by an earthquake. The gross domestic product is one of the primary indicators used by economists to gauge the health of a country's economy.
It represents the total value of all goods and services produced over a specific time period; one can think of it as the size of the economy.
Football supporters and other sports enthusiasts measure the success of their favourite team by the number of points garnered during a particular season.
Trade unions measure their strength by the number of paid-up members. Entrepreneurs measure their forte by the influence they have and exercise on national authorities. Political parties are measured by the electorate with votes cast during general elections. There are other significant tools which, in one way or another, can give a reading of a situation. Some of the measurements directly affect the quality of life of people.
I need not stress that some of these measurements can be influenced by an array of initiatives. Others are the result and considered as an act of God; a legal term used frequently to depict a natural catastrophe. Irrespective of the measures and figures, in most occasions there are at least two sides of the same coin. Under separate pretexts, figures can be interpreted differently to suit diverse frames of mind.
Numbers play a significant role in shaping communities and societies. Numbers are a value and mirror important perspectives. The effective management of numbers is important in the search for solutions. Unless there are reliable indicators and independent sources of information, measures to remedy, adjust or correct cannot be taken on board. Figures can expose situations which, if not addressed, will push people into dire straits.
Solutions may not always be pleasant or easy to implement, but nonetheless it is important to benchmark improvement on a regular basis and take corrective action to ensure that everybody as far as is reasonably practicable participates and enjoys the fruits of hard labour.
This brings me to the subject which currently is a priority for the PN, but is also important from a national perspective. The PN is the second largest political party in the House and has to dutifully fulfil the role of Opposition.
That the PN is currently facing a huge challenge is no state secret. It was bound to happen. It has happened in the past and both leading political parties have suffered extensively during campaigns for the top post and immediately after a new party leader was elected; be it the PL and now also the PN.
The race for the PN leader post is now over, but the wounds need attention. Now that Dr Adrian Delia won the post left vacant after Dr Simon Busuttil announced his resignation immediately after the June general election, Dr Delia needs to treat the open, bleeding wounds. The inflicted wounds need to be well treated; any superficial treatment applied would be an added insult to the already injured parties in the contest and their respective supporters.
A quick look at some figures in the contest between Dr Adrian Delia and Dr Chris Said speaks volumes. PN eligible members to vote amounted to 19,350. Close to 4,000 did not even bother to collect their voting document, and another 759 did not bother to cast their vote notwithstanding that they had collected the voting document. Dr Delia won the PN leadership post with 7,734 votes against the 6,932 garnered by Dr Said. With the race over and done with, Dr Delia became the new PN party leader, but genuine efforts are now required to build the necessary bridges to form one cohesive team.
Before the PN sets course with the very ambitious programme in a bid to win the next mid-term MEPs’ and local councils’ elections, the PN needs to have a deep look at what it stands for. The PN will not be able to take on any challenge unless deep-seated issues are addressed. This should be a top priority for the new PN leader and the incoming administration. Ironing out differences requires time and genuine efforts from all sides to heal.
The PN, and perhaps more importantly loyal party supporters, must understand that there are times when the party is better suited to stay on the Opposition benches than take the lead. This can be easily explained. After sixteen years of socialism, in the 1987 general election the PN won the general election with a mere 4,785 votes notwithstanding that during the third consecutive and last MLP term in office between 1981 and 1987, the Islands were brought to a standstill with authoritarian policies that had at the time reached unprecedented levels.
In contrast, the PN had lost the 2013 general election with 35,000 votes despite the fact that Malta has survived the effects of a world-wide recession which equalled the US Great Depression of 1930. In 2013 the PN lost heavily after twenty-five years of constant changes that had revolutionised our way of living. Dr Simon Busuttil’s efforts proved futile in the last general election, despite that he had strived to change the PN. The PN has not yet been exonerated from the attitude that had pushed so many loyal PN supporters away. In a nutshell, figures give an indication and an account of people’s leanings, but what influence their swing should be analysed more thoroughly. One thing is for sure Dr Delia is in for a very rough time if like Dr Busuttil is left the swim against the under-currents and internal strife alone.
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