Chris Fearne’s inane comments about RIPN, once, twice over, have only served to radicalise the opinion that democracy in the form of an elected government to serve all the people has no chance of any future here in Malta.
This may well be happening in other Western democracies, even the UK and the USA. But here, when we combine it with all the corruption at the highest level of government and within the society and economy as a whole, with the indescribable events that have happened, the institutional failure, the puerile alternative in the Labour party and the low grade participation of the opposition party, we are really searching for the next evolution of self-government.
As leading political, literary and academic figures are coming to the full realisation of the entrenched abuse of the political system that has been going on, never more egoistically than in the past 7 years under Joseph Muscat’s and Keith Schembri’s road map, a reaction of disbelief has given way to an activism and the birth of a thought process, supported by the Committees and Constitution of the European Union of which we are members. Our own Constitution has been sorely tested and right now, is in a critical condition.
Standing outside this group of thought, are the Nationalist party, who are still trying to take the initiative to seize this opportunity but are simply restricted by their form, failing in substance. The time is ripe for the young, the female, the passionate to come forward and bring new perspective to the current delegation. They are there, ready with ideas and energy but they do not trust the Executive to do what’s needed. Or they do not believe in a political career. Either way, the present shadow members are not looking like winning contenders, despite the recent achievements.
Sunday will see another protest against corruption and for a new Malta. In truth, if the Labour party had any real sense of the betrayal that has taken place, beyond the corruption and the shame, they would have called on Joseph Muscat to leave and then resigned their mandate leaving a caretaker government to call fresh elections.
We can see and hear that we cannot expect any evolution in thought or justice come January 12th 2020. The people are being asked to take a much greater role in defending our democratic rule, than going out to vote at election time or pledging support. People are also being asked to reflect on the system of clientelism and the amateurism we support and to what extent we have sustained it and indulged in it.
The watches, symbol of the elite. The wine, pretending to add class. The first-class travel and the brothels. The gang-land type of untouchables and the spotless clean ups. No partisan clichés of RIPN is going to relocate the heart of labour in the workers camp. And no government trappings of cars and overseas visits and end of year speeches or farewell tours can convince anyone that we still have a government which has the support of the people and that is worthy of leading the country, democratically and with respect and a vision for fixing the present state of affairs and for the future.
A poll is simply an answer to a question. It is not an expression of values. Especially when those values are now themselves being questioned and discarded in search of a true value based on justice.
In the past decade we have experienced the fact that a government can be democratically elected but can rule without actually representing what the people chose. Once elected, having proposed a policy and targeted niche sectors of the population in order to win, the reality of government, especially when it holds itself unaccountable, is simply a means to remain electable. To be in power.
We have seen that happening to an unbelievable extent. At what point did the economy really do well out of it? Has the environment benefitted from the policies that were proposed? Are we as a member of the European Union proud of the role and responsibilities we have carried out?
Or was the Presidency of the EU another staged entertainment, like the Christmas village on the Triton place, where the ice-rink was flooded before the first twirl?
Many are working hard to consolidate the sentiment and awareness that the cause for justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia has brought about. That, indeed, Daphne herself brought about by her unrelenting desire for a better Malta. Without a committed energy from youths and students, the movement is limited to a fickle will. And without freedom of speech we are doomed to endure the same authoritarianism and amateur farce.
Evolution is never easy. It must begin in each individual with the will to change. One thing we know is that having two sets of government - one for the Labourites and one for the Nationalists is corruption in itself. Speaking one way one day and another the next day is a lie and a betrayal. Promising one thing to one group and another thing to another group is deceitful, weak and lazy.
For the rest of it, it will depend on the public’s ability to judge for themselves. For years people chose not to believe what was being alleged, only to find that it was even worse than anything they could have imagined. We cannot resort to populism or believing the worst but when there are facts, a free and intelligent media, and an active civil society, then denial is the way to avoid the truth. Without that truth, we are nothing but a figure, one entity that can be manipulated to whatever opinion others may want to manage to their benefit.
So, let’s get on with the job, keep marching in solidarity and keeping our mind open to the possibilities that lie ahead and the danger we are in when we lose our critical senses. Nobody is exempt from that self-criticism too, one which can really put the good of the country before the self-interest that stifles it. All the political class should start 2020 with a deep introspection of their behaviour, their values and their motivation. Those who wish to reach out to the people and have something good to offer, a clean reputation and free of patronage will succeed. Should they find the integrity to go with it, their actions will be consistent with their words.
Whatever form our liberation is going to take, remains to be seen. But we cannot afford not to be a part of it.