Malta is facing a number of challenges due to the way the island has developed over the years.

Ones related to construction, transport, the economy and enforcement.

From an island of quiet villages, today a large part of the island has become a concrete jungle. Our roads have become packed with vehicles, the number of which continues to increase each day, and there is no solution to this problem in sight.

In terms of the environment, we have made progress on recycling and waste separation. We have even stopped using coal and oil for electricity generation, having moved to the use of gas. But we are still seriously lacking when it comes to renewable energy production.

As for the built environment, many towns and villages have been built up in ways which did not respect their original character and charm. We have eaten up so much green space. Now the government has at least started to focus more on gardens in the community, having finally started listening to the cries of the people. Although a lot more needs to be done. At the same time, however, the government has failed to act on the uglification of the country. We are here talking about aesthetics. We need to rethink the way we design buildings to better fit what we would want Malta to look like. This needs to be addressed.

Economically, while Malta’s GDP grows, there are problems, such as those related to our economic model. It is built on the requirement of having a large workforce, which has caused a number of issues due to the country’s small size. Continuing to grow the workforce at a rapid pace means more construction for example, taking up more space or continuing to build up.

The housing market is a whole other problem. Prices for housing rise, prices for rent rise, to the point where young people cannot afford them. We are literally pricing whole sections of society out of the market. Are we ok with the idea that a person on a full-time salary struggles to find a place?

Then there are those land lords who have completely succumbed to greed, housing 12 people to a room. Is that how we are to treat our brothers and sisters?

There are also those who abuse of foreign workers, using them as cheap labour and paying them low wages. This must stop.

The prices of goods are also rising. There are outside pressures causing inflation, but the Prime Minister has indicated his belief that there is an element of profiteering by certain importers also. That is not acceptable.

Then there are the government scandals. They are never ending. Those that made headlines recently include the hospitals deal, the disability benefits racket, the driving test scandal, yet there have been so many over recent years that it’s easy to lose count.

We need stronger enforcement and prosecutorial authorities who take quick and solid action when such scandals break, and not just against the small fish. We need to improve oversight. We need to end clientelism. We need politicians to hold themselves to higher standards, to hold their colleagues accountable when the situation demands it.

We need to build a Malta that future generations would be happy and proud to live in.