"Change and Hope Now! for a better world" is a call to action that emphasizes the power of hope to inspire positive change. It suggests that by believing in a better future and actively working towards it, individuals can contribute to a more positive and sustainable world. This idea is rooted in the understanding that hope is a powerful motivator for change, and that collective action, fueled by hope, can address global challenges like inequality, climate change, and social injustice.
The world is currently experiencing a complex interplay of challenges, conflicts, political upheaval, and technological advancements. Key issues include ongoing geopolitical tensions, humanitarian crises, global conflicts such as in the Mid-East and the persistent threat of climate change. Simultaneously, there are positive developments like the resurgence of anti-pollution awareness and ongoing scientific discoveries. Here in Malta, things seem to be going from bad to worse, with lack of accountability, sleaze, pollution, plastic waste, drug increase, traffic, parking issues, over-rated hospitality sector, lack of control/discipline or standards, price hikes, over-population, intolerance, discrimination, and favouritism being on the top listed concerns!
One of the local major problems facing us locally is a boom in population due to the admission of thousands of unskilled and untrained foreign cheap labour workers from Asia, particularly India, Bangladesh, Philippines, and Nepal. There are many illegal immigrants entering through our airport from these countries on the excuse that they are tourists or students learning English. But how can a 45-year-old Indian without any form of education is let in by our customs on the pretext of being a student or having no money and entering as a tourist?! This is ridiculous and serious custom control and border patrol should be immediately revised and re-examined to have tougher entrance criteria and control in future. Problem exacerbated even more by the fact that most are being used and abused within the construction sector!
Illegal migration, also known as irregular migration, refers to the movement of people into a country without the legal permission or authorization to do so. This includes both unauthorized entry and overstaying a visa or residence permit. The terms "illegal" and "irregular" are often used interchangeably, though some prefer "irregular" due to the potential for "illegal" to carry a criminal connotation. Overstaying involves immigrants remaining in a country after the expiration of a visa or residence permit. Irregular status encompasses various situations where a person's presence or employment in a country is not in accordance with the law. EU countries have established policies and procedures for returning individuals who are residing in a country illegally, with an emphasis on voluntary returns where possible. Irregular migration can be linked to criminal activities like migrant smuggling. Fiscally, illegal immigrants are a net drain - they create more in costs than they pay in taxes. This is primarily due to their low average education levels, which results in low average earnings and tax payments. Illegal or irregular migrants should face detention, deportation, and other sanctions, and this issue must be taken seriously.
Pollution is another major factor that is threatening our world today. One example of pollution is nitrogen. Humans are adding about 130 to 150 million tons over the 90 to 150 tons that are produced by the nitrogen cycle. This excess in nitrogen causes coastal waters and estuaries to grow toxic algae, killing the fish and trapping the solar heat in the air. Another example of pollution is methane. Methane is produced by gases released by cows, termite mounds or by the bottom of field or mud paddies, or fileds. If found in the air methane is very poisonous.
Smoke and fuel lead are added pollution factors. Smoke that is produced by cars contains carbon dioxide (CO2). This carbon dioxide in the air causes global warming, which results in the greenhouse effect and climate changes. Satellite studies show that perhaps we will increase the temperature by 3.6 degrees by the year 2030. The warmer the weather the more water it can hold, the higher the precipitation will be. The higher the precipitation the more clouds, the more rain, and the more snow there will be. This will result in more storms and floods which we are seeing, such as recent deadly one in Texas.
The future vision is not a pretty picture. In fact, these gruesome images are enough to strike the deepest of fear into anyone's heart. The truth is, at the rate that atmospheric temperature and carbon emissions are rising, in a mere one hundred years, our beautiful world could descend into a state of utter and irreparable damage. However, I believe there is another way, another dream for the future. My dream for the future. Your dream. Our dream. There is a hope; a steadfast, reachable hope. Hope is never truly lost, not to a world in which it is often the only way forward, the only dream to reach for. And politicians should be held to account! It is time to make changes and hope!
The hope is this: It is not too late yet. With the right precautions, humans can fix the problems they created. I believe, I hope, that the immediate future should be full of these changes, enacted by those who truly care for our Islands and the planet they are so lucky to inhabit.