Last Updated on Thursday, 18 July, 2024 at 8:45 am by Andre Camilleri
Last week, I received an invitation for a TV interview on FLiving. Obviously, I accepted the sincere invitation. The Bonaci family, as well as all the crew at FLiving, were always at the forefront to promote new political candidates. They remind me of Ray Azzopardi’s time at Super 1, who was always willing to promote new persons, with nothing expected in return, and with no insecurities attached to such services. Do use their media services, because it’s widely followed.
On my side, I cannot but thank the Bonaci family for their invitations, and for always allowing me unsanctioned and free speech during the said interviews. Over the span of two years, we treated different topics. Among others, we discussed the steady increase in the population, both permanent and seasonal, the temping agencies and their role in facilitating third country nationals applying for a job in Malta, the untoward system within the orthopaedic section at Mater Dei hospital, as well as other topics of interest that are clearly impinging on the quality of life of many people born and raised in Malta. As I said last week, these are the effects of the Labour government’s own economic success, which must be addressed with immediate effect. Surely, the government needs to readjust the way our scarce resources are allocated. I wrote about it last week, so I won’t be repeating it today.
During the TV interview I referred to the European Parliament elections, as well as the common topics that are affecting the lives of many Europeans. Clearly, the majority of the electorate are not interested about foreign affairs, at least here in Malta. However, I always tried to bring the best information, filtering it diligently, and making it available to my followers. Going forward, I will be providing this information prescriptively, as I want to focus more on pressing topics that are affecting us directly, especially ESG. Besides readjusting our scarce resources, we surely need a Climate and Environmental risk assessment. This must cover the vulnerabilities of the economic sectors and the Maltese economy in general. We need this financial quantification to dovetail it with our plans on infrastructural projects, in order to be able to adjust resources accordingly. We cannot indicate the sectors that will be affected by climate change and readjust resources, if we do not have this study at our disposal.
Furthermore, we must smoothen the statics of our seasonal population, as this is impinging on the ecosystem of the country. In the 1980s and 1990s, I remember less crowded beaches. Technically, the economic term “the tragedy of the commons” was not as visible. Over the years, it has become stressful to go to a beach. The private sector took many beaches over, placing serried sunbeds along the perimeter of our few sandy beaches, without allowing proper distance. Undeniably, private interests are impinging on the interest of the public. This is surely affecting the quality of the environment and our quality of life. Also, we must work with professionals in the area of climate and environmental risks. We need to sit down with scientists, as well as local and foreign professionals to cover areas relating to the degradation of our biodiversity, and the quality of our air. Certainly, we shall know the matters found in the air we breathe, and the correlation to respiratory diseases in each town and village. And we must publish such data and studies. Additionally, we must look into the effects of climate change on our water systems. We need additional restoration of nature and perhaps include “the right to adequate green space” in highly urbanised areas. Well, the list is quite long.
We also need to start thinking differently and forget about kneejerk reactions. Undoubtedly, we must forget about partisan and tribal politics. Malta deserves a long-term plan, covering the health system, the education system, as well as the protection of the environment. We cannot have a situation where the government buys some areas from the private sector to safeguard pocket green spaces, to allow some decent breathing, but at the same time construction magnates dig residential pools, without a permit, on ODZ land. We cannot ruin the environment, then try to restore nature, elsewhere.
For instance, last Sunday I read that the garden in Gżira was signed and handed over to the newly-elected local council. Apparently, the reason cited was the public outcry, as well as the pressure that was applied by the former mayor Dr Conrad Borg Manché to stop the development of the petrol station’s relocation in part of the Gżira garden. Well, this must have been the government’s decision from the outset, without even allowing the possibility of the former mayor resigning from the PL to contest independently. The votes he received in the EP election were quite exceptional for an independent candidate.
Notwithstanding that I always wrote what I thought independently, surely, writing about topics that are of public interest, must not be viewed as populist. Actually, this week, a friend of mine asked me whether I am interested in joining a group of professionals. The idea is quite compelling. There isn’t something of the sort in Malta and the foundation of such a group would make those taking decisions in checks and balances, especially when proposing mega-infrastructural projects. I think it is high time to put together our expertise and form such a group, which includes, inter alia, the overseeing of the spending and allocation of our taxes. The idea is to create an independent technical forum to be able to propose performance-based budgeting, as well as overseeing that resources are allocated efficiently. Even if I opt to contribute silently, my EU budget knowledge will always be put at the group’s disposal.
Today, I am partially out of the political system, even though when I was asked publicly, I did not exclude to run for public office in the future. Surely, I am glad to have contributed to the EP’s election campaign. However, this is now past. For now, I will stay on the periphery, and allow the limelight to be enjoyed by those I deem presumptuous and uncouth. We need to grow as a country and relinquish partisan politics. We need to restore what’s wrong and examine the social fabric of our country. Actually, we must acknowledge what is truly hurting us. True, we all do mistakes, and we are all subject to misjudgements, especially if we are restricted in a political structure. I saw this repeatedly in my former capacity as representative of Malta to the Political and Security Committee. However, decency dictates to acknowledge misjudgements and correct them.
In this regard, I take the opportunity to augur best wishes to Dr Roberta Metsola on her reappointment as President of the European Parliament. During the EP election campaign, we might have disagreed on foreign affairs matters and international politics, however, that does not mean I do not augur Dr Metsola best wishes, publicly. Indeed, Dr Metsola’s second term will be different, bringing additional experience and hopefully lessons learned on foreign affairs. Perhaps, the European Parliament will listen more to the electorate. And we might have discussions in Malta, too. Bonne chance madame la Présidente!
