This weekend, social media was largely dominated by survey results reflecting the electorate’s political mood. From what I read, the survey was split over two weeks, right after the budget presentation, as well as during the budget speeches, which coincided with the ICC award on the Steward Health Care case. In truth, few were understanding anything, with many commenting on social media about the ICC case without even grasping the fundamentals of the court, let alone the case itself. People tend to have an opinion about everything, and that is the beauty of social media. It is funny when you think about it.
Before social media spawned to also my mother’s mobile phone, the practice was to voice your opinion on a chair on the pavement next to your doorstep, or on a bench in a village square. To get our information, we used to eavesdrop behind the window louvres, read what mainstream media reported, and refrain from voicing our opinion. Nowadays, that privacy has been traded on social media. We find it comfortable to voice our opinion behind a keyboard and repeat whatever our politicians say. At least there is still some sanity out there, and beyond social media one still bumps into people who are able to verify matters.
Indeed, on Sunday just after the survey results, in the evening, I uploaded a short video to express what I truly think. Beyond the numbers, what I truly think was documented by the media two days after the MEP election. Following the Sunday result of the MEP election, I wrote a list of priorities that I managed to document over a span of two-and-a-half years on the ground. I had a humble team, who also managed to do miracles, even small focus groups to understand people’s priorities. We wanted to find out if what we were hearing on the ground was accurately reflected on social media. Indeed, the latter is amplified, but half the story is always missing.
What authorities need to do is understand how Malta’s priorities have shifted and are still changing rapidly, from one year to another. Part of this shift is obviously driven by social media, access to media, geopolitics, and our economic comfort. However, what I said back in 2024 still stands. The cabinet and the parliamentary group must forget about Facebook. Politics cannot be executed through social media. The bulk of the work must be policy, intertwined with the acceleration of execution on the ground. We cannot have a situation where what is promoted on Facebook, or any other type of social media, is not executed fully on the ground, efficiently and effectively. At times I get the impression that just by organising a few gatherings to have a photo opportunity, politicians promote the idea that they are working to fully execute their policies.
Sometimes it truly saddens me to see all the great work carried out by the PL in government lost on social media because members of the government were reactive rather than proactive. Importantly, once a policy is designed, there must be a concerted effort not just by politicians but also by the rest of the personnel appointed to execute it. These are mutually inclusive and cannot be separated. Tellingly, some of those appointed do not even know how the system works and have no clue who the people affected are. What I found on the ground was primarily fuelled by many geopolitical and socioeconomic factors. The PL did a lot of work, but sadly it was lost through delayed projects, especially infrastructure and social projects. Forget about the Msida project, which in my opinion was accelerated, and thumbs up to those involved. However, we cannot have a situation, where completing a few road networks in Fgura takes forever. Ditto when it comes to Siġġiewi. The road networks, cables, and other utility upgrades, including the building of a sub-station, seem to take forever to complete. These are the things that people talk about, which include, inter alia, the inconvenience of massive infrastructure machinery digging ditches, dust everywhere, road closures, and piecemeal completion with a never-ending state in sight.
Hitherto, I never understood why we start a road, leave it half-baked, continue another one, leave it half-baked too, and then pour some concrete in the open ditches once we pass the cabling, only to start digging other trenches in an adjacent road all over again. It also takes time to resurface with tarmac. It is good to upgrade our infrastructure. However, it must be executed with the least inconvenience, respecting the neighbourhood. Let me use this analogy. If I am building a house, I must respect the privacy, peace, and dwelling structures of my neighbours if I want to foster a good neighbourly relationship over the years. The same applies to infrastructure projects. It is not the contractor who has to face the neighbours – and in this case the electorate – but the authorities and the government. And this is reflected in the electorate’s mood.
Indeed, the list flagged a series of pressing priorities that continue to weigh heavily on people’s lives. Among others are housing reform and the high rents that are leaving many struggling to keep up. I am glad that Dr Ian Borg proposed a model that works for both landlords and tenants, especially for short holiday breaks. Meanwhile, I believe that the means-testing thresholds remain too narrow to reflect the real impact of the cost of living. I understand that the government must draw a line. However, with the PL in government – a socialist government – I would expect a bit more ambition here.
Some points which I flagged, including the thousands of campers caught in a bind under the caravan legal notice, have been addressed, with the government promoting a proper site for those who enjoy such a hobby. Also, I was glad to witness that our elderly are no longer being destroyed by waiting five to six years for orthopaedic operations. The model that I proposed, and which was implemented to have these surgeries done in the private sector, seems to be working. This is quite important, as it truly frustrated people. However, some others remain unaddressed. For instance, workers requesting transfers are disheartened when told to find their own replacement.
Besides, I truly believe that the PL must do some soul searching about where it wants to go in the coming years. Nobody can deny that the PL is the government that promoted civil rights, introduced progressive laws, and pushed for change that revolutionised the economy for the better. However, we must ensure that we keep the pace of change, accelerate projects, and truly promote additional progressive laws. However, the problem of appointing people in key positions who are primarily not considerate, non-empathising, and resistant to change is creating problems with the electorate. And people do not forget. Lastly, I personally think it is truly not deserving.
