Editorial

It is a pity that issues that can serve as a common basis for consensus are being brushed aside by the two major political forces. This applies not just to political matters but also to the economic challenges facing the island as it charts its way into the future.

Explicit or implicit calls for the political parties to at least reach consensus on matters over which they evidently agree have been made on a number of occasions. Only a few days ago, for instance, Central Bank Governor Michael C. Bonello made a clear-cut appeal: "...we should unite in the search for a national solution to our economic problems and in the implementation of the necessary reforms without which the country can make no real progress".

Mr Bonello said all interested parties must speak to each other around a table and "not through a dialogue of the deaf where each party issues statements through the media, as happens today".

He stressed the need for "a broad consensus", adding that "the recent history of our country suggests that no government is likely to succeed, on its own, in implementing the necessary reforms quickly and efficiently enough".

Mr Bonello notes that the structures and institutions necessary to adopt a common approach in the search of a national solution exist and the choices to be made are quite clear. "What is still missing is a strong measure of goodwill on the part of all the interested parties," he said.

The 'interested parties' include of course the players in the island's social and economic development.

We are just months away from two major decisions which are, in a way, interdependent: the referendum on EU accession and a general election. At this late stage, there is no possibility that there could be any form of consensus on the type of relations Malta should have with the EU.

Indeed, the rift in the policies of the two parties over this is wide. The Labour Party is even disregarding the value of the referendum, saying in advance that it would not abide by the will of the people if the outcome is positive.

So, in today's keen political atmosphere, when the people's minds are on the referendum and the general elections, the plea made by the Central Bank Governor that we should unite in the search for a national solution to our economic problems and in the implementation of the necessary reforms may sound somewhat ill-timed.

But is it? It is not, for even though the political forces are now engaged in a battle of minds to win votes, the key players in the economy should not lose sight of the immediate problems facing the country. These should at least try, in a spirit of consensus, to hammer out solutions to matters requiring urgent attention so that we do not stagnate in political confrontations.

Mr Bonello made a telling point in his address: "And while over the years considerable precious material and intellectual resources have been, and still are being wasted in sterile confrontations that cannot lead anywhere, the world is always changing and moving forward... We therefore need to rid ourselves as soon as possible of these bad habits.."

The question is: Do we want to rid ourselves of such bad habits?