Undemocratic principles

The MLP's objection to Arnold Cassola's right to vote is a situation which was just waiting to happen, the result of political parties being vested with too much power. Political parties in Malta have carved for themselves absolute power in the whole electoral process, many times to the detriment of voters.

Unfortunately, Dr Cassola, like many others around the world, is the victim in this affair and it is he who may end up paying for the inadequacies of others.

Alternattiva Demokratika has been for many years insisting on the need for appropriate legal amendments, so that Maltese citizens are not deprived of their right to vote. The MLP chose to block electoral amendments. Despite the fact that, in principle, they agree with removing these restrictions on overseas citizens, they chose to play a legalistic card on Dr Cassola. But no surprise - it's not as if it is the first time the MLP reneged on its own principles. On the contrary, we have come to expect it!

It is usual in other countries to try and keep citizens and nationals living overseas interested in their country's affairs. They serve as goodwill ambassadors, they assist in finding export markets for the country's products, they give generously when disasters hit the country and they re-invest in their own country. It seems that Malta has not yet woken up to this reality. It treats other Maltese living overseas as foreigners. It almost looks on them as traitors, simply because they found better use for their skills overseas - where their skills are better appreciated, away from the incessant back-stabbing that many Maltese have learned to live with and accept.

Above all else this whole affair is the result, not of bad electoral legislation, as some people are suggesting, but a result of primordial and undemocratic principles held principally by the Labour Party. If the MLP cuts the chains of arrogance, isolationism and autocracy, constitutional amendments with regard to the electoral system would be possible. I just cannot understand how it is still possible for the Maltese voter to keep supporting such a Jurassic party in this day and age. I cannot understand why the Maltese voter does not just bury these political dinosaurs, who time and again cheat them of their rights.