A communal feeling - the way forward

I would like to start off by wishing all the readers a belated happy new year 2004.

Over the past number of months, seeing a new beginning for the Maltese islands surprisingly overjoyed me. The Malta Labour Party finally came out to declare what was obvious to all... they were accepting the concept of Malta joining the European Union.

The MLP even went to a level of renovation from within, changing their president and general secretary, even though one could very well say that the former individuals holding these posts were easily scapegoated as the culprits of the MLP's downfall. I hope no one believes this and I can only empathise with these poor guys who had to bear the brunt of someone else's rigid policies.

Cosmetic surgery is helpful but does not resolve what lies within. Case in point is the recent MLP court applications involving 1,600 voters. It really smelt of the past. The other thing I could not understand is how people who spoke voraciously against Malta joining the European Union are now being put forth as candidates for the European parliament.

A long awaited confirmation that we Maltese can stick up for each other lay in the forceful way in which we contributed to both the Kerygma Volleyball Marathon and l-Istrina.

I seriously believe we use politics pretty much like football frenzy, some people siding with one party and others with another. Over and above this, most of us believe that we can be united as one in times of solidarity and stress.

Speaking from my own experience, I often see this in my Rabat political office where individuals siding with both parties come to ask for help and a shoulder to lean on. Our new generation is avidly changing its mentality that brotherhood is the way forward. Gone are the days, or let's say nearly gone are the days, of that referential feeling that partisan politics rules the day.

Let me just say that I was not astonished at all by the recent survey by the University of Malta chaplaincy (three cheers to all those involved) which looked at belief practices of our youth at the university. It is clear proof that our youths are losing trust in our Church as an institution. I can bet anything that if the same survey had to be replicated to look at our parliament as an institution we would get the same results.

Being optimistic I would say that a good 60-75 per cent of the Maltese people feel we are all brethren of one country irrespective of our political affiliation. If we can make it in moments of stress and distress, why not focus on this modus operandi across the board and start trying to join forces even at a political level? It is beyond belief: How we can raise Lm1 million for charity, as brethren and then, when 240 people lose their job at VF, the only thing our opposition can come up with is an "I told you so" attitude? At least the General Workers' Union, besides their website, are trying to organise a protest march in which they said they will be giving alternatives. Let's hope for the best.

The opposition should by now be joining forces with our government to come up with plans to help our economy recuperate.

We have to move away from a stage where people within the government are scared to consult with colleague experts because of a fear of losing ground with same district voters or within the same party or with an opposition spitefully not coming up with alternative ideas because of a mentality of "you didn't want me in power, then tough luck".

I have full trust in some of my Labour and Nationalist colleagues that we can and we will all start pulling one rope for the good of all. Our new modus operandi should be a communal feeling... the way forward!