Proud to be Maltese

The Prime Minister recently took time out to thank the Maltese people for making the CHOGM meeting a success and for this I sincerely thank him.

Although I was in no way involved in the organisation or in the celebrations surrounding this event, I get the feeling that the meeting was in fact very well organised and, in instances such as these, I too feel proud to be Maltese.

The police seem to have done a splendid job if nothing else in accompanying all the dignitaries to the various venues. It was an unusual and, I admit, rather exciting experience to be stopped at a traffic light to let a convoy of cars speed by with sirens blaring. A bit like a scene out of the movies. Exciting stuff.

A meeting such as CHOGM is quickly despatched to history but the feeling of being or not being proud to be Maltese lingers. I must admit I often think about what would make me much prouder to be Maltese.

In the first instance, I would be ever so much prouder if we could finally agree on one national day. Whenever I am asked, I find it very embarrassing to say that Malta does not have one national day but five! It is a shame on our nation's leaders that this issue has not been resolved after so many years of debate. Perhaps it is time for a national commission to be appointed to seek consensus among all concerned.

I would be much prouder to be Maltese if the wheels of justice would not turn at snail's pace. Why should we have to suffer years of anguish in our courts to obtain what is rightfully ours? A recent classic example of slow motion was the report on the inquiry ordered by the Prime Minister to investigate alleged brutality by some members of the Armed Forces of Malta on a group of immigrants.

This took 11 months in the making and when it saw the light of day it produced nothing that wasn't already known and neither did it make any specific accusations or recommendations. Hardly what the Maltese people were expecting. We wanted to know who used excessive force. The fact that excessive force was used was already well documented at the time by the press.

When we start to live in a society that doesn't judge its citizens by their political colour but by the true contents of their character and capabilities I will also feel much prouder.

I will be prouder to be Maltese when appointments to state-owned corporations are no longer made on the basis of political allegiance. I cannot believe that only those people who happen to fervently support the government of the day are capable and willing to make a contribution to the national good.

My level of pride would also be greatly enhanced when our state medical services reach a level that will truly be a source of national pride. Likewise, I long for the day when the education provided by state schools will reach the level of private schools so that all Maltese children will be given an equal opportunity to succeed.

I will feel prouder to be Maltese when our politicians act like statesmen at least on non-divisive issues. In my view, the difference between being a run-of-the-mill politician and being a statesman is that a politician thinks of the next election whereas a statesmen thinks of the next generation. Why can't they sometimes work together for the national good rather then constantly engaging in confrontational politics?

Wishful thinking? Perhaps. In the meantime, I shall continue to hope for better times.