Topical issues

The recent spate of animal cruelty incidents surely highlights the need for tougher penalties against the perpetrators of such acts and, especially, the need of an effective enforcement policy on the part of the government. How long are we going to tolerate the barbaric acts of some (in)human beings who seem to regard animals not as the beautiful part of creation which they in fact are but as objects to be maltreated and harmed at the whim of cowardly bullies who vent their frustration on these defenceless friends of mankind?

Animals have no votes but any government that does something concrete about this problem will surely win the gratitude of the thousands of animal lovers on the Maltese islands who simply cannot stand anymore this disgraceful situation.

A day of rest

In days gone by, Sunday was regarded as a day of rest by all members of society. This was mostly because of its religious connotations but, later on, it was also widely accepted that it would be beneficial for all to have a day when one could break the weekly routine of a fast-paced, hectic life with its increasing stress and tension. Lately, however, it seems that here in Malta we are on the road to destroying the traditional character of our weekly day of rest.

It is becoming increasingly common for builders to continue their work even on Sundays, sometimes starting early in the morning, thus depriving citizens of part of their well-earned rest. Some irresponsible companies, in their crave for that extra lira, are also sending workers into private homes to mount fixtures and fittings on Sunday mornings and afternoons. Meanwhile, the use of noisy woodworking machinery in private garages in residential areas goes on unabated, even on Sundays. Again, immediate action is needed here by the competent authorities.

Mobile discos

Wardens are doing a good job, even if their way of carrying out their duties sometimes leaves a lot to be desired. However, one area where more needs to be done is in the prevention of noise pollution on the roads. It is unacceptable that in this day and age, in a European Union member country, we still have some cowboys who think that they can drive around the Maltese islands with their car stereos full-on, not only breaking the peace but also disturbing people who are resting and especially the sick.

It is here that the educative role of wardens should come into play. Stopping these noise polluters and explaining to them why they should keep the volume of their car stereo down would go a long way towards solving this problem which is a daily nuisance to many Maltese citizens.

Adult education

Having specialised in the area of adult education, I am happy to see how provision of adult education courses has significantly increased in the last few years. This is the result of unceasing efforts on the part of the Education Division as well as various non-governmental organisations. Where there is still room for improvement, however, is in the type of adult education offered. I feel we are concentrating too much on the vocational aspect and, in this manner, subordinating learning for its own sake. This may be partly due to the fact that there is a lot of EU funding available for vocational education.

We need to encourage more non-formal adult education so that the goals of "lifelong learning" and a "learning society" will eventually be realised. This will only happen if we aim for a holistic type of adult education that encompasses formal, non-formal and informal methods of educating oneself.

Political tolerance

Thank God that violent political incidents are a rarity today but we still need to go a long way where political maturity on the part of many Maltese citizens is concerned! Referring to people of different political opinions in denigrating terms is surely a sign of great immaturity on one's part. It is even more serious when this is done by public figures active in the political sphere. We need to remember that we are all Maltese and that different political opinions are a manifestation of a healthy democracy.

Political issues should be decided on the basis of persuasion and what is in the national interest but, then, life should go on. The "them" and "us" division artificially created bysome people in all aspectsof life in Malta only serves to create dissension and goes against the national interest, especially when it is manifested at places of work where the unity of the workers is essential for the success of an enterprise.

The MLP annual general conference

The Malta Labour Party continues its preparation for taking over the reins of government after the next general election. As such, it is continuing with its production of the blueprints necessary to start effectively functioning from day one of its returning to power. Cases in point are the documents on tourism and the environment presented at its annual general conference. With a man of vision such as Alfred Sant at the helm and with a capable team of candidates behind him, the MLP must surely stand a good chance of winning the next general election.

The MLP is working to be in a position to effectively tackle the country's problems at the right pace when the time comes. It seeks to be, as it has always been in the past, a catalyst of progressive change in the country. To do that, one has to prepare well in advance and that is what the MLP is doing at present.