Common good prevails

With the passage of time an ever- increasing consensus has become noticeable in all sectors of the community on two very harmful attitudes to the welfare of Malta and Gozo. These are the failure to adopt a common line of action by political parties on problems of national interest, and that very pernicious tendency of being so very often afraid of taking drastic action when it comes to fight stagnation.

It is appropriate to refer readers to the Milied Flimkien campaign in Christmas 2004. It was during this philanthropic campaign when Archbishop Joseph Mercieca, in the presence of President Eddie Fenech Adami, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and the Leader of Opposition Alfred Sant, appealed to politicians "to pull the same rope when dealing with issues that were of common interest to the country" (The Sunday Times, December 19, 2004).

Indeed, there are those very providential opportunities when politicians have to be told publicly in simple but strong language that their main goal in politics is not that of being against something but it is that of being for something and, notwithstanding their political differences, they have to put the national interest and the common good of the citizens above party interest.

Politicians have to be told in clear language that where there is a will there is always a honourable way, but where there is no will there are hundreds of excuses.

While, admittedly, an attitude of cynicism towards those engaged in public life has become evident, this may have the harmful consequence of discouraging newcomers contemplating a political career. Surely, it is not ignoble to want a successful political career, nor dishonourable for politicians to seek political power.

As the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales have pointed out in their document 'The Common Good' (October 1996): "Politics is an honourable vocation, which often exacts great personal cost from those who engage in it, and from their families.

"The fact that some politicians from time to time fall short of the highest standards is not grounds for dismissing the whole class of politicians as unworthy of respect."

In this same document the Bishops of England and Wales came out with a very wise exhortation to politicians: "At the same time politicians must be especially careful not to use, or to appear to use, their privileged position for personal gain.

"Those politicians who have, by their behaviour, contributed to a climate of distrust must bear some considerable responsibility. Part of the responsibility must also lie with the highly partisan quality of public political debate, where it has become almost customary to attribute the worst motives to one's political opponents.

"Politicians of one party should show more respect towards those of other parties. Those who engage in political abuse can expect retaliation in kind, and they are inviting the public to believe the worst about all politicians of every political persuasion."