The quest for unity, hope and change

Throughout the electoral campaign there has been a lot of talk about the PN slogan which can be translated to "Yes, together everything is possible", Obviously a slogan like this is very loaded and can give rise to many interpretations. The message is clearly one of unity, hope and change - three words that seem to be resonating around the world in various campaigns. But it is important to explore the slogan in a more concrete way in order to understand what is being said and relate to it to our lives.

Throughout the campaign there has been a lot of talk about change. Instead of guessing what effect a change in government can have on the country, I think it is worth considering some important changes that have been adopted over the past few years by Lawrence Gonzi's PN. The most innovative change has been that of interactivity. This government was a pioneer in that it made use of technology in very creative ways, capitalising on the cosy size of our island and the people's interest in politics to make sure they get involved.

Throughout the campaign there has been a lot of talk about coalitions. What this government has done is set up a coalition with the people and this should not go unnoticed. This government has adopted a system of participation, creating space for the exchange of ideas and bringing policy close to home. This does not only refer to the budget hotline and pre-budget documents and the forums and blogs that were set up.

The General Council meetings brought together ordinary people, allowing them to participate in workshops in order to make suggestions and help formulate policy. And these were a great success; most of the policies implemented were actually suggested by ordinary people or the leaders of various organisations and companies, regardless of political affiliations.

Throughout the campaign there has been a lot of talk about corruption. But what is corruption if not the inability to listen to different ideas and judge them on merit rather than ulterior motives? Corruption can only be dealt with if we stop thinking in terms of party lines and negativity and instead build confidence in people by allowing them to participate and be part of the decision making of a country.

Democracy should not be limited to elections. Democracy should be a lifelong process whereby participation and consultation are at the basis of all policy making. This is one of the many PN success stories of the past five years, under the innovative leadership of Dr Gonzi, who is still at a very early stage of what will probably be a very long and fruitful political service.

The PN slogan also has another more personal meaning for me as a new candidate contesting on two of the most difficult districts. I am an unlikely candidate for this election but I would like to believe that, yes, together everything is possible. Throughout my campaign I have talked a lot about energy and the need for a fresh spark of enthusiasm in the PN. From a young age I have strived to inspire the young people around me to bring about a change in their environments, to forget past differences and unite through the sharing of ideas and to always stick to one's principles, which should always be founded on honesty and humility. As a new candidate this is what I can bring to the table - the embodiment of unity, hope and change that the PN has always believed in.