Some sobering ideas for National Day (1)

With the prevailing mind-set, juggling the five national days and their dates to find the right combination for a National Day, the conundrum will increasingly become a nest for complications, leaving us further and further away from a solution. The major political parties seem to be more and more entrenched in their thinking and the five years which the Prime Minister has given Malta to come to terms with its own soul will come, pass and overtake us without even noticing that time can fly so fast. The situation calls for some new thinking outside this mind-set. We have to find a name for our national day which would be different from the five we are used to hear mentioned since none of them can satisfy all, and yet be familiar, simple and with which we can identify so as to be acceptable to all. I venture to suggest Constitution Day (Jum il-Kostituzzjoni).

There are many reasons in its favour. First of all, the Constitution is a living monument that the state exists. The present Constitution was first accepted through a referendum in 1964 and the amendments of 1973 were adopted in Parliament by over two thirds of its members. These two considerations should satisfy the political parties represented in Parliament. Thus, in so far as breadth, length and depth of official acceptance are concerned, one cannot have it better.

Besides, there is something for everybody in it. The Constitution provides for a Parliament, which should satisfy the supporters of Sette Giugno, and the establishment of Freedom Day is nothing but an act in accordance with it. It couldn't have materialised without it.

So that takes care of four of the present five days mentioned, leaving September 8.

After independence, that date held on to the calendar of public festivities more because of tradition than for its intrinsic meaning as a patriotic contribution only by the Maltese for the Maltese. To be sure, people made sacrifices, went through ordeals and died but, we are often told, they were marching to a foreign drum. I have nothing against its proper commemoration but it should not hold consensus if one is possible along other lines.

The new suggestion has one inherent shortcoming. It will add another public holiday to an already overloaded calendar. On the other hand, one could argue that it could replace four of them. But this is another question.

The other point to address is: if the suggestion is positively considered, when shall the day be observed? My other suggestion is to draw by lot any day of the calendar after eliminating the present five dates plus certain days which could lessen the importance of the national day, such as, New Year's day, major religious festivities, carnival, Holy Week, Christmas, and so on.

Needless to say, since in virtue of the Constitution this is a democratic country, the other events so dear to the heart of many could continue to be celebrated by their aficionados, possibly, out of deference to the National Day, in different format.