A very apt, down-to-earth quote at the start of the new year is one by media leader and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey: “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.”

Many will get it right but there will be those, particularly the ones bent on suppressing others, who will continue to flounder, making the life of many people around the world miserable and, at times, so unbearable that they have to escape from their home country in the hope of finding a place where they can live decently.

Political strife, power struggles, outright discrimination, hunger and disregard for basic human rights still blot the landscape in so many countries, brutally crushing earnest hopes of improvement for so many people.

Malta may not exactly be the earth’s paradise but, away from the disheartening picture a string of countries still present today, life is not bad even if, as we are so often reminded, we take into consideration the growing number of people who are at the risk of poverty.

Contrary to the situation in so many other places, few do not find a warm shoulder to lean on. For years now, Malta has had a direct taste of how harsh the world outside can be through the flow of irregular immigrants rescued or washed ashore here from time to time. Many of them are running away from persecution, in search of a new life.

Malta does not turn its back on them but growing concern over the country’s ability to sustain the inflow has, at times, brought out shameful outbursts of racist attitudes. The island needs all the support it can get to tackle the problem (since we are speaking of human beings, ‘problem’ is a better word to use than a burden). However, in calling for support, the country needs to be careful how best to put its case.

There is no shortage of challenges on the domestic front, starting from the need to get the country’s financial house in order to doubling the efforts to raise economic growth, not by means of doubtful schemes but through sound foreign direct investment in lines that could contribute to economic expansion and also to the creation of new jobs.

The new Labour government is going about its work with vigour but it is still giving the impression that it has not yet settled down. It has disappointed many over the way it has acted with regard to appointments to some key posts and on the citizenship scheme. However, it is still far too early to start passing judgement, though the first test (the European Parliament election) is not far off now.

Lowering the energy rates will be its milestone achievement for the year but there are two major problems that present greater challenges: the running of the general hospital and public transport. People expect solid improvement in both as they involve essential services.

The government has taken far too long to start addressing the public transport problem and, despite all the undertakings it made about the hospital service before the election, it has yet to get to grips with the situation.

Civil union rights, the need for greater protection of the environment, for a more efficient and clean judicature, for far greater accountability and transparency, all these and more present challenges that require level-headed decisions. These decisions must be taken after mature consideration and real consultation in order for the country to get it right.