At the beginning of a new year it is always worthwhile to reflect on the state of one’s country in order to note the progress registered and pinpoint those areas where a lot of work still has to be done.

Starting with the administration of the country, it is obvious that much has been achieved. The economy is strong and growing, unemployment has been reduced to a minimum and various progressive social measures have been implemented.

Unfortunately, however, the public perception of politics and politicians has deteriorated even further over the past year with many people viewing all political work as having the ultimate aim of “making hay while the sun shines”. This is, of course, not the case but a number of regrettable incidents that could have been much better handled have led to such an erroneous perception of Maltese politics in general.

A positive development has been the fact that the Maltese people seem to have become more liberal in their approach to life. In the past, the island suffered from the negative effects of insularity. This no longer seems to be the case as new ideas and different lifestyles are today much more readily accepted.

It is, however, disappointing to note that the concept of multi­culturalism remains a matter of debate and is still rejected by a substantial number of Maltese.

Irregular immigration is a topic that generates heated arguments and much still needs to be done to eliminate the racist attitudes of several Maltese. The threat of terrorism near to our shores has served to further complicate the issue and has led some to view multiculturalism as a threat to national security.

Environmental concerns are also high on the national agenda. While I feel it is very unfair to blame the present government for a problem that has plagued our country for several decades now, one has to be realistic and admit that this is an area where we have to put our house in order.

It is time to clamp down mercilessly on all types of illegal development. Law-abiding citizens are very angry at the fact that certain blatant illegalities still exist. Glaring examples are several illegally-built commercial establishments where the owners are making money through having broken the law.

Unfortunately, the present government is burdened with several environmental problems which it inherited, problems that have no easy short-term solutions.

Another major preoccupation here is overdevelopment. We have to ask ourselves whether the building frenzy which characterises the Maltese islands is sustainable over a long period of time.

Let’s hope the new year will be much more positive than negative for our country

Given the substantial number of empty dwellings across Malta and Gozo, one has to ask whether we should go on building new structures at the present rate. One need only look at pictures of Malta and Gozo 50 years ago to realise, with horror, how much of our beautiful countryside we have destroyed over half a century.

One cannot also fail to mention the huge traffic problems we have to face every day and the state of many roads where one has to negotiate potholes to avoid damaging one’s vehicle. These are problems which highly irritate ordinary citizens and so have to be solved as soon as possible.

At the micro level, traditional social problems remain.

First and foremost, we are an undisciplined people. One has to admit that respect for authority has reached an all-time low. Although the government should be congratulated for its excellent record in the educational field, one cannot hide the fact that civic respect is still lacking among many Maltese. Ask the members of any local council about the daily problems they encounter while trying to keep their locality clean.

Noise pollution also remains a perennial problem with several social repercussions.

Moreover, the problem of drugs, especially among the younger generation, is a headache not only for the police but, especially, parents of teenagers.

On the positive side, one notes with pleasure that big advances have been made in sports and culture. While our small size precludes us from becoming world beaters in any sports discipline, it is gratifying to note that the number of Maltese who practise sports has significantly increased during the last years. This positive development is also due to the fact that the government has initiated a programme of providing new sports facilities in various disciplines and upgrading those already in existence.

As a nation, we have also achieved some notable successes in culture. Our singers, writers, artists and other cultural workers have reached high levels. Even here one must note that popular participation in cultural activities has increased. Local councils have also helped to resurrect lost cultural traditions.

Speaking of local councils, one must congratulate them for beautifying our towns and villages. It is a great pity that the media gives little attention to the positive work being carried out by local councils.

Local government has led to better lighting, the protection of cultural and historical heritage, cleaner streets and several other improvements which make our localities better places to live in.

As we start 2016, let us acknowledge that a lot has been achieved in Malta but that much still remains to be done.

Let’s hope that this new year will be much more positive than negative for our country.

Desmond Zammit Marmarà is an educator.

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