This government has pledged to introduce a fast-ferry service to Gozo. It will leave from various stops in Malta such as St Paul’s Bay, Valletta and somewhere further south. This cannot be implemented soon enough. The more ways to cut down on road traffic, the better.

It has also confirmed that a Gozo tunnel is still on the cards. I disagree completely with the idea of a road tunnel, enabling people to drive their cars directly to Gozo. This would just increase traffic and congestion in Gozo.

But if the tunnel could provide public transport, such as a metro or railway network to Gozo, that is a different story and could be a possible solution. Providing alternative means of transport is the only immediate way to lessen the cars on the road. A road tunnel to Gozo would actually increase dependency on cars, not reduce it.

Some years ago it was proposed to remove the road which runs along Mellieħa Bay beach, and shift it behind the Seabank Hotel and the so-called Danish Village resort. This had sparked controversy and the idea was abandoned. The new road would have destroyed scenic and ecologically important countryside at Għadira.

The alternative option of digging a road tunnel at Għadira was also studied, but this proved environmentally unworkable due to the position of the water table in that area. It will be interesting to see how this stretch across Mellieħa is handled in any Gozo tunnel designs, as the Prime Minister has stated that the tunnel entrance would have to be further in, near Xemxija.

The traffic situation is bad, yet the public transport on offer never seems to change or improve. The only real option is still our lame bus service, which often gets stuck in the traffic too.

One current proposal is the construction of a low sea tunnel under Valletta, which will enable river-style boats to carry people from Marsamxett to the Grand Harbour. This is a good idea, although the proposed tunnel entrance near Barriera Wharf is problematic due to possible historical remains there.

The endless building of new apartments and offices in areas which are practically in traffic gridlock already, cannot be sustained eternally. But there is still no end in sight. The Strand at Gżira, for example, is heavily congested.

If the tunnel could provide public transport, such as a metro or railway network, to Gozo, that is a different story and could be a possible solution

How will Gżira cope when the massive new development at Manoel Island is constructed, requiring hundreds more cars to navigate this stretch daily? And that will come after the many dusty trucks and heavy vehicles required during the construction phase.

At the same time, additional traffic will emerge from the huge new Metropolis high-rise close by, on the site of the former Mira Building. This site was dug up and turned into a monstrous crater some years ago, and will be developed too. It will soon be faster to walk through Gżira than to drive.

The scourge of politics

The three monkeys and their relatives exist on both sides of the big political fence. They speak, hear and see no evil. The camps are filled with foot-soldiers who see the world in black and white. For some, backing a political party resembles supporting a football team.

In the 1960s, anthropologist Jeremy Boissevain had structured his analysis of Maltese society around this bipolar world view. He considered that a traditional Maltese village was divided at all levels – two saints, two band clubs and two political parties.

Besides disrupting village harmony, these opposing factions also made it difficult to project ‘the ideal image of village unity to the outside world’. To some extent, every nation wants to hide its dirty laundry. As a tiny country, we veer between two extremes. We are terrified of being small and parochial, but also fancy ourselves as leading on the world stage.

Besides the traditional foot-soldiers, today it is fashionable to repeat the unhelpful mantra that ‘they are all the same’. But only the third, blind monkey can seriously believe this.

Politicians do not all have the same cha­racters and social background. Some are more religious than others, or more educated, or more money-minded, or more corrupt. Their knowledge, decisions and aims are not identical. They are influenced by different people and make different choices. Circumstances also change, including international events.

It is obviously quite impossible for all politicians and political parties to be ‘the same’. This idea is as superficial as black-and-white politics.

In Malta we also live with the perception that, in order to be a credible commentator you must feign indifference and view politics as one large skip. And you must criticise all equally, otherwise your integrity and independence are damaged.

This perception is such dangerous territory. The ability to discern differences, including subtle variances, is the essence of political analysis. We all have a vote every five years, and must have a critical opinion and position to be able to use it well.

I often hear the phrase ‘well, the others do/did it too’. This ping-pong mentality is the real scourge of Maltese politics. On the one hand, it prevents anyone from rising above the fray, while on the other it encourages everyone to continue to do exactly as they please.

petracdingli@gmail.com

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