How many times do we come across stories that we cannot fathom? Well, over the past five years or so we heard a number of stories that may have sounded incredible and unbelievable but, still, they were true.

Let me start by mentioning, as an example, the story of a certain former Minister of Finance who flew on a jet ‘to watch’ a football game.

Well, there’s no real problem in that unless you are a relative of the Onassis family or some royal family or unless you are not representing the people who elected you. But, this was not the case.

The only big problem here was that the jet belonged to two Maltese businessmen who, on that fine day, happened to be seated also on the same plane.

It seems that, in Malta, nobody loses his reputation

Well, in a serious country such an act would have been bad enough to merit a thorough investigation and the minister’s instant resignation.

But in this ‘holy rock’ of ours, things are done slightly differently. We now have that same former minister occupying a seat in Parliament on the Opposition benches as if nothing had happened and everything is business as usual.

And, while at it, how about mentioning another infamous former minister from the same Administration?

This fellow, after carelessly mishandling various portfolios under his watch and treating the lot as rubbish, vanished into thin air after his party failed miserably at the polls last March.

But to the surprise of everyone, today, this same guy, who is employed as a director with some maritime company, is telling journalists that since he has “retired from politics” he doesn’t want to know anything about politics anymore.

So, basically, what’s been done is done and is now dead and buried.

How’s that for accountability… and justice?

It seems that, in Malta, nobody loses his reputation. It hangs in the wardrobe for purification and when that period is over it is taken out again to look as good as new.

Last March, the Maltese people voted for change. But what does that mean exactly?

Change is not just a word, you know. It’s actually the word that people throughout history have been drawn to. It’s the word that supposedly means also hope.

Hope for something better. Hope for something done in a clearer and more transparent way. A way of achieving what, for some reason or another, could not have been achieved before.

Like, for example, the justice that Labour supporters yearned for after spending a quarter of their lifetime under Nationalist rule, only hoping to be treated fairly.

But my question is: why should someone have to wait for justice when justice should never be left in waiting?

But let’s move on and mention some other issues that are still hurting the majority of voters who opted for change. For example, the fact that we still have wardens all over the place fining motorists left, right and centre. It is an issue that continues to provoke anger among motorists.

The only problem here is that these wardens are not employed by the government but by a private company providing this so-called public service for a profit.

And, to add insult to injury, this same company, that also happens to run the CVA system in Valletta, had to provide a group of environmental/green wardens who, by some kind of magic, never appeared on our roads.

We are in the annoying situation where most of the streets look like rubbish bins, partly because the refuse collection system needs to be revamped and partly because of the price Malta is paying as a tourist destination or, shall I say, a student destination. Of course, I’m referring to those foreign students who arrive on our islands to ‘learn English’.

The problem is that most of them do not have an ounce of respect towards our country as far as litter and noise are concerned.

Perhaps the school engaging them should be giving these young students a good lecture on conduct and ethics when they arrive instead of a tour of the city?

I’m positive that most of the residents of Sliema, St Julian’s, Swieqi and the surrounding areas know what I’m talking about.

Last March, the people voted for change and, although we are already seeing things changing in the right direction, like the law and justice sectors, we still have a long way to go to reach the level of change the Maltese are demanding.

I will not go into other hot issues, such as, for example, irregular immigration, Arriva and the rubbish problem due to space restrictions. But what I will mention is that every government should respect the people’s intelligence and sensitivity. They are two extremely important factors ignored by the past Administration.