The Indipendenza we are celebrating today carries as much significance, as much weight, as it did 49 years ago.
Today, almost five decades after Ġorġ Borg Olivier sealed Malta’s independence, we’re called to reflect on what we achieved as a nation.
More importantly, we ought to consider the true meaning of the values of independence in today’s context, and how these values need to be carried into the future.
Without a doubt, independence gave us a true sense of nationhood. It empowered us to determine our future for ourselves, building on the hopes and aspirations of our people.
Independence has instilled in us all a sense of responsibility towards our nation and is perhaps the reason why we are so fiercely patriotic.
Yet, independence has an even more profound meaning.
It forged our values, our thoughts, our mind-set and our expression. These values are embedded in our society and we should consistently strive to preserve and develop them. Because they make us who we are.
This is why we celebrate independence every year. History is what created us and it is our duty to build on it for the future.
In Opposition, the Nationalist Party, the party of independence, will continue to safeguard the values that flow from it.
It is our duty to scrutinise, assess and criticise in a constructive manner the decisions taken by the present Labour Government.
We have gone through six months of soul searching and rejuvenation to transform ourselves into an effective Opposition. We are in the process of transforming our internal structures to make the party more open to everyone, young and old, party veterans and new recruits.
We have undergone a major financial restructuring, re-addressing our approach to our commercial branches to operate sustainably.
Our first test comes in the coming week, when we aim to start breaking even month-on-month and bringing our party’s commercial and political institutions back on the road of success.
We have also established a number of groups to help us understand our changing society better and to develop new ways and means to reach out to people.
We are on track to becoming, once again, a people’s party.
With this transformation under way, we now approach the 49th anniversary of independence with a fresh start and a fresh approach.
This legislature will necessitate, perhaps more than ever, a strong and genuine Opposition.
We will be this.
Early indications have shown that the Labour Administration intends to run roughshod over basic tenets of good governance. Six months after the election, the Government is still scrambling to appease its party faithful and militants like there was no tomorrow.
It is clearly more interested in returning favours than governing the country.
Meritocracy, political accountability and transparency have long gone out of the window. It acts like it’s still in an electoral campaign. But the country needs to be governed.
Government entities have become part of the Prime Minister’s toolbox in ascertaining control over every sector and the integrity of public entities has been dealt a blow. This leads to mistrust in their work and reduces our respect towards such institutions.
We have witnessed political interference in apolitical institutions such as the police and most recently the Armed Forces, where appointments and promotions are no longer based on competence but on allegiance to the governing party.
As a result, these institutions are facing daily conflicts: should they serve you or the Labour Party?
This is not right and we are pointing it out. For this, we are accused of lacking respect towards the independence of the institutions.
But the truth is the opposite. It is precisely the Government’s political takeover of these institutions that is undermining their independence and public trust in them.
The secret sale of 35 per cent of Enemalta, our vital electricity monopoly, to China has raised many questions and doubts on the Government’s intentions.
Why the lack of information? Why the lack of transparency? Why the privatisation of Enemalta by a government that vehemently opposed even the privatisation of the drydocks and supposedly still opposes the privatisation of Air Malta? Aren’t the people entitled to know?
All these actions create a trend; a trend that poses a threat to the values that we stand for and what we have built over the years. They harm our hard-earned independence.
As Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Nationalist Party, I am committed to preventing this from happening. This year’s independence celebrations should remind us of our cherished values that unite us as a nation.
We will not give them up.
Simon Busuttil is Leader of the Opposition