It is heartening for the country’s administration to read and know that Cabinet members, without exception, are relatively well to do. Some are even quite wealthy, according to their declared assets.

This flourishing state of financial affairs should prove an incentive for them to avoid and distance themselves from the abominable practice, sometimes quite common, of illicit handouts for services rendered or expected.

It is obviously clear that what they personally possess, coupled with the generous yearly salary they are paid, ought to enable them to lead a life of relative comfort and luxury without undue headaches.

There is therefore no need to cup a hidden palm of a hand seeking and begging financial assistance.

Hopefully, now that the House members are well and truly accommodated on the seats of power and service, they will put the abilities and talents that they used to exercise in their private lives to enrich the country and make it flourish for all to benefit and enjoy a better living standard.

We should remind ourselves, however, that the proof of the pudding is always in the eating.

We will now know and find out whether these people are truly prepared to exert themselves with the same diligence and to their fullest abilities to prove that Malta truly belongs to everyone of us.

We will soon learn whether every section of the community will enjoy the resources our country possesses or which may see the light of day, hopefully, in the near future.

This is true functional democracy proving its egalitarian and beneficial principles especially when these are put to the test for everyone to assess.

It is fair to say that Government members can now also sit down on the steps of the old narrow streets in Valletta, declaring in unison and in loud voice, that this time it is ‘Molto Mangiari’ indicating how prosperous and flourishing is today’s Malta.

This is in sharp contrast to the days when the same steps were crowded with miserable beggars of all ages with outstretched hands uttering heart-breaking requests and moans of ‘Nix Mangiari’ in the extremely bad old days.

May we also hope that this new optimistic slogan of ‘Molta Mangiari’ would be kept alive and kicking for numerous years to come in the interest of present and future generations.