Last weekend, the Nationalist Party’s general council, the highest organ of the party, approved a document entitled Our Roots. The document, which can be accessed at www.pn.org.mt/content/media/KGPN_Novembru2011_Dokument.pdf, draws heavily on the party’s basic document known as Fehmiet Bażiċi (Basic Thoughts), which was adopted in 1986. But it updates it to today’s realities in an ever-changing society.
You can recognise the PN in it. But, hopefully, you will also recognise yourself...- Simon Busuttil
Twenty five years on, our society has changed deeply, not least as a result of the changes and reforms brought about by successive Nationalist governments but also as a result of societal changes that one would expect in any modern democracy.
It was drawn up following two weekend seminars recently held at AŻAD, the PN’s political academy, to discuss “political thought and values” as well as “economic governance and social cohesion”.
A number of local and foreign speakers, from the political world and outside, spoke at the seminars to give their views. The seminars were held with the cooperation of the Centre of European Studies, which is the think tank of the European People’s Party.
We have noted what they said and we have put their views together in this document.
The document was subsequently passed on to the PN, which discussed and approved it, first in its executive committee and, last weekend, at the level of its general council. It is now party policy.
It is divided into two parts.
The first sets out 10 basic values that inspire the party’s political vision. The second sets out 10 policy areas in which the party expresses its values.
It is a short document and easy to read. You can read it in less than 30 minutes. If you have not read it, I would strongly urge you to do so.
It is a document that tells you what the PN stands for and how the party delivers on what it stands for. In this sense, it is an identity card of the party. You can recognise the PN in it. But, hopefully, you will also recognise yourself; what you believe in and what you expect from your political leaders.
By reading it, you will know where you stand with us and how you can expect us to act in government. If you also identify yourself in the document, then you are invited to join us in our quest to change the country for the better.
There are no surprises. The 10 values draw heavily on the party’s inspiration.
Unsurprisingly, our Christian inspiration and the centrality of the person and the family in our political action come first. Other values follow: from liberty to responsibility, from solidarity to subsidiarity, dialogue, trust, direction and identity – all notions that are today, by far, synonymous with the PN.
The 10 policy areas in which we deliver on our values are equally commonplace. From the state to our social policy and from the economy to education, the environment, culture and identity, justice and security, Gozo, Malta’s role in the EU and in international affairs and, last but not least, an appeal to youth, the party’s ever-present target audience, to provide a sense of direction to our country’s future generation.
The document calls for a process of continuous change – from constitutional reform to changes in the way we can continue to construct an economy that serves the person rather than the other way round.
Change is the underlying theme. We are not satisfied with what we have achieved. We want to achieve more and better.
The document has already provoked widespread debate and, for us, it is welcome news that it does so. But it is not the end. It is just the beginning.
Delivering his closing speech at last weekend’s council, the Prime Minister announced that AŻAD will now launch 10 working groups that will be asked to delve deeper into each of the policy areas that are identified and to come up with detailed answers to the issues and questions raised in the document.
The working groups will be open to anyone who wishes to contribute to this change process. You do not have to be involved in politics to join them. You just need to have the interest and the will to contribute to changing our country. For the better.
Several people have already expressed their interest in joining one of these working groups. As the chairman of AŻAD, I will see to it that all these people will be invited to join and their views will be welcome.
We do not expect to agree with you on everything. But we do expect to knock our heads together and show that we can come up with good, new and exciting ideas and compromises on how we can shape our future.
As the document clearly states, we do not expect your trust as a matter of fact. We just want to work hard enough to earn your trust.
If you are interested and if you want to be part of this change process, please contact me and let me know which area interests you most. I will see to it that you are involved.
simon.busuttil@europarl.europa.eu
Dr Busuttil is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.