A citizen born in the Maltese Islands during or after World War II can with a clear conscience say that our political leaders have achieved progress for this country and ensured a very good standard of living for us.

From anything ranging from dusty roads, mantle and candle lights and inexistent drainage facilities to beggars in most street corners, dismissing women from work as soon as they marry, foreign and ecclesiastical dominance and so much more, our leaders have managed to make these islands what they are today.

I sincerely believe that each and every politician wants the best for his country and constituencies. Some are more conspicuous than others through their sheer will and vision to excel and venture where others fear to tread. A few become misfits. But, generally speaking, these people representing us did deliver.

Today, the Maltese people can say that the general standard of living is satisfactory and, comparatively, better than that in other civilised and developed countries.

Yet, much more has to be done by our representatives to further improve our lives. Thus, we need good, intelligent and conscientious personalities that can and are willing to deliver. Our political system has to be made more attractive, even financially, to encourage people with grey matter, who are imaginative and can come up with ‘out of the box initiatives’ to represent our country.

Each Administration needs time to implement its programmes. The previous government had (except for a two-year break) 25 years to realise its plans. The present one has just been in office for six months. People do not usually expect miracles to happen in such a short period of time.

In any case, miracles are unlikely to happen since politics is not a religious institution.

In my opinion, a political entity would, realistically speaking, need a decade to implement its programmes and attain its vision.

In the first five years one could see projects being implemented with the Administration’s vision being fulfilled within 10 years.

It is time for the Opposition to be constructive and not negative

What can be implemented immediately are those minor aspects that are so important to everyday life. Little but necessary measures that do not need a lot of vision but are essential to make life more comfortable.

The Opposition can play a major role by being positive and realistic in its criticism, something which, sadly, people are not seeing at present. Instead, we are being subjected to idiotic and partisan propaganda. I and many others feel it is time for the Opposition to realise it is in opposition and to be constructive and not negative.

Writers and contributors to the media can play an important role too. With a saddened heart I notice that very many of these tend to adopt a negative attitude. They are destructive instead of positive. Personal rather than generic.

Even the comments posted online by many readers tend to be of a personal nature and make banal/stupid political arguments.

They certainly cannot be considered as a contribution to help the Administration understand how to improve our daily life.

Positive suggestions can be made, even on, say, a public convenience. Indeed, the cleanliness of such facilities was raised recently.

How is it that local councils award contracts for the upkeep of public conveniences, pay good money to the contractor but get little or no return for the monies spent?

A newspaper rightly referred to the public convenience at Victoria just below the civic council office. It stinks, it smells, is full of flies and other rubbish. How is it that nobody from the council visits the place? The people expect all those who contested the election and now hold office to shoulder responsibility.

It’s not only the central government that has to be held accountable but all those holding public office.

When a citizen writes and criticises any anomalies, that person is being positive.

I feel the Opposition was wrong to criticise the installation of a second deck on a Gozo Channel ferry.

This was badly needed. Indeed, one would be justified in asking why were not all ferries equipped with such decks when they were built?

Only a frequent traveller can appreciate what it means being able to board immediately and not having to wait in vain for another ferry.

If one has an axe to grind, one should not do it through a newspaper.

We should not adopt a destructive political tendency where one side or a person is black and the other white.

All of us are Maltese nationals and so expect to be treated as such, with respect and dignity, by whoever is in power.

I believe that citizens have a duty towards the country and towards themselves to write and to bring to the attention of all their authorities, without fear of reprisals, what they think should be implemented.

They have every right to criticise, when appropriate, even strongly, what they believe is wrong and suggest what reforms are needed.

It is only thus that this country of ours can become better for all.