There's no other explanation to what's happening around us. The world must be going absolutely bonkers.

Back in 1994 (decades behind the rest of the civilised world), we went through a huge campaign to promote the use of seatbelts. Many already knew, even back then, that a seatbelt's only scope is to secure the driver and passengers of a car in case of a collision, or possibly a sudden stop. According to The European Transport Safety Control, in 1999 about 50% of all car occupants who died in a fatal accident in the EU could have survived if they had worn their seat belt. And yet, it took us forever to get used to the idea of having to wear this little strap around our bodies. We spent months winging and whining, not to mention the clumsy scurrying to hook it on at the sight of a policeman.

In 2003, nearly a quarter of the 363 car passengers who sustained injuries as a result of traffic accidents on our roads, were sitting in the back seat of the vehicle without a seatbelt. Although the facts are so daunting and convincing, the transition to get people to wear something that could save their lives was deemed to be so overwhelming that at the time the authorities gave us a grace period of about six months during which only warnings (not fines) were handed out. Of course, despite the seatbelt's life-saving purpose, it was only when astronomic fines started to be dished out that we finally pulled our socks up and started strapping ourselves in (not necessarily before starting the engine). I guess money doesn't only talk, apparently it also speaks louder than a crushed skull!

Over the years we were subjected to other well-intentioned but half-hearted campaigns. From anti- smoking campaigns, to health and fitness campaigns, from anti-drinking and driving campaigns, to ‘say no to drugs' campaigns. Looking back, isn't it obvious which ones work? The ones that are taken seriously enough to affect our legislation, and therefore carry fines for noncompliance!

The most recent successful one was the anti-smoking campaign, which lead to the legal ban of smoking in public places and enclosed areas. It's only human nature I guess. As silly and irrational as it is, our lives and our health take second place, whilst our money comes first.

Believe me, I'm not saying this in a patronising, holier than thou, kind of way. 35% of Europe's 15 to 24 year olds smoke, and I'm just like them, except for the age that is. I'm a decade past that age and still smoke my couple of cigarettes a day inside the house, and I still grumble especially in the middle of winter, when I have to leave the coziness of a bar or restaurant to light up. And as health conscious, and image conscious as I am, I still choose a smoking room at hotels. And I'm not even an addict, or so I tell myself, because I only smoke when I drink (alcohol). I guess the irrational side of my brain has me convinced that if I'm going to mess up my kidneys, then I might as well go for the lungs too. If I knew that the additional tax on cigarettes went for a worthy cause, I could probably convince myself that smokers contribute more to society than non-smokers.

But as crazy as all this might sound, there's something even crazier happening right now. Whilst our politicians, from both sides of the coin, were all in favour of the seatbelt campaign as well as the anti-smoking campaign, now, for reasons beyond my understanding, they are both getting cold feet about putting a temporary stop on fireworks, at least until the cause of the recent incidents is established.

In their typical arrogant manner the PN did not even bother to give a reason for their stance, whilst the official reason given to the Times by the PL was that if there is a moratorium on fireworks, the industry could be forced to go underground making it even more dangerous. With this reasoning, we might as well legalize drugs, dog fights and the like.

As far as I can see, the truth of the matter is this - by Maltese standards, it is way too early for serious action to be taken.

Let's face it, hundreds and thousands of people had died of first and second hand smoke before the ban on smoking in public places was introduced. And hundreds of drivers and passengers had smashed their vital organs against their own windscreens, before wearing a seatbelt was made mandatory. In comparison, the recent deaths caused by fireworks incidents are almost negligible - only eight explosions since the beginning of the year, and only nine deaths!!

Of course, I'm being sarcastic, God forbid someone takes this literally, which on these islands, I know is entirely possible. But seriously, could the cold feet have anything to do with winning and losing votes? Could our politicians, our legislators, be putting other things before people's lives? Are they possibly just like the rest of us?

Then why do we revere them like deities? info@alisonbezzina.com