Sometimes it’s the tiny details that enable you to appreciate the more important things in life. Scrabble players will know what I mean. Ours is a best of times for national Scrabble too.
Imagine, for a moment, a Best-of-the-West Scrabble game where every player begins with an array of letters that spell out the name of the most important politician in the country.
A French player will find that the French President’s name, E-M-M-A-N-U-E-L M-A-C-R-O-N, will yield A MENU: CORNMEAL. Most suitable, when you consider the words evoke the French reputation for gastronomy in the service of the Gallic Rooster. But it’s also unfortunate, since the player is left with an extra M.
Think you can do better? Think I haven’t tried? CURE MELANOMA will leave you with an extra N.
A big promise and bigger let down that is not untypical of the French President. No wonder he languishes in the polls.
Italian players will, alas, fare worse. There is no doubt that the most important politician in Italy today is the deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini. The Scrabble Azzurri will be excited to find his name yields: VINO ETATISM.
Which is almost poetic as it’s exactly what Salvini promises – except, not least from a Scrabblerian point of view, he also will end up a disappointment. You’re left with an extra A + L and nothing to do with them.
The US President, Donald Trump, makes extravagant promises, often in vulgar language, and has a way with women (not necessarily one that women themselves appreciate). So don’t be surprised that his name unscrambles into TAMPON DRUM.
Unfortunately, The Donald leaves you holding an extra L. Efforts with TUMORAL lead nowhere.
Admittedly, the UK’s Theresa May permits A RHYMESTER. But do you really think she’ll be in Downing Street for long enough to help the national team?
Take it from me. Every national team – bar one – will have to wait an extra turn and pick up extra letters in order to get rid of every letter they have. Bar one? Yes, Malta is different. And you now know enough to see how lucky we are.
Thanks to Joseph Muscat, our players will be able to lay down all their tiles at once: JOE’S APT CHUMS.
And, not to worry, in the unlikely event that the competition will also feature a round with tiles bearing Opposition leaders’ names, Malta is safe. The name Adrian Delia yields: IDEAL: A NADIR. Not a single letter too many.
In retrograde Europe, democracy lays down the rules against corruption. In progressive Malta, corruption lays down the rules against democracy
Now, you might not think much of all this. But you’re wrong. You’re missing out on how tiny details can make a big difference to the general welfare of the country.
Our country has enlightened leadership that is gradually leading the way for a fundamental transformation to take place. Mainland European leaders don’t just let down their Scrabble players. They let down everyone with their insistence on retrograde rules and principles that hold their country back.
Meanwhile, as the deputy prime minister, Chris Fearne, likes to say, Malta has found the right formula to combine wealth and welfare – and not always only for its leaders. Wealth is trickling down.
Hence why it’s so short-sighted to waste time quibbling over whether Konrad Mizzi is granting enough access to the media, or whether he and Keith Schembri should resign given that they are subject to criminal investigations by the police.
Yes, Muscat had said they’d have to go if they were subject to a criminal investigation. But that was one and a half years ago, before a general election. The result of the election cancelled that promise.
It was a promise made, in any case, in the Malta of the past. Our eyes should be focused on the Malta of the future. Let’s keep the big picture in mind.
Here, then, is my manifesto for the Malta of the Future that is Today. My best-in-Europe Manifesto is a set of 10 principles that should guide our progressive national development as we tear away from retrograde Europe, a continent that lets its citizens down.
1. In retrograde Europe, persons of trust must above all be public servants. In progressive Malta, public servants must above all be persons of trust.
2. In retrograde Europe, workers sell their labour. In progressive Malta, Labour sells the workers.
(And, in case you were wondering: in retrograde Europe, society is disturbed by nationalists. In progressive Malta, Nationalists are disturbed by society.)
3. In retrograde Europe, governments submit to the rule of law. In progressive Malta, the rule of law submits to government.
4. In retrograde Europe, democracy lays down the rules against corruption. In progressive Malta, corruption lays down the rules against democracy.
5. In retrograde Europe, your private affairs are free from government interference. In progressive Malta, government affairs are free from your interference.
6. In retrograde Europe, society says #MeToo to abusers of power. In progressive Malta, abusers of power say #MeToo to society.
7. In retrograde Europe, power stations serve households. In progressive Malta, households serve power stations.
8. In retrograde Europe, media revelations stand in judgement over ministers. In progressive Malta, ministers stand in judgement over media revelations.
9. In retrograde Europe, Panama companies are judged a conspiracy against civic values. In progressive Malta, civic values are judged a conspiracy against Panama companies.
10. In retrograde Europe, every country has its mafias. In progressive Malta, mafias have their country.
I have faith in our country. I know we’ll get there.
ranierfsadni@europe.com
This is a Times of Malta print opinion piece