August Thoughts

The Malta Independent on Sunday



While politicians take a deserved break from the routine parliamentary duties, and the electorate gets probably an even more deserved break from the boredom of the stale debate that often dominates the House, it is fit and proper to use the August lull for reflection.

Let me dwell on two points that should hopefully keep the government`s decision makers thinking time productively busy.` Just two points ` one about the economy and one about the EU issue. `We have what it takes to compete and win even in a fiercely globalised world.` Our smallness and our location are great assets that distinguish us from competitors.`

The economy belongs to us all. It is our livelihood; it is the future we will be bequeathing to our children. Do we really believe that economic solutions lie in spending our way through our problems` Can we really continue to amass debt at current rate thinking that we can continue to defy perpetually the laws of economic gravity Can we continue with the irresponsibility of privatising merely to gain access to more funds to keep spending our way out of problems without addressing the real underlying source of the problem`

We have what it takes to compete and win even in a fiercely globalised world.` Our smallness and our location are great assets that distinguish us from competitors. We must invest and compete in areas where the immutable properties of size and location add value to our offerings rather in areas where they expose of weaknesses.` Our people are capable and hard working, provided they are well managed and fairly rewarded. If not we could be among the most undisciplined and lazy.

So it`s all a matter of how well you lead us. How well you put the national objective above your quest for eternal power. Your claim for power should come from the economic well being which your leadership can create not from the illusionary money no problem culture that only solves problems for today by storing bigger ones for tomorrow.

So what on earth are you waiting for to perform the real re-structuring that this country needs` Why have you resigned yourselves to failure in attracting investment and creating of productive jobs that could act as a catalyst for the transfer of idle human resources in the public sector to productive employment in the private sector How can this happen if the conditions of employment in the public sector continue to offer privileges and security which the private sector can only dream about` Is it not possible that you explain this to the unions and get their agreement to re-balance the rights and obligations of all Maltese workers so that some will stop being more equal than the others` I grant it, you cannot do it alone. You have to do it together with the unions. But you have to lead by example. Unfortunately the example you give in the way you spend money without getting value offers a poor platform for demanding and obtaining the needed agreement from the unions; especially if you continue to deny the existence of economic problems. `The notion of holding a referendum before the next election is an obscene mis-use of power for party politics rather than for seeking national consensus.`

Or has your extended tenure in power blinded you so much that what for us lesser mortals with our feet on the ground are mountains of debt and debris, for you with your heads in the clouds are just dots on a map`

For the EU issue, it is not important if the government or the opposition is right or wrong.` Both are entitled to their respective points of views and ultimately these points of view will stand or fall on the level of subscription they get from the electorate.

What`s for sure is that the membership decision should only be taken when we are prepared for it. When we know what it means to say yes as well as what alternatives exist if we say no.` There will come a time in the not too distant future when the country can vote serenely on this issue.`

You owe it to this country not to use the EU issue to foster political division; not to squeeze the calendar for taking a decision about the EU to fit personal agenda linked to personal retirement of this or that from the political scene.

The notion of holding a referendum before the next election is an obscene mis-use of power for party politics rather than for seeking national consensus.` No serious government would hold a divisive referendum on a matter on which there are strongly contrasting political views without giving commensurate exposure to both views; particularly if the government does not command a tenure of mandate long enough to execute the people`s decision.

So basically once you close negotiations with the EU the sensible thing to do is to take this country to an election. If you win the election then you can probably proceed to a referendum where the resistance to EU membership would dilute and such achievement would be crowned with a huge approval befitting the end of a long political career.

If you lose the election you have to respect that the customer is always right.` You cannot always have it your way. After all it could well be that you may not know it all or if you do you just have to let your successors to persuade the electorate that although you knew it all , the others needed more time to get to know it as well.` Like a fruit in the` tree you cannot enjoy it if you pick it out of season.