Anti-capitalist rhetoric may have a boomerang habit

“Dr Busuttil, after meeting a deputation of developers, swiftly corrected his aim and swinging to the other side of the pendulum last Sunday came out in Gozo with a series of pledges to Gozitan developers to help them in their business. ”

Some opinion leaders in our society many times get bitten by the popularity bug and consequently let rip in anti-capitalist (or anti-rich) rhetoric.

This is happening notably in the debate (if one can call it that) on the construction industry and the current craze to build up anywhere and to whatever height.

The debate has now become viral and while it sees no sign of letting up, it is becoming more and more exaggerated and out of touch with Maltese reality.

We have had a lecture on classical literature by the Archbishop of Malta which had many seek out more information on Priapus and on Midas. He could have more comfortably turned to the Gospels and the teaching of Pope Francis.

The message seems to have said we are becoming a nation of developers all intent on raising high towers and making money as fast as we can.

Then the Leader of the Opposition took this as his cue and has made some strong antibusiness statements.

He said he would never do backroom deals with the likes of the Gasan and the Fenech families. Then Joe Gasan, without mentioning Dr Busuttil at all, said in his interview with Vanessa Macdonald his group had no backroom deal with Labour before the election.

And Dr Busuttil, after meeting a deputation of developers, swiftly corrected his aim and swinging to the other side of the pendulum last Sunday came out in Gozo with a series of pledges to Gozitan developers to help them in their business.

Rhetoric, and anti-business rhetoric at that, has a habit of becoming a boomerang and turning on whoever gives in to facile rhetoric.

It does not help anyone in this country to let anti-business rhetoric dominate.

There are issues, serious issues, regarding corruption and closeness to political centres of power but this does not mean that all businessmen are corrupt or that whoever is trying to turn a profit does so because he is a crook.

There are issues, serious issues, about the construction industry and the environment and these must be tackled rather than swept under the national carpet but it does not mean that the entire construction industry is out to damage the environment.

Opinion leaders in our country must be careful not to be taken in by the few voices of No Global supporters that make a lot of noise and who surface again and again wherever a controversy may be kindled.

Similarly, the issue about highrises must be tackled differently in our country. Ever since the Hilton was built – nay, even earlier, when the Preluna was built – we were always heading in this direction. If we had some years of respite after the building of the Hilton that was because many factors were not yet in place. Now these factors are there and we are seeing highrises sprouting all over the place, including one on our back page.

Of course, there are issues to be considered and holistic planning must occupy a higher role than it has so far occupied. These are private sector ventures and they take all the risks involved, which is why it is so unfair for them to be glibly talked about as if they are stealing something that is not theirs.