No track, no vote – time is running out

Some people cannot understand how motor sport followers can declare on Facebook – “No track, no vote”.

For the majority of the population, a motor racing circuit is a minor or irrelevant issue, but for thousands of motor sport followers a motor racing circuit is a very important matter.

Some of these motor sport followers have been waiting for a motor racing circuit to be built for more than 50 years. A few have passed away before seeing their dream come true.

Identity, security and recognition are three basic human needs that people do everything in their power to satisfy them. These three basic human needs are covered in conflict analysis and resolution studies. When these needs are not satisfied, they can cause conflict.

Every person has a number of identities. A man can be a husband, a father, a son, an architect, a Prime Minister or a Member of Parliament or a local councillor, a swimmer, and so on.

A woman can be a wife, a mother, a daughter, the president of a political party or a Member of Parliament or a local councillor, a basketball player, and so on.

For motor sport followers, their favourite sport is an essential part of their identity, and a motor racing circuit is the place where they can assume their identity.

For those who are not interested in this kind of sport, a motor racing circuit has no par- ticular value, but for motor sport followers it is completely different.

The two main political parties have recognized the need of motor sport followers and both of them have promised to develop a motor racing circuit in their electoral programmes. The Malta Labour Party promised a centre for motor racing 46 years ago, in 1971. The Nationalist Party had promised the same thing several times during its 25 years in power.

The motor sport followers are fed up of waiting. Some are proposing that a skip is ordered to throw away all the votes and deposit the skip at Castille Square! Such is the anger and frustration of the thousands of motor sport followers.

It is better for politicians not to knock on the door of motor sport followers, if the development of a motor racing circuit would not have started before the next election. Time is running out.

Why is the present administration taking so long to implement what it promised? The call for expressions of interest for a motor recreation and education park was a step in the right direction. But that is not enough.

Now is the time to take the next step and begin the development of a motor racing circuit, if it wishes to continue to enjoy the support of the motor sport followers who believed in its last promise!