Let us finish what we started

It has been one year since the last general election. The election was called within days of the signing of the Forza Nazzjonali coalition. We found ourselves in the thick of it, with the election called one year early.

As a young and idealistic environmentalist during those intense days of campaigning, I could not have imagined the state of the nation one year on. When I look back on that intense month, however, I remember why I keep on fighting.

I did not agree with everyone in the Nationalist Party, which is why I joined Partit Demokratiku instead. However, friendships and understandings were forged during that hardship because of a shared organic vision. We set aside tribalism and petty differences for something far greater than ourselves. We dreamed of a country beyond political colours, where one is not rewarded or punished based on one’s political beliefs.

It was not a perfect project, and we only had one month to get to know each other and to try to make it work and convince the rest of the country, too. The fact that we only had one month to stand shoulder to shoulder together proves, however, that the vision was larger than any one of us, and was larger than any manifesto. It was a dream born of two parties coming together for the first time in a deeply divided country.

Today, were it not for a rushed election, the government’s 5-year term would be coming to an end. I would have hoped that we would now be moving towards a sustainable economy, with better planning policies drawn up by true Maltese experts, rather than by lobbyists. We would not be punishing or rewarding people for voting Red, Green, Orange or Blue. People would be rewarded based on their merits and those in need of education, support and work would receive it through legitimate government programmes, which would be equally accessible to everyone.

Our economy would be making the most of a world of opportunities, diversifying where necessary, rather than relying on pillars of increasingly dirty money. In healthcare, we would be looking at prevention, and a healthy environ- ment and lifestyle. We would be handling our waste by reducing, separating, recycling and phasing out plastic, instead of planning to burn everything for energy. People would feel confident that the criminal underworld in our country and outside it would not be able to buy people’s consent. Our infrastructure would cater for cyclists and alternative modes of transport, as well as improved public transport. The rule of law would apply to everybody, without fear or favour. Were the major Party in government to stray, then as a watchdog in Parliament, Partit Demokratiku would hold them to account, just as it has spoken up on Majjistral Park, Vitals, tuna pens, Bulebel, clientelism, MP Pension reform, water, ITS, energy bills and much more.

Partit Demokratiku continues with that vision – the vision of Forza Nazzjonali to end tribalism and treat everyone fairly, equally and with respect. The dream has not died because for every sunset, there is a sunrise. This is what we started, and we will finish what we started.