Is it laziness or fear?

Two of mankind’s greatest enemies are laziness and fear. When diagnosing any malaise in one’s personal life, the root of the problem often leads back to one of these two challenges.

Missed opportunities, untreated ailments and words left unsaid all find a common thread. So why should it be any different in our political lives, if our personal ones are so plagued?

One thing I find myself agreeing with the Prime Minister on is the need for term limits. A Prime Minister should only be able to serve two terms, and a Parliamentarian certainly no more than four. When somebody is elected to Parliament, if they play their cards right it becomes very difficult to unseat them. Once settled comfortably into their nests, their creativity and energy may be exhausted long before their political careers come to an end. We need new faces and fresh ideas in politics and it does not even need to relate to age. It is just a matter of giving others a chance.

Complacency in politics is at odds with competence. Why rock the boat when things are

comfortable? At the request of the Hon. Dr Godfrey Farrugia, the new Commissioner for Standards in Public Life looked into the fact that backbenchers in Parliament were being given jobs and paid roles by government. This financial link between backbenchers and the Executive cements the loyalty of the former to the latter.

Why would a backbencher criticise his/her own government when that same government is paying his/her consultancy fees? It is a carrot on a stick approach to ensure loyalty. It is fitting that this investigation was set into motion by a Partit Demokratiku MP, as to date only the Farrugias have had the guts to rock the boat and walk away from the gravy train. They know how their fellow MPs are kept quiet, fat and happy.

The political malaise of laziness and fear takes many forms: the fear of losing out on financial opportunity, the fear of political isolation by going against the grain and the laziness that comes about once one is unchallenged and comfortable in power. Principled MPs on both sides of the House should have long ago walked away from a toxic political system that rewards and protects criminality and corruption.

Good governance is a buzzword and a joke to many, but to those few who care, it is fear and laziness that keeps them in line. For those in the Nationalist Party who refuse to follow Adrian Delia, it is no wonder they are tiring of those MPs, and others besides, who continue to toe the party line out of fear and laziness. At some point, it becomes clear that the emperor is, in fact, not wearing any clothes, and excuses run out to hide what is indeed merely just fear and laziness. When that complacency kicks in, the need for a change of the guard becomes clearer than ever. To the Maltese political system I say: “Out with the old, and in with the new.”

It is fitting that this investigation was set into motion by a Partit Demokratiku MP, as to date only the Farrugias have had the guts to rock the boat and walk away from the gravy train. They know how their fellow MPs are kept quiet, fat and happy