Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1281593
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 23 AUGUST 2020 INTERVIEW Your decision to contest for the PN leadership makes you 'the man of the moment'. But let me ask a very simple question: do you really know what you're go- ing in for? Are you aware of the sheer weight of your decision? As you know, there is still a due diligence process under way; and only when that process is con- cluded, can the PN's Electoral Commission decide which can- didates can actually enter the race. But yes, I decided to contest. And the reason I put myself for- ward is to offer a service. This way, the 'tesserati' will have the possibility of either choosing Bernard Grech to provide this service, or not. As for whether 'I know what I'm going in for', however… I can't say I know everything; on the contrary, I depart from the premise that I know nothing. But I believe, and acknowledge, that this is a tough nut to crack. And in all my life I have never held back from tough challenges. I have always looked upon them with humility; but I have always said: 'If there's something I can do about it, I'll do it'… You have been named as a pos- sible contender for many years; yet you only took the plunge now. Are you the type who takes long to decide? If so, how will that impact the decisions you might take as a possible fu- ture prime minister? I'm the type of person who will consider everything before taking a decision. The reality, however, is that I never really planned to take this step. My only plan – or rather, dream – was to be able to make a political contribution; to speak my mind about politics, without anyone stopping me, or interfer- ing in any way. And that is what I have always done: at least, from 2012 onwards. I have been invit- ed on all political stations, as well as by the independent media; and I gave my own opinion, as requested, without anyone ever setting my agenda. You could, perhaps, say that I was part of 'civil society', before the words were given a clear- er definition. And that is how I wanted it to be. What I have al- ways wanted is that those who want to speak about politics, can do so without being automati- cally labelled as being part of one party or another. In that sense, I am totally against tribalism in politics. Your anti-tribalism stance is un- deniably a breath of fresh air; nonetheless, there has to be a difference between the parties, for people to eventually choose between them. How do you in- terpret the difference? What, for instance, makes you – Ber- nard Grech – a Nationalist? I have always believed - and still do – that all political parties in this country have done good things. They have caused harm as well; and we should learn from those mistakes. But in no way am I saying that I am a Nationalist because the Nationalist Party has always been better than the Labour Party. Both have made positive contributions. But I can't not also add that I believe – as is written in the par- ty statute – that the individual human being has to be at the centre of politics. If there ever was a difference between the two parties, today it is that while people do remain at the centre of [the PN's] politics… for the La- bour Party, money has become the centre. Everything is decided on the basis of money; on the ba- sis of votes. So I intend to continue pro- moting the idea – for this is not a new proposal – that the individ- ual has to be once again placed at the forefront; and that, in all decisions, people have to be at the centre of the decision-mak- ing process. This does not mean ignoring money, or ignoring the economy; because at the end of the day, you need a healthy economy to help people move forward… And yet, in 2013 and 2017 the Labour Party won elections with the largest majorities this country has ever seen. How could this even be possible, if the PL – as you suggest – 'didn't place people at the heart of their policies'? Clearly, some- thing doesn't add up… Let me explain the difference: the Labour Party, as you say, did place people at the heart of its politics. We know, for instance, how much good it did when it came to civil rights. But people are not there to be exploited; to have a carrot dangled in front of them, in the form of certain rights that need to be introduced from time to time… only for the government to use those politi- cal ideas to get what it wants; so that the people in government, and their friends, become rich. People should not be just the point of departure; but also the point of arrival. This is why I be- lieve that a political party should only be the means to an end. Apart from your political views, you are widely known to be a firm believer and a practising Catholic. How important is that to you, in your political forma- tion? First of all, I am not a saint; and I do not want to give the impres- sion that I am a saint, either. I am a sinner like everyone else. I have made mistakes in my life, and I will keep making mistakes. And when the time comes, it is im- portant that we all ask forgive- ness for all our mistakes. But the reality is that I see nothing wrong… on the con- trary, I am proud to say that I profess the Christian faith. It doesn't mean that I take an abso- lutist approach to religion, how- ever. I do ask questions; I have my doubts; and I ask for advice, where necessary. This, in fact, is what religion is all about. I feel I have an ad- vantage, in the sense that I look upon the Bible – and don't get the wrong impression; it's not as though I read it every day - but to me, the Bible, and es- pecially the Gospel, is a manual that can be referred to when in doubt. You can agree with it, or disagree; but it's there… and I Since submitting his nomination to the PN leadership, family lawyer Dr BERNARD GRECH has become a household name. But who is Bernard Grech? And what does he plan to do if elected? The man of the moment Saviour Balzan sbalzan@mediatoday.com.mt