Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1538131
1. A moratorium on development permits You can guffaw all you like, but it's the only way. We do not need any more con- struction, whether it is for more blocks of butt-ugly flats, hotels, expanding the footprint of existing developments or taking over more ODZ land. Just stop. And if anyone has their fingers itching to build something, they can just buy a set of Lego blocks. This moratorium will have a ripple ef- fect on the rest of the problems plaguing the country, starting from over-popula- tion and all the issues which we are suf- fering as a consequence— from being unable to handle the mounds of rubbish to the electricity grid not being able to handle the demand. There are those who scoff at this sug- gestion who claim that it will bring Malta to a halt and yet they then turn around and screech loudly on Facebook that Mater Dei Hospital cannot cope, that our health centres are bursting and that traffic is a nightmare… and yet, inexplicably, they cannot (or will not) connect the dots as to why. Trace back these dots however and it all falls into place, because it all started when build- ing restrictions were lifted. 2. Tighter control on work permits On a regular basis, various govern- ment entities swoop into various areas to carry out inspections to check wheth- er there is anyone working here illegal- ly. On Friday, it was reported that one such raid took place in Paceville, and 36 people were arrested. Funnily enough, these raids never come up empty-hand- ed and the reason is obvious—anyone with eyes in their heads can see that this is another of Malta's most pressing is- sues. The reason so many people flock to this island is because there is work to be had, whether legal or not. You do not see people going to Italy for work, because the job market is so dire that Italians are leaving their beautiful county to come here to find employment. Meanwhile, the Maltese are busy buying homes with acres of land in the Sicilian countryside for the same price of a mediocre apart- ment in Malta. The influx has to be controlled at source, and if that means that someone wanting to open a new cafe will find it impossible to find staff, well then so be it. We are saturated with coffee shops anyway. 3. Clean up Paceville, in more ways than one In a recent panel discussion, Philip Fenech, the chairperson of the Paceville Administration Committee, claimed that Paceville was worse in the 1980s than it is now. Oh, please. Does he think those of us who actually frequented PV in the '80s have such short memories? There is absolutely no comparison be- tween the PV I remember, with its bars and clubs where we all met friends and had fun safely, to the chaos of gentle- men's clubs, out-of-control behaviour and general sleaze there is now. Yes, there were drugs for those who wanted them, but they were not so in your face, and while the occasional fight did break out, it was the exception not the norm. There needs to be a clean sweep; get rid of those strip clubs and make it pos- sible for young people to enjoy PV again without their parents being worried that they will be caught up in the middle of some drug deal or get their face slashed or end up in a violent altercation that goes wrong. Fenech also suggested that those who do not enjoy PV can choose not to go. This type of reasoning is why so many people feel this country is beyond re- demption. The 5-star hotels charging 5-star prices which surround PV must take great comfort in knowing that, rather than upgrading the area, the chairperson expects them and their guests to simply lump it (or perhaps never leave the hotel at all). 4. Update our laws to reflect today's reality The story this week of a young woman who received a suspended sentence be- cause she admitted to using pills bought over the internet to induce an abortion is just one example of laws which are now archaic. This woman should not go through life with a tarnished police record at a time when what she needs is psycholog- ical help and support. It is useless for our MPs to cry crocodile tears, because they are the ones who can remove this bit of legislation. "My interpretation is that medical professionals are not com- pelled to do so (report), although it is definitely within their remit," Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela said. Well, that statement is no use to this woman now, is it? The fact remains that the doctors did report it and she was charged in court. The minister added: "What worries me is that if someone develops a potentially life-threatening complication after hav- ing an abortion, they might be discour- aged from seeking medical assistance." It should worry him because such at- tempts at abortions are happening. Rather than crucifying these women (or making doctors liable for not report- ing), our politicians should ensure that this part of the law is changed. 5. Tighten laws for better enforcement and consistency A recurring theme whenever judg- ments are handed down by our courts is that the general public cannot under- stand the lack of consistency. Grave crimes seem to receive suspend- ed sentences, putting criminals back on our streets with sometimes devastating results, while relatively minor crimes feel the full force of the law. Once again, it is only politicians elected to parlia- ment who can do something about this by tweaking existing legislature to en- sure judgments which are fair, which truly reflect the nature of the offence, and which are more comprehensible to us mortal folk. 6. Get a grip on air b'n'b There are countries where it has been made illegal for apartments or houses in certain residential areas to be used for air b'n'b. They have experienced what we are now experiencing and have done something about it. Instead of learning from their mistakes, we have plunged headlong into repeating them, turning once quiet areas like Swieqi, which used to be a haven for families raising young children, into an extension of the mess which is Paceville. It doesn't have to be this way, and it shouldn't have to be. But someone has to offer us an alternative and right now I don't see any concrete proposals from the government-in-waiting. All I read are platitudes and stating the obvious. "The PN says this…" and "the PN says that…" and not much else. We need, and we deserve, a leader of a political party who takes the bull by the horns and says, here is what we are going to do if we are elected. Then, of course, (and here is the crunch) the par- ty has to actually do what it promised rather than buckle at the knees in sub- mission at the slightest opposition. 3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 3 AUGUST 2025 OPINION Josanne Cassar Does the PN want to be elected? Here's what it has to do… She has worked in the field of communications and journalism for the last 30 years