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24 Opinion maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 OCTOBER 2013 A government hostile to Europe I n May next year, Malta will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of joining the European Union. During that same month we will be holding the elections for the European Parliament, the third election of its kind in the past 10 years. In a relatively short time, Malta has gone from infancy to adolescence as a European Member State. We can comfortably say that this transition, in spite of so much scaremongering during the run-up to the membership, was by any standard totally harmonious. We have reason to celebrate this, both as citizens and as a country. The political class which set out to achieve this goal, led by the indefatigable Dr Eddie Fenech Adami, made it their business to prepare the country and its people to embrace such an ambitious project. And they succeeded. Once we were declared members, the country shifted to top gear to ensure that our membership was maximised in all possible aspects. Enter Dr Lawrence Gonzi, who put Malta on a high level of respect and exemplary of a serious country, despite our limited geographical space in Europe. Lawrence Gonzi's final achievement, before bowing to the will of the people, was to secure an extraordinary package for Malta for the next financial period. So much has been achieved in such a short time. But where do we stand today? And, more important than that, where are we heading? Jonathan Shaw In the past seven months of Labour government, it has been clear that there has been a wrong turn in direction when it comes to Malta's relationship with Europe. When one observes this government's tactics, one immediately notices that it speaks of Europe as if it were a stranger to our country. We are on one side, and Brussels on the other. Successes are local, while failures and other problems are Europe's fault. As everyone remembers, the Labour Party was never in favour of Europe. Today they want us to believe they are no longer skeptical towards Europe, but their actions speak louder than words and show that this Labour government has not embraced the European project and still sees it as something that belong to 'the others'. From my point of view, the situation is even worse: this government is hostile to Europe. It is hostile to the same group of countries that we so essentially belong to. Hostility is evident in the 'us and them' language used by this government – the threats of veto and pushbacks. the Prime Minister's cry that "Europe lacks leadership", the deal with China on solar panels and the selling of Maltese (European) citizenship. Mr Prime Minister, this kind of attitude may go down well with your grassroots, but it does not do our country any good. In actual fact it makes our country blush with embarrassment. There are some who would argue that with these tactics we are making noise, that we are showing Europe that we have a voice to be heard and we are looking after our interests. But no, this is not the way to do things, especially among countries that together form the European Labour speaks of Europe as if it were a stranger to our country. We are on one side, and Brussels on the other. Successes are local, while failures and other problems are Europe's fault Union. Of course, I do not agree that one has to bow in front of anything, but there are ways of doing things. The art of negotiating and leadership is to succeed in achieving all that you can for the country and in the meantime increase respect – personally as a politician, as well as for the country you represent. Unfortunately there are still those who confuse assertiveness and firmness with bluff and arrogance. It is a very fine line and although I understand the perception and why certain people reason this way, I expect our elected government officials to know the difference well enough and to stop playing to the gallery. It is obvious that the Labour Challenges ahead W ith a national literacy rate that staggers behind the EU average, the road ahead will not be an easy one. An effective national literacy strategy is vital if we are to improve the levels of literacy in the Maltese islands. As a result of globalisation, communication has become more important than ever before. Even manual labour nowadays requires a minimum standard of literacy. One of the main objectives of the Ministry for Education and Employment therefore is to equip individuals with the right skills to succeed in a modern working place. It is also important for the wider community to be aware of the importance of raising literacy standards if negative repercussions at the social and economic levels are to be avoided. Research has shown time and time again that the early childhood years may be the most influential period Evarist Bartolo for a child's personal development, especially when it comes to forming linguistic abilities. Basic language education is an intrinsic part of the current formal curriculum; we must maintain and develop our policies and practices so that children master basic linguistic skills. This issue should be addressed The strategy also allows individuals to become proficient in both Maltese and English. In the modern world, both languages have to be seen as a prerequisite, rather than as 'nice to have' by policymakers, educators and, of course, parents. As parents spend most time with their children during their early years they themselves need to prepare their children through informal education. By simply engaging their children in conversation, they facilitate the literacy development process. Meaningful dialogue must also be practised in childcare and kindergarten centres. These centres shouldn't be seen as just a place to park children but as facilities for the foundation of a child's creative and personal development. Children who do not receive a stimulating and well-planned early years' education fall behind later in their educational experience and struggle to catch up with their peers. Unfortunately, reading is often viewed as a boring and dull activity. This can be counteracted by offering children books which they can relate to. Every adult gets to choose the books that they enjoy reading, and this should not be any different for children. Rather than forcing books on children we must find ways to government is abusing these sentiments to sound popular and like a fighter, exactly in the same fashion s its idol, whom we all remember too well. This is where all this harshness and behaviour is coming from. But this does our country no favours. This was the tactic used with the slogan 'Malta belongs to all of us', but seven months down the line, we can see what is happening. Now for the next seven months we will have the same deception that Europe belongs to us too. But I doubt the bait will be taken this time round. Jonathan Shaw is a PN Candidate for the forthcoming MEP elections (www.jonshaw.com) Research has shown time and time again that the early childhood years may be the most influential period for a child's personal development, especially when it comes to forming linguistic abilities make a book a natural choice for each and every child. Moreover, children should be screened regularly to ensure that anyone with literacy difficulties is aided at the earliest possible stage. Thus there should also be better coordination between day and afterschool provisions. Although the ultimate aim of this literacy strategy is for the population to be equipped with the necessary reading, writing and oral skills, it also targets the integration of a bilingual policy, allowing individuals to develop dual literacy skills and become proficient in both Maltese and English. In the modern world, both languages have to be seen as a prerequisite, rather than as 'nice to have'. This strategy also seeks to focus on the older generation, too. The idea of education as a lifelong process needs to be engrained in our mentality. Moreover, educational administrators should be offered opportunities for professional development. Through more investment and efficient planning, we aim to empower society, providing the tools for all to succeed in an ever-challenging world. Evarist Bartolo is Minister for Education CHECK OUT EVARIST BARTOLO'S LATEST COLUMNS ON http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/blogs