Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/811845
Opinion 25 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 16 APRIL 2017 off as 'fact' by a blatantly biased political blog. Strange, isn't it? A single- source story about Chris Cardona visiting a German brothel was received as Gospel Truth just a few weeks ago... by the same people who now demand to poke their fingers into the nail-wounds, before believing an equally single-source story which doesn't chime in with their political prejudices. How very surprising... As things stand, however, it should be fairly easy to establish the truth. Did the PN ask Sandro Chetcuti to contest on its ticket, or didn't it? Judging by the widespread reaction of shock and horror (and derision, and exasperation, etc) among Nationalists, you'd think it was in the PN's own interest to tell us. It is, after all, rather important to have at least a rough idea what kind of party you'll actually be voting for in seven months' time.... and you can get more than just a rough idea by knowing the sort of candidate that party would consider worth approaching as a potential candidate. Yet Simon Busuttil refused to answer the question when it was put to him point-blank. He didn't deny it; but he didn't confirm it, either. So I suppose we are all expected to play along with this little guessing game. How shall we decide, then? What do all the Doubting Thomases suggest? Should we toss a coin, or spin a bottle? Hang on, I know: the PN can file multiple lawsuits against Sandro Chetcuti, and freeze his bank account... (No, wait, bad idea... that way, they wouldn't be able to approach him for a donation afterwards would they?). But in any case: there is a level at which it doesn't really matter if it's actually true or not. And it is for much the same reason that I honestly think – without a trace of irony or sarcasm, promise – that Sandro Chetcuti should really reconsider his position, and accept both offers (whether or not they were actually made). Earlier, I asked the question: why did he refuse? Well, there is only one logical reason any businessman would turn down a business proposition as seemingly advantageous as that. Because he already benefits from the same advantages on offer, without having to do any additional work (or make any additional investments) to reap the reward. Sandro Chetcuti doesn't need to be part of a government to ensure that it continues to capitulate to his lobby... all Maltese governments in the past 30 years (which is the limit of my own memory) have done precisely that anyway. As things stand, the developers represented by Chetcuti's association already virtually dictate Malta's land-use policy to their own advantage: and they've been doing it for decades. But (no offence, or anything) that kind of reasoning is incredibly selfish, you know. There is more to this issue than whether Sandro Chetcuti – or any other individual businessman, for that matter – improves his own prospects or not. There is also the honesty and integrity of our country's electoral system at stake. Allow me to put forward a different perspective. All these years, we have been encouraged to vote for two supposedly antagonistic parties, each claiming to pursue different (and, of course, better) policies than the other. Yet with each and every single election, what happens is always the same. The party in government yields ever more land to be gobbled up by the construction lobby.... while the party in opposition leads its supporters to protest en masse in the streets. We saw this with the ODZ extension in 2005, with the Zonqor Point university issue in 2015... and I can stop there, as those two cases alone represent a complete reversal of roles between the two parties. Labour protested against the Nationalists over ODZ; and sure enough, the Nationalists went on to protest against Labour over the exact same issue 10 years later. Then, this happens. Someone finally gets a unique, once-in-a- lifetime opportunity to expose this ridiculous charade once and for all... in no uncertain terms, for all to see and gawk at for all eternity, etc... by actually contesting with both parties on behalf of the same lobby. Just picture it for a second: just consider the options that would actually be facing you on the ballot sheet. Vote Labour, and you'll be contributing to the continued stranglehold of developers on both parties. Vote PN, on the other hand... and, woo-hoo! Exactly the same thing. And yes, we all know that's how it always pans out in practice anyway. But for once in our lives, we'd have been honest about it. For the first time ever, the two parties would have had to advertise themselves for what they really are: two supposedly 'competing' supermarkets, which just happen to sell exactly the same products to exactly the same customers... while all along expecting us to never notice. So come on, Sandro. Don't be shy, now. The sun doesn't shine much brighter than that, you know. So what are you waiting for? Make as much hay as you can, while the happy days last... Chetcuti doesn't need to be part of a government to ensure it continues to capitulate to his lobby... all Maltese governments have done precisely that anyway GourmetToday every Saturday 16.05pm on TVM Sandro Chetcuti (right) is the president of the Malta Developers Association