Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/871892
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2017 22 Opinion W e have all come across situations in our lives when we feel utterly frustrated, because we see certain things very clearly, based on logic and common sense, but others interpret them differently. It makes our blood boil, but ultimately we have all been trained to respect everyone's opinion and to try and seek a middle road, no matter how frustrating this may be. Seek unity, seek compromise, but ultimately is this always the correct route? Can we always accept to call a peach an orange just because someone else wants to call it a melon? I say no! There are times when we should stand tall and refuse to compromise. None more so when what is at stake are the values we believe in. Core values cannot simply be 'a la carte'. When those core values have been at the centre of a political party, the Nationalist party, for the past 138 years, and even more so when they constitute the bond between so many thousands and the party over the years, even when the party may have somewhat lost its way, then no, those values cannot be compromised. Accepting to compromise those values will trigger the destruction of that bond and the inevitable demise of the Nationalist Party. Ever since the Gozitan Mizzi family, spearheaded by Fortunato Mizzi, established the Nationalist Party 138 years ago, the party has been through thick and thin, experiencing the normal fluctuating electoral fortunes one can associate with any national political party. The party is the father of self-government and independence, guardian and saviour of Malta's democracy, architect of modern Malta and father of Malta's EU membership. Its achievements have been overwhelming and at times it has been the victim of its own successes, as in the post 2003 era. Times change and the party changed, but there are certain values that have transcended time, that have endured. They represent why the Nationalist Party exists and what attracts people to it, and in many respects they are also the only reason why thousands upon thousands feel compelled to vote blue come the general elections. Generation after generation has acknowledged the enduring decency, honesty and integrity of the Nationalist Party and, above all, of all its leaders. Yes, there have been times when some within the party may have strayed and when it was hard to recognize those values in certain PN exponents, yet there has never been any doubt about the party leaders themselves or of them straying from or undermining those values. It is this fundamental fact that has been at the very core of the bond that ties so many thousands to the Nationalist Party, a bond that, if broken, will spell disaster for the party. The Labour Party has clearly taken its own route, a route that is effectively a race to the bottom where everything goes and where everyone can get away with anything, as long as they swear unconditional loyalty. It is a route that is eroding what makes us Maltese, a route that favours nepotism over fair competition, familiarity over meritocracy, abuse over responsibility and total hedonism over decency and integrity. We are now at a critical crossroad, one that is influenced by strong forces that are actively seeking to do away with any resistance to this 'free for all' approach. At this critical crossroad we have to choose between following in the path of the Labour Party, courtesy of a cleverly spun 'New Way', or radically changing the Nationalist Party, whilst remaining true to ourselves and the core values of decency, honesty and integrity that have flowed through the veins of all Nationalist leaders to date. Curiously, when asked by the media why the Labour media and Joseph Muscat appeared to be defending him, Delia retorted that this was a good thing because it signalled unification. I nearly choked when I read that! Is that what the Nationalist Party wants? Is that why we fought so hard for our values, for democracy and for liberty in those pre-1987 days? Is this what Nerik Mizzi, Giorgio Borg Olivier and Eddie Fenech Adami would want for the party they served all their lives? I think not! I am certain that they would choose the sensible path, the path that brings about radical change to the party by re-energizing its grassroots and connecting it with every village, every community, every street and every household on these Islands, the path that preserves and strengthens the fundamental bond between the party and many of its voters, a bond based entirely on the decency, honesty and integrity those voters see in the Nationalist Party leaders. Yes, I am sure that Mizzi, Borg Olivier and Fenech Adami would vote to preserve that bond, to preserve those values… they would and will choose Chris Said's 'Right Way'. Dr David Griscti is President of AZAD Foundation O ver the past four years we've introduced numerous policies that give our young people a second chance. Often, we have asked them to follow educational programmes which are very one-sided. They either pass or fail, and that shall be their fate. Often, a second chance was not possible or at the very least, one or two missteps resulted in a whole year to re-do. We changed strategy on this, as it is our duty to give as many opportunities, and open as many doors, for our young people to continue in their education. One of the most effective second chances we've introduced is through EU funds and the Youth Guarantee – students who failed to get the result they wanted in their 'O' levels are given free revision classes during the summer months. These students spent the past weeks revising their coursework and did the resits over the past days. If we didn't offer any classes some might have ended up finding a similar alternative in a private sector, but others would 've missed out simply due to financial constraints. These classes are very important because they keep students tuned in to the system. One of the reasons why young people don't continue in their education pathway is because they take a wrong step, and disconnect. They feel alone and disillusioned. We want them to remain 'in the system', so we can give them the necessary support and motivation. You might find a lot to criticise 'in the system' – God knows it's not perfect. But we've made a lot of improvements and the structured process there is continuously improving. We're widening the offerings at play, and choices are increasing for different pathways. This will continue over the coming years. However we have not stopped at revision classes. We've strengthened the stipend system and today students face a much simpler process to get their stipend and grants. We've also given a second chance to those who are repeating one year, by allowing them to apply for a stipend during that year. This is important because it makes financial, economic and social sense to try every avenue to make sure young people continue studying. It makes no sense, even from an economic point of view let alone morally, to have them stop learning or up-skilling due to the financial limitations of the individual. Second chances also come in different forms. We've solidified our support structures across schools, especially at secondary level, to help children and young people in their path to become adults. Teachers face a tough environment in schools – some of the challenges they face are not easy and require a lot of support. Social challenges are real. However over the past four years we've invested a lot in human capital in this area and results are starting to appear. There's a lot of work to do, but we're getting there. It is our moral duty to give all the opportunities and tools for our young people to succeed. We're committed to help them, and second, third and fourth chances are there for the taking. Never have we had so many different educational opportunities available for everyone, not just the young. We're committed to do this because this is the future of our country. We can't build a modern nation without skilled workers – and a prosperous living standard, nowadays, can't be achieved without the right skills in place. We have made a lot of inroads and created many more avenues of potential, but at the end of the day an opportunity is only as valuable as what people make of it. Evarist Bartolo is Minister of Education and Employment Bonds are not there to be broken This is the future of our country. We can't build a modern nation without skilled workers David Griscti Giving a second chance Evarist Bartolo