Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/893950
Opinion 23 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 OCTOBER 2017 T en years ago my wife and I packed our bags, our two young children and left Malta. There were a number of reasons why we took this difficult decision. One of these was my conviction that the political and environmental situation in Malta would deteriorate. At the airport, my 10-year-old son, now an adult, asked, "Pa, why are we going?" My answer was: "Things will only get worse. When you grow up you will understand ". What I failed to forecast at the time was how bad things would actually get. The horrific event of last week is perhaps the ultimate tragic symbol of this deterioration, though not necessarily a directly correlated event. I had spent the previous four years being politically active as the economics spokesperson for the Green Party – Alternattiva Demokratika. It was a tough time for my family and me. Politics did not bring out the best in me; I became bitter, angry and resentful. It was, however, a period of my life when I learned a lot about myself and even more about the country I called home for the first 38 years of my life. In many ways I became a cynic, realising that our people had sold out to the status quo. Two warring tribes – pick one! My foray into politics was a personal attempt to break down the status quo. As a great Maltese friend and philosopher says: "escaping from dualism is the only chance of peace". My mission failed, and the point of realisation happened on the day when an Attard resident, whom I asked to join a protest at the building of a supermarket on a green site smack in front of his house, answered my request with: "Dak mhux tac-Caqnu? Dak mhux li jrid jaghmel?" Everything in that sentence explained the condition of Malta. The level of apathy was a licence to the building industry, in tandem with the political class, to continue with the rape (horrible word, I know, but I am not diluting it) of our islands. The day after the 2008 election, which I fought with vigour, we took the decision to go. Leaving back our extended family and life-long friends was not easy – we have no regrets. Indeed we thank heavens almost daily. Writing from afar about the country of my birth may come across as preposterous and condescending. However, after the seismic event of last week, I decided to break a 10-year silence, and share what I think is one of the root problems with the nation. The election of Labour in 2013 was a Blair-esque moment for Malta – new young leader, modern approach and landslide on the first attempt – there are so many parallels. On the face of it, much has been delivered. Budget surplus, world-class hospital services, shiny new roads, a rich cultural scene, booming tourism, fancy restaurants and clubs, and the ultimate key to Maltese nirvana, a new endless property boom. The proverbial "tista' taqla' lira" had come true again – the Maltese dream was back. Cool Melita! Malta's success over the last 30 years has been built by successive governments delivering what the Maltese value most highly – a booming economy. The island has been, to use a British term, gentrified. I am constantly amazed, during my annual holidays, at the so-called progress. The cost of gentrification though is the atomisation of society – every man to himself. The result of this is fragmentation, more division, fatuous greed, and anger – yes anger. Malta is an angry place. Take a good look around you, seriously. It is easy to blame the present situation on political corruption. What is difficult is to cry foul at corruption when your tribe is the one in power. Face it, corruption will always be there. Not having adequate democratic institutions makes it harder to combat, but having them does not make it go away. A quarter century of Nationalist rule never really sorted this out, did it? Labour is just riding the wave, or should I say tsunami? Corruption is not, however, exclusive to the political class. The disease at the heart of Malta is that the population at large has been corrupted. I am not suggesting that you all have accounts in Panama. What I am suggesting is that too many of you have bought into the system. When the driver of your ego is the new car you drive through dense traffic, something is wrong. When the measure of your children's success is a career in financial services (a euphemism for nicking tax dollars off overseas populations) or a well-paid job in gaming (a euphemism for helping the vulnerable indulge further into their gambling addiction), something is wrong. When the measure of business acumen is becoming a mini building contractor and making a small fortune off crowding the working poor into smaller unaffordable two- bedroom apartments (garage optional), something is wrong. When hideous tower blocks become the symbol of national revival, something is wrong. When political success is measured solely by the highest growth rate in the EU, fuelled by the sale of citizenship to god-alone knows who, something is seriously wrong. When a police officer feels sufficiently confident to go on the internet and celebrate the murder of one of us knowing that her grieving sons would read this, something is despicably wrong. The question here must be "Is there redemption?" I simply don't know, is my answer. It is your country to own and change. All I can humbly suggest is that as long as greed, money and division are what drives a significant and growing part of the population nobody should be shocked or surprised with corruption and social decay. Remember that you always get the political class you elect; they are merely a ref lection of you. I don't know whether you can re-build a Malta you can all be happy and proud living and raising your families in. All I know is that the Malta I dreamed of died in 2008. Il-paci maghkom. Edward Fenech is a former AD executive committee member and lives in the UK [ The long road to redemption It is easy to blame the present situation on political corruption. What is difficult is to cry foul at corruption when your tribe is the one in power Corruption is not exclusive to the political class. The disease at the heart of Malta is that the population at large has been corrupted Edward Fenech