Ninsew

Interessanti l-argumenti ta’ ċerti esponenti tal-PN dwar kif sar żball mill-partit tagħhom li ħallew parti mill-istorja riċenti ta’ pajjiżna tintesa u allura n-nies ma tathomx kredtu xieraq għall-progress tal-lum. Skont huma, dan ġara fil-każ tal-isforzi mill-gvern ta’ Dottor Gonzi biex iżomm lill-ekonomija fil-wiċċ wara l-kriżi finanzjarja tal-2008. Dawn l-isforzi messhom baqgħu jiġu proklamati u difiżi mill-PN wara l-2013.
Ħalliha li kienet l-istess amministrazzjoni Gonzi li daħħlitna fil-qalba tal-basla bid-deċiżjoni mgħaġġla li tgħaqqadna maż-żona ewro llum qabel għada.
Imma ħalli dal-punt fil-ġenb.
Il-verità hi li kull partit jinterpreta l-imgħoddi b’mod li jaqbel għaċ-ċirkostanzi taż-żmien li jkun. Parti minn dal-mod, bħala parti wkoll mill-ħajja, hu li ninsew xi jkun wassal għall-preżent.
Pereżempju, l-fatt li llum ninsabu membri tal-Unjoni Ewropea m’għandu x’jaqsam xejn ma’ x’għamel jew ma għamilx Eddie Fenech Adami. Imma għandu x’jaqsam ħafna ma’ x’għamel il-perit Mintoff bejn l-1996 u l-1998. Tifhimha li l-PL jinjora dal-fatt, kif jagħmel ukoll il-PN.
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FERROVIJA
Fil-ħsieb li qed jingħata u fil-ħidma li għad trid issir biex tingħeleb il-problema akuta tal-konġestjoni fit-traffiku, tajjeb li jsiru studji serji dwar titjib fit-trasport publiku. L-idea ta’ linja “urbana”, stil metro, bilfors se ssir aktar attrajenti. Ma nafx kif tista’ tinbena u titħaddem jekk ma tkunx servizz publiku.
Diġà fil-passat kellna sistema hekk. Ferrovija li mir-Rabat tasal sal-Belt; u twaqqfet: dan fis-snin tletin tas-seklu l-ieħor. Għaliex ġara dan?
Kienu żminijiet differenti. Biss, ta’ min jifli għaliex l-affarijiet ġraw kif ġraw. Waqt li l-ferrovija ngħalqet, bdew deħlin ix-xarabank li mbagħad saru s-sinsla tat-trasport publiku motorizzat f’pajjiżna.
Veru li l-passat mhux dejjem mera tal-futur, imma…
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F’BIRŻEBBUĠIA
Stagħġibt b’kemm kienet kbira l-attendenza. Xejn ma naqbel li n-nies preżenti tħajru mir-riċeviment li tajna wara. Ġew għax kienu interessati fis-suġġett. Riedu jkunu jafu aktar dwaru.
Il-Brexit – il-ħruġ tar-Renju Unit mill-Unjoni Ewropea – mhux materja li tinteressa biss lil min iħuf fi Brussell. Tinteressa liċ-ċittadini tal-pajjiżi Ewropej kollna. Stajt narah f’Birżebbugia fejn żammejna l-laqgħa. Dawk preżenti kienu attenti: Brexit kif se jolqothom, lilhom u lil familthom?
F’pensjonijiet? F’opportunitajiet ta’ studju għan-neputijiet? Fit-turiżmu? Fil-possibiltà li int tingħaqad ma’ membri ta’ familtek li jgħixu fi-Renju Unit? Fil-kirjiet ta’ appartamenti?
Il-Maltin ukoll qed jagħmlu l-kalkoli tagħhom. Uħud jinsabu mħawda, biex ma ngħidx imbeżżgħa.
Forsi jkun tajjeb li l-gvern jiftaħ uffiċju ċkejken minn fejn ikun jista’ jagħti gwida u informazzjoni dwar kif għaddej il-proċess tal-Brexit lil nies li huma konċernati personalment bil-konsegwenzi tiegħu.

English Version – Let’s forget

Some PN frontmen have made an interesting claim: their party made a mistake in allowing part of their recent history to be sidelined; as a result people did not give them any part in the credit for the progress that is being achieved today. According to them, this progress happened due to the efforts undertaken by the Gonzi administration to keep the economy afloat following the 2008 financial crisis. The PN should have continued to highlight and praise these efforts post 2013.

Never mind that it was the same Gonzi administration which drove us into the centre of the storm when it rushed through a decision for Malta to prematurely join the eurozone…

But beyond this point, one has to keep in mind another fact of life. The truth is that all parties need to interpret the past in ways that fit present-day circumstances as they see them. This method implies in part, that also by way of how things happen, we should forget what has led to the present.

For instance, the fact that we now are members of the EU has really nothing to do with what Eddie Fenech Adami did or did not do to get us there. But it has a lot to do with what Dom Mintoff did between 1996 and 1998. It is understandable that the PL ignores this fact, as also does the PN.

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Railway

In analyzing what could be done and in the work that will have to be undertaken to resolve the acute problem of traffic congestion, it will be necessary to conduct serious studies regarding improvements in public transport. The proposal to construct an “urban” line, metro style, is bound to become more attractive. I do not know how it can be built and operated if it is not run as apublic service.

In the past, we did have such a system. Trains ran from Rabat to Valletta and the service was stopped in the thirties decade of the previous century. Why did this happen?

Times of course were diffeerent. However it might make sense to analyse how things turned out then. As the railway was phased out, buses came on line. They eventually became the backbone of public motorised transport in the island.

It is true that the past does not always hold a mirror to the future; yet…

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At Birzebbuga

I was surprised that so many people attended. Definitely, those present were not simply looking forward to the reception at the end. No, they came because they were intrigued by the topic. They needed to know more about it.

The departure of the UK from the EU, Brexit, does not generate interest only among those who spend their time circulating in the corridors of Brussels. It is making citizens from all European countries ask questions. One could see this at the meeting which my office organized in Birżebbugia. Members of the audience were keen to understand how Brexit could impact them and their families.

On pensions. On study opportunities for nephews. On tourism. On the possibility to join family members living in the UK. On apartment rentals.

Maltese people too are trying to get their own calculations right on this subject. Some are feeling confused, not to say worried.

It might be a good idea for the government to open a small office which could give guidance and information regarding how the Brexit process is proceeding, to people who are personally concerned by the consequences.