As the Maltese general elections approach and the electoral campaigns intensify so too does my awareness of the importance of these coming elections become more acute. Indeed up to several months ago I hadn’t been banking on participating in these elections, believing that the natural thing to do would be to launch myself ‘after’ the elections… but I have since recognised that to abstain from entry with the knowledge that my perspective has granted me would be an act of irresponsibility on my part.

The country is at a crossroad, not just politically but in almost every other sense of the word also. The two main parties, the Nationalist Party and the Malta Labour Party, have seen wild fluctuations in support these past decades for which they have only themselves to blame. The situation has become such that the nationalist-run government has looked upon the labour party’s failings for inspiration for niches for exploitation. Just a couple pf obvious areas to mention are taxation methods (with the labour party promising to remove VAT only to replace it with a more vicious CET tax and the subsequent nationalist administration seeing fit to increase the re-established VAT to 18% from 15%), and energy and utility price hikes (which, following the labour party’s disastrous attempt (bowing out after just 22 months), the nationalists decided to repeat the feat calling it a “surcharge”, knowing that the people would take it in with little protest (and little alternative)). Add to this the labour party’s seriously misguided non-argument of their stand on the question of European Union entry (and the spectacularly misguided pre-referendum instructions by the man who still occupies the top position with little sign of improvement) and you might be forgiven for wondering whether the labour party is a little too comfortable in the opposition seat.

In spite of all this confusion and exploitation off the backs of the people, the people still seem quite determined, or confused enough, to again vote in the two parties who amongst themselves are partially, albeit significantly, responsible for the sad state of affairs that the country finds itself in. Within this context I shall be entering the fray of the Maltese general elections of 2008.

Already there are signs of turmoil within the nationalist government. There exists such an air of uncertainty at this time that it would not be an understatement to claim that it was with a bit of luck that I succeeded in collecting the nomination forms for the two districts that I shall potentially be contesting. Sadly there was little, if anything, in the way of public information for candidature of the deadlines involved - a small but sure stamp against Malta’s democratic credentials (not that I was overly surprised).

But that is something else…

I end speculation of my entry because I know that I represent a unique perspective that I dare say that none of the other candidates offer. I offer an understanding of the value of innovation and the importance of questioning even the most seemingly unquestionable matters. I offer unique prospects for various fields and do not allow popular opinion to take sway over my ethical perspectives - which makes me a potential defender of the marginalised members of society.

I have been called pompous by a few, upon the basis that I would dare to strike out alone rather than be smothered within a party line and would dare to speak in favour of myself. Yes, indeed I may not take great pleasure in singing my own praises, but hardly anybody else will and I would not stoop so low as to require anybody to do so. Strangely these same voices who would criticise me stop short of pointing out exactly which aspects I am perhaps inflating beyond reality, but their motivations are known to themselves alone.

I have also been asked whether I am doing this for myself or whether I am doing this for the country. It is a question that discomforts me significantly as it is one that I rarely pose myself. The truth is that I do it out of my own interest in wishing to live in a better world. I do ultimately do what is desirable for the self. It is my wish to forge a better world and while this may not seem selfish, it is what motivates me and is therefore my own interest.

If that seemed a little complicated, it simply is and this is why I shy away from such questions when asked - I simply cannot express myself nearly as well as in the written format, the keyboard affording me those precious moments necessary to sculpt the truth out of the rough ore that my spontaneous thoughts represent.

All that you, or prospective voters, need to know is that I am genuine in what I say as I make no attempt or pretension at making the electoral promises that others would readily use in a seductive play for your support. I am simply representative of my own views, which shall remain unchanged (outside debate) and shall be worked towards regardless of whether I am voted in or not. It is my hope that being voted in will give me sufficient power to set forth the ideas of myself (and others) upon a level where they may influence change for the better throughout the Islands. That is my hope.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 31st, 2008 at 9:10 pm and is filed under Miscellaneous, The Maltese context. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.