‘Please Sir, I want some more’. This is what poor Oliver had the temerity to ask in Oliver Twist, the classical social novel penned by Charles Dickens.

Oliver begged for more out of hunger, but particular local developers and entrepreneurs are begging for more due to their greed.

They never have enough to the extent that they never can seem satisfied. The more they have, the more their quest grows stronger and bolder.

Recently, Pope Francis coined a very thought-provoking phrase when he stated that the greedy person speaks the ‘language of the self’! The greedy person is so self– absorbed that his/her greed turns into obsessiveness.

I have no qualms in stating that some entrepreneurs are decent enablers of our economy. But although some are committed to sustainable development and have built aesthetically pleasing projects, sadly a growing number of others are behaving like fat cats obsessed with becoming fatter and fatter.

They’re not at all concerned with the well-being of others, or the conservation of our historical patrimony/heritage, or public spaces, or the safeguard of our already fragile environment, or foreshore and/or the promotion of the common good! For them, everything has a price and everyone is a medium to enhance their ego trips and their bank accounts.

Clearly, their ethos is ‘I’m alright, Jack’!

From Cospicua to St Julian’s and from Qala to Sliema, mega eyesore monstrosities are mushrooming everywhere. Our nation is turning into one big dusty construction site! Literally, no stone is being left unturned and no town/village is being spared the blitz! Only the blinkered and those with vested interests beg to differ.

We are in great need of people who speak less ‘language of self’ and by far more the language for the common good

Under the disguise of being pro-business and using slick buzz words, such as ‘iconic buildings’ or ‘state-of-the-art technologies’, they push their self-centred agenda. Through their ‘friendship’, they seek to be constantly in the good books of those who hold public office and other ‘seats of decision-making’.

Like an octopus whose tentacles reach far and close, they subvert into every public/private entity, political party and other reputable institutions. They are very sensitive to the politically evolving scenario and keep a close eye on the opinion polls, just in case they need to switch alliances. They make it a point to keep certain ‘politicians’ in their ‘pockets’. In return, these ‘politicians’ secure their own survival. Scratch my back and I scratch yours. Surely, they have no political convictions but rather hold on to political opportunism and convenience. They make hay while the sun shines.

Do I feel justified then in considering them as the nemesis of the common good?

The sad part of this debacle is that as much as Oliver had Jack Dawkins, known as the ‘artful dodger’, we have a Labour government, a Muppet Planning Authority and an expired prime minister, who are systematically acting as fine enablers and promoters. It is evident to those who opt to see it, that this government is not its own but indebted to those who propelled and financed it into office. 

Joseph Muscat did a Faustian pact and in the process sold the ‘soul’ of his party. This proved to be his downfall from grace. Sadly, the Labour Party is beyond recognition and is anything but Labour! The party ceased to be a voice of the left and altered itself instead into a slick neo-liberal customer care agency, massaging egos.

Obviously, some egos come in larger sizes than others!

What then is the silver lining, one might ask? The good news is that an encouraging growing number of citizens from all strata of society and from the different political spectrum have had enough of all this greed. The dissent is rapidly increasing. An increasing number of citizens is becoming concerned that our environment and heritage is not being seriously cherished and protected.

This is making people feel incensed. The latest events show that the people have had enough. As the former Gozitian Labour MP, Lino Debono recently rightly highlighted, all these bizarre permits are just ‘simply scandalous’!

In the meantime, like Oliver we, the law-abiding citizens are demanding more, not so much for food, but for more open spaces and aesthetically pleasing edifices. We are requesting greener initiatives and the safeguard of our village cores.

We are requesting more accountability, social justice, transparency and rule of law from our institutions, in particular the Planning Authority which seems to have been turned into a rubber stamp for the ‘untouchable few’.

We are demanding a more honest political class which puts country before votes. We are requesting that the current planning policies are updated to reflect today’s social-economic-environmental situation. We are asking for a national planning master plan rather than taking a piecemeal approach to planning. We are demanding that Muscat must go now!

We are in great need of people who speak less ‘language of self’ and by far more the language for the common good.

Are we asking too much?

Albert Buttigieg is mayor of St Julian’s.