This year’s 60th independence anniversary celebrations commemorating such an important milestone in Malta’s history are, unfortunately, overshadowed by the untimely passing of Karl Gouder.

I only knew Karl from a distance, having spoken to him once or twice when I contested the MEP elections way back in 2014. That brief encounter was enough for me to acknowledge that Karl was indeed a gentle soul. When I learnt that he will be contesting the post of secretary general of the Nationalist Party, I scrambled to get in touch with him through LinkedIn and augur him well. Sadly, I never got the desired invitation acceptance permitting me to do so.

Much has been written about Karl’s qualities which clearly indicate that he would surely have made a difference as secretary general, ensuring the betterment of the local democratic fabric. I will only add that, as Karl was carried shoulder-high in his casket, he managed to attract the Maltese nation behind him, including both sides of the political spectrum.

This notion of being able to attract respect not only from those within your party but also from those that sympathise with the opposing political party is to be greatly admired. This helps create political maturity and, maybe one day, we will be mature enough to agree on one national day instead of five. One national day, which would indeed unite us a sovereign nation.

I have always been able to call a spade a spade and be objective in my thoughts. Indeed, hadn’t it been for Prime Minister Giorgio Borg Olivier managing to achieve independence in 1964, Prime Minister Dom Mintoff would not have been able to secure freedom from the British military presence in 1979.

Those important events over the span of 15 years were the culmination of another sequence of events which were triggered after the riots on June 7, 1919. That popular uprising followed by the eventual granting of Malta’s first-ever self-government in 1921 could be considered as the commencement of Malta’s road to self-determination.

At the time of independence, Malta had to kickstart its own economic engine to be able to generate enough wealth whereby its citizens could progress well in their daily lives. One important economic sector is tourism that contributes considerably to Malta’s GDP. Way back in 1964, that sector was non-existent – yet, today, it is flourishing.

Hadn’t it been for independence in 1964, Dom Mintoff would not have been able to secure freedom in 1979- Ivan Grixti

Although we must be careful with the ongoing increase in tourist arrivals and its impact on the infrastructure, it is important to point out that, thanks to Malta’s accession to the EU, the eventual adoption of the euro and the emergence of low-cost airlines, it has become ever more attractive for many fellow EU citizens to travel and opt to spend their holidays in Malta.

Having formed part of the British Empire for nearly 180 years, the Maltese are able to speak English. This is something we should cherish, even though we are losing our command of the English language thanks to the unfortunate situation of our younger generation being hooked to their social media platforms rather than reading a book. 

Indeed, when one considers that, after Brexit, only Malta and Ireland are English-speaking EU member states, it is unfathomable as to why the government is letting such an important asset slip away.

Successive governments have also invested heavily in both education and health since Malta became a sovereign state, and it is important that such a policy continues and is appreciated by all. 

On a political level, given Malta’s geographical location, we can be a catalyst for cooperation between the EU and Africa. Over the past 15 years, a few initiatives have been conducted, such as the Valletta Summit on Migration in 2015. Although illegal immigration is not a current issue for us, it is for our fellow EU countries such as Italy. Malta can also be a catalyst for peace, especially now that our foreign minister chairs the OSCE.

Malta has come a long way since gaining independence in 1964 and has made strides over the past 60 years.

It is highly probable that I won’t be around to celebrate the first centenary of independence but I hope that, when my parting day comes, I will be able to smile back together with Karl and be proud that we both contributed in some way or another to help Malta fulfil its potential after becoming a sovereign state.

Ivan Grixti is a senior lecturer in financial accounting at the University of Malta.