The next State of the Nation conference, a commendable initiative by President George Vella, will be held in under a month’s time.
We can only hope that the third edition will go beyond numbers, moving to identifying and prioritising areas where action is urgently needed and, more importantly, suggesting the best way forward.
It was encouraging to learn that this edition will start identifying trends that could indicate how people’s perceptions and opinions on matters of national importance are changing and why.
Still, little would have been achieved if, once trends are identified, action on the ground is not taken.
At the launch of the third edition, Vella said the conference fills a void in how we perceive ourselves as a nation. “We can get a snapshot of how people think about important issues based on facts rather than opinions,” he noted.
Given the myriad of studies that are thankfully being conducted practically on a regular basis and dealing with so many diverse topics, we must already have a pretty good idea of where we stand.
The big question is how such data is being utilised by those who make decisions and formulate policies.
If optimum use of the information collated through such research is not being made, then, regretfully, exercises like the State of the Nation conference risk becoming hollow.
What really matters is solid evidence that a genuine effort is seen to be made to inspire change.
Given the delicate state of the nation – socially, politically, economically, environmentally, you name it – we cannot wait any longer to walk the talk.
The signs are so clear it is difficult to understand what the president meant when he said it is critical to reflect on whether the state of certain systems, like the economic model or attitudes towards the environment, need to be approached differently. He must surely realise this is already an urgent matter and no more time should be lost on ‘reflection’.
According to what has been announced so far, next month’s conference will see four panels – consisting of participants from all walks of life – engaged in “a national conversation, rather than a debate”.
It will also include interviews with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition. That smacks of sheer waste of time.
The poor state of the nation is the result of a lot of talk by politicians but little action to improve things in areas where there is a dire need for improvement. A case in point was the prime minister’s rhetoric about the environment on May 1.
The two political leaders should just take note of the ideas presented with a view to bringing the good ones to fruition as soon as possible.
The space should be reserved for experts able and willing to speak their mind, those who will have no difficulty whatsoever telling our political leaders what they are doing wrong and how to rectify the problems.
The State of the Nation conference organisers – and that includes the presidency – must then clearly communicate the outcome of the proceedings, list in detail the concrete suggestions made, what action needs to be taken, who will take charge and constantly stay in contact with policymakers and other stakeholders.
The ultimate aim should be that, when the fourth edition is held in a year’s time, the nation would be in a better state as a result of the president’s initiative.
It’s time to translate numbers, ideas and ‘reflections’ into clear plans for action. We are already running out of time.