Let’s make history together and vote Green on June 8. It’s in your interest to vote Green because we have the solutions to your problems. It’s in your interest to vote Green for a better quality of life, for cleaner air and for sustainable transport and tourism.

There is no time left to waste on empty words and beating around the bush. People are fed up with the political bickering and the bashing competitions. They want a proactive political direction that will improve the quality of life for all.

It is in your interest for your country to have a better infrastructure. How many hours of our life have been sacrificed on our daily commute from one place to another over short distances? This is time that will never be given back to us. We want a modern infrastructure that accommodates cars as well as alternative means of transport such as bicycles and pavements that are accessible and pedestrian friendly.

While other countries in Europe have worked towards reducing reliance on car use, in Malta it is the complete opposite and, consequently, traffic has increased and so has the number of cases of respiratory disease due to air pollution.

It is in your interest to ensure that Malta is not buried alive under uncontrolled construction. With many vacant new buildings, it does not make any sense at all for us to continue with the rampant construction and takeover of agricultural land without any proper planning.

Let me reiterate that we are not against necessary construction but, rather, the uncontrolled, unplanned construction that we have been subjected to, more so knowing that our infrastructure cannot take on the added demands that these new buildings need, namely electricity and sewage systems. 

When people spoke out against the Mistra project, we were there. When people protested the sale of public land in Qawra, we were there. When the people spoke up against the Mqabba asphalt plant, we were there. When the people voiced their concerns about the closure of the only pharmacy in Burmarrad, we were there.

We were never afraid to speak up for citizens while other political parties did not speak up either due to fear or indifference to the concerns of the people because they had a vested interest. If you are not able to defend Malta in your own country, how will you be able to do this once you are working with over 700 MEPs?

We were never afraid to speak up for citizens- Sandra Gauci

It is in your interest to have Maltese and European laws that protect all of us. You may think it is obvious that everybody is treated the same in the eyes of the law but it is not the case. There are still individuals who think they can bully others and get away with it because they have influential friends.

A clear example of this mentality is the way we see citizens ignored at the expense of businesses that block pavements as well as streets. Only recently, we witnessed an ambulance not being able to pass through a street in Valletta due to the excessive number of chairs and tables placed outdoors.

There is need for us to continue working so that nobody gets special treatment at the expense of others. This means investing in the police force and giving it the respect it deserves. This means allowing the judiciary to work in peace. This means taking enforcement seriously.

The death of Jean Paul Sofia, a death that has not yet seen anybody pay a political price, was a result of carelessness and corruption, which has been allowed to flourish in an unchecked manner. Our current MPs have forgotten that they need to be an example to all and that they need to shoulder responsibility for their actions.

It is in your interest to ensure that the economy leads to better salaries and a guaranteed living income. Everyone benefits from having an economy firing on all pistons. However, when this wealth is not distributed fairly and money is not spent wisely, the effects of such a great economy are lost and any wealth tends to be enjoyed by the few. Having a European framework guaranteeing a living income for all is a measure that guarantees social justice and helps the most vulnerable members in society.

So, in the upcoming elections it is in your interest to vote Green. Voting Green is in the interest of everyone’s quality of life. Don’t stay at home. Be the change.

Let’s write history together.

Sandra Gauci is an ADPD candidate for the European Parliament elections and for the St Paul’s Bay local council elections. She is the chairperson of ADPD –The Green Party.