“You’ve got to vote, vote, vote, vote. That’s it; that’s the way we move forward.” Those are Michelle Obama’s words, not mine, but I think they eloquently sum up the stark choice we all have before us in a few days’ time.

Spoken at a time when voter disillusionment had reached record highs in the United States, her words point out that the only effective solution towards moving forward and achieving change is to show up, vote and be counted.

Wishful thinking on its own will achieve nothing.

We need to vote because our country deserves better.

Many of us have become immune to the constant stream of scandals that have come to pass as normal in this country.

Each day brings news of yet another corrupt public contract, another greasy direct order, or a suspicious planning permit but it’s not enough to simply wish these things would stop.

We need to change the course of our country if we truly want to rebuild its reputation and the only tool that we all have in our hands is our vote.

It is not simply Malta’s shameful greylisting by the FATF that needs to be reversed. As a country we also need to work hard on the vision to make Malta a centre of excellence, where its industries and businesses are respected for the professional and commercial expertise they provide and where they are again taken seriously by the international community.

As we head into an era that will be characterised by the uncertainties and challenges of war and the devastating effects of climate change, we need to promote a forward-looking vision that allows our businesses to prosper against these odds.

Each day brings news of yet another corrupt public contract, another greasy direct order, or a suspicious planning permit- Ryan Callus

I am proud to be contesting this general election as a candidate with a party that has recognised these challenges and has put forward concrete, carefully-thought-out proposals that have the well-being of all of us, as individuals, consumers, business owners, parents, students and pensioners, at their heart.

We recognise that economic growth that is truly inclusive and which leaves nobody behind can only be achieved when a fair business environment is allowed to prosper: one where rules are applied transparently and fairly and not changed depending on who you are and what flag you’ve been waving. 

Poverty and income inequality in Malta remain alarmingly high and the current system, where some businesses are continuously favoured over others on the basis of their political allegiances, is simply fuelling a situation where wealth is being distributed unequally and the poor are getting poorer while a nucleus of cronies gets richer at everyone’s expense.

As the self-named ‘party of the workers’, the Labour Party has failed miserably in its mission.

I write this as a horrific war unfolds in Europe, a war that will undoubtedly change the immediate future we all, as Europeans, had in mind and one that will bring challenges and hardships of its own.

It is today’s youth that will play a crucial role in righting the wrongs of the past and in building a prosperous society that is compassionate and inclusive of all its members; a role that can only be achieved if we set ambitious foundations and create a wealth of opportunities for our youth to thrive.

Let’s vote for change. Because it’s time. Because we deserve it.

Ryan Callus, PN energy spokesperson