Let us temporarily set aside Labour’s continuous looting of taxpayers from public funds, the administrative incompetence on a grand scale and public governance littered with scandalous malpractices.

Shall we momentarily focus on the Mosta tree-chopping saga? It may appear to be an episode of minor importance, however, it is so revealing of the pitiful state of degeneration in public affairs management.

After a debate lasting 60 seconds, Labour and Nationalist local councillors unanimously gave the green light to the callous uprooting of 12 mature trees. One minute to decide the fate of 50-year-old trees. These insensitive representatives show themselves to be ignorant of sensitive eco green issues. They appear oblivious to an aesthetic role of trees in a public square, to the provision of summer shade to pedestrians and shelter for birds.

Now would a ridiculously young 16-year-old mayor (a measure approved by the PL and the PN) have tried to save these trees? Probably yes. Now is it not worrying that all of these chainsaw councillors are above the immature age of 16 and most are politicians-in-waiting, to eventually graduate to more onerous and remunerative parliamentary membership?

Should we despair that the quality of many political representatives, Labour in particular, leaves much to be desired? The obvious inevitable answer is yes but despair leads to nowhere. We citizens should, instead, more often and more openly, support those decent representatives that competently focus on their duties and keep themselves properly informed on issues.

We need more persons of integrity to venture into politics. We must show more support for those NGOs that lead public citizen protests that disrupt absolutely unacceptable decisions taken by rotten politicians.

Admitted, it is not going to be easy to stop and reverse the rot that has set in but it is not impossible to do so. Two objectives need to be achieved: a repudiation of Labour by some of its mature and educated supporters and an accelerated transformation of the PN that will convince voters about its ability to govern more decently and more competently than Labour.

Voters have always set higher standards for the PN- Arthur Muscat

Following polls and surveys there are encouraging signs that the number of Labour voters intending to abstain is increasing. There is a realisation that Labour desperately needs a spell in opposition to rehabilitate itself.

Labour needs to reject an endemic inclination towards corruption and towards the crowding of critical public posts with incompetent loyalists. It needs to discard the repeated resort to dubious shallow policies of quick fixes for quick results (construction, cheap labour, passports, tax avoidance set-ups). More years of this free-fall will be fatal for Malta.

Some polls indicate Bernard Grech’s PN is being marginally favoured. This progress is still well below a possible electoral success.

In respect of integrity and competence, voters have always set higher standards for the PN so that particular MPs’ misbehaviour and ineffectual opposition performance are very ill-tolerated. These usually trigger the “No difference between parties” mantra and induce an attitude of indifference towards politics.

Another issue that alienates concerns a PN sometimes voting along with the PL on measures of very dubious if not outright condemnable value. A valid opposition should prevalently steer clear of support to imperfect proposals. These are the big challenges for Grech.

Back to our Mosta chainsaw friends, it seems these unanimous voting councillors are disappointed at not being allowed to beautify their village. The villagers are displaying narrow minded ingratitude towards their representatives.

Arthur Muscat

Never mind that, instead of one year, these villagers have been subjected to over four years of slow moving, filthy and disruptive public works. Come on, you villagers should be reasonable, everything is being done for your own good.

Arthur Muscat is a human resources and industrial relations specialist.