The famous Sicilian writer and dramatist of the 20th century, Luigi Pirandello, was known for his courageous and ingenious contribution to contemporary literature.
We, too, can make a contribution: to our own life, to our country, to culture and beauty. This we can do by participating in the building of a better country.
Malta and Gozo are our past history but also our future. Yet, do our ‘rulers’ believe in the individual citizens, all in the same way and without any preference? Do they respect them all individually or do they use and abuse them and, especially, desecrate their dignity?
Sometimes, power and clientelism blinds the authorities. Especially when the citizens are not treated the same there is humiliation, grumbling and even rebellion.
The biggest problem today is that politicians prefer to embrace the importance of power, money and favouritism. And not all Maltese citizens have the same values, opportunities and power.
We only seem to be interested in ourselves, ignoring what needs our attention. We need to make space and create a culture of peace, harmony, unity and equality. Society is built on the dignity and respect of every citizen, avoiding violence, all sorts of violence, on people.
Instead, we must give love a better chance. Love is a gift of sensibility and security that the State is responsible to provide to all its citizens equally. We have to remember that human rights are born before laws.
We especially need to affirm the rights of and respect towards the elderly, an encyclopaedia of intelligence and experience.
We should be able to hear and understand the various directions of our daily life.
The deadliest poison of our time is indifference
We must, therefore, realise what is going on and protect and save ourselves from the horrible atmosphere prevailing on our island. We need to implement a valuable project for our islands, one having cultural content. Ignorance and egoism are the worst aspects that can erode the cultural values of a country. Sadly, such values do not feature high in this country’s agenda nowadays.
Take Gozo: we simply must take drastic action because Gozo has become an irreversible jungle.
Mistakes have always been made in Gozo. The biggest, most horrible and savage destruction of the historical period committed under the Nationalists was that of Fort Chambray. From a public historical place, it was turned into a place for elected and rich people. Worst of all, the old walls were allowed to fall to pieces and no one cares.
A famous Italian politician used to repeat: “Very often, politicians are dirty because they care only and firstly for their personal pockets.” It is, therefore, imperative that we care, study where we stand, protect what we have and save ourselves from the oppressive situation we are heading to.
The deadliest poison of our time is indifference. Who is to blame?
Yes, indeed, Gozo badly needs ‘scientific dignity’ and the capacity to listen to its citizens. We can, for example, ask the Gozo minister: why is the road between Marsalforn and Victoria still in a horrible state? Why are the road lights so dim during the night?
The quest for power and money and, especially, partisan politics have humiliated all Gozitans, denuding them of their dignity. We have become double faced, lacking a backbone.
My last, truly sincere message, I address to the minister for Gozo: stop the vandalism of buildings in Gozo, especially in Marsalforn and Xlendi.
I mention again the road leading to Marsalforn; it is not even good for cows and sheep. The minister should at least be sincere with himself. Don’t Gozitans deserve a better road? What is he waiting for to take action? The ideology of the world today is destroying the beauty and what is good rather than creating space for what we already have.
“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore” ‒ William Faulkner.
Fr Charles CiniFr Charles Cini is a member of the Salesians of Don Bosco.