The decision taken by Adrian Delia to appoint Louis Galea as an impartial facilitator to reform the party’s structures and policies should prove to be a decisive step in the right direction. A leadership change would certainly not support this process. It is not the way forward. The way forward is unity. The PN cannot become electable again unless there is unity.
Without a doubt, these are the most challenging times for the Nationalist Party.
The electoral result of May has clearly brought factional divisions to the surface, leaving many PN supports disillusioned or on the verge of giving up.
The situation is desperate. We are heading towards a point of no return. If ever there was a need for unity and reform, now is the time before it is too late.
It seems as though we are becoming more comfortable supporting a faction or an ideology rather than being open to compromise to agree on a position which can be presented with a unified voice through dialogue.
We must consider what is best for the party and for our country. There is no place for egos. We need to rethink, rewrite and rebuild our values.
In an F1 race, demanding the resignation of a driver because a pit-stop team member failed to refuel in time seems quite unfair. The dismissal of a restaurant chef when a waiter provided bad service is practicably unreasonable.
Reform doesn’t happen by changing horses in mid-stream but by identifying what needs to be changed and exploring, together, the way forward to improve the system.
Every single member, every MP is crucial for reform to happen. We are all human resources to the PN and we should all learn how to co-operate and collaborate with each other in order to survive. We should learn how to tolerate and respect opinions of others through dialogue and understanding. All voices, opinions and ideas should be heard, listened to and valued.
In an F1 race, demanding the resignation of a driver because a pit-stop team member failed to refuel in time seems quite unfair
Pre-2013, the PN government created a tidal wave of opportunities but was unable to surf it. A perfect product was created but bad service was provided. We lacked a network of collaboration between us.
Maybe we need to rethink our political stance with respect to our identity, who we are and what we stand for. We should create common principles, common goals and common causes that will help fuel unity between us, such as ascertaining the public inquiry regarding Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder is carried out impartially and without government influence or interference.
To see the importance of this shared common intention, consider the collaboration between a submarine commander and his crew members who are being hunted down by a destroyer captain.
If a general election were to be called tomorrow, how prepared are we? How efficient are our human resources in working together in unity?
It is also crucial for a united PN to have a common vision for future generations. The PN needs to create new blood. For that to happen, we must set good examples and be inspiring. Only in unity will the PN generate the resources the party needs that attracts new inspiring politicians with common interests. Human resources may only be created if we value them.
The words I hear in town are: “No Delia, no vote” and “Delia was elected by a democratic vote of the tesserati which should be respected”. This is very worrying as the PN cannot afford to lose more of its influential resources. A split PN cannot be credible.
As a newly elected local councillor, I shall do my utmost to help the PN reform in unity and reconnect with the people. Staying close to the electorate is key. I believe there is more value in creating than in destroying.
Working together on that sounds like a winning way forward.
Karl Muscat is a local councillor for Rabat.