It is not a question of being a hero or a Judas. It is all about doing what is morally right and fulfilling one’s responsibility. I speak for myself while recognising the courage of several fellow colleagues who too have taken a stand.
As an elected representative, I am morally bound and obliged to keep the party on the track of its own values. In a Malta that is barely realising the damage caused to its reputation by a Labour government, my obligation to ensure that the voice of the Opposition becomes stronger and more credible on fundamental issues becomes even more imperative and onerous.
In politics, we are expected to take bold, tough decisions in the interest of our country and its people. There have been plenty of times when I have had to face this difficult choice. Should I retain my profession rather than join politics with the Nationalist Party at its worst Franco Debono moment? Should I keep the office of an MEP and safeguard the employment of my employees, or face their distress and stay on as an MP? Should I stay silent in the face of loss of credibility or work towards finding a way to regain that credibility?
It is time to regroup and revamp for the sake of the country
Tough choices are not something that give one pleasure but challenging the status quo has always been said to require determination. The easiest choice for me and, I dare say, my fellow colleagues, would have been to realise that the party was at its lowest ebb, losing credibility and respect and staying silent; to continue to contribute towards policy formation, assisting the leadership and, indeed, blindly plodding on.
But this is not what the Nationalist Party stands for, and it is not what the country needs from an Opposition. Blindly plodding on simply does not cut it. Had I chosen to be blind, dumb and deaf, I would not be fulfilling those obligations which I was elected to fulfil.
Mistakes are made by each one of us and rest assured that some mistakes we commit on our own, others we are led into committing and others still are not done with our active participation but are possibly consequent to our silence. This happens in life but is magnified in political life where the spotlight is continuously chasing you and where those who are ready to throw mud at you are more vociferous than those who support you.
Social media echo chambers seem to thrive on the negative rants of those needing to make victims of politicians. These are the crowds who gathered around the guillotine ready to draw blood.
The Nationalist Party does not need to draw blood from its own parliamentary group nor from a Labour government. The party can stand tall against a Labour government that has rolled around in corruption and drawn blood from its most brilliant investigative journalist.
To do that we need to forge ahead with a plan that implements party policies without our messengers, even if unintentionally, overshadowing the message. Even at its lowest ebb the party established strong policy proposals against corruption and in favour of good governance, on sustainable development, environment, youths and poverty and so many other sectors.
It is time to regroup and revamp for the sake of the country.
Therese Comodini Cachia is a Nationalist member of Parliament.