Us Maltese are known for the importance and affection we give to our family. For us, the family was everything – the beginning of our education, the reassurance during troubled times and the impetus of social and Christian values, among others. But, over time, we began to see that the family started to evolve rapidly, a change seen worldwide. Different so-called modern cultures, thoughts and philosophies began to appear. We even opened our doors to exotic animals to also be part of our family.

I am not a moralist, nor do I come from the field of philosophy but, like many of you, I have the philosophy of life. The fact that I come from the field of education has allowed me to enjoy learning and reading to continually discover more about man and the world around him. That is why I wanted to share with you some observations that I am seeing in the evolution of the Maltese family.

Today, we cannot just talk about the family but we must speak of the diversity of the family.

Life has brought with it significant changes when it comes to the family. These changes have also led to reactions from different walks of life. Of course, this change is interpreted by various schools of thought, all of which advance their agenda or, rather, their beliefs with regard to philosophical thought.

But what is this diversity of family? How much is it being accepted by progressive society? How are conservatives looking at this ongoing change? How prepared are we as a country to meet these new challenges?

Gay couples can also create families

As a politician, I cannot help but share my thoughts with you on all this. It is a fact that our country has progressed at a rapid pace over the last 30 years. But, dare I say that,  sometimes, the development was too fast in that not everyone could keep up and therein lies the problem.

In this process of change, new forms of families began to emerge beyond the traditional ones. Although unmarried couples have always existed, they have continued to grow. It has become more possible to form new families following the break-up of the first marriage. It has also become possible to create families formed by gay couples. Families with one parent have also increased while there have always been families without children.

Whatever the format of the family, they all have their own needs, so the country has to offer them the respective help. I am not saying that these should burden the state but the government needs to see no one is suffering due to their circumstances.

I would not be a fair politician if I did not mention the commitment that every Maltese government has tried to make over the years to alleviate the hardships families may go through. Indeed, there are always controversies over the principles and methods of introducing services targeted at those most in need.

As always, there are still areas for improvement. However, I am in politics to ensure the needs of these ‘new’ families are also met.

During my home visits, I am encountering several difficulties that these families are experiencing – financial struggles, elderly people not being able to purchase medicines because their pension is not sufficient, young adults not being able to get a loan from a bank due to the increasing property prices as well as other difficulties related to the lack of stability in long-term employment.

These are all issues that are of concern to me because they affect our daily lives. Policies must continue to be implemented to address these difficulties so that our country can genuinely be at the forefront of the social aspect. Without diminishing the merit of all that has been done, let us not be content and always strive for more. The reality outside is showing us a different picture. Let us work together to have a better Malta.

George Muscat, teacher, independent local councillor