The Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Malta is the biggest international event ever being hosted in our country. Bringing together 53 countries, the Commonwealth has the potential of being a significant voice in world affairs. The presence of so many foreign dignitaries and their entourage is a golden opportunity for our country to make Malta better known world-wide. Most of all it could and should be a launching pad for more business tourism and foreign investment to be attracted to our shores. To this extent the public road cleaning up process is positive, although it is a pity that government is only galvanised into cleaning up our country when prominent political figures visit us. The little publicity in the form of public banners prominently displayed do little to arouse enthusiasm for the event.
The cleaners so visible in the last few weeks yet so absent during normal periods are evidence that with better management and use of resources, this country could be kept spick and span. Similarly,all business networking is positive and hopefully will convert into business opportunities for our country.
Beyond these pious hopes, a few observations are in order. Firstly, we must never underplay that a number of our visitors are dictators who run their countries with an iron fist in breach of any respect for the human rights and dignity of their citizens. This is of concern to us and our welcome is couched with a strong sense of unease. The dinner guest list includes many a tyrant.
A second observation is the cost of the event upon local coffers. When the government proudly announced in the former money no problem era that the event was to be hosted in our country we were assured that the expense would be capped at around the figure of one and half million Malta liri. We remain extremely sceptical about this figure and caution that when all bills are picked up our citizens be officially informed of the cost. Any justifications for run-over costs should not be justified on the basis of the free global media publicity. This sugaring of the bitter pill will not be bought by a population being asked to pay increased taxes and generally to tighten their belts! Government should volunteer the financial information before being pushed by the media to do so.
Thirdly, the infrastructural upgrading and the improvement of the roads are far too CHOGM-driven. The road running from the airport to Valletta and from the airport to the northern hotel housing the event are all clearly a part of the CHOGM drive. This smacks of a colonial mentality and a servile attitude towards our guests. It is hoped that the upgrading will carry on inearnest even when our guests return home.
Fourthly, the decision by the GWU to stage a protest on the eve of CHOGM on the pretext that a message should be sent to our foreign guests that the employment situation in Malta is far from plain sailing, is puerile. It smacks of a free publicity ride. Is the secretary-general aware that he is passing on a message to a majority of guests who run countries where the average wage of workers is close to a pittance? Is he aware that the rights of workers in most of the countries being represented are non-existent? This angry outcry of the union is further evidence that it is fast losing its sense of proportion and is desperate to make a bit of noise even at the expense of appearing unpatriotic. These days call for a national pulling together and not for a broadcasting of our parish politics. Is this protest, still to be granted police permission, merely an attempt by the union to play victim when the event may be refused permission on grounds of the police resources being over-stretched? Whatever the outcome and irrespectively of their right to protest which we fully respect, it does little to enhance the credibility of Malta’s largest trade union.
A final word on the Commonwealth is in order. It is a pity that an organisation that brings together a third of the world population has a merely consultative role. Its potential to be a world player is enormous, its actual effect minimal. A roll call of the heads of government will indicate the absent leaders and the meetings low priority in their eyes. One would not really be politically incorrect to label this assembly as a talking shop. We augur that all goes well, that all return home safe and sound and that with the passage of time all talk on terrorism, free trade and human rights transcends the photo opportunity.
