What are the best of times?
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A major anniversary of a national milestone, such as Independence or EU membership, often presents an occasion to reflect on how far the country has come. The first anniversary of the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia last week brought home, more clearlWhat are the best of times?
A major anniversary of a national milestone, such as Independence or EU membership, often presents an occasion to reflect on how far the country has come. The first anniversary of the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia last week brought home, more clearly than ever, how far the country has left to go. Where, exactly, are we going as a nation? We once naively assumed that, having joined the EU, there was no going back, that we were heading inexorably towards the fulfilment of the European ideals of democracy, freedom of expression, human rights. Many in Malta have been duped into thinking that we’ve already made it; that progress is defined purely by the level of prosperity that the country has achieved. And the powers that be want to keep them thinking that way. Hence the Labour slogan l-aqwa żmien, the best of times, which equates exclusively to economic well-being. On this basis, it seems, Labour wants us to become “the best in Europe”. Only, a nation’s development is not measured by affluence alone. Economic stability and prosperity lay the essential foundation stone for other gains, such as higher levels of education, health and social welfare, as this government is... Read more