In-nies imutu madwarna u Malta iddawwar wiċċha

Il-baħar ta’ madwarna ġie ttrasformat f’ċimiterju. Riżultat ta’ kultura ta’ indifferenza, kultura tal-mewt.

Id-dgħajjes bdew jagħmlu l-ilma u l-immigranti ta’ ġo fihom bdew jegħrqu. Qed jegħrqu fil-baħar fejn Malta hi responsabbli għas-salvataġġ. Il-Kabinett Malti qed jipprova jistaħba wara subagħajh biex għamel bħall-Italja u għalaq il-portijiet.

Bla dubju hemm il-problemi. F’dan il-mument hemm problema ikbar minħabba l-kriżi tal-Covid19. Imma dan kollu ma jnaqqas xejn mir-responsabbiltà tagħna għal dak li jiġri fl-ibħra ta’ madwarna li għalihom għandna responsabbiltà biex nikkoordinaw u nħarsu s-salvataġġ ta’ kullmin ikun fil-periklu.

M’għandniex għażla. Hu obbligu. Hi responsabbilta tagħna minħabba l-posizzjoni ġeografika ta’ Malta f’nofs il-Mediterran. Kien hemm ċirkustanzi fejn il-posizzjoni ġeografika sarrifniha fi gwadann ekonomiku. Hemm ukoll ir-responsabbiltajiet. Din waħda minnhom.

Mhux qed ngħid li m’hemmx min jagħmel ħiltu biex jisfrutthom. Mill-ftit li nafu hemm min iqaxxarhom biex iħallihom jitilgħu fuq dgħajsa li tista’ twassalhom sal-mewt. Imma ħajjithom tant hi miżerja li jippreferu jissugraw il-mewt.

Din hi r-realtà.

L-ebda skuża m’hi ġustifikazzjoni biex jitħallew jegħrqu.

Min ħasel idejh u sab skuża biex jagħlaq il-portijiet irid jerfa’ r-responsabbiltà għal dawn l-imwiet. Mhux f’Malta biss, imma fl-Italja ukoll. Inklużi ukoll il-pajjiżi membri tal-Unjoni Ewropeja li ilhom is-snin jostakolaw soluzzjoni dejjiema. Mhux kulħadd, għax f’uħud minn dawn il-pajjiżi kien hemm min ħareġ għonqu ukoll minkejja l-opposizzjoni tal-lemin estrem fil-pajjiżi differenti.

Kulħadd irid jerfa’ r-responsabbiltà tiegħu. Malta għandha ir-responsabbiltà tagħha. L-egħluq tal-portijiet wasslet għal dawn l-imwiet. In-nies qed tmut madwarna u Malta ddawwar wiċċha qiesu ma ġara xejn.

Malta tal-insara iddawwar wiċċha. Kattoliċissima? Insara tal-figolli, tal-vari u l-pasturi. In-nies? Dawk jitħallew jegħrqu.

Solidarity is not on quarantine

The COVID-19 outbreak has changed what we are worrying about. Old problems are still around but their relative importance has been overshadowed by the current crisis. Our health, both individual and collective, is endangered. The economy is at a standstill and specific sectors of the environment are slowly recovering.

As more sections of society grind to a halt on a voluntary or compulsory lockdown, as a precautionary measure, it is important to ensure that solidarity is not placed on quarantine.

Solidarity is essential to support each other, primarily the most vulnerable amongst us. It is also essential both for our survival and for the eventual recovery of the country. In the process we must emphasise that everyone is important and no one is to be left behind or on his/her own. We must ensure that when this crisis is over, we come out of it stronger and wiser.

The health authorities in Malta acted with reasonable caution when they acted early to plan for the COVID-19 outbreak. The gradual reduction of non-essential activity was also generally planned responsibly, with one exception. The opening of the spring hunting season planned for this weekend is uncalled for. The Ornis Committee was irresponsible when it recommended its opening and government should not have accepted its advice.

The hunting community missed an opportunity which could have depicted them in a different light. They confirmed once more that in the hunting leadership’s dictionary the term “responsibility” has no significance.

We will be stronger if all of us act responsibly. We are being advised to preferably remain indoors. It is not the time for picnics, camping, walks in the countryside or hunting.

It is also time to realise that racism is more damaging than COVID-19.

During the week the open centre at Ħal-Far was placed on quarantine after some eight of its residents tested positive for COVID-19. It was a ranting opportunity for the racists among us. Little do they realise that the Ħal-Far community is among the most vulnerable due to the over-crowded space they have been provided with. As I explained on my blog last Tuesday, it would be reasonable at this point to shift the Ħal-Far community to vacant hotels for the duration of the crisis. It is not only in the interest of the Ħal-Far community but also in our own interest so as to ensure that the spread of COVID-19 is further contained. Government has the full authority to proceed in this direction through existing legislation. The sooner this is done the better as this would be a very effective measure to contain a high risk area which could get out of hand and accelerate the spread of COVID-19.

On a European Union level the debate on the post-COVID-19 era is in full swing.
The COVID-19 outbreak found the EU inadequately prepared for the resulting emergency. As a result, in the initial weeks, Italy and Spain were not sufficiently supported and consequently their health services were overwhelmed and could not cope with the spread of the virus.

Loss of life is always regrettable. However, when this results from a lack of adequate preparation it is more a case of incompetence.

The current debate is on the best way forward. Southern European countries, primarily Italy and Spain, buttressed by the European Greens and the S & D, are arguing in favour of so-called coronabonds. The issuance would take the form of bonds with a long maturity, thereby alleviating debt servicing costs and burden-sharing among EU Member States. I am writing on Wednesday, when conclusions seem to be still far away. This should however follow a path of solidarity not one of charity.

Solidarity is not on quarantine. Solidarity is the way forward both on a national level as well as on an EU level. It is, after all, an essential element of our DNA.

 

published on The Malta Independent on Sunday : 12 April 2020