Your vote, your voice

That our environment is in a perilous state is an understatement.

Credit: Shutterstock.com

One only has to glance around to witness a systematic demolition of our national/local heritage and patrimony, alarming increase of urban overdevelopment, mega unsustainable developments and the cementation of our island.

How can we stop this blitz, one may query?

Although peaceful and non-violent protests are commendable to exercise pressure, and ought to be encouraged as part of our democratic political landscape, it is only through our political vote/involvement that change can be achieved.

Thus, I firmly hold that whatever change we envisage, can only be realized through our political democratic channels, commencing with our vote. This explains my personal involvement in the political fray.

I entered politics to be the change I want to see.

Sadly, politics have been given a bad standing by number current politicians, who did not seek to serve but to be served. Unfortunately, politics was reduced to a glossy marketing exercise, in which candidates are just well-groomed props. Sadly, some have or express no option whatsoever so not to disturb any apple cart.

I find this not only demeaning, unfair on the discerning voter but continues to upsurge the mistrust in the political class.

What do I then stand for?

My chosen slogan is ‘Your Voice’.

I am determined to strive to do my utmost to be the voice of the honest citizens and their legitimate concerns. I want to be a robust promoter of those who are on the fringes of our communities, in particular our elderly and disabled; and the ever-growing social injustice/inequalities between the have and the have-nots.

Above all, I want to be also an assertive voice for our environment, our common home, which is being systematically rampaged by particular greedy compulsive fat cats with the current labour government as a fine enabler.

To address such perilous state of affairs, I want to be a proactive candidate.

If entrusted with one’s vote, with the support of my colleagues, I will keenly seek to follow to work and lobby vigorously towards the implementation of the following proposals.

1. The urgency to set up an aesthetics board to monitor and evaluate development proposals. We cannot continue constructing soulless buildings!

2. We must urgently draw a holistic national building/environment master plan. We need to revisit/update all current policies, stating clearly that ODZ and UCA are what they are meant to be, ODZ and UCA without any exception!

3. We ought to insist that every development must have a water well/reservoir to catch rainwater instead of water going wasted into the streets.

4. We need to introduce solar rights. Residents cannot end up living in the shade facing blank walls! Thus, we must issue a protection order protecting front and back gardens. We need to stop axing trees.

5. Scheduling of historical buildings/sites and limit height limitation next to landmark buildings.

6. Pavements must remain accessible and not become an extension of commercial outlets. The local councils, as the local government, ought to have the final say on outdoor tables, chairs and platforms.

7. The creation of more open family parks such as the White Rocks complex. We need open spaces if we are to retain our mental sanity!

8. Enforcing ‘one apartment, one garage’ policy and all developments must have a garbage room/area to reduce uncollected garbage left out for days.

9. Identifying public land/pathway. Public pathways are to be safeguarded and accessible to all.

10. Subsidizing double-glazed windows to reduce electricity consumption.

Although both the Nationalist Party and myself might be the underdogs, we will not be deterred. I am resolute to remain a steadfast voice in advocating on behalf of all our honest citizens. I firmly stand with them and am determined, to the best of my ability, to remain an assertive voice for our environment and a robust voice for the common good.

Let your voice be loud and clear. Your vote is your voice.

(This article was published on The Malta Independent on Sunday – 6 March, 2022)