The author shares his thoughts about the discussions between the leader of the opposition and the Prime minister regarding an alliance. He also criticizes the behaviour of  government officials, and pleads for the rise of “leaders who can place the interests of the common good above their own”.

The two major parties, the PTr and the MMM, in their intensive process of “kose kose“ to keep the switch “ON“ for an alliance, are making the people the hostages of their whims and fancies in the pursuit of the personal agendas of the political leaders. The people have been reduced to nothingness on a desolate political landscape dominated by selfish, arrogant and ruthless leaders who have absolutely no interest in the well-being of the public. Whilst they wish to put aside their significant differences, put under the carpet the wrong doings of each one and cover up for the scandals they were themselves just vehemently denouncing, they have the ambitions to rally their forces for yet an another 60-0 to smash the opposition in the forthcoming elections as they say, and this to perpetuate their power.

Today, we have an unprecedented situation where the official main opposition party is colluding with the government in several respects to act as one. For example, in the prorogation of the National Assembly, in the drafting and passing of the “mini-amendment”, in the move to declare their communities in the next elections in spite of the “mini-amendment”, their opaque and discreet consultations in the preparation of the electoral reform as well as the constitutional reform for the second Republic. So much so that the official opposition and its leader sees no more the escalating trend of the scandals profiling everyday to rot further the already alarming situation. A responsible opposition is one which would have jumped on these occasions to criticize the failures of the system and formulate viable alternative policies capable of execution. A responsible opposition is definitely not one which is waiting, at any cost, for any opportunity to join the government for which they are supposed to represent the alternative.

Both the Government and the official opposition have become now guilty of undermining the legitimate rights and wishes of the people and they are thus guilty of subverting the power of the people to dictate their personal agenda. The country is at a standstill, with the daily miseries of the common people increasing at alarming trends. The race for more political power and profit is causing a dangerously impoverishment of the middle to low classes of the society, significantly increasing trend of unemployment, especially for our young generation. There is also a degradation of the public institutions with the deterioration public services and, above all, a public debt which is getting at unmanageable levels. The right kind of leadership which the people are seriously looking at is one with solution-driven initiatives, programs to improve the standard of living of the people in general.

The people are looking for a leadership with the right vision which motivates and inspires for productivity, creativity and confidence in the creation of jobs with decent conditions for the many young people across the board entering the labour market. The people expect from the leadership serious and independent enquiries to situate where responsibility lies for whatever current messes there are, and to take appropriate sanctions. The people have the right to ask that the right persons be placed at the right place on the basis of meritocracy, with clear KPI’s to deliver people’s expectations. Have we today the right kind of people for that kind of leadership? Have we today the right type of leaders who can place the interests of the common good above their own? Have we leaders today who can stand by their convictions, by their principles and by their ideologies? Do we today have leaders in our political set up who can make good use of power to influence change for the better of the people, rather than an abuse of power to confuse the public assets with theirs?

From the outcome of the last series of meetings between the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition, it is now clear that not only the switch is well “ON“, but the “koz-koze“ is well advanced for the formation of the Alliance. It would thus be the wish of one and all that these “koz-koze “come to a conclusion very soon, so that the people know what to expect, and their various difficulties will be addressed. Whatever conclusion there will be (whether the MMM and the PTr will be in alliance or not, whether the PM will call for early elections or will opt to wait until the end of his mandate and whichever preferred options which the PM, having full mastery of the situation, will act upon free of any sorts of pressure or ultimatum), we, the people, must remain ever skeptical about granting more power to the elected and appointed officials. The ultimate authority lies with the voters who should not allow their rights to be usurped by the political class, use their discernible abilities to sanction those likely to break promises, manipulate and cut corners to serve their selfish interests. And also to get out of the way those who confuse Power and Position with own Privilege. The People long for a leadership class devoted to a Principle, a Program and a socialized Power.