Although Malta performs quite well in a number of aspects, many argue that the quality of politicians leaves a lot to be desired. When considering the context of Malta, one can conclude that the different parties and politicians across the years contributed their fair share to make the country a better place. Malta has been successful in promoting the growth of business and this is to a certain degree thanks to the various politicians that have led the country.
Even though Malta performs well, we have grown accustomed to hearing of several controversies surrounding politicians from the two biggest parties in Malta. The fact that Malta only has two parties that can realistically compete for government represents a situation that is far from ideal. This is due to the fact that power is limited to a few, meaning that the opportunities for corruption and abuse would be more frequent.
Malta is facing a turbulent time due to the actions taken by its politicians and public figures. The former Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat, although had led an administration which placed the country well en route towards growth, was forced to resign due to the excessive pressures brought about by corruption and accusations that members of his office were involved in the murder of slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
When Malta was being led under the administration of Joseph Muscat, there were those who expressed their concerns that corruption was being institutionalised and normalised. This spurred from the many scandals, culminating in the Panama Papers revelations and the accusations surrounding Egrant. It was argued that standards of decency were descending rapidly. One of the reasons for this is because an impression of impunity and that politicians can do whatever they please gave the wrong example. This translated to that since politicians were corrupt and behaving unethically, the everyday businessman and citizen can follow in such footsteps.
What can be done to promote better quality politicians?
A significant percentage of politicians are into politics on a part-time basis. This means that most of their time would be dedicated to their full-time job. If we are to see a leap in quality when it comes to politics, politicians should be doing it on a full-time basis. Another important aspect is the pay. It is no secret that politicians are not paid well, which means any opportunity for some quick income would be more tempting. When considering the pressure, and the public and media scrutiny, it does not become worth it when considering financials.
When considering that management professionals and senior members within organisations are paid more than the Prime Minister, it does not take long to realise that something does not function quite right.
What are your views with respect to the quality of politicians in Malta? What can be done to improve this? Let us know your views in the comments section below.
