“Not voting…is not a mature way of dealing with your grievances”
From The Sunday Times’s interview with the well-known cardiologist Albert Fenech, now a Nationalist Party candidate:
Why have you decided to become an election candidate?
I’ve seen Malta change over the years and I strongly believe the only party that can continue this progress is the Nationalist Party.
My job is to convince people to vote, because not voting puts the country at too much risk and is not a mature way of dealing with your grievances… And secondly, to vote for a party that has a proven track record of taking the country forward.
The party’s current difficulties are completely undeserved and unexplainable. But the internal problems are temporary and will not last longer than the next election.
Do you think there is a problem with the leadership, though, seeing as there seems to be this inability to keep the party united?
The problem with trying to keep a party united when you have a one-seat majority is the one-seat majority.
At the end of the day, no one is going to agree 100 per cent with every policy but problems should be solved internally. What is abominable is to use your position in Parliament to get at individuals you cannot stand.
We recently got rid of people doing a perfectly good job for the country, like (former ambassador to EU) Richard Cachia Caruana.
They got a minister to resign because he said something to the Chief Justice: pathetic reasons that have nothing to do with politics.
Who convinced you to contest?
It came from both sides. I was becoming more and more frustrated and hurt by seeing Parliament reduced to a laughing stock, aided and abetted by an opposition that took advantage of this.
(…)
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Of course it is. Not voting is a statement in itself.
A rather immature statement, but a statement nonetheless.
Without any doubt Dr.Fenech is one of the best cardiologists on the island, and we Maltese owe him a lot.
In my humble opinion he will not be attracting any new voters but will be taking those usually given to R.Arrigo and G. Pullicino, and if I recall rightly, the latter barely made it the last time, and this could mean kissing his seat bye bye.
[Daphne – Albert Fenech’s home turf is actually Siggiewi.]
I don’t agree with Dr.Albert Fenech with the whole “Not voting…is not a mature way…” But I have to say, that he is just what the PN need right now. The fact that he is a breath of fresh air and charismatic helps a lot in Politics. If only some certain others would make way for people like Dr. Fenech.
Calling PN voters “Laburisti” just because they’re not going to vote is immature, Daphne.
[Daphne – Did I say that? I didn’t. If they were Laburisti they would be voting Labour, and I wouldn’t be worried at all if they chose not to vote rather than vote Labour. Obviously. When people like Albert Fenech (and me) say that people should vote rather than not vote, we mean those who ordinarily would vote PN. If they are thinking of voting Labour, then I’d rather they didn’t vote at all. And I am quite sure Professor Fenech shares that opinion.]
Last election I voted PN, I would rather abstein than vote Labour. Some of us are just too hurt by unfulfilled promises, not to mention unworthy people like Manuel Delia (Arriva Shambles) are on the ticket.
Then don’t vote for the unworthy candidate. It is a numeric impossibility for all candidates to be worthy ones, but it is up to the electorate to decide who is worthy or not. Sometimes they get it wrong, as evidenced by the behaviour of parliamentarians on both sides of the house.
But not voting for a party or for an ideal is ridiculous just because you do not feel some of the candidates are up for the job.
Make your vote count and use it wisely to ensure that as far as possible worthy people are elected. A positive statement is always better than an negative one.
Abstaining because of unfulfilled promises (how many unfulfilled promises were made to me during my lifetime my friend but I do not have any chips on my shoulder because of them, I just went on with my life not relying on others to get what I wished) – and the new public transport system is not yet 100% efficient is a childish grievance. Surely there are more important issues that one should think about seriously.
“I was becoming more and more frustrated and hurt by seeing Parliament reduced to a laughing stock, aided and abetted by an opposition that took advantage of this.”
Frustration. That is the word I was looking for. Amongst many people I know, there is a sense of frustration that government has not been allowed to operate to the best of its potential.
Much has been achieved but so much more could have been done had it not been for Franco Debono and JPOS. Their words and actions were dictated by their own agenda and not what is in the best public interest. They used and abused the one-seat majority.
Kull deni hudu b’ gid.
Thanks to this frustration, people like Dr. Fenech will contest on the PN party ticket. Frustration will also make PN supporters vote with greater determination and conviction, not least because there is no viable alternative to the PN.
I wonder how the floating voter will be influenced by the frustration of seeing Franco Debono and JPOS turning our Parliament into a joke.
Don’t rush, jae. Read this from MaltaToday:
“Although Labour is currently leading the PN, only 24% of Gozitans think that the PL has the best policies for Gozo. On the other hand, 32% think that the PN has the best policies for the small island.
Only 70% of the PL’s current voters think that the party of their choice has the best policies for Gozo. Curiously, 2% of PL voters admit that the PN has the best policies….”
Trid tara biex temmen.
Not voting means a vote for the party you do NOT wish to govern
NO, not voting is a protest VOTE and a way of telling your party,I do not agree with the way you governed.
If this means you will “have the party you do not wish to govern” than so be it.
To me, not voting simply means you sare letting others decide for you.
Would you say let any of those Marsaxlokk campers decide what to wear for the next five years or so?
So why let the like of them decide how you and your loved ones will live? It is not only immature but simply stupid.
If you have grievances then speak up, vote and make it count. Not voting is simply a cowardly act based on the fear of voting for the wrong side.
Calling someone decision to not vote as immature is an extremely patronising statement.