Malta has been eroded from within thanks to corruption and organized crime. Members of Parliament elected on behalf of ADPD will strive towards the strengthening of the rule of law in our country and a change in culture that rewards the Mafia. This was the key message during a press conference addressed by ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson, Carmel Cacopardo and its Media Officer Brian Decelis on the steps of Castille on Sunday at noon.

Brian Decelis (candidate for the 3rd and 4th electoral district) said that the report of the inquiry on the assassination of fearless journalist and mother Daphne Caruana Galizia confirmed what we had known all along – that the culture of impunity reigning in our country had Castille’s blessing. What was uncovered during and after that inquiry was not a surprise. We were well aware of the too cosy relationship between some businessmen and politicians that hindered massively our country’s governance, and left us a pariah internationally. But this did not come about overnight. Lack of action and necessary reforms was the order of the day for the parties in government over many decades.

ADPD will continue to insist that all the recommendations made the Daphne Caruana Galizia inquiry are implemented to the full. It is imperative that what led to this tragedy is eradicated completely. Ethics in public life do not just appear out of thin air. We need to strive towards this every day. If there was a time when we needed to change the way politics are carried out in our country this is more urgent than ever today. He appealed to all voters so that they send a clear message to the powers that be – a vote against corruption. “With your vote you can offer this country a better, cleaner and greener future… before it is too late!” concluded Decelis.

Carmel Cacopardo (candidate for the 4th and 9th electoral district) said that political power and business had too close a relationship in our country. We have been stating this all along due to its impact on accountability, transparency and ethical behaviour in public life.

Accountability, transparency and ethical behaviour in public life remain key issues that suffer continuously at the hands of Maltese politicians. We need a parliament that can properly provide oversight and take the necessary decisions. We need members of parliament that are of integrity and able to continuously and consistently provide the necessary oversight of our country’s public administration. We need institutions that are strong – something that we badly lack at the moment.

Our institutions are weak and ineffective. Over the years, they have been hijacked by the PLPN duopoly that has strived as much as it possibly could to stifle any voice of dissent or able to stand up to them. Our electoral system whereby parliamentary representation beyond the PLPN duopoly is hindered has contributed to the state we are in – a discriminatory electoral system that seeks to control and not fair representation. An electoral system that seeks to drown out voices such as ours.

However, it is now also our turn to say enough is enough! As we have already announced, we intend to ensure that each voter’s preference for ADPD is represented fully – after voters carry out their duty on Saturday, if necessary, if the discriminatory rules are applied towards ADPD these will be contested in the constitutional fora. Once parliament has deliberately imposed such discriminatory rules to abet the PLPN such action will be our only remedy. We intend to use it. To ensure that each vote counts, not just those for the PLPN duopoly.

We have always been aware that this was an uphill struggle. We have been aware of this for a long time, but we never gave up. Our agenda is for politics to be of service to the whole community. An ethical way of politics. We want to be a cleansing instrument. Green sweeps clean. Politics that serve today’s needs while keep continuously an eye on its impact on the future generations so as to ensure that today’s decisions do not impede their right to be able to take their own decisions.

Once again ADPD is seeking your vote on its manifesto by presenting to you candidates on each electoral district – all candidates of integrity and ready to roll up their sleeves to serve our country without fear or favour.

“The future is in the hands of each and every one of us. Only a vote for ADPD will bring the necessary thorough overhaul in the way politics is carried out in our country. So that our country will gain once again its credibility. If we want to bring about the necessary changes we must bring forward solutions that are not built upon the hushed up relations between political parties and certain businessmen. We will keep our distance from commercial interests to ensure that public life is not impinged. Meaningful change can only be brought about if we work in partnership with the citizens we are ready to serve. Who wants to see a new dawn of politics in our country must vote for it – vote for ADPD,” concluded Cacopardo.

***

Vot għal ADPD għal bidla mill-qiegħ fil-mod li ssir il-politika f’pajjiżna

Malta ttieklet minn ġewwa minħabba l-korruzzjoni u l-krimininalità organizzata. Membri Parlamentari eletti f’isem l-ADPD jaħdmu sabiex f’Malta tibda tissaħħah is-saltna tad-dritt u tinbidel il-kultura li tippremja l-Mafja. Dan il-messaġġ twassal waqt konferenza tal-aħbarijiet fuq it-taraġ ta’ Kastilja l-Ħadd f’nofsinhar, miċ-Chairperson tal-ADPD – The Green Party, il-Perit Carmel Cacopardo, u Brian Decelis, uffiċjal għal media.

Brian Decelis (kandidat fuq it-3 u r-4 Distrett) qal li ir-rapport tal-inkjesta dwar l-assassinju tal-ġurnalista Daphne Caruana Galizia ikkonferma dak li konna ilna nafu – li l-kultura ta’ impunità f’pajjiżna kellha l-barka ta’ Kastilja. Li sirna nafu kemm waqt kif ukoll wara dik l-inkjesta ma kienx sorpriża. Konxji ħafna mir-rabta mill-qrib wisq bejn xi negozjanti u politiċi li ixxekkel bil-kbir il-governanza f’pajjiżna, u li ħammret wiċċ pajjiżna internazzjonalment. Imma dan ma kienx sorpriża xejn. In-nuqqas t’azzjoni u riformi meħtieġa ġew injorati mill-partiti fil-gvern fuq medda t’għexieren ta’ snin.

ADPD se tkompli tesiġi li r-rakkomandazzjonijiet li ħarġu mill-inkjesta ta’ Daphne Caruana Galizia jiġu implimentati kollha. Hemm bżonn li dak li kkawża din it-traġedja jinqered bl-għeruq u x-xniexel. L-indafa fil-ħajja pubblika ma tiġix mix-xejn. Irridu naħdmu għaliha kuljum. Jekk kien hawn żmien meta kellna bżonn inbiddlu kif il-politika f’pajjiżna titwettaq dan żgur huwa mill-aktar urġenti illum. Huwa appella lil votanti kollha biex bis-saħħa tal-vot tagħhom jibgħatu messaġġ ċar – vot kontra is-sistema korrotta li għandna. “Bil-vot tiegħek tista’ toffri lil dan il-pajjiż futur isbaħ, iktar nadif u aħdar… qabel ma jkun tard wisq!” temm Decelis.

Il-Perit Cacopardo (kandidat fuq ir-4 u d-9 distrett) qal li f’Malta, il-poter politiku u dak tan-negozju huma qrib wisq ta’ xulxin. Dan ilna ħafna ngħiduh f’kuntest tal-kontabilità, tat-trasparenza u l-imġiba etika fil-ħajja pubblika.

Il-kontabilità, it-trasparenza u l-imġiba etika fil-ħajja pubblika jibqgħu dejjem materji ewlenin li dwarhom hemm nuqqasijiet kontinwi fil-ħajja politika Maltija. Jeħtieġu Parlament kapaċi jgħarbel u jiddeċiedi. Jeħtieġu Membri Parlamentari ta’ integrità, kapaċi li b’ħidmiethom jissorveljaw b’mod kontinwu u konsistenti l-amministrazzjoni pubblika. Jeħtieġu istituzzjonijiet b’sinsla, li sfortunatament nieqsa minnhom.

L-istituzzjonijiet huma dgħajfa u mhux effettivi. Huma ukoll maħkuma mid-duopolju PLPN li tul is-snin għamlu kemm setgħu biex joħonqu kull vuċi li tieqfilhom jew li għandha l-potenzjal li tieqfilhom.
Il-kawża ta’ dan kollu hi sistema elettorali li tostakola rappresentanza parlamentari lil hinn minn żewġ partiti, lil hinn mid-duopolju PLPN. Hi sistema elettorali diskriminatorja li tfittex il-kontroll u mhux ir-rappreżentanza xierqa. Sistema elettorali li tfittex li toħnoq ilħna bħal tagħna.

Madankollu għalina ukoll wasal iż-żmien li ngħidu issa daqshekk! Kif diġà ħabbarna, din l-elezzjoni fi ħsiebna nassiguraw li kull vot għal ADPD jissarraf b’mod sħiħ – billi wara li l-votanti jagħmlu xogħolhom nhar is-Sibt, jekk ikun meħtieġ, u ċjoe jekk ikunu applikati regoli diskriminatorji fil-konfront tagħna aħna fi ħsiebna nikkontestawhom fil-fora kostituzzjonali. Ġaladarba l-Parlament għoġbu jimponi regoli diskriminatorji intenzjonati biex jaġevolaw esklussivament lill-PLPN dan hu l-unika rimedju li baqa’. Fi ħsiebna nużawh. Biex nassiguraw li kull vot jgħodd, u mhux biss il-voti tal-PLPN.

Aħna konxji li t-triq għalina hi dejjem għat-telgħa. Ilna konxji li dan hu l-każ, imma qatt ma qtajna qalbna. L-aġenda tagħna hi politika ta’ servizz lejn il-komunità kollha. Politika ta’ ndafa fil-ħajja pubblika. Irridu nkunu strument politiku li jnaddaf. Xkupa ħadra li tnaddaf. Politika li tagħti servizz illum imma li żżomm kontinwament quddiem għajnejha l-impatti fuq għada, fuq il-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri u allura tqis kif dak li jseħħ illum ma jostakolax id-dritt tagħhom li huma ukoll ikun possibbli għalihom li jieħdu d-deċiżjonijiet tagħhom.

Għal darba oħra qed nippreżentaw kandidati fuq kull wieħed mid-distretti elettorali u qed nitolbu l-vot biex immexxu ‘l quddiem il-manifest elettorali li ppreżentajna. Kandidati ta’ integrita’ u kollha lesti li jservu lil pajjiżna mingħajr biża’ jew favur.

“Il-futur jinsab f’idejn kull wieħed u waħda minna. Bidla mill-qiegħ fil-mod li ssir il-politika f’pajjiżna titwettaq biss b’vot lil ADPD. Biex pajjiżna li aħna lkoll inħobbu jikseb lura il-kredibbiltà tiegħu. Jekk irridu nagħmlu l-bidla mill-qiegħ li għandu bżonn dan il-pajjiż jeħtieġ li nħarsu lejn soluzzjonijiet differenti li mhux mibnija fuq is-sħubija siekta bejn partiti politiċi u id-dinja tal-flus. Kif għamilna dejjem ser nibqgħu nżommu d-distanza tagħna mid-dinja tan-negozju u dan biex nassiguraw l-indafa fil-ħajja pubblika. Il-bidla vera tista’ isseħħ jekk inħarsu ‘l quddiem lejn sħubija man-nies li lilhom irridu inservu. Min irid il-bidla jeħtieġ li jivvota għaliha – jivvota ADPD,” temm Cacopardo.