A commentary on today’s news: slime, education, and a crisis of meritocracy – Mark Camilleri Gambin

Several news items have caught my attention today, and I felt I had to offer my perspective. We continue to see the growing disconnect between the authorities and the people they are meant to serve: from long-overdue action on environmental disasters to questionable, but typical, political appointments on to the future of our nation’s planning.

Tuna farm slime: all’s well that ends with a fine?

For years, through various channels including Arnold’s Citizen Watch, we have been vocal about the devastating impact of sea slime from tuna farms. We were always met with attempted ridicule and outright denial from the authorities. Now, the official tune is beginning to change. The Environment and Resources Authority has announced its intention to fine a tuna farm for the oily slime that has plagued our coasts. I applaud the initiative by ADPD leader Sandra Gauci with this morning’s protests along with residents of St. Paul’s Bay

What is the real price tag for this ecological disaster? While a fine is a step in the right direction, it is but a hollow victory. The exact amount of the fine remains undisclosed, and past actions have seen minimal financial penalties. Is a small fine truly enough to compensate for the damage to our marine environment and our wellbeing? We must continue forcing the authorities to act, and we must demand real accountability and a long-term solution to this problem.

Education: Luke’s call for human-centered reform

In a refreshing departure from the usual rhetoric, ethics teacher Luke Fenech has put forward a vision for the future of education that is both inspiring and necessary. His three core pillars are a human-centered philosophy, a student-centered approach, and focus on the educator.  Momentum’s Committee had the pleasure of hearing from Luke directly a couple of weeks ago, and we are excited to explore how we can support and promote these initiatives in the coming days.

Fenech’s assertion that students are too often treated as “mere prospective workers” is a damning indictment of a system that has lost its way. We need more brave individuals like Luke who are willing to defy any attempts to silence them and step forward with their ideas. It is time to shift the focus of our education system away from purely economic concerns and back to the holistic development of our students and the empowerment of our educators.

A blatant reward: the usual prize of Consultancy

In what has become an all-too-familiar pattern, another resignation has led to a blatant reward in the form of a consultancy. The appointment of former minister Chris Cardona as a consultant in the Ministry for Education is a slap in the face to anyone who believes in meritocracy and ethical governance. What exactly are the credentials that qualify Dr. Cardona to the field of education and to occupy this role?

In what world is this acceptable? This is clearly not a matter of bad judgment; it is evidence of a much larger problem. We have sacrificed our ethical and moral standing for the sake of political patronage. Our taxes are being used to reward loyalty, not expertise. We should all be fighting for a system based on proper meritocracy and opposing this type of blatant arrogance with all our might.

Planning reforms: signs of a partial retreat

While we welcome the news that the government is considering scaling back some of its proposed planning reforms in response to public outcry, we must be clear: this is not enough. A partial retreat is not a victory when the entire proposal is fundamentally flawed. We need to go back to the drawing board and draft a whole new set of reforms from scratch.

The current proposals, even with some measures removed, will still leave our country vulnerable to the insatiable greed of developers. We need to first return to a state of normality, with robust protections for our natural and built environment, and then, and only then, can we begin to draft a new set of planning laws that truly safeguard our country for future generations.

A tale of two occupations: Ukraine and Gaza

On Ukraine’s Independence Day, it was heartening to see European leaders, including Roberta Metsola, offer words of praise and support for the Ukrainian people in their struggle against Russian aggression. We wholeheartedly endorse these sentiments. The fight for freedom and self-determination is a universal one, and we must always stand in solidarity with those who are oppressed.

However, we cannot be selective in our support for justice. As we rightly condemn the occupation of Ukraine, we must also turn our attention to the plight of the Palestinian people in Gaza. The situation is out of control, and it is our moral obligation to speak out against the ongoing violence, oppression, murder and denial of fundamental rights perpetuated by the Netanyahu government.. We hope that the same leaders who rightfully champion the cause of Ukraine will find the courage and consistency to do the same for the people of Gaza. 

The principles of freedom, justice, and human rights must be applied equally to all.

This commentary is written by Momentum General Secretary, Mark Camilleri Gambin.

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