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We Get Less Ġbejniet In Parliament Only When We Vote Intelligently

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Yesterday, Chris Peregin argued the country made a costly mistake in denying failed MPs a handsome pension. He seems to think the best and the brightest are now scared off a future in politics, because their retirement is not secured. Here’s why I think that argument does not make any sense.

I was dead set against the MP Pension Grab and am glad the country will not spend two million Euro on a relatively cushy retirement to people who were booted out of Parliament after just one term. I am also for much higher standards in parliament, including full-time honest and upright MPs. The two positions are, however, not inconsistent.

1. The MP Pension Grab was a backroom deal and no good could ever come out of it

If we are serious about raising standards, then we should be transparent and open about it. The MP Pension Grab was shrouded in secrecy and its swift passage through parliament until it had to be aborted shows the measure for what it really was: a backroom deal.

It was only PD that made it known this was happening. After the public became aware of the deal, PN and then PL had to step away from the agreement.

Now, tell me, what good has ever come out of the backroom deals that our politicians excel at? Can you tell me of a single benefit of the great deals that Vitals or the BWSC power station were supposed to be?

2. It always shows us exactly what’s wrong with Maltese politics

The MP Pension Grab was the perfect snapshot of the current state of Maltese politics: self- serving, excellent at dishing out favours, lacking in ideas and vision.

The two big parties set out to ‘help’ their friends. They cooked this deal as a favour to them, and potentially an insurance policy for themselves. They kept everything hidden. They even managed to hold the debate on 6 March in a record 23 minutes (fejn iridu, eh). 

If some of our politicians are ġbejniet getting paid peanuts, then their solution in this case was expired yogurt left rotting in the fridge.

3. We get less ġbejniet in Parliament only when we vote intelligently

This whole idea that there will somehow be less ġbejniet In parliament if MPs are stopped getting peanuts does not make any sense.

If you give the current crop a big fat pay rise, some of them will not become stars overnight. They will just become well-paid ġbejniet!

And any hope that they will somehow be magically replaced by some great and talented MPs is pie in the sky. Rest assured these MPs will deploy their newfound wealth to fight tooth and nail to hold on to their seat – We’re talking about a coffee morning (with baristas) every week and free bread for breakfast every morning kind of stuff.

The only way good people will make it to Parliament is if we understand we are the powerful people in the entire equation. Our vote is what controls the entire thing. If we expect more from politicians and vote out the sleazy, lazy and incompetent ones, then quality will rise. It’s that simple!

4. For proof that paying gold does not guarantee gold, look no further than Italy

Yes, the Bel Paese pays its MPs the highest salary in the European Union – more than €167,000 in 2016.

Not that Italy is renowned for being the best run country in Europe, is it?

5. Integrity is priceless

The problems in our country today stem from an excessive bending of rules. Our politicians are too willing to make ‘exceptions’. Just see what happens whenever there is an application to build on ODZ land – it just gets approved!

We fix this fundamental problem in our politics by having people of integrity at all levels of power: Local Councils upwards.

Integrity is not something you buy on the open market. You either have it or you don’t. Our democracy will only work when we notice we have to work hard for it and can’t just throw money at it.

Let’s get going.

Matthew Mizzi recently joined PD as a member. The views expressed here are his own.

What do you make of the recent developments in Parliament? Let us know in the comments below

READ NEXT: Unless We Stop Paying Peanuts, We’ll Keep Getting Ġbejniet

Lovin Malta's Head of Content, Dave has been in journalism for the better half of the last decade. Prefers Instagram, but has been known to doomscroll on TikTok. Loves chicken, women's clothes and Kanye West (most of the time).

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