A last plea for rationale : where is the Opposition?

Abstract

As is customary in this country, one party is emboldened to move on, however brazen the proposals, due to the ineptitude of the other party in what has become a well-oiled duopoly. Take the Opposition - yes, true, it was present en masse in last Wednesday's march in Valletta. But when one considers what happened earlier in the week in Parliament, this stinks of no more than a vote-catching foray. In fact, The Times reported that, despite the Opposition (namely Charles Buhagiar and Roderick Galdes) requesting several changes in the parliamentary debate to the scheme revisions, they failed to move amendments, as official protocol would have it. Many of these requests referred to additions to the proposed schemes. In addition, they abstained from voting on any of the amended plans - abstaining is tantamount to political limbo, aimed at not antagonising environmentalists nor aspiring within-scheme land-owners alike. With such despondency, it's no wonder that The Times reported that "the vote in Parliament is expected to sail through". The Opposition can only gain credibility on the matter if it binds itself to not tampering with the development boundaries when in power - otherwise, its stance on the matter is irrelevant.