Our political class enjoys playing ‘the illusionists’ at every opportunity they get. 

We have seen this happening on a number of occasions these last weeks, where out of nowhere a political party would pop out a bunny from the hat in a tit-for-tat demeanor. 

I must say that I thought we were over-and-done with these discourteous political debates and that we were going into a era where it is OK to differ but by laying out intelligent and intelligible arguments rather than meet head-on and take pleasure in tackling each other. 

But then again, I might be too much of an idealist and a romantic! 

Because, could the PN let go of an opportunity like Mallia-gate and the PowerStation debacle with such an opportunity to gain brownie-points? 

And, who would have thought that the PL would not give stick to ex-Minister Mifsud Bonnici for dawdling on the Kamara report and the ex-PN Ministers on the refunding of the honorarium? 

Once again, as I have insisted every time I brought up this issue, I have no problem that political parties, especially when they are in Opposition, to make it a point to chase the story, demand answers, investigate or get the Government to probe. 

What troubles me is the way we do things, the timing, the detail that files, reports, stories are kept on hold, the trickling of facts, the way we unpack the details ensuring that the off-putting impact on the other side is greater, making certain ‘we’ can capitalize on the chronicle the best way possible. 

This is not the right way to do things. 

This is politics which is unethical, immoral and dishonorable. 

To say it as it is, not all politicians or their associates do politics in this way. 

But it seems that the only way our two main parties try to distinguish themselves is by making the other side look hideous and the well turned-out leader ‘shows his capability’ by taking his opponent to task - and all of this is compounded by the moment in time when to slam crap at each other.

How appallingly heartbreaking!

Now for the 80s bit. 

When the going gets tough for the PL, the PN are quick to bring out another bunny from the hat, this time in the shape of ‘the 80s’ - a time of social blackness indeed, of so much confront and pain, a time when politics was not about developing a country but destroying a nation. 

But let me burst some bubbles here.  

‘No’, the recent cock-ups of the Government are no return to the 80s.  That is history.  Our institutions, Courts of Justice, media, education, parliament amongst other, are stronger, better organized and with important checks and balances that have been inserted in our system and make it practically impossible to go back there. 

The claim that we are back ‘in the 80’s’ is nothing more than an affront to the matchless work Alfred Sant did to clear the ‘MLP’ and more so to the PN’s distinguished leader Eddie Fenech Adami who strengthened the social structures during his tenure. 

The PN enjoys coming up with this cheeky dig that we are back to where we were, with the Lorry Sant’s of this world re-emerging in new-fangled shapes and forms – wrong.  That is unreal. 

This ‘doughnut-van syndrome’ of repeating the mantra, “we are back in the 80s”, to me is merely meaningless.

What we need to do is to stop looking back and for once in our nation’s life start looking forward and thinking straight because we risk thumping into walls.  

We need to recognize that our country is no longer about party politics. 

We are a society that is developing the notion of social movements and issue coalitions like never before.  

We are matter-of-fact based communities interested in making the changes we would like to see materializing. 

Politicians need to understand that they are no longer the people who give us direction but who should act on ‘our’ behalf.  

If political parties do not recognize that this form of ‘insulting’ politics is non-effective, shallow and boring - they will soon die a natural death. 

So the time is ripe to change the rules of engagement, to make politics relevant by taking it to the people, to talk issues rather than prattle, to walk the talk, to modernize our society, to make our communities relevant, fun places to live in, safe and reassuring, inclusive and affirmative.

Is this too much to ask for ?