WHERE TO WITH THE GSLP-LIBERALS?
Interest and participation by people and by the press are essential ingredients of a democracy, which encompasses much more than just elections every four years. If individual voter or press engagement are absent, the result is a reduction or breakdown of a functioning democracy.
Such a lack leads to a small clique governing us without much, or any, opposition, resistance, or public comment. Increasing the likelihood of cronyism and corruption and risking a further shrinking of the democratic process, especially if voter turnout at elections dwindles.
FEWER VOTERS?
Yes, fewer voters at a General Election may face Gibraltar now. We shall see whether smaller numbers turn out at the next election, especially if there are no new development in the current political scene.
Those who believe their vote will make little difference, due to the following that any incumbent Government gains by giving away goodies just before an election, stay away; as do some supporters of opposition parties, who believe they are climbing a hill to achieve change, so they do not make the effort to vote.
MP INACTION
That electoral disinterest is made worse by the inaction of many elected MPS, namely, the ones who sit on the Opposition benches in Parliament, currently the GSD (in the main).
They are being seen to do little or nothing to promote different policies, or show up any lack of good government, or even impropriety on the part of those in Government, currently the GSLP-Liberals.
It is voids like this that are often replaced by new elements. Gibraltar desperately needs that vacuum to be filled soon. Keith Azopardi simply does not have it, and so does not make it up, only in that sense!
PRESS FAILINGS
Matters are further worsened by the press being controlled, in all but name, by Government purse strings, or by being associated with political parties, which, coincidently, find it easier to survive financially whilst the publisher is in government.
In the main, our current press is reduced to regurgitating self-interested press releases from either the GSLP-Liberals or the GSD, with a spattering from Together Gibraltar, or party organ propagandist content in support of party policies.
Many of these exchanges, neither touch on matters of interest, nor delve deeply into issues that concern voters. The repetition of arguments between the Government and other politicians, without editorial investigation, analysis, or comment is much to the boredom and disinterest of most readers or listeners, who are the people who need to be encouraged to vote.
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