CHOGM?

Once, a journalist decided to interview passers-by in Republic Street. His question was: “What do you think CHOGM is?” After many “I don’t know” and “I don’t have the time” as an answer, a woman finally stopped to answer his question. An expression of terribilita’ – better than that on Michelangelo’s David – surrounded her face. She was thinking hard. The journalist anxiously waited for her to answer. After a couple of moments the woman said in a serious tone, “Mhux tal-bott il-blu?” (“Isn’t it a tin painted in blue?”)

This story didn’t happen in reality – only up till now. The fact is that the Maltese Government, host of the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (yes, CHOGM!) is so late in marketing the event that it is running a big risk of receiving such answers from the ‘very well’ informed public opinion.

Recent articles in local newspapers are showing that certain sectors of the Maltese population are missing a great deal on the true meaning of Commonwealth and CHOGM and, instead, are more interested in highlighting the amount of exposure Malta will get during the event. No talk is being done on the real need to network for development - which happens to be the event’s theme. No debate is taking place on how the fifty-three participating countries may improve their relations with the aim of improving the livelihood of many citizens around the world.

Instead of debating the Commonwealth and trying to see which direction the meeting shall take, pundits are more interested in knowing what shall be the exact advantages Malta will attain. Some have already predicted a transport fiasco for the islanders. Others think this will be a great opportunity for tourism (they forget a significant chunk of these countries hail from a forgotten district called Third World). On the other hand I think that the real advantage for Malta is a chance to change. Malta, as a host country, will have a golden opportunity to inspire greater and better development which would reach all Commonwealth citizens.

The Commonwealth is a no-statute organisation. This means there is no constitution or any other binding document which nations have to adhere to. There are instead two declarations, namely, the Singapore and the Harare Declaration to which principles all Commonwealth countries are committed. CHOGM in Malta may be an opportunity to re-instate these principles, thus renewing the Commonwealth. But, on the other hand, there is an equal chance that CHOGM in Malta would be another lost opportunity for better, more humane, development. This would be the result of indifference from both the public and the government in things that really matter.

There will be another three meetings taking place in Malta before the CHOGM. These are the Commonwealth People’s Forum, the Commonwealth Youth Forum and the Commonwealth Business Forum. All three events are aimed at different sectors society. All three events have one goal – networking for development. It is in these events that true action may be advocated. It is in these events that NGOs, youth and business organisations may commit themselves to continue trying to build a better world. Society has an opportunity to inspire change through these meetings.

But for society to be able to inspire change it must first know of such an opportunity. This is why information is golden. This is why the government is to inform and educate the public on what the Commonwealth is and what the CHOGM intends to be. Through information, our government may truly inspire ideas for greater development – the real advantage of CHOGM.