Kyle Patrick Camilleri
Sunday, 15 September 2024, 12:41
Last update: about 59 minutes ago
Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech has stated that the party has decided to proceed with its plans to celebrate Malta’s 60th anniversary since claiming independence from British rule.
Grech said that the party made this decision “because that’s what Karl [Gouder] would have wanted” on top of also being requested to do so by his family.
During an interview on NET FM on Sunday morning, PN leader Bernard Grech said that being just a few nights away from the country’s milestone independence date, an internal decision was made by the party to go ahead with all their scheduled appointments and political work over the coming days for two principal reasons: to keep remembering Karl Gouder as well as to work in his honour.
The theme for these independence celebrations is ‘Il-Quddiem’ (“Moving Forward”); this theme was selected to reflect the party’s vision. These activities will be held between the 18th and 20th of September at Triton Square, Floriana. All details will be announced on Monday, 16 September.
“It’s difficult but we must keep working,” Grech said, “Karl wanted us to keep moving forward.”
The Opposition leader described how Gouder, who was pinned to be the party’s next General Secretary just days before his tragic death, wished for the Nationalist Party to not only improve its overall position, but to change the country for the better. Grech remarked how Gouder wanted the Nationalist Party to strengthen its position for the good of the Maltese islands.
Speaking more about his deceased and beloved colleague, Grech described Gouder for his positive attitude and influence onto everyone he interacted with. Grech spoke about Gouder’s “great energy” and his outlook to seek solutions for any sort of problem, stating that “his qualities will continue to live on through us” and that party officials will aspire to keeping working hard in his memory.
“We need to find the strength to keep working past this,” Grech said.
When asked about Gouder’s legacy, Grech said that he was a politician who had “great enthusiasm” and “extraordinary qualities” such as a caring nature through which the man would always see to an individual’s true concerns.
Additionally, the PN leader noted how Gouder showed those around him that it is possible to disagree with someone without commencing any arguing – something he admitted was not easy to do in politics, considering how commonplace it is for politicians to go back and forth at one another.
“Karl was a legend, and legends live on through us. He will continue to be in our thoughts. We will keep working for Karl,” Grech added.
Concluding this interview, Bernard Grech announced that the party is planning to organise a tribute in honour of the party stalwart. The tribute will be open to the general public and Grech invited people to join party officials when it takes place. The details for this tribute are still being finalised.
The PN Leader thanked everyone who expressed their condolences for Karl’s passing, including the President of Malta Myriam Spiteri Debono, Prime Minister Robert Abela, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, and many others who attended the funeral or sent their messages of condolence. He also called for his party to keep alive the unity that his passing has managed to create, as evident during the celebration of his life.