A Voice for 5,500 votes

The Green Vote in last week’s general elections increased by 45% over the 2008 polls. Alternattiva Demokratika candidates polled a total of 5,506 votes: a 1.8% share of the national vote.  But these voters have no voice in the newly elected Parliament.

We have heard during the past days of the constitutional mechanisms which restore proportionality in Parliament between votes cast in the general election and the parliamentary strength of the political parties. Malta’s electoral system guarantees proportionality but only for the Nationalist Party and the Labour Party.  Our parliamentary democracy must be based on fairness, and the current state of affairs is anything but fair.

The fact that 5,500 voters chose to be represented by Alternattiva Demokratika is a bold political statement. Every voter has the right to be represented. That is what representative democracy is about. It is useless to emphasise that we should all work together and simultaneously ignore such a statement. The voice of these 5,500 Maltese citizens should be heard loud and clear. They are subject to the same duties and responsibilities as the other voters who are represented. They are subject to the same laws and pay the same taxes.

It is a basic principle of parliamentary democracy that there should be no taxation without representation. This constitutional principle was forcefully made 800 years ago in the Magna Carta  in 1215 when the British monarchy was forced to relinquish part of its absolute powers laying the foundations for the formation of the mother of democratic Parliaments at Westminister. This constitutional principle signifies that Parliament derives its moral and legal authority from its being representative. Being representative gives Parliament its moral authority to legislate. Our Parliament is in fact aptly called the House of Representatives.

AD voters demand that their right to be represented is respected.  This respect can only be manifested if their choices made on the 9th March 2013 are translated into effective representation in the House of Representatives. The House as presently constituted does not represent the 5,500 AD voters as none of the MPs elected are authorised to speak on their behalf.

Throughout the years Parliament has discussed electoral reform many a time. It has tweaked the system through the introduction of constitutional amendments in 1987, 1996 and 2007. The electoral system is certainly much better today than it was in 1981. The amendments then were required but they only addressed the interests of major political parties and their voters. The interests of voters opting for democratic change outside the two party system was conveniently ignored.

The constant message sent by the PN and the PL that change is only possible through the two large parties has been constantly rejected by a small but significant number of voters. We speak of democratic change as ultimately accepting the will of the majority. This however does not include the suffocation of minorities irrespective of their size. But this is what has been done throughout the years.

In Malta’s political history there was a time when both the PN and the PL were small in size and almost insignificant.

The Labour Party was represented in Malta’s Parliament by one solitary MP, Sir Paul Boffa, in the pre-war years. It was a political party organised outside and in opposition to the two-party system. It prevailed throughout the years and proved the power of the ballot to defy the two party system.

Likewise the Nationalist Party was small and insignificant in the post-war years when the Labour Party under the leadership of Sir Paul Boffa achieved the largest electoral landslide (59%) ever registered by a political party in Malta. Yet it was possible for the PN to rise once more from being a party of insignificant size to a major political force.

In view of the above the declarations of Labour MP Evarist Bartolo that AD’s 5,500 voters should be represented in Parliament in a truly democratic system is welcome. Evarist Bartolo has been consistent in his position as he made similar statements in 2008. Unfortunately then, Parliament’s Select Committee entrusted with considering constitutional changes to reinforce democratic governance did not function.

Alternattiva Demokratika also welcomes the statements made by the Prime Minister Joseph Muscat that the matter should be addressed.

The changes to the electoral system also require the support of the Nationalist Party which has not expressed itself on the matter, even though a number of its electoral candidates have already expressed their support publicly.

It is time to stand up and be counted. AD has always been available to cooperate and present its proposals as it has done continuously. But voters also demand that AD be respected and its electoral strength duly represented in Parliament. To date those voting AD have had their voice suffocated. We await government’s reactions which will hopefully indicate that it really believes that the will of all voters is respected.

originally published in The Times of Malta on Saturday 16 March 2013

Public appointments and Parliament’s responsibilities

Two press conferences yesterday evening placed more information relative to the oil commissions scandal in the public domain, just a few hours after two other businessmen were arraigned in Court.

With four men in court on charges of corruption, bribery and money laundering the two press conferences resulted in various other declarations which would result in a queue of resignations in any civilised country.

There seems to be anticipated delight in the pot calling the kettle black.

In this scenario, a number of omissions by those elected to Parliament over the years assume additional significance.

One undoubtedly queries the lack of a Whistleblowers Act which if enacted in accordance with electoral commitments would have established long ago clear parameters to be followed by those divulging information on economic crime (corruption, bribery and money laundering). In its absence we are still dependent of the elected politicians’ use of the instrument of “state evidence” on the basis of ad hoc criteria.

Alternattiva Demokratika yesterday focused on another important point: the manner in which appointments to public office are made. To date the powers of Parliament  have been usurped and transferred to Cabinet such that it is the Prime Minister or his Minsters who appoint  members of Boards or Authorities.

Parliament should reclaim its responsibilities as it should be Parliament that should decide on the appointment of Boards and Authorities of a national importance. Nominated members  of Boards of Public Authorities as well as the senior officials of such Authorities should be scrutinised by Parliament either directly or through its committees in order to ascertain that those nominated can truely serve the country and not the political interests of the political party in government.

Parliament should moreover be in a position to monitor the functions of Boards and Authorities on a continuous basis and should seek explanations from the Boards of Public Authorities and their Senior Executives on their method of operation. Parliament should ensure that whenever the operations of any public authority are scutinised by the Ombudsman his recommendations and their implementation should be discussed by Parliament.

Parliament should reclaim back from government its role of overseeer of the governance of public institutions. Unfortunately over the years a two-party Parliament has siphoned off Parliament’s responsibilities and assigned them to a government made out of just one political party.

AD in Parliament will ensure that Parliament reclaims back its functions and holds government to account continuously.

Originally published in di-ve.com on 22nd February 2013

Road Safety and Motor Sports project proposal

I attended yesterday’s business breakfast organised by the Malta Motorsports Federation on its proposal to build a Road Safety and Motorsports Facility in Malta.  The proposal requires a land area of between 33 and 40 hectares and it appears that government has already identified the land which could serve for this purpose. Indications given so far are that it is in the vicinity of the airport, close to Safi and Kirkop.

During the Business Breakfast the Prime Minister expressed qualified support for the project. He referred to issues of noise and financial feasibility as being basic and which in his view require to be addressed in more detail before government considers the matter definitely to take a final decision.

I also heard veteran entrepeneur Maurice Mizzi air his views. He agreed with the road safety aspect of the project whilst disagreeing with the motor sports part on the basis of noise pollution.

The two aspects of the proposed project are complimentary. The Motor Sports aspect is considered to be the revenue generating part whilst the Road Safety aspect will contribute to an organised professional drive to have better trained drivers. The road safety aspect of the project was defined by one of the foreign speakers as being a CSR driven project, a means through which Motor Sports channels back into the community profits which are generated.

The issues to be examined are not only those relating to financial feasibility and noise impacts as emphasisied by the Prime Minister. Air quality and the emission of particulate matter resulting from the fuels which will be in use has to be studied in detail. One has also to consider the fact that the localities in the vicinity of the airport are already subject to excessive noise pollution resulting from the operations of Malta’s International Airport.

With this in mind whilst emphasising that the proposed project may serve as a much needed educational tool to improve driving skills much more needs to be examined before it can be given the go-ahead.

Our community may reap great benefits from this initiatve through improved road safety. As to the sports aspect one has undoubtedly to consider further. Eventually a decision will depend on the technical parameters of the project, the proposed mitigating measures and the precise location of the site. Any decision has to await such time as these issues are clear. It has to be clear that the communities close by are not shouldered with more burdens. They have shouldered more than enough to date.

published at di-ve.com on Friday 8 February 2013

L-Imħallfin fl-aħbarijiet

L-imħallfin fl-aħbarijiet. Għal raġunijiet żbaljati. Raġunijiet li immaterjalment dwar x’ser tkun il-konklużjoni finali dwarhom ikompli jitfa iktar dellijiet fuq l-integrita’ tal-ġudikatura.

Kulħadd hu bniedem u l-possibilta’ tal-iżball uman dejjem tibqa’, ikun hemm kemm ikun hemm kontrolli.

Imma huwa forsi issa hu l-mument addattat li nistaqsu jekk il-mod li bih jinħatru l-imħallfin u l-maġistrati huwiex addattat. S’issa jaħtarhom il-Prim Ministru li jikkonsulta ruħu ma min iħoss il-ħtieġa.

Alternattiva Demokratika hi tal-fehma li wasal iż-żmien li l-ħatriet isiru wara li l-Kummissjoni għall-Amministrazzjoni tal-Ġustizzja tgħarbel in-nomini tal-Gvern għall-Imħallfin u Maġistrati.

Il-Kummissjoni darba waħda biss kienet konsultata u dik id-darba kienet tat parir kontra l-ħatra li kienet ser issir. Minn dakinnhar lil hawn il-Kummissjoni qatt ma kienet ikkonsultata iktar.

Anke’ fil-ħatra tal-Imħallfin u l-Maġistrati hemm bżonn iktar trasparenza u serjeta’.

Fil-Parlament għada t-Tnejn: mera għal Lawrence Gonzi

Għada t-Tnejn 10 ta’ Diċembru 2012, Lawrence Gonzi, Prim Ministru, b’diskorsu, jġib fi tmiemu l-ewwel fażi tad-diskussjoni dwar il-budget ghall-2013. L-oratorija m’hiex ser tonqos imma s-sustanza wisq nibża’ li ser terġa’ tkun assenti.

Ser iwieġeb dak li qal il-Kap tal-Opposizzjoni, li l-anqas hu ma qal kull ma kien jeħtieġ li jingħad. Lawrence Gonzi ser jipprova jfissrilna kif inhu meħtieġ li l-inċertezza li hawn fil-pajjiż tinqata’ billi jkun approvat il-budget.

Lawrence Gonzi iwaħħal f’kulħadd talli l-inċertezza mhux biss nibtet imma firxet l-għeruq tagħha fil-fond. Jaħseb li hu biss m’għandu l-ebda ħtija. Kulħadd għandu l-obbligu li jerfa’ r-responsabbiltajiet tiegħu, jgħid. Imma dawk ta’ madwaru huma esklużi.

Din kienet leġislatura ħażina sa minn l-ewwel jum: għandha fuqha s-saħta tal-Mistra. Saħta li titfa d-dell fuq iż-żewġ naħat tal-Parlament.

Is-saħta tal-Mistra qegħda fuq Lawrence Gonzi għax fl-iskandlu tal-Mistra ipprova jgħatti l-iżbalji u ma kellux il-kuraġġ morali li jgħid li JPO kien żbaljat. Ipprova jpinġieh bħala vittma meta l-vittma vera kienet il-komunita’. Konmunita’ li suppost kellha istituzzjoni maħluqa apposta biex tiddefendiha – il-MEPA. Minflok  iżda din il-MEPA kienet kompliċi u għażlet li tiddefendi l-istupru tal-pajjiż.

Is-saħta tal-Mistra qegħda fuq Joseph Muscat ukoll.  Il-predeċessur tiegħu Alfred Sant kien iddeskriva lil JPO bħala morally and politically corrupt.  Imma Muscat ma ħass l-ebda skruplu biex jinqeda bih.

Hekk ġara fil-każ tal-barriera li Gonzi u RCC riedu li titħaffer quddiem il-Kon Katidral ta’ San Ġwann. Hekk ġara ukoll fuq il-mozzjoni biex il-Parlament iddikjara li m’għandux fiduċja f’RCC.

Id-dnub ma jorqodx u jidher li qed joqrob żmien il-kontijiet.

Il-konfront ta’ Gonzi ma Franco Debono hu żejjed għal partit li diġa qiegħed jegħreq. Kien hemm mument partikolari iżda li kien hemm possibilita’ li l-affarijiet ma jikkumplikawx ruħhom. Kienu ippreżentati quddiem il-Parlament żewġ mozzjonijiet.

L-ewwel mozzjoni kienet ippreżentata minn Franco Debono innifsu u kienet kritika tal-politika tal-Gvern ta’ Gonzi dwar il-Ġustizzja u l-Intern. Kritika qawwija u kienet tieqaf hemm.

It-tieni mozzjoni kienet ippreżentata minn Jose’ Herrera u Michael Falzon: barra li kienet tikkritika l-politika tal-Gvern dwar il-Ġustizzja u l-Intern kienet tipproponi ukoll vot ta’ ċensura fil-Ministru Carm Mifsud Bonnici.

Gonzi għażel li jpoġġi fuq l-agenda tal-Parlament il-mozzjoni tal-Opposizzjoni u ħalla fuq l-ixkaffa l-mozzjoni ta’ Franco Debono. Jiġifieri għamel għażla favur mozzjoni b’konsegwenzi negattivi u warrab mozzjoni li kienet tikkritikah u tieqaf hemm.

Nafu fejn wasslet din l-għażla. B’għażla ta’ Gonzi l-Parlament spiċċa sfiduċja lil Mifusd Bonnici. Deċiżjoni li Gonzi seta’ jevita imma ma riedx. Għaliex għamel hekk hu jaf.

Meta Gonzi jħares fil-mera ma jara l-ebda sinifikat fil-każ ta’ korruzzjoni ta’ Noel Borg Hedley (ex-Segretarju Privat tal-Ministru Tonio Fenech) li fil-Qorti ammetta akkużi ta’ korruzzjoni mill-iżviluppaturi JPM Brothers.

Il-fjask tal-Arriva bir-responsabbilta’ politika dwaru li kellu jinġarr minn Austin Gatt l-anqas ma kellu sinifikat għal Gonzi meta jħares fil-mera.

Issa  ħarġet oħra. Fir-rapport tal-Awditur Nazzjonali l-inkompetenza fl-amministrazzjoni finanzjarja tal-kumpanija tal-Gvern Wasteserve hi imfissra fid-dettall. L-iktar li jispikka hu dak il-kuntratt ta’ miljun euro li spiċċa jissarraf f’kuntratt ta’ disgħa u għoxrin miljun euro. Qiesu ma ġara xejn. Is-sejħa biex George Pullicino jerfa’ r-responsabbilta’ politika u jwarrab ma tfisser xejn.

Quddiem dan kollu it-talba ta’ Gonzi biex il-budget ikun approvat tistona. Għax il-vot fuq il-budget mhux biss vot favur budget rigressiv imma hu ukoll vot favur Gvern li hu moralment zopp. Gvern li jrid lil kulħadd jimxi sewwa imma hu mhux kapaċi jagħti l-eżempju. Għax repetutament irrifjuta li jerfa’ r-responsabbilta politika ta’ għemilu.

X’ser jiġri għada jiena ma nafx. Naf iżda ħaga waħda: li l-Gvern wasal sa hawn għax Lawrence Gonzi ma kienx kapaċi japplika għalih il-kejl li bih hu jkejjel lil ħaddieħor.

Il-Partit Nazzjonalista ġustament qed jitlob li l-Imħallef Lino Farrugia Sacco jirreżenja. Jekk il-PN japplika l-istess kejl għall-Kabinett ta’ Lawrence Gonzi m’għandix dubju li jinbidlu l-Ministri kollha, Gonzi innifsu inkluż!

Ras il-Ħuta

Il-Malta Today illum kompliet bl-istorja dwar is-Segretarju Permanenti fiċ-Ċivil inkarigata mill-Verifika Interna tal-Gvern (Internal Audit and Investigations Department).

L-istorja issa ilha għaddejja u mhux aċċettabbli li l-Prim Ministru jwaħhal f’denbu (l-Kap taċ-Ċivil) billi jgħid li dan għandu jinvestiga.

L-allegazzjonijiet li saru u li issa huma iktar dettaljati b’ismijiet u dati jagħtu stampa ċara ta’ sitwazzjoni li min hu inkarigat biex jissorvelja l-operat taċ-Ċivil hu stess hu involut f’attivita’ mhux permissibli.

Dan waħdu hu biżżejjed biex iqajjem diversi mistoqsijiet dwar kif inhu possibli li min jaħdem b’dan il-mod jista’ qatt inissel sens ta’ imġieba etika f’ta’ madwaru. Għax jekk is-Segretarju Permanenti fl-OPM responsabbli mill-Verifika Interna m’għandiex skrupli li tagħmilha ta’ konsulent għas-settur privat (waqt li tibqa’ tokkupa kariga pubblika) kif qatt tista’ tieħu passi effettivi fuq każi ta’ gravita’ simili li minn żmien għal żmien jixħtu dell tqil fuq l-integrita’ tas-settur pubbliku?

B’dan il-każ nistgħu nifhmu iktar għalfejn dwar diversi materji qatt ma jsir xejn.

Meta min suppost jissorvelja m’għandux sens ta’ etika, kif nistgħu qatt nippretendu li ħaddieħor iktar l-isfel fl-istruttura tas-settur pubbliku jagħti każ?

Kif ngħidu:  l-ħuta minn rasha tinten.

Fuq l-istess suġġett ara ukoll fuq dan il-blog : Fuq nett fiċ-Ċivil …….. fejn jaħraq ħafna. 5 ta’ Novembru 2012

Tislima lil Joe Falzon

Illum ħarġet l-aħbar li l-Perit Joe Falzon ser jispiċċa mill-kariga ta’ Uffiċjal tal-Verifika tal-MEPA wara l–aħħar tax-xahar li qegħdin fih.

L-istorja hi waħda twila. Imma fil-qosor bdiet madwar 5 snin ilu fis-sajf tal-2007. Dakinnhar Joe Falzon kien għadu kif inħatar għat-tieni darba bħala Uffiċjal tal-Verifika. Meta reġa’ daħal fl-uffiċċju kien sab li l-assistent tiegħu, li kont jien, meta spiċċalu l-kuntratt ma kienux ġeddewhulu. Kienet qamet polemika fejn jiena kont akkużat li kelli konflitt ta’ interess.

Ara per eżempju dan l-artiklu tas-17 ta’ Ġunju 2007 u dan l-artiklu l-ieħor tal-24 ta’ Ġunju 2007 liema artikli ġew ippubblikati t-tnejn fit-Times.

Bħala konklużjoni tal-argumenti li kienu nqalgħu dwar id-dritt li kellu l-Perit Falzon li jaħtar l-assistenti tiegħu, u per konsegwenza jassigura l-indipendenza tal-operat tiegħu l-Ombudsman kien ippropona li l-funzjoni tal-Uffiċċju tal-Verifka kellha tgħaddi fl-uffiċċju tiegħu.

Meta evenentwalment saret l-emenda fil-liġi din kienet tipprovdi illi l-ħatra l-ġdida (Kummissarju dwar l-Ambjent jidhirli) kellha issir bi qbil bejn il-Prim Ministru u l-Kap tal-Opposizzjoni. Imma f’kaz li ma jkunx hemm qbil il-ħatra kellu jagħmilha l-Ombudsman.

Minn dak li hu magħruf s’issa jidher li l-Prim Ministru u l-Kap tal-Opposizzjoni ma qablux fuq min kellu jinħatar u l-Ombudsman għadda biex ħatar persuna huwa li ser jibda fil-ħatra fl-1 t’Awissu 2012.

Li sar ħażin kien li meta beda l-proċess li jdaħħlu fis-seħħ il-liġi l-ġdida lil Perit Falzon ma qalulu xejn. Ħallewh fil-għama u infurmawh fl-aħħar minuta!

Mal-Perit Falzon jiena ħdimt fil-qrib għal tlett snin sħaħ. Dejjem ħdimna bil-galbu u bir-reqqa u b’attenzjoni. Sfortunatament mhux talli mhux dejjem sibna l-kooperazzjoni talli ħafna drabi ħlief gambetti ma sibniex.

Qed tagħaqad u George Abela qiegħed il-Peru

Il-Membri Parlamentari Jefffey Pullicno Orlando u Franco Debono qed jgħidu li l-President tar-Repubblika jkun ġustifikat illi jibgħat għall-Avukat Lawrence Gonzi, Prim Ministru, biex jara li dan jagħmel verifika dwar jekk għadux igawdi l-appoġġ tal-Parlament.

Imma l-President tar-Repubblika George Abela dan ma nistax jagħmlu minħabba li qiegħed għal missjoni l-Peru.

L-Onorevoli qed jirreferu għall-provedimenti kostituzzjonali li l-Prim Ministru j/tkun dik il-persuna minn fost il-membri tal-Parlament li tgawdi l-appoġġ tal-maġġoranza tal-membri parlamentari. Għax fil-waqt li l-parlament huwa elett għal ħames snin il-Gvern qiegħed hemm sakemm ikollu l-fiduċja tal-Parlament!

Issa Franco qal li meta l-Eżekuttiv tal-PN ikkundannah dan għamlu fl-assenza tiegħu. B’hekk inkisru d-drittijiet tiegħu. Jekk mhux sr jittrattawħ “sewwa” u jirrevedu l-kundanna tiegħu huwa jkollu jikkunsidrfa mill-ġdid il-posizzjoni tiegħu fil-PN.

Qalilna ukoll li b’Austin Gatt fil-Kabinett ma jistax jappoġġa l-Gvern. L-anqas il-budget ma jista’ jappoġġa.

Issa fir-realta tant qal affarijiet li kont insejt li meta bdiet l-istorja kollha kien qalilna ukoll li lest jappoġġa lil kulħadd ħlief lil Lawrence Gonzi.

Il-kobba issa qed titħabbel. Jekk tagħqad waqt li George Abela jkun għadu l-Peru ikollu jersaq fin-nofs is-Sur Anton Tabone, Aġent President

RCC kien uffiċjal politiku

 

Naħseb li r-raġunijiet li ġiebet l-Opposizzjoni biex tiġġustifika l-mozzjoni tagħha kontra RCC kienu ftit inġebbda, u jekk xejn iktar kienu jiġġustifikaw mozzjoni ta’ sfiduċja f’Gonzi innifsu. Għax ngħiduha kif inhi: RCC ma ħa l-ebda deċiżjoni li jinqabeż il-Parlament. Jekk kien hemm din it-tip ta’ deċiżjoni, din ittieħdet mill-Gvern u r-responsabbilta’ għal dan hi ta’ Lawrence Gonzi biss u ta’ ħadd iktar.

Iktar kienu jagħmlu sens ir-raġunijiet li ġieb Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, li minkejja dak li qal, kien hemm element qawwi ta’ tpattija personali fl-argumentazzjoni tiegħu.  Jeffrey ġieb argumenti li kienu jikkuntrastaw ma dak li qalet l-Opposizzjoni u fi kwalunkwe pajjiż demokratiku kienu jwasslu għal riżenja ferm kmieni ta’ RCC, kif wara kollox jidher li hu stess kien lest li jagħmel hekk kif tressqet il-mozzjoni tal-Partit Laburista.

Kien hemm  min argumenta li m’huwiex korrett li iċ-ċivil (jew aħjar uffiċjali pubbliċi – għax RCC kien uffiċjal pubbliku) jkunu mitluba jagħtu kont ta’ egħmilhom lill-Parlament. It-tweġiba tiegħi hi waħda: min jokkupa ħatra politika għandu jagħti rendikont politiku.

RCC kien uffiċjal pubbliku b’differenza: il-ħatra tiegħu kienet waħda determinata biss minn kriterji politiċi. Aġixxa bħala politiku billi ipparteċipa fil-laqgħat tal-Kabinett. Kien ukoll attiv politikament fl-Eżekuttiv tal-PN. Kien jeżerċita poter politiku – kważi bla limitu. Allura huwa xieraq li kien meħtieġ li jagħti kont politiku.

Għażla bl-addoċċ

Wara li l-mozzjoni ta’ fiduċja ġiet approvata mill-Parlament il-Prim Ministru qalilna li l-kapitlu hu issa magħluq.

Ma naħsibx.

Kif kelli l-opportunita’ li ngħid iktar kmieni fil-kitba tiegħi fuq dan il-blog taħt it-titlu Id-destinazzjoni tal-Opposizzjoni  li qed jiġri hu li l-Opposizzjoni identifikat punt debboli tal-Gvern u qed tiffoka fuqu.

Ma hemm xejn li jindika li Franco Debono m’għadux il-punt debboli tal-Gvern.

Li Franco Debono kapaċi jikkritika huwa posittiv. Imma dak li ġie identifikat bħala l-motivazzjoni tiegħu għal din il-kritika huwa inkwetanti. Matul tmiem il-ġimgħa diversi gazzetti u blogs irreferew għal kummenti li intqalu minn Debono fil-konfront ta’ Carm Mifsud Bonnici li jekk minnhom jixħtu dawl fuq kif jaħdem moħħ dan il-Membru tal-Parlament.

Is-Sunday Times nhar il-Ħadd irrappurtat hekk :

The former Home Affairs Minister said that last Wednesday, after the vote, Dr Debono walked up to him and said: “Take that! This is what you get for badmouthing me with the Chief Justice.”

 

Jekk dan hu l-mod kif jaħdem moħħ id-Deputat Nazzjonalista wisq nibża’ li l-kapitlu għadu miftuħ beraħ. Anzi għadna fl-istess faċċata. Għax dan ifisser li l-Onorevoli Membru ma jaħsibiex darbtejn li fil-konfront ta’ min jaħseb li naqsu jidħol bir-ras u jfajjar b’dak li jkollu f’idejh.

Huwa ovvju li l-Prim Ministru jrid jikkalma l-affarijiet, counting his loses kif jgħidu, bit-tama li jkun jista’ jutilizza kemm jista’ milli baqa’ minn din il-leġislatura.

Imma meta tara u tisma’ x’ġara l-mistoqsija inevitabbli hi : l-partiti politiċi xi kwalitajiet ifittxu fil-persuni li jagħżlu biex jikkontestaw għall-elezzjoni ġenerali f’isimhom? Jiena (u naħseb li bosta oħra jaħsbu bħali) tal-fehma li uħud mill-kandidati jidhru li ntagħżlu bl-addoċċ.