You were also at the Ramla Bay Hotel. Missing in action = MIA.

[Daphne – How convoluted, Mario.]

David, don’t be naive! Of course Berlusconi is gagging the opposition and has been doing so gradually over the years! He might not be doing so brutally in the same manner as Ahmedinejad is trying to oppress his dissidents in Iran. However, by controlling 90% of the Italian media, he directly or indirectly manipulates whatever is broadcast on TV and published in newspapers. Make no mistake, he is not very partial to criticism.

There is absolutely no comparison between Cameron’s use of ‘t**t’, which is not even considered a swear word by some and Berlusconi’s increasingly outrageous sexual escapades.

Yes, I’m from San Gwann… don’t know what you mean by missing in action….? Or for that matter who you are? 1986 in the far north of Malta? I was at university in 1986.

On the other hand, if I were Italian, I would resent foreign media systematically ridiculing my PM. I don’t know how the Telegraph would take it if Berlusconi’s television stations ran daily stories highlighting the gaffes of the Royal Family members.

Berlusconi is NOT good looking! I get the creeps just looking at him.

But you must admit, he is a little TOO made up!

His decision to enter the political fray was when the DC imploded under corruption allegations, which left a vacuum in the centre-right. Within months of his setting up Forza Italia, it became the largest political force in Italy. Probably nowhere in the world has a new political party been created and achieved such instant success.

And of course you have the envious types like Mani Pulite magistrate Antonio di Pietro, Italy’s equivalent of Saviour Balzan, but 10 times worse, constantly pursuing Berlusconi with one aim in life – to satisfy his envy by seeing him behind bars.

Berlusconi has achieved the record of serving a full five-year term in government for the first time in post-war Italy, and will soon achieve a new record as the longest serving Italian prime minister.

Berlusconi is pushing hard for new infrastructure projects, including restarting nuclear power generation which was scrapped by Prodi who had backed a referendum. Yes, leaving such decisions to The People can produce brilliant results.

So Berlusconi the self-made multi-billionaire, prime minister of Italy, of course wields much power. But did he do so by throwing people into jail, or gagging his opposition ?

It’s also a fact that power can cause people to start behaving somewhat irrationally. Bill Clinton and his escapades; Thatcher, who became so intolerant, decided not to return to the UK on the night she had a leadership challenge. And Berlusconi after his landslide election victory last year must also be feeling invincible.

So it is indeed a shame that his great achievements are being tarnished by his unorthodox behaviour which is certainly unbecoming of a prime minister. But let’s not belittle the man as some clown governing a banana republic.

Even David Cameron, who is still leader of the opposition but feeling increasingly closer to becoming prime minister, only yesterday decided to play cool and swear twice during a radio interview.

And he loved dogs, and little children.

Are you the Loredana Gatt I used to work with in 1986 in the far north of Malta? San Gwann, lawyer, missing in action ………?