Well Simon Busuttil doesn’t strike me as buffoonish at all. I am not that keen on his politics but he seems pretty clued up to me. But yes, I would find it equally bizarre if he was parachuted in as leader of the Nationalist Party. It is normal practice in most liberal democracies that I know of for the leader of the opposition to be elected to parliament by a popular vote.

At least Simon Busuttil is in Brussels out of a genuine passion for the European Union. The rest of them appear to be there just because it pays better than being an MP in Malta and it affords them “certu lifestyle”. Joseph Muscat can hardly have been that passionate about the EU because he voted against joining it. Clearly becoming an MEP was a “certu lifestyle” choice for him.

Did you see Lawrence Gonzi’s picture standing between Michelle and Barak Obama by any chance?

[Daphne – I’ve heard about men thinking with their genitals (and here’s one example, clearly), but doing politics with their height? I don’t think so. Where would that have got Napoleon?]

“Now that 99% are sure that PL [surely ‘MLP’, Baxxter] will be in government come next elections, I hope that the PM will take the bull by the horns where it’s needed: public transport, hunting, abuse of welfare system etc … and make the much needed changes.”

But he won’t. That’s the problem. Most of the problems you attribute to the PN, or to bad governance, are the result of our 1300 inhabitants per square kilometre. We have the highest population density in the whole stinking world, and short of running a eugenics (oh balls, I’ve done it now) programme, there’s nothing that any government can do about it. Period. Full stop. Point barre. Finis. Ze End.

I don’t care if it’s the devil himself. But you saw, as well as I did, that the PN lacks leaders. Gonzi alone can’t do it again.

Vince Farrugia, maybe?

Karl, your comment on IQ is interesting, however it requires some enlightenment. If all the population of Malta were to take an IQ test, and this was then averaged, it is a statistical fact that one half of all the population would be ‘below average’ and one half would be ‘above average’.

After observing the voting characteristics here in Malta for the last 20 years, I have concluded that the vast majority of the ‘below average’ group vote red while the vast majority of the ‘above average’ group vote blue. From time to time a cunning minority of the ‘above average’ group will sniff a wind-change and jump ship. Witness 1996 and the ensuing disaster.

I fear that a similar situation could occur, with the same result. As Yogi Berra once said “This is deja vu all over again”. Your inane comment certainly indicates where you stand on the IQ scale and is further proof of my theory.

When the time comes for Dr. Simon Busuttil to dedicate himself more to the running of the floundering PN, would you still be writing about the “buffoonish 30-something MEP without any experience at all in his own parliament be parachuted in as leader …”?

[Daphne – You can’t compare the two. The only thing they have in common is their age and MEP background. Busuttil is extremely astute, which is not the same as cunning and manipulative, and he sticks to his political principles. I can’t for a moment imagine him swinging between stances on EU membership, for example.]

The environment/MEPA is another reason – scores of children suffer from asthma and allergies nowadays, and many are missing school; and in most cases the not so clean urban environment (building sites everywhere, cars, etc) is causing all this. The PN government has dragged its feet on this one.

Now that 99% are sure that PL will be in government come next elections, I hope that the PM will take the bull by the horns where it’s needed: public transport, hunting, abuse of welfare system etc … and make the much needed changes.

I’d rather have (my) PN lose the next election with a landslide because it did the right thing (and so many were ‘hurt’) than lose by a few votes because it tried not to ‘hurt’ voters.

You hit the nail on the head with that one.

Irid jinhabb m’Alla u max-xitan; u nahseb li jahseb li hu ta’ l-ewwel imma fil-verita hu tat-tieni.