Gonzi will in turn promote the more deserving and loyal of his back-benchers. He will than be in a position to face the next election with a fresh team which will be able to give the inadequate Muscat a good run for his money.

The Nationalist Party should also at this early stage start identifying good material to stand as candidates. This should give the party ample time to vet prospective candidates thoroughly. They have to be drastic and innovative. The party has to do away with ‘the more the merrier’ philosophy and select strictly on the bases of competence and integrity.

Gonzi, like Fenech Adami before him, is a man of the greatest integrity and will sooner call an early election than give in to a couple of charlatans.

When and if certain information becomes public, all one has to do is to see who was given that specific information.

Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando swallowed it hook, line and sinker. When he realised that he was caught he applied the old adage: “In the face of defeat all that remains is defiance”.

In Mintoff’s time there was some Nationalist MP (Alfred Baldacchino?) who crossed the floor to Labour. He was given a permit to build a villa on Delimara point amongst other things, though the two events may not be connected.

[Daphne – Precisely, Albert. The prime minister did not speak to Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando about a cabinet reshuffle. If you knew how these things worked, you would also know that the prime minister never speaks to anyone about a reshuffle, before the changes are announced, except for his most intimate and trusted advisers.]

What would the aim be? I mean the people at Castille, and those who have influence at Castille from a distance, are no fools when it comes to media savviness. How could they not have anticipated JPO’s move?

And, once again, was The Times fed by JPO? Was The Times fed the tickets story, regarding John Dalli, by JPO? Surely we are not expected to believe that Debono was not about to be moved just because the PM’s “spokesman” (who is the PMs “spokesman”?) said so.

[Daphne – No, Albert, I believe it because when I ask questions of the right people – not Jeffrey, that is – I am given the bare facts and the truth. And so I never have to speculate.]

You might be surprised, but there ARE people who can think and also do not stand in awe in front of the wonders of Castille.

[Daphne – Bit pointless thinking, when you don’t have the facts to hand.]

Sintendi u ma ghandhix dubju that the PM did not tell HIM out of all people what he intended to do in the reshuffle. Gonzi is not that daft to tell his secrets to someone as unreliable as this man.

Albert, there might have those who love to hear their the sound of their loud voices, but when if it comes to the crunch, they will regroup.

[Daphne – Take it from me, Albert. Nobody was planning to switch Giovanna Debono around. And Jeffrey wasn’t summoned to Castille to be informed of changes that were to be made. He was there for a routine meeting and the prime minister made pleasant small talk, with which Jeffrey went off at a tangent. He really has shot himself in the foot. First he was in a position where nobody told him anything because they didn’t trust him, and now nobody will even make small talk with him in case he reads too much into it and goes to Super One.]

Why was JPO summoned to Castille to be informed of what changes were to be made? Was he put to a test? Was he given false information on purpose, to see if he divulges it?

[Daphne – Labour loves its plots. Daqxejn spine chillers u thrillers (sorry, trillers) u kuntenti u ferhanin.]

Why did The Times, a few hours before the little changes were made, state matter-of-factly that Debono would be given another ministry? Where did that leak come from? Who feeds The Times?

The questions are mounting. As it is, either JPO´s, or the PM´s position has become untenable. The PM does not command a majority in parliament. The LP should at this moment call for a vote of confidence in the government.

[Daphne – The things that excite you, Albert, honestly. An MP behaved like a total w****r, end of story. He isn’t the first one and he certainly won’t be the last.]

If they do that they will be defeating themselves in more ways than one. All this disgruntlement by the backbenchers has one sole aim (according to them) – they have a responsibility to those who voted them in. Do they honestly think that the latter are happy seeing them act in this way?

Ara sewwa jghidu, meta kelb issawwtu, il-kelb isir ihobbok iktar.