It took me a while to understand (silly me) that she is actually boasting.

They award themselves a rise (where in the world) as they think they are God’s gift to Malta. I actually agree with the MINISTERS’ rise but not with the MPs’.

Still the timing is very bad as if it was done to hurt us all. There should be 40 MPs in the House for such a small country. These people should realize how low they are thought of by the people instead of believing they are special.

I think that it is time for people to read about Nerik Mizzi, Giorgio Borg Olivier, Lord Strickland. They will soon understand that dedicating one’s life for the benefit of the country, is , OR SHOULD BE, the aim of all honest politicians.

Din tas-salarji tal-ministri l-ononarja tal-MP’s hija xi haga ta’ min jahseb fuqha b’certu serjeta u mhux kif ghamel J.M.li kif jidher lanqas lil shabu M.P.’s ma ikkonsulta.

Wasal iz-zmien li M.P.s taghna jkunu ta’ kalibru li jixraq lil Malta fl-Europa u biex ikollok gererazjoni gdida ta’ M.P.’s li jistaw jikkontribixu bi professjonalita ghal gid tal-pajjiz dan ma tistax thallashom bil karrawett.

Issa huwa iz-zmien fejn il partiti politici jibdew iffitxu kandidati godda ghal elezzjoni li gejja u jekk inriddu li jkollna membri parlamentari ta’ valur u li jkunu jafu w jifmu xi jkun ghaddej fil-parlament dawn trid thallashom kif xieraq inkella ser nibqaw naraw u nisimaw hmerijiet kif qed nassistu bhalissa.

Nixtieq inkun naf kif J.M.ser jersaq lejn kanditati godda u ta’ stoffa u joffrilhom biex johorgu mal-P.L.bl-onorarja li ghandhom illum ghax b’dan il hlas xi hadd li jhawwad fl-endoskopija issib.

Admittedly, the announcement was clumsy and the timing unfortunate, but it does not justify this level of criticism especially from those who should know better.

What has become increasingly irritating, and we have to be prepared for a double dosage as the election draws closer, is the constant repetition of the same stale arguments every time there is an increase in the price of something or other. Then the Piano project gets a mention etc. etc.

Frankly I think that this will only boost junk contenders next time round. The increase definitely won’t improve the current lot.

Most of the people whose mind it crosses to vie for a place (these people think in terms of “places” not “seats”) in parliament come from an “arani ma ilhaqt avukat/nutar/perit/ tabib” background. They want to be big fish in a small pond. No amount of money thrown at them will ever make them “statesmen”

If it were up to me I’d only allow persons who have successfully managed their own business for a minimum of ten years to be eligible for parliament.

I have no qualms with MPs and ministers earning a decent salary for the amount of work they do. What irks me is the number of MPs we have for such a small country – 69 when I’m sure 49 would be more than enough.

If the governing party had to be short of ministerial expertise, then they could easily hire from the private sector. Then again I doubt whether Eur90,000 would be enough reward for the right candidate.

[Daphne – EUR90,000 is what ministers earn, and not MPs.]

Welcome back, Daph! You were sorely missed.

All the best for 2011.