It’s odd how many think that it’s far better to be at the mercy of a madman than to have a democratic state as a neighbour.

Rubbish. Malta has a lot more tradition of democracy than most other countries in Europe and the world. The Maltese were trying to get some form of representation going well over a hundred years ago. Effective democracy has been with us since the 1920s – almost a century – uninterruptedly, except for when Mintoff briefly buggered it in the late 50s (when we got the Blood constitution) and the 80s. Only Britain, France and the Scandinavians have a better track record in Europe. Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, any Balkan country – none can hold a candle to us.

[Daphne – You’re thinking of representative democracy – parliament, etc.]

Tghid int, once a Graffitti activist, always a Graffitti activist? Naqbel.

“Malta has NO history or tradition of democracy.”

That is incorrect. Perhaps you meant that Malta has no tradition of a liberal urban bourgeoisie, which has always been the driving force behind democratisation, and there I would agree with you.

‘The Arabs’ are not an amorphous mass. You have been conditioned by the sight of Gaddafi & co for four decades.

Maybe you should trying talking to some real Libyans instead of imagining stereotypes.

They already are.

About two/three years ago, in a Doha debate on BBC, the Saudi foreign minister said that Islam and democracy are incompatible. However, I believe theocracy and democracy are incompatible. There is always hope for these North African countries to start learning and achieving a semblance of democracy.

Kien xi zmien “Malta Yesterday”, meta kienu jaghmlu artikli investigattivi fuq iz-zminijiet koroh ta’ taht il-Labour. M’ghadhomx jiktbu hekk issa.