Jaqq.

I’m sorry Profits not Principles, but that is a load of balls. You could invoke the negative fall-out for any Maltese firm in difficulty, from Air Malta to ST Microelectronics Malta. But you cannot build your strategic foreign policy on the short-term business interests of the CEOs at Corinthia, plus a few John Dallis. Because that is what it boils down to.

It’s not as if we’re investing in hi-tech stuff in Libya, or in R&D, or sending our genius graduates to develop new technologies which will strengthen our innovation and whatnot. This isn’t 1972, when you could employ a few hundred chambermaids and waiters, and they’d think they were on top of the world.

In short, if Corinthia goes bankrupt, which it won’t, I wouldn’t give a flying wotsit, and it wouldn’t make a blind bit of difference to the future of thousands of Maltese citizens. Ditto if John Dalli’s firm is kicked out of Libya.

Err Joe …I think the name of the Rome hotel is “Esedera” not “Exedra” .

or this? http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheat-sheet/?cid=hp:cheatsheet1#cheatrow_24812

Exactly. Well said, Anthony – I’ve just forwarded the clip to Dalli’s office.

ANYONE SEEN THIS? http://john-dalli-a-biography.blogspot.com/

He just needs to update his section about Business in Libya:
http://www.joesammut.eu/joe/content/business-libya

http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/mystery_money_E3YfXILGKCLg1SR6bzf3LM

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=101310

http://www.allvoices.com/news/5177985-mystery-behind-beyonces-2million-dollars-performance-deepens

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/mystery-behind-beyonces-2m-performance-deepens_100315846.html

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Mystery+behind+Beyonce's+'2m+dlrs+performance'+deepens.-a0218376621

http://stbartstalk.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4413&PN=2

http://in.movies.yahoo.com/news-detail.html?news_id=78837

http://www.topnews.in/light/mystery-behind-beyonce-s-2m-performance-deepens-221561

http://www.andhranews.net/Entertainment/2010/February/6-Mystery-behind-Beyonce-65.asp

I don’t expect you to understand. Alas, you’re blinkered and unable to make a balanced assessment of matters.

At the outset, I will clarify that I do not know Mr. Sammut personally (never met him) and I am not a Labour supporter – so I have no personal interest on the matter.

My point is that everyone is quick to distance himself from Gaddafi. However, despite the man’s lunacy and whims, doing business with him / entourage was legit until 2 weeks ago. (Libyan law mandates the need for a Libyan partner to do business in Libya, and it is easy to deduce that only partners hand-picked / close to Ghaddafi will get the biscuit.)

However, I can’t recall you, or anyone in particular, taking this high moral ground, and scoffing at Gaddafi / Joe Sammut.

My point, which you have/are evading is simple – if it was legit then, albeit morally questionable, what’s the story? Why not run a story on BP’s oil exploration in Libya, Lafico’s equity participation in Juventus F.C., or if you wish to retain a local flavour, Corinthia’s investment in Libya? These story are less fancy without Beyonce and Nelly Furtado thrown in, but, with hindsight, equally questionable.

And please, let’s put morality aside here, and stick to legality. If we go into the moral issue and distance ourselves from what we perceive as an oppressive anti-democratic regime, then we should all boycott Chinese goods for starters.