You need Baxxter’s “Maltese political history for dummies” here. Malta’s middle-class is not growing (as a percentage of the total population).

It is becoming less cosmopolitan as creature comforts become increasingly available back here in Malta, and while it is accumulating diplomas, in no way does that imply more educated. So you have a smaller, less educated and more provincial middle-class.

You’re right when you say that people are past politics and religious impositions. But they’re definitely not past ignorance, bigotry and village thinking.

I’ve written elsewhere that the hight point was reached in 2004, with EU membership. Since then the whole country has settled into a comfortable “U issa ghandna kollox, x’jonqosna nzidu” inertia. We peeped out briefly from the underworld of our troglodytic dark ages, signed some obscure treaty in Athens, had a few beers and gekk kowks, and then slid back into our MCAST/Smartcity/UOM/skemi-bedecked nest.

Cyrus Engerer may think he left the worst behind by leaving PN. Alas, he needs to leave Malta altogether.

So that is why you quoted out of context. Should have seen that coming!

A. Grech, in my mind, the issue that most characterised Mintoff’s government was a failed economic system that brought deprivation to the country in the form of water cuts, bulk-buying and widespread shortages, street black-outs and rampant unemployment.

Mintoff’s economic system was clearly unsustainable. It was only the introduction of a more market based economy that brought a degree of prosperity to Malta with full employment, a growing business environment and optimism.

A maximum tax rate of 35% isn’t too high. Several countries enforce much higher rates – 42% in Germany, for example, and 50% in the UK.

CET wasn’t ‘a plan’. It was something cooked up on the fly when he realised that VAT had to be replaced with something. His pre-electoral promise was to remove VAT. CET was never mentioned, hence the mess.

@ A.Attard: I’m ashamed to say I’m ignorant of Maltese political history. I assume that the larger, more educated and cosmopolitan middle-class today will keep the country moving in the right direction. Talking with friends my age and younger, even practising Catholics, I get the impression that they’re past party politics and religious impositions. Imagine a practising Catholic who accepts that gay marriage should be legal for example.

But I haven’t touched a drop since December 2009.

And while Rome burns, JOHN DALLI is counting the days for his comeback.

And Gonzi prepares the way.

Why not?

Who hatched this guy?