Joseph Stalin didn't live in the internet age, my dear Labour Party

Will the areas under Heritage Oil Exploration be handed back to the Maltese government once no drilling took place? Oil companies have a tendency to like keeping good acreage in their possession even though they have to pay yearly rental fees for them. It is not in Malta’s interest to have the best zones monopolised by one company.

Definitely Labour leader Joseph Muscat is in a stronger position than Dr Gonzi to settle this problem with the Libyans. He can seek the support of a nuclei of diehard Labourites who are still in close contact with the Libyans such as Alex Sciberras Trigona, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, Noel Farrugia, Karmenu Vella and others. Business in Libya is done on a personal relationship basis. Mr Mintoff’s name is highly respected in Libya and Dr Muscat being the leader of the same party will definitely take advantage of this.

– geologist Mario Degiorgio, formerly of the Maltese oil exploration programme, in The Times, 11 February 2011