When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

Watson, they’re obviously talking about plasma gasification, also known as plasma pyrolysis. It is a net generator of electricity, once the whole thing is fed enough electricity (from the grid, obviously). On the scientific and technical side, there are no serious obstacles. On the economic side, it depends on the cost of the building the plant, supplying it, running it, maintaining it, and whatnot.

In Dom’s times we had belt-based budgets.

It’s the Burmarrad image, you know.

‘Ghaqal’ is uniquely Maltese.

To Daphne’s definition I may add ‘a degree of wisdom’.

When I was young it was an important word. “Kemm int bil-ghaqal” was usually followed by spending money.

Perhaps I was too hasty here. It’s just that my Maltese messy language tolerance levels have been exceeded.

Yes, “ghaqal” is indeed a word. As is “galbu”. They do have a precise meaning, even though they are untranslatable.

But I’m not sure they’re appropriate in a budget speech, especially when repeated fifty times.

I suppose what they actually wanted to say is that the government takes decisions in a professional manner, after having studied the facts and the outcomes.

[Daphne – No, they were talking about taking prudent and sensible decisions, for which there are no precise words in Maltese, ‘prudenza’ and ‘sensibbli’ meaning something else altogether. The word ‘ghaqal’ comes closest, but as you seem to sense, the context seems inappropriate because it belongs to that class of words, like ‘galb’ and ‘biezel’, which are generally used to describe the positive qualities of a spouse, child or employee. But that’s Maltese for you: it’s very difficult to get it to rise to the occasion.]

Why not “effective government”? Or “a government that can think strategically”? Or something about “with due consideration”?

[Daphne – Because there are no Maltese words to say all that without sounding like a bad translation of somebody’s MBA paper. Try it, as I just did, and you’ll see.]

All this “caution/prudence” business is sending the wrong signal, viz. that immobility is a heroic Maltese quality. If it were, we wouldn’t have joined the EU, we wouldn’t have VAT, we wouldn’t be using the internet and there would be no interconnector cable project.

[Daphne – Right on that score, but ‘issa naraw’ is a Maltese quality – not heroic.]

20Q, Labour’s position about those “cazz” in the water and electricity rates is getting worse by the minute.

To “Loubondi,” Anglu Farrugia said that Labour’s plan is rooted in John Dalli’s plan which had been presented to the PM.

Yesterday, also to “Loubondi,” the PM said that John Dalli only provided the contacts of a commercial concern which has developed a new typle of energy-generating plant.

If Labour is voted into power in 2013, the people will really get big “cazz” in the water and electricity rates – but only in the Italian sense of the word.

It is meaningful that the current leader of the opposition has the same ageing issues as his predecessor, but at a much younger age.

OK, I have to wade in here. “Ghaqal” is one of those Maltese political buzzwords which don’t really mean anything, and if they did, it would be in the context of some ghonnella-shrouded hand-wringing matron in some Ninu Cremona drama.

[Daphne – It was quite a popular word when I was growing up. That’s how I know its contextual meaning, and that there’s no precise translation.]

Just like “ta’ pajjizna” (duh. It’s the Maltese budget, you don’t need put it in every sentence) or “il-familji Maltin u Ghawdxin” (so there’s just families, right? What about that PN bullshit about “il-persuna” being at the centre of their ideology? And Maltin u Ghawdxin? Are we to endure this nonsense forever?) or “jincentiva” or “skema”.

It’s a ruddy budget speech, not a sermon. With such rubbish communication skills, you have to wonder how we’ll ever turn into an “international hub” of anything.

Frugality?

[Daphne – That refers only to consumption choices, and not other sorts of decisions.]