Debono was hysterical and anxiouis (again…) and totally lacking in control of his emotions.

In football this week, a comment that was similar in nature – between footballer and journalist – provoked much comment re ethics, manners and values. The team in question were told and warned diplomatically, but firmly, that such behaviour would not be tolerated.

Is there no ethical standard even amongst the one party, if not one to encompass the both sides? Everyone knows HOW to be rude, it’s just a personal choice whether the situation and context, or one’s morals, permit it or not.

Carm Mifsud Bonnici is the direct issue of generations of good breeding and wisdom, even if there was a marked aberration in the line. He is far from dead and buried.

The respect barometer must have reported a very sunny period ahead. Can one say the same for Franco Debono? Isn’t there a term which says: Hamallu kien, Hamallu baqa’?

Is there also a grudge on that sort of intelligence, seeing that it’s in short supply in Maltese politics?

One will hardly get anywhere disputing Richard Cachia Caruana’s. He’s miles ahead.

Who’s the next victim in line of attack?

I’ve been reading Psalms 52 – 59. This sort of thing must obviously have happened throughout the ages: the ravenous wicked out to devour, and with feeble short-term vision, create a stack of victims to then – with miserable failure – attempt to proceed with their desperate social- climbing on the backs of.

How far is far.. in the general global and historical picture? Who is the one with the furthest vision? Where is he hiding?

The behind the scenes picture is more telling.

@ Jozef…’By your reasoning we should demolish every building in Valletta erected after 1800.’ unquote

Actually yes. I support a full cover restoration of Valletta. Indoors is another matter, one that would obviously call for leniency. I believe that if anyone wishes to keep up with modernity they should try to do so within the walls of the buildings themselves, and not impose architecturally the exterior. As for major institutional buildings like the Law Courts, the cover can be stripped and rebuilt to ‘Knights’ specifications.

Re FD, your observations are noted, and in regard to his attitude, hmm, hadn’t quite seen him in that light. But then I have never had the chance to get to know or at least taste the man’s platter of anthropological and/or art interests….if any there are. There must be.

As to the powerplay, I have no aversion to their being a multi party system in our parliament. Therefore, if Franco’s propositions will coerce the present two party system to a seizure and promulgate a multi party situation as a solution, then the end will justify the means.

ps: ‘Malta is too small economically….’ Its funny that we should all agree with this, but rebut all notion of the Maltese being too small economically.

Our ability to respond to international pressure and/or situations in a fast manner depends not on a political system but on an inherent attitude that maximises coherence, and judgements, something that is forever sorely lacking in both our government contenders, PN & PL.

By your reasoning we should demolish every building in Valletta erected after 1800.

The opposing steps will attenuate the effect you mention, allowing one to walk up to both cavaliers from the entrance itself. The geometry is there and in the case of St.James, it’s locus can be felt as soon as you walk across the entrance. It’s the assymetry and the separated levels which caused it.

As for Franco Debono, if one had to decipher his arguments, all he wants, is to increase a supremative power to parliament cutting it off from the rest of the country. His obsession with technical checks and balances would require a different role for the presidency, the necessity of a senate and continuous concerted effort amongst all three.

It works theoretically if we had at least five parties in parliament, or a federal autonomous system, not with a dual party system. Just look where Obama is today, unable to pass one simple piece of legislation.

Malta is simply too small economically to exercise such prolonged procedures, a money bill would become impossible to enact. It would result in our losing one of the advantages we’ve had with the present system, the ability to respond fast to outside forces.

I don’t think you’d want Franco to decide in his emasculated parliament, what Daphne should write, how judges should decide or how fundamental human rights are regulated, either.
Have you noticed how he never shows his feeling towards the spirit of a law, only the pragmatic implications? He lacks the necessary spirit and trust in the public’s discernment.

He thinks abstract form of democracy, taken to an extreme in purity should suffice to impose rights top down. It’s an ideal scenario for politici like him to render themselves indispensable.

I wouldn’t conclude Franco’s demise at the hands of the next electorate. Remember how JPO thrived after his Mistra land permit scandal?

[Daphne – Oh for heaven’s sake, Cecil. People didn’t know he was lying at the time, and that’s why we voted for him. He hasn’t a chance in hell now, not that he’d want it, given that everyone in his immediate family is now rooting for Labour. Franco’s situation is very different.]

As to the reforms he’s been up in arms about, I do hope he will continue to champion them, otherwise…….. as you said.

Personally I have neither love nor obligation for either party, though I did love the PN in the past, when I was charmingly naive. Whatever the outcome of the next election, will probably be a sad one for Malta.

I’m not referring to the result but the aftermath, when the country starts to be run. But that is of course another issue, for another blog.

Isn’t it?

I cringe when I look at the corrupted entrance to a once magnificent City. The PL buried St John’s Cavalier on one side, and now the PN have buried St James Cavalier on the other. Both parties should be made to pay!

How? In my opinion the PN and the PM must follow the reforms FD’s been howling about, because if not they will not survive the barrage of motions being suggested by the PL from now until the General Election. Franco simply won’t have it, even if he has already demonstrated that his is not a desire to bring the Gov down.

[Daphne – Marry him, Cecil. Nobody else will. It’s not a choice between Franco’s reforms and Franco’s tantrums, but between a general election and Franco’s tantrums. And once that happens, it’s bye-bye Franco, reforms and all. And in any case, there are no ‘Franco’s reforms’. The man didn’t invent any wheel.]

Franco Debono jumped the gun, that’s all. If only there were more people like him at MEPA for instance, City Gate’s Parliament wouldn’t have stood a chance!

[Daphne – And that’s a good thing, is it.]

Daphne, Franco Debono had the power and he used it, unfortunately to force a Minister out of office, and unfortunately to embarrass the Government. However, fortunately we the people stand only to gain.

[Daphne – How? Details, please.]

ps I take back the ‘mediocre’ comment in confront to Franco Debono, much as this will draw your negative remarks. Walking the walk in FD’s shoes is not a mediocre thing to do, nor does it take a mediocre person to see it through.

[Daphne – On the contrary, I agree with you. He’s not mediocre. If he were, that would by definition mean that most people are like him, and fortunately, he’s an exception.]

The PN need to connect with the same PN that campaigned the election in 1987, because since then it has been ploughed and pillaged, and abused in no uncertain way. Lawrence Gonzi owes too much to his peers to see how his party has transformed itself into a self-gloating tyrannical society who uses the Courts of Justice and the Police to manipulate outcomes.

Daphne I do really believe that this was all about reform….but not only.

One might ask, reform of which type? Granted Franco Debono did feel somewhat outcast, and that his worth was not being considered for its true value and potential, and it is also true that behind the scenes the realities are far from what they seem.

But there is one question in the end that should concern us all, “Is the customer satisfied?” “Is s/he getting his/her money’s worth?”

Ultimately Franco Debono played the only card he could….and the customer will get what s/he is paying for.

Carm Mifsud Bonnici is (still) a good man and a worthy MP, but his Ministerial Portfolio needed a more daring, dashing Minister. Perhaps he was being held back?

[Daphne – Really? It’s odd that you think that way, when the cabinet’s sole “daring and dashing” minister is the object of such vilification and hatred. Also, I think you are charmingly naive to believe that this was all about reform, despite the massive file of evidence to the contrary. The prime minister is not going to be allowed to appoint another minister of home affairs – and then you’ll see that it wasn’t about reform.]