Evarist’s weapon is his pen. He always uses it as a spade – to throw mud at people.

The sleazy old man.

I am a parent now, but in 1997 I was a university student and this slimy, sleazy minister told us to get our stipends as loans to be repaid back after we graduate.

Today we see a government which gives you a scholarship and after graduation, in some instances, also a tax credit so you have more money in hand to save/spend for your family.

Evarist – thanks but no thanks. You had your opportunity to show us that you are indeed a good person, but alas, you are not.

Keep right on being driven around Malta – you’re just a bummer, bumming lifts here and there.

Let us not forget the many, many others taken in for “questioning” and detained without an iota of a reason either to them or their lawyers. It wasn’t right, but at that time one had to rely on the favour of a friend of Mintoff or Lorry Sant, for example, to get released.

All it took anyway, for them – once you managed to locate the right person and he or she pulled the strings that did it (often at least 24 hours later) – was a couple of phone calls.

In addition to the PC mentioned by Riya, there is PC no 5 who was unnecessarily violent. This happened on the same day that the young Mifsud Bonnici got attacked – after one of the private schools protest events: in this case a mass at St John’s in Valletta.

PC no 5 went after an elderly couple who were leaving Valletta with the rest of the crowd that was peaceful despite the Police buses placed at every corner upwards from St John’s Street.

Disorder suddenly erupted, and this couple in front of me were evidently frightened and began running away from this PC, but they fell just opposite the Opera house ruins. He began kicking them on the floor. What could I do?

I went up to him and noticed that his PC number was showing: PC no 5. After the many meetings with riot forces in locked helmets (tear gas) and reports of Police removing their numbers, I was surprised to see his on and acting as he was nonetheless. He noticed that I noticed both him and his face – but his number mostly. He looked angrier, and I ran.

Immediately, he ran after me instead. I ran and looked back after some metres. He was not far behind me, taking a chain out of his pocket, with which he then proceeded to lash me on the back. Who could such an incident be reported to back then? Especially if the above, ref para 1. was going on to members of your own family? Not funny.

Oh yes, but so MLP 80s.

I guess I’m writing this for those who can’t believe such things happened (and this incident would be in the minor category) or don’t know of them.

History is written by those who are meant to be objective but it is not always the case.

People forget. Give me values and a sharp brain (in the calibre of RCC, Daphne, Austin and others like him) any day over glam sham, empty spin and the promise of major disaster.

Trust? no I don’t trust Joseph and Co. one tiny little bit. What can you build on quicksand? For those who say it’s possible, let me ask: do you mean without reinforcement?

[Daphne – That is an utterly absurd comment. You cannot possibly know the extent of Lorry Sant’s criminal behaviour, corruption and human rights abuses if you say that. No government has had anything similar, before or since, and nothing similar will be possible because our democratic structures have been strengthened, people are less frightened, there is freedom of speech, and laws and controls have been put in place. Yes, there is still scope for a prime minister to be blackmailed for decades as Mintoff was by Lorry Sant, but that presupposes there is scope for blackmail in the first place: in other words, prime ministers have to ensure that they’ve not made any shocking choices on who to have sex with.]

Titkellem qisek tifel zghir li ma tafx minn xiex ghadda il-pajjiz taht il-Labour.

Lil Austin Gatt mhux ghax akwista xi bicca art bil-korruzzjoni arrestawh, jew ghax dahal b’xi dghajsa bil-kuntrabandu it-Tunny Net, imma ghax kien idejjaqhom politikament ghax jikxfilhom ghawwarhom bhal ma qabadhom ifottu fil-voti per ezempju tal-Imgieret.

Int fejn taf x’kien jigri fi zmien il-gvern korrot tal-Labour?

[Daphne – Silvio knows only too well. He’s in his 70s and ran a business under Labour.]

U kif qal Austin Gatt ezatt waqt li kien gewwa id-Depot tal-Pulizija f’cella mahmuga dahlu tlett pulizija mghamdin fis-sighat bikrin ta’ filghodu biex min ghalihom ibezzawh.

Dik demokrazija, Silvio. Kellek bzonn tghaddi milli ghaddejna ahna int, ghax kieku ibqa cert li tispicca x’imkien fejn mhux dekor li nsemmih f’dan il-blog.

Il-pajjiz kien jinsab f’disastru u ‘mn Alla kien hawn nies ta’ guts sabiex hrigna minn dik is-sitwazzjoni tal-wahx u tat-terrur.

Bhalek missek tmur tirringrazzja lil Dr. Fenech Adami u lil Austin Gatt mela tigi toqghod min ghalik tahraq in-nies.

Int u kull min hu bhalek kieku hemm il-Labour fil-gvern anqas titkelle ghax titwerewer.

Anzi Daphne qalba tajba toqghod taghti kasek ghax kieku nkun flokha nies bhalek ninjorom ghax vera hin mohli maghkhom, ghax ma tafu xejn x’gara gewwa Malta u kemm kien hawn mibgheda u hdura.

Thanks for sharing this important history.

Every time I see Everist Bartolo I am reminded of the Gestapo.

MLP just thrive on intimidation and violence and I am not surprised as they are so good at them.

That Dear Daphne is exactly what I meant and if that makes me “tan-n..K ” so be it.

[Daphne – Who took your apples, Silvio, and how did they take them?]

@Silvio. L-istonku tieghi ha ftit tar-ruh mindu Privitera donnu mar jistahba.

Cert li nigi in tip-top shape jekk tieqaf tghid ic-cucati int u tmur tistahba bhalu.

As shaving foam perhaps, my dear Ciccio.