The police and the army were given different assignments in the security arrangements.

Thanks to a clear warning from the army to the police when the Labour Party asked for a suspension in the vote-counting process – a replica of the suspension of the magisterial on-sight inquiry in the frame-up of P.P. Busuttil, during which incriminating evidence was planted by the police – KMB’s well-founded suspicions were foiled.

Today, Joseph Muscat has ensured straight away that the officers leading both the army and the police are handpicked party supporters.

As I have already written, step by step we are steadily going back to the 80s. Lessons have been learned, not by the electorate, but by those wielding power.

I was paid my salary for what I did. I earned my bread and butter. The applause I leave to others to enjoy. Mind you this one single incident was just the tip of the iceberg.

Only the clueless would not be aware of the very real danger of becoming themselves the targets of persecution by their departmental and political superiors.

As Police Medical Officer I had to assist strong capable police officers of all ranks from Commissioners of Police all the way down to constables on the beat being reduced to mental wrecks by a campaign of political persecution from above.

On one memorable occasion when I interceded with the Police Commissioner on behalf of one such victim, as was my duty as Police Medical Officer, unbelievably, in so many words, I was actually instructed not to treat that particular policeman because they were actually trying to hound him out of the force for doing his duty. I ignored that advice and suffered irreparable consequences. May God forgive the culprits.

I am so sad that it seems that those terrible days are back again.

Speaking about vindictive behaviour.

I am sitting right now at the Mater Dei reception directly in front of the phlebotomy room.

There’s this short, stumpy ugly man with his wife who seems to think highly of his position in the grand scheme of things. I think he has been rubbed the wrong way by the security man who didn’t seem to have been inclined to allow him to get in out of turn. At least that’s my understanding of the situation.

He is making a big show and saying in front of the waiting crowd – “Kemm hu supperv! Tini t-telecell ha ncempel lill-ministru”.

“Ma jkellimnix? Ma jkellimx lili? Issa tara jkellimnix”, he asserts confidently to the mumbling crowd.

And on the phone, following a couple of minutes of very visible furious pacing and posturing, waiting for his wife to fish an ancient mobile phone out of her voluminous handbag, “Hello Fredu. Ic-chairman jien. Iva c-chairman…Il-marid mhux hekk! Mhux hekk il-marid!…”

Anyway, the chairman (pertaining to what body I have not been able to determine) was apparently deemed not important enough to speak to the minister.

It seems certain however, that today in Malta taghna lkoll as it was in the golden years, you are directly reported to the minister if you do your job without fear or favour.

He also went through hell when he was a police sergeant during the Golden years of Labour, for the same reasons as mentioned above.

Labour already knows what it’s going to look like next Thursday.

This is just like the comment on the magistrate’s court by the police commissioner in the Norman Vella case.