If our MPs are so self-centred and short-sighted, then no MP should complain if he or she is subject to breach of privilege procedures.

Nevertheless an ethics committee based on the UK model was proposed to regulate these issues.

If anyone feels that a law or other action or procedures are anticonstitutional then one should contest these in court. If say I feel that some traffic regulations are anticonstitutional as they restrict my freedom of movement, can I just disobey the law and expect impunity?

[Daphne – Yes, because that is the only way you can challenge them. Unfortunately, with the procedural system the way it is, you have to break the law to get a court ruling that changes it. Let’s take the case I mentioned: the day of silence on the eve of an election. The only way the press, or any individual member of the press, can do anything about that is to break the law, get arrested, then file a Constitutional case for illegal arrest & c & c, obtaining a ruling which will then make it clear to the police that any further such arrests are illegal and that/because preventing free discussion about political matters on the eve of an election (or at any other time) goes against the Constitution, which does indeed provide for restrictions on free expression, but in very narrow circumstances to do with national emergencies, time of war and similar.]

[Daphne – Because they imagine that one day they themselves might find it convenient to use them. And you don’t have to be a lawyer to know that the system goes against the Constitution of Malta. I’m not a lawyer. Similarly, despite not being a lawyer, I know that the ‘day of silence’ before a general election is anti-Constitutional too, because it is a restriction on free speech that is not provided for by the Constitution (war, etc).]

[Daphne – Because it will make him look like Farrugia Sacco: a guilty man using the law against itself. People don’t understand these finer points and perception conts for a great deal. Similarly, when I challenged the police about my arrest on the eve of the general election last year, people just couldn’t understand that this was a legal stand because their actions were anti-Constitutional.]

Someone with a first degree in psychology does not a psychiatrist make.

And when Muscat was in Opposition he had criticised the PN government for taking a long ‘summer’ recess.

Muscat had declared that after the conclusions of the Justice Commission’s investigation, he would proceed with the impeachment motion. He never did even when the Justice Commission concluded and published its report.

Not just re Farrugia Sacco, but also IIP (Henley) and Enemalta (Chinese contract) among other things