I am not justifying Lou Bondi nor defending his action. What I’m saying is that I will not stoop to call him traitor just because he’s taking money to keep his mouth shut.

I wouldn’t do like him but I will not call him names.

[Daphne – I agree. He hasn’t worked for the Nationalist Party since 1996, so ‘traitor’ hardly comes into it.]

Baxxter, what I meant is that he worked hard to become the public person whilst herbie is proposing that he became what he was because the PN fit him there.

She definitely is different – she is loyal and true to herself. She is no mercenary and would rather starve than sell her values.

Lou: “Jien mal-hamsin elf netti indahhalhom”

Joseph: “Halli f’idi. Kif nitilghu naghtik kuntratt annwali ta dak l-ammont bil-patt u kundizzjoni li ma tersaqx lejn it-television u li ma taghtninix ‘hard time’ fuq il-programm qabel l-elezzjoni ta xahrejn ohra. X’tasheb?”

Lou: “Deal!”

Rachel has far more integrity than Lou ever had. She may be naive but she’s a really good woman and I would never doubt her character. It’s her other half that’s the problem.

Hekk hu, mejjet bil-guh, u tajjeb jiftikar is-Sur Bondi li kollox warajh se jhalli. Izjed ma jkollok, izjed jiddispjacik li m’inti se tiehu xejn.

U kif hawn hafna minn dawk – u mhux klabb wiehed tiftah imma eluf – u nasal nghidlek li taqlibha lill-kazini tal-festi, tal-baned, tal-loghob, ecc, ecc, ecc.

“After all, government is another client and there was no reason refuse.”

How wrong you are. There were a million reasons why he should have refused. Personal integrity was one of them.

I have known Lou for a number of years and his loyalty to his friends was his greatest characteristic. That is why this is so shocking and so disappointing to those us who knew him. So please, do stop trying to justify his actions.