Let’s focus on the mass rioting, which is something that should be able to happen but doesn’t.

Until people understand that this is about each and every personal and business decision that they take, the horns that charge will remain those of fear, apathy, lethargy, discontent corruption and deceit.

I’m ready to mass riot. Freedom 5 too it would seem. I think people should mass riot in March 2015. The 1st March is a Sunday. It should be done then. Can you imagine how Joseph Muscat is going to gloat once March goes by and he ends it on an official note of celebration on the 31st, which he could – just out of pure spite and disdain – on an “impromptu” note, turn into that one national day? The day we should be celebrating his departure?

In a sense, by blaming the Opposition we fall into the same trap of laying the blame at someone else’s feet. As long as it’s not at our feet. This is where the issue lies: we are each responsible for what happens. Each and every one of us.

Let’s focus now on the styles of counter charge. It’s not that the counter charge doesn’t exist. It exists with different expectations of style, expression and momentum.

I would next focus on that set of differences, and on what is not the same. That too has strengths. Saying “it’s the same as” and putting everything under that blanket can be a terrific idea killer.

Ok. Say you’re not happy with the style, image, expression and momentum of the Opposition. Not happy with the values and operation of this Government. What next?

What would your 5- or 10-point priorities be, say, if you were heading a counter-charge yourself at this mass riot?

And how would you phase the charge from there forwards?

There really is no comparison. A lot of silly nonsense has been said about Singapore these last 40 years by Maltese “intellectuals” who know no history.

For a start, Singapore was the gateway to China when Malta was merely a coaling station on the way to Suez. The sheer volume and variety of commerce passing through Singapore dwarfed anything in Malta.

Then there’s geography. Malta is an island in a sea that’s been crowded with ports and Western settlements for centuries. Singapore was a lone Western outpost in an undeveloped – ‘savage’ is the word here – part of the world. The closest modern port was Hong Kong (same story, and no surprise), more than 1000 km away. The coast of India was more than 1500 km distant.

So it’s no surprise at all that it would thrive on commerce. It’s not the policies that made it thrive. It’s history and geography.

We both commenced the road from British colonial rule. We both ramped up our economy based on manufacturing industry, tourism and financial services.

Up till 1971 Malta and Singapore were head to head. But then things changed. Malta was taken over by a left-wing quasi-communist, Castro-like leader and hey presto our economic stalled, our industrial technological advances froze due to Mintoff’s infatuation with manual labour while Singapore continued on its road to what it is today.

The fact that during the 60s, when Malta’s and Singapore’s industrial progress kept head to head, shows or at least strongly indicates that reduced freedom does not result in higher economic progress.

In fact, the Mintoff years prove the opposite. That Singapore is an economic success is not due to reduced freedom, but due to its capitalist, market-oriented policies and the fact that unlike Europe and the US, people have to work to earn a living with no free lunches for the lazy laggards and false invalids.

[Daphne – The US is the ultimate liberal economy. There are certainly no free lunches there.]

So you’re saying all the top posts in government and other political appointments are given through meritocracy? (That’s my point). If that’s the case…..its rich coming from a logical and intelligent person like yourself.

The workers you are mentioning are not invisible you can see them in China Town or Little India on their off days, yes! they work 5 day weeks. They do jobs Singaporeans don’t want to do (mainly construction). These workers are not irregulars they volunteer to go and work there, with a visa. With the money they make they give their families a more comfortable living in their countries. By the way a lot of them come from democracies (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh).

As for Singaporeans they are a proud, capable and intelligent and per capita one of the richest people. If you really want to delve into what’s happening in modern Singapore you’ll find that the opposition is becoming stronger and no one is being jailed. They oppose the government were they disagree but back the government when people of other nations try to make them look like some third world country.

Some questions 1. Checked where Sin rates in least corrupt countries

2. Checked were it rates in competitiveness

3. Medical services

4. Education

5. Meritocracy . the list is long and distinguished.

Its not perfect but it works.

Yes I love my freedom, so do Singaporeans, they hold the only passport in the world which has no restrictions anywhere and long time ago, even when we had our beloved green one.

Anyway thanks for your time. Being an idealist is good but pragmatism has a more tangible value in the real world

Take care

Ok let me put it this way. Would you exchange 1971 to 1987 Malta to 1971 to 1987 Singapore? Democracy is funny sometimes. Every 5 yrs or so you get to vote and for your troubles you get Mintoff, Lorry, J. Grima, JDG, KMB, etc……
In the so bad, non democratic Singapore you vote and you always get PAP.

[Daphne – Your argument is illogical. No, I would not have exchanged 1971 to 1987 Malta for 1971 to 1987 Singapore. What I wanted in Malta in the years 1971 to 1987 (at least in those years when I was old enough to know) was democracy and freedom and human rights, not money and material comfort. You are asking me to choose between being oppressed and restricted in material comfort and being oppressed and restricted with less material comfort. It is a false choice. Human rights are not optional. I didn’t want to be oppressed and restricted at all, in comfort or not.]

Yes everything works in Singapore for those who want it to make it work. Meritocracy, now that’s a new thing for Maltese, in Singapore I have friends who are leaders of industries who like all Singaporeans come from a working class but because they merited it they have it. You’re good you make it, you want it you got a chance. In democratic Malta?…….well…….depends.

[Daphne – Don’t be ridiculous. Our prime minister is the son of a peasant mother (in the real meaning of the word as a factual rural description, not an insult) and a father who started out as a door-to-door salesman, went into business importing chemicals for the fireworks trade, and made a packet. A good 95% of the people in big business today (or what passes for big business in Malta) are first or second generation working class. Meanwhile, do please tell me about the slave labour situation in Singapore – the ‘ïnvisible’ imported workers.]

First the natives in Singapore are Malays, Chinese, Indian and Eurasians. It has been like this for hundreds of years.

The citizens of Singapore all have jobs and their salaries are much higher than in Malta. A bank clerk in Singapore earns about 2000 euros a month. So there is no cheap labour. One can argue that they import construction workers for cheap but who doesn’t nowadays.

Secondly Mintoff was no Lee Kwan Yew. Mintoff was a Communist, LKY was a Capitalist. The vision of LKY can be seen in every corner of Singapore, top class in every sector.

Mintoff’s vision was IZRA W RABBI or FABRIKA TAL-KAPPAR.

Thirdly, yes democracy is not Singapore’s forte, but you know what? Everything works! The country which is slightly larger than Malta has a foreign reserve of about $ 400BLN and the budget has an average surplus of $ 9BLN a year.

So if Malta can get so efficient and wealthy I guess we can do with some.

[Daphne – Your reasoning is not at all right. Giving up democracy for material goods and cash? Selling your freedom? What you are saying here is that you are quite content to be deprived of democracy as long as you are comfortable materially. Everything works? No, it doesn’t. It works for you because you are near the top of the food chain. It doesn’t work for the people at the bottom. A salary of 2000 euros isn’t much even in Malta, let alone in Singapore, so I don’t know what you’re talking about. How does a person live off 2000 euros a month (before tax) in Singapore? By foraging in dustbins? Be serious.]

Don’t you realise the Opposition cannot and will not oppose something as deeply Maltese as turning Malta into Singapore? The chief Nationalist ideologues (including Serracino Inglott) have always been firmly in favour of the Singaporification/Dubaification of Malta.

Heqq, iktar flus ghall-familji Maltin u Ghawdxin, goes the mantra. That’s what the ludicrously confessional Principji Bazici have always been about. Flus. Money.

I don’t expect the new leadership to change any of this. Not when the up-and-coming MZPN “zaghzagh” are all drunk on the Maltese Gonzian dream of Università-Ewropa-Avukat/Tabib/Perit-Flus-Status. Not when unemployment is at 6% and everyone’s happily settled with his siehba.

It would take 25% unemployment and mass rioting to change the sacred paradigm. And that’s never going to happen.

Who’s writing the Opposition’s policies? A bunch of very smug and comfortable intelletwali and professjonisti, with perfect CVs. And you expect change?

I smell six hats.

Hybrid Regime ain’t good.

Russia has slipped from Flawed Democracy to Authoritarian Regime during the Putin years.