tend to agree with Natalie.

You’re assuming Muscat is not involved.

I think it’s quite clear from the way the Commissioner speaks to Sheehan, that they had spoken about the incident before. Why would he otherwise ask about two or three shots? And what did he mean by “issa naslu ghaliha f’minuta”?

Sheehan doesn’t sound apprehensive either when talking to the Commissioner as if he’s already been through the whole story with him. I would expect Sheehan to be a bit worried about how the Commisioner will react to the whole story, but I can’t find any trace of worry in Sheehan’s voice.

It’s as clear as day that Sheehan and the Police Commisioner had already spoken to each other before this conversation. Besides, I don’t think the government is denying this.

[Daphne – Hawn xi hadd qieghed jiddeskrivi lil Sheehan bhala l-Irlandiz/Malti? His name is Stephen Smith.]

At one point Sheehan says “tgħajtu żewġ tiri” and later the Acting Commissioner asks him: “kemm-il tir tgħajtu?”. The Commissioner then tells Kurt Farrugia: ” . . żewġ tiri li jiftakar tah, żewġ warning shots”.

A native Maltese speaker will invariably understand “tgħajtu żewġ tiri” as “I shot him twice”. Malta Today translates it as “I fired twice” but it is obviously wrong.

Now, you don’t say “I shot him twice” if you fired in the air. The Commissioner is clearly telling Kurt Farrugia that Sheehan fired two warning shots directly at Morrison Smith, not in the air.

How is it even possible that you are following a car and the car you are following forces you against the wall:
‘PC533: Kif rani warajh għafasni mal-ħajt.’
but after that it seems that they noticed that something is strange and changed it to ;

”COP: Sheehan għidli kif wasaltu l-pixxina x’ġara?
PC533: Għafasni mal-ħajt.
COP: kif waslu ħdejn il-pixxina għafsu mal-ħajt, ijwa ”

No wonder these people hate your guts.

You have enough material in this whole affair to write half a book. And there are enough other affairs since this lump installed himself for another three halves.

[Daphne – That’s a guest post. I didn’t write it.]

The government’s press statement, written by the Office of the Prime Minister and released through the OPM-controlled Department of Information, followed this recorded exchange by one hour.

So will someone explain why the government persisted with the first version of events, rather than giving the correct story?

What was the hurry in calling in the low-loader? That tunnel has two lanes for traffic going in just one direction.

The impression I get is that the farmhouse bunch do as they please and both the minister and his moronic cousin let it pass.

What’s clear is that Muscat must wait until he can justify his decision to remove the rot. If he ever does.

As if he’s wary of the consequences; this would be equivalent to what, 1981?