Silvio Debono’s big bash yesterday night

Silvio Debono, the fixer and operator who has paid (against invoice, so much better than brown envelopes, because it’s tax deductible and not considered a crime) more media people and present and former politicians, elected and non-elected, from the Labour Party and Nationalist Party, than you have probably had hot dinners since Christmas, had a big bash last night, to celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary.

He invited a wide variety of politicians, political fixers, business fixers, people from the banks, real estate agents who are selling the flats to be built on public land for which he hasn’t yet paid and for which he doesn’t have a planning permission, friendly journalists and other media operators whose support he acquires in much the same way he does that of politicians, and of course, his circus ringmaster Lewis Bondi.

I thought of writing the following bit of advice up ahead of the party, but quite frankly, my view now is let them hang themselves. Here it is: any politician or media person who went to that party is a craven lackey, and any politician or media person who was crazy enough to risk being photographed with Debono or worse, to go out of his or her way to pose with him at his anniversary party, is certifiable.

I am informed that nobody from the Nationalist Party accepted the invitation, and I won’t be the only one who’s glad to hear it. The only Labour politician my sources spotted was Family Minister Michael Farrugia, who must have gone there straight from lunch in Xlendi with his girlfriend Amanda Mifsud.

The Prime Minister was away celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which unfortunately coincided with the 25th anniversary of Debono’s wedding bells.

Silvio Debono is now PR poison (good show, Lewis – well played) for politicians. Pose with him for a photograph and you’ve signed your electoral death warrant. He’ll use that picture till kingdom come, and Lewis Bondi – whose job it is – will help him do it. I’m sure Mr Bondi was particularly thrilled that his much reviled Saviour Balzan was one of the journalists who turned up to the party, where the guests included political has-beens Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando with his girlfriend Lara Boffa, and Jesmond Mugliett.

Mr and Mrs Silvio Debono at another anniversary party, this time for the DB group, with the Prime Minister.