Rank amateurs: Adrian Delia’s campaign office WhatsApp groups

Jean Pierre/Jean/JPD is Jean Pierre Debono, the Nationalist Party’s assistant secretary-general for several years and a member of its administrative council. He is also a member of parliament. Kristy is Kristy Debono, his wife and a member of parliament. Apparently they do not think of themselves as a clique or the old way, strangely enough. Julian is Julian Micallef, a semi-pro poker player and owner of a clothes shop in Birkirkara. They are leading the group.

I didn’t know what to think as I read through these tragic messages. A campaign WhatsApp group that includes both the Nationalist Party’s assistant secretary-general and Censu L-Iswed? That includes members of parliament, Gejtu l-Hajta and Il-Mackay? Where people write ‘fox kemandom’ and ask what Solidarnosc means while others discuss, ineptly, the format of press conferences?

What rank amateurs. They don’t even know that none of that should be put down in writing, ever, except with people they really trust, one at a time, on the understanding of both that all messages are deleted immediately. And there they are, blathering on and discussing the arrangements for PR tactics and meetings, in WhatsApp groups of many members where they barely even know each other.

Jean Pierre Debono, the Nationalist Party’s assistant secretary-general, exposing himself like this to Censu L-Iswed, Gejtu l-Hajta and Il-Mackay. It beggars belief. What rank, dangerous amateurs – clueless people blinded by rabid personal ambition, mixing with former Soho thugs and tal-pepe political fans who wouldn’t recognise a piece of political ideology if it popped out of their bikini pants and needed to be waxed off.

In many ways, the flow beneath is completely hilarious. I was in fits at the malevolent but clueless headless chickens. But in so many other ways, it really is tragic.