“Dik il-hajja privata tieghu. Attakk fahxi u malinn blah blah blah.”

What would Saviour Balzan have said in his Malta Today column had I covered a similar story about a Maltese politician?

“Bile blogger.” “Hate blogger.” “Gossip.” “The PN should dissociate blah blah blah.”

What would Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando have said?

“Isthi jekk taf. Attakk faxhi. Hajja personali blah blah blah Earl Grey.” (Ara min irid jitkellem.)

What would Joseph Muscat have said?

“Haga wahda biss irid nghid. Meta saret taf, kienet fil-kumpannija ta’ MEP tal-Partit Nazzjonalista.”

And their followers?

“Wicc/wich/withc” “Dik ax jalous.” “Haris fil mera hi ta ax ma tmurx blah blah blah.” And more in that vein.

If the newspapers in this country had the slightest instinct for a story and a clear understanding of their duty to the public, in making the public familiar with the truth about those who run the government, they would be sending undercover reporters in to the nightclub at Level 22 to watch the Minister for the Economy. That’s one thing I definitely can’t do myself. Oh, and another one outside his Silvan-Fenech-owned shag-pad at Portomaso. The real stories are there. Or are we going to wait, as we did with that other disaster Manuel Mallia, until there’s a full-blown shoot-out and car chase?

I bring you Time magazine (“attak fahxi” “mhux sewwa” “hajja privata” “dawk allegazzjonijiet biss” & c & c).