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Any polls may be far from accurate but today there is little evidence to show the Nationalists are going anywhere in the surveys. There is widespread discontent with the Gonzi government, and they seem to believe that as long as Alfred Sant remains at the helm of the Labour party, they are still going to make it.
Many Gonzi loyalists suggest the Prime Minister should take a closer look at his own strategy. The PM is not in listening mode, and he cannot see that this wave of discontent is turning into a tsunami.
To make matters worse, his self-laudatory commentaries in the public domain are not helping. A psychologist would pull out his insistent reference to the first person in every speech as problematic.
“I… I did… It was me… My ministers…” – Gonzi is seen as far too self-centred, and he must start talking and thinking about the people around him.
Does he like listening to critics? My impression is no. There are few words to describe the absurdity of seeing a Lawrence Gonzi snap at a Super One journalist when questioned over the leaked Godfrey Grima-PN document, only to answer that they should ask him about the so called “leaked” MLP document.
The latter turns out to be a powerpoint presentation/manual for the MLP’s electoral helpers during election time.
Who the hell is giving Gonzi such advice? This is not the way a Prime Minister should act. I mean, this is the way an arrogant George Pullicino would treat the press. Or the way Simon Busuttil the harbinger of Europeanism would reply in his haughtiness to journalists who are doing their duty. Lawrence should take some hints from Tonio Fenech, an affable guy, who comes across as the most user friendly politician from all sides.
There is too much arrogance in the rank and file of some of the up and coming Nationalist brass.
Next March the PN is heading into one of its worst electoral defeats. PN secretary general Joe Saliba will argue that German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder had made it back from a low point. At the end of the day, as we all know, Schröder lost the election to Angela Merkel.
It is hard to suss out whether the Gonzi administration is aware of the impact of multiple electoral defeats on the chances of winning a national election. There is one simple thing that will get voters to get to vote for the PN.
Money. Money talks. You cannot preach about a better life if the quality of life is no longer there.
Okay, it is true that we are not living in abject poverty. But since when is the threshold of poverty our yardstick of success. People want to live better than yesteryear, and the reality is that the tired middle class is saying enough is enough.
The other day while listening to Radio 101, lo and behold I heard the inimitable voice of David Agius, the little known Nationalist backbencher. The parliamentarian, instantly recognisable by his characteristic hyena laugh and permanent smile is not renowned for his intellectual attributes or lack thereof, proceeded to rubbish a MaltaToday survey.
Strange, considering that the survey listed the most popular programme as Santa Monica on NET television. He did better than simply rubbish; he interpreted the survey methodology incorrectly which forced the Radio 101 host to sort of reprimand him. He went one step further by reacting to the negative public perception to PN parliamentary secretary Tony Abela by telling listeners that the Rabat Nationalists should not worry, because there were many other able candidates!
One gaffe follows another.
Agius would be far better off, and probably earn pots of money, if he put his talent to hiring out his laughs and spasms to Hollywood soap operas. At least he would get a mention in the credits: Hyena cackles – David Agius!
The other day in court I couldn’t help not listening to the evidence of Daphne Caruana Galizia. She is facing criminal libel proceedings from Anglu Farrugia, a Labour MP.
The court was indeed like the animal kingdom. Il-Porporina, Marlene Mizzi, Michael Parnis, Pawlu Lia, Toni Abela, Daphne Caruana Galizia, Anglu Farrugia, Austin Gatt, Joe Zammit Maempel and yours truly.
Caruana Galizia had written some time back about the events in the mid-eighties that had led her to be arrested by a police inspector who later was promoted under the Nationalists, and later stood in an election for the leadership of the Labour Party.
She wrote at the time when Anglu Farrugia was standing for Labour leader: “He is hindered by his days as a police inspector in the dark and awful times of Lawrence Pullicino.”
She then went on to describe how Anglu Farrugia had arrested her on trumped up charges, including that of assaulting a very large police officer in the mid-eighties.
He was then one of Pullicino’s right-hand men.
Now Daphne may have – when she wants to – a forceful and irreverent pen, but she can hardly come across as a Sliema girl acting like some ninja assassin. Defended by the able PN lawyer and gaming authority chairman Zammit Maempel, she recounted that Anglu Farrugia had told her that they even had photographs of her beating a police officer.
This was obviously a fat lie.
Later it transpired that Anglu Farrugia invented, and wrote Caruana Galizia’s confessions himself.
Anyhow, this week, I listened to her testimony in court.
Now there is little love lost between us two. But on this one she has my solidarity.
Anglu Farrugia is not the only police officer from yesteryear to have been elevated in the police force and society. There are still many in the force’s top ranks, who had militated in Malta’s police force back when it could only be described as a shameful thing.
Yes, on this one she is right: “A man cannot become prime minister when on public record there is magisterial condemnation of him for ill-treatment.”
Which is why the Labour delegates we so often flog for their so called mental inadequacy did not choose Anglu as their leader.
Just before I forget: when is Tonio Borg - yawn - going to call the former operators of Jumbo Lido and ask them if they are going to pass on the monies they have collected from third parties to government?
And since we are on the subject, just in case you did not know, Louis Galea’s acolyte Peter Fenech, the director and shareholder of the company linked to the Jumbo Lido, is also a director on the Foundation for Tomorrow’s schools, another of Louis Galea’s white elephants.
Apart from being the chairman of the Mediterranean Conference Centre, his wife is chairman of the Occupational Health and Safety Authority. Poor creatures indeed!
Democracy and politics do not mix well together. Democratically elected politicians would love to have a muzzled press and if possible, no elections. That is why we continuously poke politicians about being responsible and accountable.
The Tony Abela revelation is a case in point. It is grossly unfair on Abela that his Prime Minister does not have the gall to turn round and suggest that he resigns quietly and in a dignified manner. Come the local councils fiasco, the PM will want to seek a scapegoat.
Will he blame it on Tony Abela?
Notary Tony Abela is no different to Notary Charles Mangion. Mangion may have not fallen for people like Indri, but he has fallen for others who make good company with the likes of Indri Zammit. One fine example is Piju Camilleri, one of Lorry Sant’s henchmen.
It is an unfortunate episode for Tony Abela, but it goes to show that in politics, unlike in business and other spheres, expendability is a reality. He may still have a part to play in politics if he plays his cards right. But time is running out and the last thing he should do is to let the spin doctors do the job.
The quote of the month has to be attributed to Godfrey Grima. “I am f***ing livid,” he told a MaltaToday journalist. So were we, when he went along playing the inquisitor for the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party and seeing to their two analytical reports on the elections.
This could very well have been a Billy Connolly sketch. But Godfrey, who could stand in for a humble pie advertisement, cannot see the joke. Now that no one wants to admit that they leaked the report, the million dollar question is: who did?
Obviously no one is suggesting anything. But everyone seems to be thinking the same thing. Which I will not repeat here in print, because I am sure it would make Godfrey Grima f***ing livid!
sbalzan@mediatoday.com.mt
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