Joe Azzopardi – the Montesin the PN depends upon

I could not help not watching Anglu Farrugia make an ass of himself on Saturday evening, even if I could have avoided it.

What is amazing is that the deputy leaders' debate was subsequently aired on Monday morning before the TVAM breakfast show, after the breakfast show, and that evening at prime time - so in all, four broadcasts.

Farrugia may have confirmed to all of us that he is hopeless, or to put it mildly not fit for purpose. But that does not give a free licence to Where's Everybody's Joe Azzopardi to repeat his programme simply to benefit an electoral agenda (his).

It was very clear from day one that the PN wanted a confrontation between Farrugia and Simon Busuttil. I cannot understand why the PL did not send Toni Abela (the deputy leader for party affairs), whom I am sure would have given Busuttil a hard time.

Azzopardi's agenda is very simple: that the PN wins the next election and awards him more control of the Public Broadcasting Services. He is to state TV what TV presenter Eileen Montesin was to Xandir Malta before 1987. 

At least he has some talent and intellect - unlike his protégé Norman Vella, who presents TVHEMM and thinks that people cannot see through that face of his.

That PBS chairman Joe Mizzi (of Midsea Books) allows all this to unfold inside PBS as it were nothing, either confirms that Mizzi has no interest in public broadcasting or else blesses this sort of gatekeeping.

The very fact that Joe Mizzi does not even question Joe Azzopardi and PBS CEO Anton Attrad in involving themselves in 'mediation' efforts to bring Franco Debono back to the PN is in itself incredible.

That Labour did not have the gall to turn round to Anglu Farrugia and inform him that he has no charisma or common sense to appear on TV, is Labour's fault.  But that does not mean that Simon Busuttil is a great performer. Far from it, he is poor: as superficial as ever and very limited in his political history.

The losers in this incredible farce are Labour but equally Where's Everybody - who surely cannot run away from the undeniable fact that they are today the foremost gatekeepers for the PN.

Anglu Farrugia may have convinced everyone that he is a next-to-zero asset in political terms, but there is little doubt that Joe Azzopardi's WE is the PN secret weapon.

A weapon they will use until the 7 March to wage war against Labour.

Because Joe is right to think that his future under a Labour government is problematic. Anyone with any sense in their head would reform Xandir and do away with the new brand of Eileen Montesins.