Tag: Konrad Mizzi

Categories
Internet Rights

Saving Daphne’s Privates

privates_akkuza

Gaffarena Gate has been the black hole of news and information over the past week or so. Anything else newsworthy was sucked into the vortex of the spinning black hole of Falzon’s resignation, Muscat’s double-speak on governance and the n-th celebration of disgraced politicians by a Labour mass meeting. Patriots and pork only just made it past the all-enveloping scandal and this was probably due more  to the ridiculous stunts performed by the defenders of bigilla and zalzett than to any real newsworthiness. Even the Times descended into silly land asking the haplessly controversial question whether persons of a particular religion should be allowed to congregate and play.

Meanwhile in a law court not so far, far away a very important bit of jurisprudence was in the making. In the court presided by the impeccable Magistrate Depasquale, Minister Konrad Mizzi was desperate to prove that he had cause for grievance against blogger (for ’tis in this vest that she hath been summonsed)  Daphne Caruana Galizia. Such cause for grievance had been filed under Malta’s much maligned, misused and abused libel laws – those that have criminal consequences, so to speak. Caruana Galizia had written about some supposed/alleged fling between Minister Conrad Mizzi and one of his minions involving, among other allegations, an exchange of kisses in public. Minister Mizzi could only but cry “lie” at this serious allegation that would, if proven true,  amount to an extra-marital flirtation by said Minister. Hence the law-suit. So far so good.

We were informed, through the medium of the press, that in the sitting of January 18th, the line taken by Mizzi’s lawyers was a rather unorthodox one. Messers Mifsud Bonnici (Aaron) and Lia (Pawlu) were insisting that Caruana Galizia reveal the source of the libellous information. And here lies the problem. Not just for Mme Caruana Galizia but for every single citizen of the island of pork-guzzling patriots and martyred ex-Parliamentary Secretaries. You see, Caruana Galizia was sticking to the age old  universal protection afforded to journalists with regard to their sources. She was not obliged at law, she argued, to reveal her sources for her journalistic work. True. Very true.

The only problem was that the legal team for Minister Mizzi of the government that championed the protection of whistleblowers among many other things decided to become incredibly narrow and literal minded in their application of the law. Shylock was after his pound of flesh. The reasoning put forward by the lawyer who has been touted as the next Chief Justice of the land (pray note that this also means that he would chair the Constitutional Court, guardian of all things holy) was that since the blog in which Daphne writes can not be registered under the Press Act then surely Daphne Caruana Galizia is not acting as a journalist whenever she writes in her blog. Which would mean of course that her sources – who she has called moles, spies and other names through the lifespan of her blog – would be afforded no protection.

Which is a load of hogwash of course. A load of hogwash that would only find place in Kafka’s novels or in the best of Soviet theatres and kangaroo courts. But this is Malta in the time of Joseph Muscat and a very very weird interpretation of the law and legal rights (The government has just gone and sued itself in a case so don’t even dare challenging this assertion).

Let’s go step by step.

1. She is not a journalist

You may not agree with the woman. You may find her blog to be the result of a particularly efficient network that collates information and disseminates it in a selective Wikileaks manner. You may, like me, find her automatic negative reaction to anything Gozitan particularly distasteful. You may think all these things and more but to insist that Daphne Caruana Galizia – even when restricted to the blogging hat of Daphne Caruana Galizia – is not a journalist is complete and utter hogwash. In the year 2000, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe drafted a recommendation signed by most of its member states with regard to the protection of journalists from disclosing their sources. (Full name – Recommendation No. R (2000) 7  of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the right of journalists not to disclose their sources of information). Here’s the definition section of the Recommendation:

Definitions

For the purposes of this Recommendation:

a. the term “journalist” means any natural or legal person who is regularly or professionally engaged in the collection and dissemination of information to the public via any means of mass communication;

b. the term “information” means any statement of fact, opinion or idea in the form of text, sound and/or picture;

c. the term “source” means any person who provides information to a journalist;

d. the term “information identifying a source” means, as far as this is likely to lead to the identification of a source:

i. the name and personal data as well as voice and image of a source,

ii. the factual circumstances of acquiring information from a source by a journalist,

iii. the unpublished content of the information provided by a source to a journalist, and

iv. personal data of journalists and their employers related to their professional work.

It fits nicely does it not? We have not even begun to look at the jurisprudence of the Strasbourg Court (Goodwin anyone?) or the European Charter of Rights. The recommendation is already clear enough about how far the protection should go. It is not restricted to some state defined numerus clausus such as a list of “approved journalists” under the Press Act. Any natural or legal person. Regularly engaged in the collection and dissemination of information. To the public. Via any means of mass communication. I don’t know about you but it is pretty clear to me that Daphne’s blog falls fair and square within this definition and that would make Daphne a journalist even when she is limited to blogging on the Running Commentary.

2. She has to disclose the source

What is this obsession about the source anyway? It is in fact the most dangerous part of the case being built by Mifsud Bonnici and Lia. Don’t be mistaken because there are no scruples here. We all know that Daphne Caruana Galizia is prepared to go all the way to defend her right to publish information in blog form. Blog and be damned she will. Aaron Mifsud Bonnici knows it, Pawlu Lia knows it and most of all Konrad Mizzi knows it. The very public obnoxious shake up here is not directed at Caruana Galizia but at any potential source. What after all is the use of getting the accused in the libel case to give up the source of the information? Very little really. Except that Mizzi and his team do not care about anything other than putting the fear of god into anyone who might in the future be made to think twice about whether or not to send one of those quickly snapped photos of yet another politicians’ misdemeanors.

Whether a Minister chooses to have an extra-marital fling is a debatable piece of news that can be used in various ways. As any Monica Lewinsky, Lord Boothby or John Profumo might vouch, sexual affairs and politicians rarely are just that. More often than not they have repercussions of a constitutional nature and any self-respecting journalist in his right mind would want to investigate and report.

Sources are paramount for Daphne’s kind of blog that is less pundit and more reportage thanks to a long list of willing suppliers of information that end up being a very informal but well-connected network. Muscat’s men know that the effects of this network can be lethal. Which is why in this case they are not really going for the journalist and editor of the blog. They want to get to the source. They want to put an end to the network of informants and to do so they are prepared to attempt to get the courts of the land to apply a very dangerous and literal-minded precedent.

To conclude. The journalistic profession has not had a good last two decades. When more than two-thirds of the people who get their bread and butter from some form of journalistic work are inextricably linked with the major political parties you tend to get a withering of the power of the fourth estate – one of the important pillars of a democratic society. The lack of respect towards the profession was never more blatant than in moments when journalist credentials were handed out to anybody that the parties needed for a particular stunt. Remember JPO bearing a PN press card in order to harass Alfred Sant in his crocodile tears phase?

The profession needs to win back respect and it can only do so by performing its duty of investigating and monitoring the powers of the nation without letting them interfere. It also deserves all forms of protection from any institutional assault such as this one being orchestrated by Konrad Mizzi.

It is not Daphne Caruana Galizia who is in danger. It is an important cog in the machinery of a democracy and it is the citizens of the democracy who have a right to access all forms of information and weigh it on their own account. For all our sake and for all that we stand for, Daphne’s privates must be saved.

“They’re talking about things of which they don’t have the slightest understanding, anyway. It’s only because of their stupidity that they’re able to be so sure of themselves.”
― Franz Kafka, The Trial

Categories
Mediawatch

Sales Alert

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In between world changing summits our PM is off on a business mission to Algeria. The press photo shows a corny group pic of the delegation standing at the foot of the stairs of an AirMalta plane. The delegation is testosterone heavy with two (visible) token women thrown into the fray. Energy and Health Minister is also on board, presumably to cook up another top secret arrangement the details of which can never be announced because of their economic sensitivity. Meanwhile our PM still cannot explain how his relative issued 7,000 visas for Europe in Algeria. The Algerian government should of course be worried since wherever Konrad Mizzi seems to go for his wheeling and dealing there seems to be a tendency of the government collapsing soon after. One, two, three… Viva l’Algerie!

Categories
Energy Politics

Kliem il-Fieragħ

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“Mhux fjer. Korrotti. Ħbieb tal-Ħbieb. Issa jmiss lilna. Issa daqshekk. Roadmap. Tagħna lkoll. Gvern ta’ Kullħadd. Għal kullħadd. Tagħna lkoll. Neħilsu iċ-ċittadin mil-jasar u mit-tgħakkis tal-kontijiet. Tagħna lkoll. Tagħna lkoll.”

Xi krexxendo sabiħ. Ifjen mill-oħla kant tal-knejjes kattoliċi. Il-kant tal-emmna fejn il-kelma hija il-qofol ta’ kollox. Verbum Dei. Il-kelma issawret fl-imħażen tal-partit u twasslet ma’ l-erbat irjieħ mill-qaddejja tal-mexxej. Għax hekk isiru l-affarijiet. U sabet art għammiela fost ċittadini skuntenti u nibtet iż-żerriegħa tat-tama għax forsi xi darba jmiss lili wkoll. Għax għalhekk għammiela… għammiela bil-bżonnijiet ta’ l-individwi li x’iktarx jiġu ala bieb għajnhom mill-bżonn u ġid komuni.

Imma l-kelma tal-profeta mhix biżżejjed. Kelma torbot fid-dinja tal-irġiel, u l-irġulija tiswa mitqla deheb. Imma mhux dejjem. Jekk int kelmtek tiswa daqs l-arja li toħroġ minn fommok meta tlissinha u daqs dik l-istess arja togħsfor fl-eteru mingħajr ebda xkiel allura tibda titlef il-kredtu. U jekk kelmet il-profeta tal-abbundanza kienet li se jibni kastell fi żmien sentejn u li permezz ta’ dan il-kastell ser iraħħas u jtejjeb ħajjet kullħadd – allura jew tkun dik kelma soda u tajba, jewilla tkun kelma fiergħa.

U jekk biex jurina kemm hu tost u ċert (ċertissimu), il-profeta jaħlef pubblikament fuq it-televiżjoni illi jekk ma jsirux l-affarijiet skont kelmtu allura jwarrab, allura iktar u iktar nippretendu li jekk dak li ingħad li għandu jseħħ ma seħħx għandu iwarrab. Kwistjoni ta’ irġulija jekk xejn. Kwistjoni ta’ kelma li tiswa mitqla deheb. Kwistjoni li tibqa’ titqies ta’ bniedem serju u mhux ta’ bniedem tal-kelma fiergħa.

U x’jiġri jekk il-kastelli li bnejt ikunu biss kastelli fl-arja? X’tiswa iktar kelmtek meta tiċħad is-sewwa magħruf? X’tiswa int u x’jiswew ta’ madwarek jekk tibdew tagħżqu bi kliem iktar fieragħ u faċċjoliżmi minflok ma terfgħu responsabilta li tkunu irbatt ruħek biha?

Muscat kien qal li jirriżenja jekk ma jitlestiex il-power station sa’ Marzu tal-2015. Issa reġa bdielu. Jaf lil jekk lin-nies iwiegħdhom roħs fil-kontijiet – jiġri x’jiġri – jaf iżomm dik l-art għammiela bi kwieta ftit ieħor. Sadattant Mizzi intbagħat jagħżaq b’akkużi oħra dwar għemil il-gvern passat sabiex jiddevja ftit l-attenzjoni minn nuqqasijiet ta’ dak ta’ llum. Għax għadhom jaħsbu li n-nies ċwieċ. Għadhom jgħodduhom bħala boloħ, li basta twiegħdhom ftit ċejċa u jkunu lesti jaħfrulek li tkun gdibtilhom f’wiċċhom.

Għadu, Muscat, ixejrilna il-pipa ta’ Magritte f’wiċċna. Għadu jirkanta kelmtu għal dawk l-imzazen li lesti jixtru bl-irħis. U kull ma jmur dik il-kelma qed titlef il-valur.

Kull ma jmur il-votant qed jitgħallem dan Muscat fiex isarraf.

Categories
Energy

That China Connection

1. From Closed Shop to Open All Hours

In 1405 the Great Emperor Yongle sponsored a massive mission of world exploration that would be captained by the explorer Zheng He. The boats used by these expeditions were among the largest sail powered boats the world had ever seen – by comparison Colombus’ three vessels when he set off for the Indies would measure one-eighth of the Chinese behemoths). This Age of Chinese exploration was brief. The expeditions went far and wide and magnificent gifts were brought back from places such as Malindi in Africa (most memorably a giraffe). The next Emperors though believed that such explorations were a waste of public expense and China would soon close in upon itself and clam up to the world (including an outright ban on sailing ships).

Fast forward to  1793 Lord Macartney made a trip to China in a bid (sponsored by Mad King George) to convince the hermit power to open up to European trade. Emperor Qianlong fobbed off the British entreaty towards openness (See the rather interesting reply here) and while ordering King George III to “tremblingly obey” his wishes Qianlong maintained what would be a short lived policy of closed-shop. The main reason imputed to Qianlong’s decision was that China already had everything it needed.

Fast forward again and watch how in gradual steps starting in the nineteen-eighties Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao transformed China’s outlook towards the world. The giant nation is now a huge force to be reckoned with and is bulging with economic muscle that can be flexed around the world. This time there should be no turning back…

2. Ma Tagħmlu Xejn Ma’ Dr Joseph

Which brings me to the current government’s sudden trysts with the Chinese behemoth. In the run up to the election we already had a Labour delegation scooting up to the new land of opportunity presumably to prepare the preliminaries for deals should they get into government. Nothing wrong in that, at all. The media exercise in recent days has been such as to highlight the fact that Chinese Investement is sought after across the continent and not just by the Taghna Lkoll government. Such news is brilliant for the non-discerning voter of course – and all it took Joseph Muscat was a little trip to a sort of Economic Forum in Dailan China (a sort of young leaders exercise mainly intended to promote China and Chinese economic clout).

The Bulgarian and if I am not mistaken Finnish Prime Minister also attended this little chat to a mostly empty room in Dailan. Attendance was not important from the Maltese perspective though, what really counted were some sound clips from Muscat such as the fact that Europe lacked real leadership or the assumption that “EU PM’s agreed that Chinese investment is important”. The impression given by the press bytes back home was that there was an impromptu EU28 meeting of heads of state in Dalian and that the leaders had all agreed to issue a statement confirming the importance of Chinese investment.

It’s not that Chinese investment is not an attractive opportunity. Not at all. The CIC that basically manages $200 billion in dollars of foreign reserves for the Chinese government and is constantly injecting capital into public and private projects (Joseph Muscat did mention their foray into Thames Water as an example of special national services being sold to the Chinese). “As of August 2013, the CIC has 575.2 billion in assets under management.” (Wikipedia)

One type of investment occurs when Chinese companies buy into European counterparts. I drive a car that’s nominally Swedish (a Volvo) but the manufacturer is owned by Geely Automobile who bought it off another non-European company called Ford. American today, Chinese tomorrow – capital wise that is but still Swedish safety and know-how. So the Chinese companies are attracted by the expertise and know how of the company they are ultimately purchasing. Back in China the purchasing company gets additional credibility through its collaboration. Luxembourg’s Cargolux was under scrutiny for a similar kind of buyout only last week.

Then there is the Maltese MOU with the Chinese authorities. We should premise that nothing is certain about what was exactly agreed and that we have to wait for the details to be stamped out – presumably in a decent parliamentary debate (without the excuse of economically sensitive information shrouding the whole exercise). The first glaring inconsistency in this “investment” is that in the economic world you do not get something for nothing. So if we do know that the Chinese are paying €200 million into Enemalta we need to know what they are getting in return.

Moody’s seem to know more than the media in this respect, here is what they said in their latest report:

In addition, the government recently announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the China Power Investments Corporation (CPIC), one of the five largest state-owned electricity producers in China. As part of the agreement, Shanghai Electric Power, a subsidiary of CPIC will become a minority shareholder in Enemalta, providing the Maltese utility company with a cash injection that will improve its financial position. Enemalta and CPIC also plan to set up a joint venture to produce photo-voltaic units for sale in Malta and across the EU, which would help Malta reach its renewable energy production targets,while providing China with a foothold in the European solar energy market.

Another initiative between both parties is the setting up of a Energy Service Centre that will cater for the maintenance and service of energy production plants in Southern Europe, Turkey, the Gulf and Africa, a venture that is likely to further boost economic activity in Malta.

So if Moody’s are right then the CPIC will provide the “cash injection” and in return set up a “joint venture” to produce PV units in Malta (apart from the Energy Service Centre). Which brings me to the balancing out part of the equation. So the Maltese government has effectively charged a Chinese company 200€ million in order to “allow” it to set up shop in an EU Territory and break into the PV market that is worth trillions of euros last I checked. It does not stop there. The 200€ million give Shangai Electric Power a stake in one of our most important assets – Enemalta – effectively limiting our sovereign independence where energy is concerned.

Many more questions need to be asked about the PV manufacturing plant in Malta. Hopefully these will be done in the right forum in Parliament. Meanwhile the optimism among the Labour crowd is palpable. Joseph Muscat has got Malta a “deal” like some latter day Mintoff and brought much needed money to the Enemalta purse. At what cost though? Are we fully aware of the risks involved and of what really has been sold to the Shangai Electric Power?

As for Moody’s report. It just calls a spade a spade. IF the Labour promises do work out then the outlook is deemed to be good. Call me negative if you will but the most significant paragraph in the report is the following – something none of the media seems to highlight:

We do note, however, that the planned reforms are ambitious and there are risks to its successful implementation. For instance, the building of new infrastructure relies on the interest of private partners, adding a degree of uncertainty as to whether a suitable partner may be identified. Moreover, Enemalta’s financial health could be jeopardised by a premature cut in tariffs should anticipated savings be delayed. Nonetheless, we believe that the sovereign will benefit from a less volatile Enemalta and a more resilient energy sector that is likely to attract greater investment to the country as input costs fall.

Private partners can easily be found if you sell your wares for cheap or if you offer to “prostitute” your sovereignty for a measly cash-injection (Shangai Electric Power are buying into our sovereign Energy for the price of two Welsh International Footballing Superstars – and they get a foothold into the PV market to boot). True the opposition populist taunts of “China with a finger on our Energy button” are still part of the same old same old diatribe but then again other huge alarm bells begin to ring when you notice that our Energy Minister has a not too nuanced China Connection that runs in the family so to speak.

Add to that the wanton nonchalance with which this labour government seems to want to appoint personnel in the diplomatic and economic fields on the basis of what can only be described as nepotism and you can begin to piece together a not so rosy picture.

This government was elected with promise of cheaper light, it seems to be rushing headlong into a tunnel of darkness. And this is not only thanks to the Chinese.

 

Categories
Campaign 2013

The power incumbent

Not many people have pointed out a particular aspect of the Labour party’s grand plans for energy and the utility bills. Scratch that “not many” and think “nobody”. Beyond the partisan exchanges fuelled by marketing vs marketing, beyond all that the voter wishes for (irrespective of, and notwithstanding any critical reasoning) there is a peculiar characteristic of how this particular electoral bomb has unravelled. Let me tell you what that is.

In traditional PLPN discourse, Labour’s major “flaw” in its presentation has nothing to do with the lesser (though not less important) flaws of planning and detail. The major flaw is that this is the kind of project that is normally announced, embarked upon and bungled AFTER a party is elected to government. How is that a “flaw”? Well it would have been a flaw in strategic terms because under normal electoral circumstances Muscat would have got away with his tired phrase of “Inrahhsu l-kontijiet” plus a few clues about new power sources &c &c. Instead, also thanks to the dynamics of this particular election, we got the pre-project plans (yes, even if they are desktop plans) as a taster while in full election mode.

Labour is not in government. But imagine the PN had presented its White Rocks Sports Park project, SmartCity or Arriva plans with a Manuel Delia instead of Konrad Mizzi. Imagine Delia’s powerpoint on Xarabank with all the aiding and abetting of Peppi or Lou. Would things have been different? I doubt it. Political parties do not go into detail about their plans and projects before they are elected to government for two reasons:

(1) Because they can. They can afford to be superficial and speak in glowing marketing terms while burying any serious criticism under the carpet because this is a zero-sum game. It remains US vs THEM and reason has nothing to do with why they will get the ultimate voters preference. Labour can yell all it likes about efficiency and cancer but the truth remains that no matter how many technical flaws are found in its plan many many voters have already decided to go for them – because it’s either Joseph or MorePN.

(2) Latent Incumbency. I know we normally speak of the power of incumbency BEFORE an election. Government makes use (abuses) of its powers to favour the gain of potential votes. In this case the incumbency is useful for projects once you are IN government. MEPA permits? Directives? Seveso? It’s all relative. When it’s a plan for an aspirant governor that’s one thing but when you are in government you can conveniently play around these issues. Take the much touted SEVESO Directive on safety. It’s all ok for Miles Seaman to come and tell us about the need of insurance and strict safety compliance (more than ok actually) but then where have the PN consultants and experts been when we have had firework factory after firework factory blowing up in our faces?

Had Labour been elected (or once it is elected, to make the flag waving Historians, Musicians and Porta-Pundits of the world happy) many of the serious objections to its plan (and by that I mean security, safety, environment even before I start counting Euros) would be brushed aside because once in government YOU CAN. That’s the point really that should be drummed into all the asthma sufferers in the South. Once in government MEPA permits can be pressured into being, once in government a few “managerial” words about “one-stop shop permits, fast tracking, efficiency” will easily mask lax controls and the bending of the laws to the incumbents needs.

Need more proof? Ask the birds (or better the conservationists unless you meet some particularly intelligent Myna). Sure I am scandalised when I hear Mizzi dismissing legal requirements with all his talk about focus groups, expression of intent and roadshow politics but isn’t Mizzi just giving us more of the same? Same, same just different.

There is no real control of government and its power unless you get a fluke situation like the Franco Debono / Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando trap that GonziPN and its spin friends walked into in 2008.

This blog has recently faced an increased assault of being “nationalist” or “passive” simply because it has never wavered from criticising the criticisable. At this stage in the electoral campaign we still believe that both mainstream parties are pushing gimmicks rather than policies in the most populist of manners.

A concrete, long-term energy plan in the national environmental and economic interest will never be the bastard son of this election. Instead whoever is elected will soldier on with their particular version of energy plan basted together out of god knows what interests and god knows what political point of expediency.

And guess what. You’ll be voting them in. Thanks. But no thanks.

 

Categories
Campaign 2013

Voting for Spiridion

You would not believe me but this election has many many echoes of 2008. This government is bending over backwards in order to show the voters how much change it has already brought into place and there is no doubt that some sort of progress has been achieved. On the other hand this blog was pointing out the deficiencies of an outdated electoral system, of an outdated election rules system, of ridiculous plans for voters abroad, of the race to emptiness and of the victory of relativist thinking back in 2008. In 2008 we pointed out the dangers of anything goes appeasing promises and also in 2008 declaring a vote for AD meant that you would be labelled a vote waster (at least that).

Well it’s 2013 and short of being told “we’d have loved to change things” (and should we believe them?) nothing much has changed. Forget AD and its nine candidates for thirteen districts (where there really no other possible candidates in Gozo?) for a minute. Just concentrate on the roadshow with which we have been regaled until now. We are stuck in the”energy” point of the agenda right now and yesterday’s Xarabank is as good a measure as any for the sort of discourse we are facing. I watched the first two debates and I must admit that the wrangling match of harridan yells vs confused tired metaphors between Marlene Farrugia and Beppe Fenech Adami destroyed any will I had to soldier on. Earlier we had to watch a reprise of Mizzi vs Fenech. It was anything but a debate.

It is evident by now that Mizzi (and Labour) have exhausted all that they have to say about their plan (I won’t call it magic). We will not get any more details notwithstanding the fact that the few level-headed individuals who dare brave the partisan mire to find anything more about the idea will only be regaled with a power point presentation that skims the surface and very blatantly omits details. Don’t ask Marlene about them because like Anglu (the other Farrugia) she is not technical and she will just yap away like a baritone chihuahua about “il-Maltin jahdmu”, “il-kancer” and other soundbites that are nothing more than rabble rousing. Mizzi – the techinical chosen one – is nothing better. He is like a roughly  prepared student who for a moment thought he found a short cut through the exam. Once you try to delve further he comes up with a million and one shenanigans from the “Shame on you Mr Minister” to the “Don’t Panic” (what’s with the panic fixation on both sides anyway?). His face twitches like a cross between Gollum and Wally  and his last resort is again populist rabble rousing.

Not that the nationalists inspire much confidence either. They are experts at rubbishing plans and character assassinations (hence Joseph’s “Let’s be nice to each other ” ploy which when coupled with his constant historical revisionism makes one want to retch violently all over a billboard) but have obviously got too many skeletons in their cupboard when it comes to energy. Thank God for a holistic European Energy programme that perchance requires a pipeline connection to Malta (to increase access) otherwise if it were for them we’d be moving with the painful slow conservative pace to which they have accustomed us in other fields (Cirkewwa terminal? Mater Dei? Social Rights? Electoral Reform?). no amount of arrogant scaremongering should be able to deviate the attention from the fact that the only party that has consistently and constantly had clear policies and objectives on energy and Malta’s plans for the future is the one that is given eight minutes per programme on PBS.

I say SHOULD though. Because from what I am noticing viewers are wired otherwise. The Energy plan by Labour has been greeted by the disgruntled with enthusiasm that just falls short of the flag waving jews who greeted the donkey riding Messiah on his way into Jerusalem. Even those who eventually smelt that this could be a rat waved the suspicion away with a worrying nonchalance. Their reasoning? Even if Labour’s plan is flawed it is better than the status quo. Donkey riding Messiahs wept.

I don’t give two hoots about the Nationalist criticism of Mizzi’s plan. I was ready to listen. I did my research and reading online trying to understand what he was on. Glossaries of terms became my bedside reading for a night or two. Then he looms onto a Xarabank podium and when questioned he comes up with “google it” or “fittex fil-pagna ta’ Puillicino” or worse still he quotes a comment by a retired professor on a blog on an online newspaper. So much for “intom sibtuh fil-Yellow pages”, this one does most of his research in social media. In the end the impression I got over a couple of programmes was that Mizzi had a script that was short and unprepared and that when he noticed there would be other questions he panicked. His failure to delve deeper reminded me of a forgotten politician.

But there are many who are convinced by his show. So I have a question… mainly for these people… would they vote for Spiridione Sant? Who? Spiridione. The great Spiridione Sant. Independent candidate of past elections who passed away recently. Spiridione, the one who loved to speak about Malta Taghna Lkoll (ta’ Malta u ta’ Ghawdex)  is probably busy singing the Innu Malti in heaven. Have a look at this clip (particularly from 3 minuites onward and more particularly from 4 minutes onward) and see the poor man shooting number and concepts in an evident attempt at impressing (he probably found “average” quite a managerial word). After watching think… would you have voted for Spiridione Sant? Then think. Why don’t I ask the same question about Konrad Mizzi and his plan? Am I entitled to ask for more proof?

Don’t worry though. If you really want the nationalists out of the way (or the status quo to be bettered with a faulty plan) then go ahead… Vote Spiru!