I told you so!

I do not like saying "I told you so!" but I told you so two weeks ago. You don't need to be very clever. The secretary general of the General Workers' Union had his untimely rabble-rouser as a curtain raiser to the reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth. It was very much like a fanfare if you like. He shouted and ranted and threatened and intimidated and promised. His gullible followers cheered and waved their fists, delirious at his pledge to topple the government.

Tony Zarb threatened employers with physical intimidation (what a phrase!) if they obstructed his work-to-rule directive in any way. "All the workers would go behind their door", he said. As if he represents all the workers in the first place. He does not even have the support of the other unions.

But, of course, he is very pleased with himself. Witness the way he wryly looked at the Net TV camera all the time. He had his field day and it pleased him. He probably had illusions of leading the country from Castille. You could just see it. He was joined on his side in these illusions by the man with the moustache and the man with the brown zipped jersey.

It was the man in the brown zipped jersey who stole the show at Malta International Airport when the CHOGM delegates were arriving earlier that week. Pupu ta' l-Ewropa (Europe's puppet) he said with regard to the Prime Minister or the government, when Net TV's Karl Stagno Navarra asked what the secretary general, the man in the moustache and himself were doing distributing leaflets at the arrivals lounge, and then was not capable of supporting this statement. He was quickly shut up and shut out by his boss who promised that they would not give in to Mr Stagno Navarra's bait (by becoming rude or whatever).

But, what a farce. The top officials of the country's largest trade union, in home Sunday morning wear, distributing leaflets just like the girls in costume do in Republic Street, Valletta. These leaflets, I presume, contained information on the surcharge on water and electricity consumption. As if delegates from Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Kiribati, Fiji Islands, Nauru, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, St Kitts and Nevis, Vanuatu, etc (does anyone know where they are?) could give a toss.

These union men should be making their own concrete and practical proposals as to how the unfortunate situation in the country - higher oil prices, unemployment and so on - should be solved.

Running around in the streets and handing out pieces of papers will not solve anything. But then when offered the opportunity to submit concrete proposals at the MCESD meeting, the GWU just sat back and disagreed with what everybody else had agreed to. But then it could not go contrary to its mission statement by agreeing with everybody else, could it? I mean, the GWU could be right in its demands but there are ways and ways in pursuing such demands. Threats are no longer fashionable or effective. They went out with the dodo.

Also untimely was the letter in The Times by none other than the president of the governing Nationalist Party, demanding that Queen Elizabeth apologises for the internment and deportation of a number of Maltese during World War II. I will not go into the merits as to whether an apology is due or not. I have very strong views on the terrible episode itself, as well as the utter nonsense written by Victor Spiteri and others in The Times subsequent to the letter, and perhaps will express them on another occasion. But Mr Scerri's demand was a very unfortunate prelude to the Queen's state visit. He is entitled to do this both as a citizen of Malta and also as president of the party in government, but could not the party have expressed its views, to say the least, in a diplomatic and private manner, rather than spreading it in the press?

The Prime Minister later said that Dr Scerri wrote in his personal and not official capacity and that The Times had added the official nomenclature. But why was this not explained immediately the letter was published? And what does the editor of this newspaper have to say about the PM's version? It reported the statement and the historical facts in a very true and objective manner, but that's all. There is a bit too much bungling going on.

No bungling took place in the organisation of the Queen's state visit and of CHOGM, however. Everything (except, reportedly, the spectacular opening show) worked to perfection. The main priority was surely security arrangements and I am proud of our police, army and other forces not only for their organisation but also for their courtesy towards the public. If I were the Commissioner of Police, just thinking of the real situation I had before me would give me the shivers. Well done all. We have shown so many countries larger than ours that not only can we do things as well as them but even better.

Editor's note: In signing his letter Victor Scerri included his designation of President, PN General Council.