In an interview with The Times (May 19), the Malta Labour Party's secretary general, Jason Micallef, categorically denied that Labour leader Alfred Sant ever mentioned the word sriep (snakes).
"I can deny in the most categorical way that Dr Sant ever used that word, and while I deny it, I challenge you or anyone else to find where Alfred Sant had used the term snake even once in public - be it in a political activity, a meeting in a party club... I am being categorical, I assume responsibility, if you can prove to me that he used that word I'll resign. Can I be more categorical than that?" Mr Micallef said.
It seems the Labour secretary general has a very short memory.
May I refresh Mr Micallef's memory?
During an MLP mass meeting in Hamrun (February 17, 2006) Dr Sant used the word sriep and he did so more than once. This is word for word what Dr Sant had said:
"Li hawn ghoggieba u hawn sriep li jghidulna li tal-Lejber ma ghandhom xejn gdid x'joffru (pause)... tal-Lejber mhumiex differenti u ma jistghux ikunu differenti mill-gvern ta' Gonzi (pause)... tal-Lejber qed jipproponu affarijiet li diga saru jew qed isiru (pause)... u jghidu dawn l-ghoggieba u dawn is-sriep tal-Lejber qed jaghmlu proposti fis-shab u xejn prattiku fihom (pause)... minn naha taghna lil dawn l-ghoggieba u lil dawn is-sriep diga tajthom risposta fl-ahhar konferenza generali tal-Lejber". (Loosely translated: That there are weirdoes and there are snakes who say that the Labour Party has nothing new to offer, that Labour is not different and cannot be different from the Gonzi Administration. Labour is proposing things that have already been done or that are being done... these weirdoes and these snakes say that Labour is putting forth empty promises and nothing practical, and we tell these weirdoes and these snakes that we have already given them an answer during Labour's general conference.)
The word sriep was mentioned three times in a row in one political activity. Mr Micallef was there standing exactly behind him and when asked later for his comments he said:
"Il-Mexxej Laburista meta jitkellem iqis hafna d-diskors li jaghmel; jipprepara hafna u assolutament kellhu r-ragunijiet tieghu ghalfejn qal hekk." (When the Labour leader speaks he is very careful on what he says; he prepares himself well and he had absolutely enough reason to say what he said.)
May I remind Mr Micallef that there were more instances during which Dr Sant mentioned the word sriep. Another occasion was in the closing speech during the MLP's general conference in January 2006, which speech was reported on the MLP website. Under the heading Proposti Konkreti (Concrete proposals) reference was made to Dr Sant's speech:
"Il-Mexxej Laburista qal li hawn hafna sriep li se jibqghu jghidu li l-Partit Laburista mhu jipproponi xejn gdid. Dan izda mhu veru xejn." (The Labour leader said there are many snakes who are saying that Labour is proposing nothing new. This is not true at all.)
As if that weren't enough, Dr Sant made yet another reference to sriep, this time in his Sunday column on the General Workers' Union's weekly It-Torca (April 18, 2006).
"Il-poplu lest jaghtina l-fiducja tieghu hafna aktar milli hassbu s-sriep u l-ghoggieba li ppruvaw jaqtghu qalb il-Laburisti u c-cittadini l-ohra ta' rieda tajba." (In contrast with what the snakes and the weirdoes, who attempt to discourage Labourites and citizens of goodwill, would like to think, the people are willing to give us their support.)
It is, therefore, incredible that Mr Micallef denied that his leader ever mentioned the word sriep and had the cheek to challenge The Times journalist that if he could prove that Dr Sant ever mentioned that word he would resign.
Faced with ample proof, I would like to know what Mr Micallef has to say now.