Opinion swayers

Our newspapers are replete with two types of opinion-swayers.

There are those (like Ranier Fsadni, for instance) who, though involved with one party, try to be objective in their writing. Which doesn't mean one necessarily agrees with their views, but at least one respects their attempts at objectivity and welcomes their commitment to a clean way of commenting about politics and the political class.

Then there are others, certainly endowed with less intellectual prowess, whose pieces are at times thinly veiled attempts at demonisation. Usually the object of this latter exercise is Alfred Sant.

A courageous man from Birkirkara has decided to do his bit to make up for the imbalance by writing, with admirable tirelessness, about Dr Sant's positive traits. I'm referring to Desmond Zammit Marmarà who has been lately attacked for repeatedly taking a stance which puts Dr Sant in an objectively positive light. I must congratulate Mr Zammit Marmarà publicly for his determination in the face of outright, vexing, biased and baseless harassment. Well done!

I'll be very frank. I don't think Dr Sant really needs anyone to defend him. The public knows he is straight-forward, honest, decent and, in the ultimate analysis, fair. Unfortunately, his detractors do not always live up to these standards.

Mr Zammit Marmarà has also proven himself to be very open. He declared he wants to see Dr Sant in government, because he believes in the man, his policies and the party he leads. Taken in this perspective, Mr Zammit Marmarà is exercising his democratically guaranteed right to air his views as a politically aware citizen, trying to convince his fellow citizens that the best choice is Labour. I never read a single line written by Mr Zammit Marmarà in which he is obnoxious with respect to the PN or any Nationalist exponent. Like Ranier Fsadni, Mr Zammit Marmarà tries to offer a clean way of commenting about politics.

I would like publicly to invite all those columnists who heckle Dr Sant to declare whether they have any vested interest - that is, a motivation distinct from pure, candid patriotic fervour - in keeping the PN in government. They should tell the public at large whether they or persons easily associated with them are political appointees who owe their appointment to the PN administration.

That way the public at large will be able to gauge the credit worthiness of their writings.

The public will obviously draw its conclusions, whether they reply or keep their silence.