Somewhat of a shrill

By now, everyone and her sister knows about his brothers. PS Chris Said's I mean, the ones standing accused of some pretty nasty things. That's as may be, and the unanimous opinion of the media is that Dr Said in no way has anything to answer for, as he is known as one of the good guys - in fact, the mainstream media, as far as I could see, ignored the connection, because it would have been manifestly unfair for him to be tarred even slightly with this brush.

You'd have thought that this was where the matter would end, as far as the politics of the thing go.

Nope, not as far as Malta Today goes it doesn't. Not content with reporting, sympathetically it has to be said, the fact that Dr Said had told his PM about the matter as soon as he got to know about it and been told to carry on doing his job as a parliamentary secretary, MT saw fit to get more than slightly picky about the matter and treated us to a bit of pontificating about how he should have offered his resignation.

I mean, come on, guys, he told his boss, who told him to get on with it. What is that if not offering a resignation in all but name? And did we have to get a mini-sermon from the mount about how the rest of the media had ignored the case, for all the world as if MT and its stable-mate were pitching for the Pulitzer?

A bit shrill, wouldn't you say?

Mr Leo Brincat, Labour MP, wrote that "(they) have been arguing all along that since Joseph Muscat took over at the helm of the Labour Party the democratic left and progressive forces on the island have been reinventing themselves". This prompts a number of questions.

Starting out: with whom have they been arguing this particular toss? Does anyone not think that Labour hasn't been reinventing itself, virtually on a revolving door basis, since the day Dom Mintoff decided he'd had enough of throwing his weight around?

We've had so many versions of Labour, from the Soldiers of Steel, through the Aristocracy of the Workers, to New Labour to New Labour Squared, that count has been lost.

And that's not to mention the contortions that have been pulled to try to convince the less democratic left (we all know who they are) that the "democratic left" should run the show.

And maybe get them elected.

Then there's this idea about "the democratic left", which prompts swine like me to muse about the possibility that there's an undemocratic left (see above). Was it such a good idea to raise that particular spectre?

Moving on, Mr Brincat betrays his 1960s-radical perspective on life by letting slip a buzz-phrase from those halcyon days, when loon pants and massive hair were all the rage "Progressive forces on the island", so help me, what next, Che Guevara T-shirts and tie-dye bell-bottom jeans?

In the manner of Lil'Elves everywhere, Mr Brincat went on to develop his argument by pointing out that "these Nationalists (the ones who, according to him, are seeing Dr Muscat as not such a bad thing) are the same people who used to relish reading the columns of certain high-flying government-backed and fed "independent" columnists and who now feel that, especially in a particular case, their vitriolic writing is now proving to be counterproductive".

I assume that I fall into the category of purveyors of counterproductive vitriol, the consolation being that I am high-flying. I'm not too clear what Mr Brincat expects me to do know: fall on my sword, I suppose, or run away squealing because no-one loves me any more. Enough of the hagiography, friend, it's embarrassing for you.

But then, this is a party that comes up with a marketing plan for its own mobile phone operation (we should be thankful for small mercies, at least it's not a supermarket) that was sent back to the drawing board because of a pretty elementary blooper. It then took them another week of brainstorming to come up with Red Touch Phone - hope this one hasn't passed its use-by date too, otherwise we'll have to wait a couple of months for the new kid on the block to join the party.

On lighter notes, do please remember that Voices time has rolled around again. Sourpusses and whiners need not apply because they'll just spoil the fun for the rest of us and it's a great evening for a good cause.

And while on the subject of evenings, next time you're in Xagħra and in the mood for a light and casual drink and something to eat, try the Olympic Bar, opposite Cini's Service Station (the one which should be sub-titled Aladdin's Cave). Good fun, in an unpretentious pizza or salad and a beer way.

imbocca@gmail.com

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