Behind the scenes

If you want a full house, roll in the TV cameras. The short debate before the Budget speech yesterday was unusually upbeat, with tempers flaring and swords crossing – all this was possible because MPs were actually present in the House.

After a heated exchange on Birkirkara’s closed health centre between Labour MP Joe Debo­no Grech, Deputy Speaker Louis Deguara joked: “This debate is certainly more interesting than usual... if we have television in here every day there’ll be more of you to ask questions.”

First in the House were party whips, PN’s David Agius and PL’s Joe Mizzi. There were some other early birds – Edwin Vassallo, Chris Said and Charlo Bonnici (PN) and Gino Cauchi, Anġlu Farrugia and Luciano Busuttil (PL).

At 6 p.m. sharp – with only a score of MPs present – the House bell rang. Everyone was made to rise, make the sign of the cross and say the Our Father and Hail Mary. By 6.30 p.m. the rest of the MPs scuttled in and swiftly made their way to their seats. Franco Debono’s click-clacking shoes could be heard echoing through the corridor while Dr Farrugia forgot his reading specs and had to have them delivered.

The last on inside the House was Stephen Spiteri (PN). He sat down, chatted to fellow MP Jesmond Mugliett, made a couple of phone calls and then settled down for some mobile texting.

Amid a flurry of photographers and cameras, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech walked in with his suitcase. He started his speech and most of the MPs settled down reading their copy of the Budget. The Strangers’ Gallery was packed with enthusiastic first-year law students, but half an hour into the speech most had left.

Occasionally, the government side engaged in some “approval banging” on the tables. Some PL MPs had some tête-à-tête. Alfred Sant could be seen laughing to himself as he read through the Budget booklet.

The bar was pretty much empty, most of the time: everyone seemed to be on best behaviour in front of the state broadcaster’s cameras.