No one is irreplaceable

Franco Mercieca should have read the tea leaves and seen his future.

This is purely a matter of ‘terms and conditions’.

It is a condition of employment of a parliamentary secretary that he gives up his professional commitments to accept the job, plain and simple.

It is no use saying “I am too important to cease work”. No one is irreplaceable, no one.

He should have, within his professional circle, an able understudy who might carry on if Mr Mercieca was no longer available to work.

If Mr Mercieca is adamant about wanting to continue his profession then he should tender his resignation from the parliamentary secretary’s post. It is one or the other, pure and simple. No need for waivers or exemptions unless it’s a case of life or death.