On Saturday, a number of thousands went to Valletta to protest against Premier Joseph Muscat's decision to site a "university" at Zonqor Point, a tract of land that is outside the development zone - ODZ in jargon.

On Sunday, Premier Muscat let it be known that he had smelled the coffee, though he didn't say it in so many words, lest people like me pick up the reference to the Cafe' Premier scandal that has been outshone by the Old Mint and Other Areas Gaffe, that had outshone the Sai Mizzi Lang's husband's wife's outrage and so on and so forth.

Premier Muscat is reported to have said that he is mindful of the protests and that he is seeking "sensible options", but that he would not be stopped from making tough decisions to protect the national interest, an interest that is defined by monetary terms, clearly. He went on to raise the spectre of austerity and cut-backs if the economy goes South, which he seems to think it might if the South doesn't get the investment of a new "university" in the ODZ.

This refrain had already been warbled by Premier Muscat's Trolls & Lil'Elves even as the virtual ink was drying on the reports of the thousands who had gone along to protest about the "university", who as a man were chirruping about how the nasty Nat tree-huggers were trying to oppose the project because the South would benefit from it.

It remains to be seen, then, the extent to which the coalescence of the righteous that was seen on Saturday will actually achieve anything. Premier Muscat has already appeased the less discerning by saying (but only saying) that he will listen, but I suspect that with the torpor of summer approaching, he will charge on regardless and come the autumn, we will have a shiny new "university" so far down the planning route that nothing will stop it.

An attentive reader will have noticed that I keep putting "inverted commas" around the word 'university': this is because despite the assurances of luminaries of no less breathtaking distinction than former security consultant Martin Scicluna, I have little confidence that the establishment that will be shoved down our throats in Zonqor will actually be a university as it should really be.

It's not only our physical environment that is threatened by Premier Muscat's project, our educational environment is also under threat.

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