Poor Godfrey Farrugia. He is partnered with Marlene Farrugia, the Labour-turned-Independent MP who is as vociferous as they come. But that is not why commiserations are in order. Rather, his predicament is deserving of sympathy because he also happens to be the Labour Party Whip.

This means he must at times feel like he is perched on a very rusty brand of barbed wire fencing, where it is impossible to avoid injury. For over two years Marlene Farrugia had been taking potshots at Labour, before finally walking away, and now he must live with a scenario where she will continue to do that from a different seat.

He faces dilemmas on two fronts: domestically, when he is in fundamental disagreement with his partner’s actions; but, more significantly from his party’s point of view, where he finds himself in total agreement with her. What is he to do? Shut up? Tough, because he’s the Whip. Speak out? Tougher, because he’s the Whip.

So what’s the alternative? To fudge it, as he did over the past week after the ridiculous overnight session in Parliament that ended up approving what has been described as Malta’s American University (AUM)?

Last May, Godfrey Farrugia came out against the government’s proposal to transfer land at Żonqor Point in Marsascala – including a substantial portion of virgin land – to Sadeen Education Investment Ltd to develop this project.

He was certainly in good company. Not only was Marlene Farrugia among the objectors, but a new environmental protest group was formed in reaction to the project – Front Ħarsien ODZ, which last June organised the biggest environmental demonstration ever seen. Godfrey Farrugia had initially said he would attend, before having second thoughts.

His position was no less uncomfortable in recent days, when he voted in favour of the project despite calling on his government to be “much more cautious” about integrating environmental considerations when it comes to making decisions on future projects.

His justification? “My role as Whip reflects the diverse opinions of the Labour Parliamentary Group and I need to ethically respect that.” It was telling that he felt the need to add that the decision was his alone and that “no one imposed it on me”.

There are two issues with such a non-position: one is that he will lose credibility with a sector of society he seems naturally inclined to support and who saw him as a voice of reason in a party that is being accused of trampling on the environment in the name of economic prosperity; secondly, it seems plain obvious that he is not going to be able to maintain such a position forever. This government still has at least two years to run and there are likely to be several more thorny issues that are going to prick his conscience.

What is he going to do when this happens? He may fudge the next one. But the one after that? And after that? By the time the election comes his reputation could well be in tatters.

But his more pressing problem is to deal with the matter at hand. The Opposition, feeling they have wind in their sails, are arguing that this project is “not a university after all” – while Marlene Farrugia has accused the government of acting like a feudal lord that is “disposing of irreplaceable and priceless national assets, when clear alternatives exist.”

Is it possible that Godfrey Farrugia feels in his heart of hearts they are both wrong? His position is poor indeed.

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