The ‘political executions’ of Carm Mifsud Bonnici and Richard Cachia Caruana were two shameful and disgraceful acts. The fact that in order to carry out the jobs the opposition was abetted by MPs from the government side makes it worse.

Those who still believe the Nationalist Party is not in disarray are in denial- Michael Falzon

These episodes throw a dark reflection on the current political class which has stooped to a historic low, in spite of promises about politics being pursued in a fresh new way.

The opposition has found willing allies in a number of government MPs who clearly opted to further their own personal agenda in the full knowledge that their own political lives will soon be over. The Prime Minister’s opposition within his own party is turning out to be more vicious than that proffered by Labour which revealed its ruthless streak and, ironically, could end up more damaged than advantaged with this turn of events.

However, this is not just some Calabrian tragedy with envy and vengeance being the main protagonists, as many would have it.

There is much more to it than that and it would be even more tragic if those who believe in the PN’s cause were to confuse what are essentially symptoms with the real malaise.

It is no coincidence that these developments occurred under the watch of the current PN leader, nor is it realistic to say that he happens to be a very unlucky man.

One could argue that, in life, luck tends to even itself out and his lucky ascent to the top was to be bedevilled later by constant bad luck. This is a too simplistic and naïve way at looking at the PN’s fortunes in the past decade and it is time for all genuine PN supporters to face the truth.

The truth is that the current leadership has failed to inspire its own party, that it has bumbled along rather than led from the front and that it has ignored too much the advice of those who wish the party well, turning it into an exclusive club only for those who follow blindly the edicts from Castille, no questions asked.

When Lawrence Gonzi was elected PN leader, I sought to meet him for a few minutes at his ministry in the few days before he was sworn Prime Minister. I duly met him, congratulated him on his victory in the leadership race and was presumptuous enough to offer him some unsolicited advice: I told him never to forget he was now leader of all the party, not of just those who voted for him but also of those who disagreed with his election.

His coterie of advisers, however, managed to send the opposite message: that there was no place for those who disagreed with the choice of leader and there was no place for people who dare question the wisdom in his decisions or indecisions. They have sown the wind and are now reaping the whirlwind.

A few MPs have openly rebelled against the substance and style of this leadership but I know – as I often meet and talk informally to many of them – that there are a greater number of MPs who are publicly suffering in silence out of loyalty to the party and to their constituents, as well as because they have not given up on their political careers. There should be no doubt, however, that those who still believe the Nationalist Party is not in disarray are in denial.

I am a card carrying PN member (tesserat) and my loyalty to the party principles is not in doubt. When I was younger I did all I could in the interest of my country and my party and at my age, I am not after anything except seeing the PN in its rightful place in Malta’s political spectrum.

My only wish is that I will still be alive when the PN rises from the ashes, phoenix-like, and inspire people by putting its principles in practice rather than trying to be too clever by half.

Some have not missed the irony in the fact that the Prime Minister had to spend the day after the Cachia Caruana debacle with Marija Hammett, winner of the so-called ‘Be Prime Minister for a day’ initiative.

This was a silly gimmick from day one and I refrained from saying anything about it as it deserved nothing but ridicule.

On Tuesday, I received an e-mail inviting me to follow the Prime Minister ‘on one of his busy days’ and to ‘join the excitement and see what the Prime Minister is up to.’ Is the PN administration for real?

More annoying was the fact that Ms Hammett’s claim to fame rests on an even more ridiculous idea: compulsory courses on parenting skills! This is not about learning how to change nappies but about how parents should raise their children – a most personal experience if there ever was one.

This is the ultimate nanny state imposition and flies in the face of the PN’s belief in the dignity of the individual as the inspiration of its political beliefs.

micfal@maltanet.net