Yet again, the Nationalist government and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi have beenpublicly embarrassed by oneof its backbenchers, Franco Debono.

This time, however, the way he embarrassed the PM is worse since by threatening that he would no longer support the government.

I will not suggest to the Prime Minister what he should do because he surely knows how to handle the situation and what is good for the country.

I wish I would be proved wrong, but I feel Dr Gonzi is experiencing what his predecessor, Alfred Sant, experienced as prime minister in 1997-98 at the hands of Dom Mintoff.

Dr Sant knew that he could not continue to govern as long as the former party leader continued to snipe at him. Dr Sant decided to call a snap election.

The same, or worse, is happening to Dr Gonzi right now. Unless Dr Debono is brought to heel, the government is likely to be defeated and lose the next general election.

I believe that Dr Gonzihas only two options: one is to appease Dr Debono all theway, and then expect otherbackbenchers to threaten the government in the same way; the other is to tell Dr Debono to shut up or resign, and call an early election. I would choose the latter option, even at the cost of losing the election.

Although I am not a lawyer, I am sure that Dr Debono’s suggestions regarding justice reform are very valid.

I am equally convinced that he is a bright and established criminal lawyer, but since he is also a politician he must follow party rules and press for justice reform through the proper channels, and not by firing off ultimatums and taking advantage of the government’s one-seat majority to achieve his ends, because that is tantamount to blackmail.

One expects some government backbenchers to be unhappy, but then one also expects them to behave responsibly.