I refer to Joseph A. Muscat’s contribution of May 7 wherein he stated that I made a “false allegation” when, in the film Dear Dom I stated that “one of the issues that provoked the medical strike in 1977 was the insistence of the Mintoff government on newly qualified doctors giving two years service in public hospitals without pay”.

It seems that the main premise in my reasoning was totally missed by Mr Muscat. This was that, although many were the issues presented, the real reason that provoked the strike was Mr Mintoff’s yearning to have a return match to the one he had lost in 1955/58.

Mr Muscat chose to pick on the detail and took umbrage to my statement that the Mintoff government insisted on an unpaid service. I attended all MAM meetings then and this was the way it was brandished when initially promoted. That pre-registration services eventually came at a price, that this was also accepted in 1987, and that this is now unquestioned current practice throws no light whatsoever as to where the “plain truth” lies.

“False” is a very strong word, Mr Muscat.