This sub-title was not inspired by guns and roses although careful concentration may result in some realisation of relation between the two couples.

The leader of the nation is apparently not finding it easy to place all his political family eggs in one basket. If I may be allowed to use another analogical exaggeration, there is a possibility that the above examples are not unrelated to pairing reluctance.

It seems that administrative fidgety eggs are rattling in their housing.

First there was the sad story of the ministers and parliamentary secretaries turned backbenchers by SMS. People may use the strategies they like, but I would have never clumsily dismissed from ministerial duties valid persons who had tried hard - even if their best was not sufficient. I would have called each one to my office and, in a toned down voice, said something like: "Listen, my friend, erm, you know, you have not done too badly but I think that fresher party MPs should have a chance. It's not as if a ministerial or parliamentary secretary's job changes every week like musical chairs but you have had a good go at the job and why not accept pantisocracy?"

This may all be true, but people habituated to receiving a certain social admiration and participating in parabasic political pomp simply can't be bade an electronic adieu by SMS. In my opinion it will take some time for these gentlemen to forget and forgive.

Then there is the vice versa matter. If a newcomer had to replace an old nail, why not a newcomer who has done well in votes? Ok, some people may say that a Prime Minister is not obliged to choose ministers and parliamentary secretaries according to their popularity with the voters. Yes, but a Prime Minister, by the same argument, may create several ministries without portfolio. In my opinion, if a candidate has worn out his cookies trying to obtain thousands of votes for the party, he deserves more than a superficial "well-done mate." It is difficult for a popular candidate to be told to be a pageboy at a wedding and not feel furious about it.

Then comes the rehabilitation saga of a minister who was dismissed, treated unkindly, placed in a freezer, pardoned when he had nothing to pardon, and remade minister. To me it sounds too much like trying to make an egg be an omelette at one moment and a hard boiled egg the next moment. Here again, sporadic strategy cannot hold uncooperative eggs in one united household in the face of the unnerving feeling of insecure political family union brought about by one's own awkwardness.

Clumsiness and chaos

The water and electricity saga could have been handled much better. The idea was to impose high rates followed by their reduction - which in the past looked like kindness. The Maltese seem to have become suspicious of punishment interruptus and are throwing back strategic generosity - or decreased unkindness - into the face of its transparent originator.

Pre-pairing strategy was also used in the "opposition Speaker" case. This would have wreaked havoc with the power of resistance of the opposition (and, thus, a governing party xalata) rendering strong hands stronger while the household eggs trying to create some active disgruntlement, would have been shown the thumb-to-nose grimace.

But there was another clever card to play. Some failed politicians were wagging their tails hoping to be regaled with Presidential duties. But the lightning bolt came with a thud and a social democrat was selected to be the next President.

The idea was to expect some pairing consideration from the opposition - which smelled a ratty scheme and declared itself happy with the choice, while, in its turn, showing the thumb-to-nose grimace in reaction to the "logical" expectation of pairing.

The problem did not end there. For the rattling eggs in the housing declared that never should a President have been picked from a leftish opposition as this was an admission of opposition validity - a previously hotly contested thesis. Thus, an apparently clever move brought about more loss than profit. To make matters worse, the disgruntled and some of the peacefully acquiescent, were not very excited about the invitation to discuss a new Presidency and discovering that it was just a fait accompli where consultation had become dreary information.

There aren't a thousand solutions to this thorny situation. The country definitely needs pairing in Parliament and the longer this takes, the shakier things may become. Perhaps more mature compromises should be considered - including the respect for meritocracy as proof of belief in democracy.

Dr Licari teaches psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and geolinguistics at the Department of French of the University of Malta.