I cannot stomach the way some prominent Nationalists, possibly foremost among them MEP Simon Busuttil, are trying to make political mileage from the humanitarian situation that is developing in neigbouring Libya.

To listen to Dr Busuttil on Xarabank on TVM, as well as the only lady on the panel, one would be forgiven to think that the splendid job that tiny Malta has done and is still doing to help with the human tragedy was all and exclusively the Prime Minister’s doing. It is not.

It is true that the buck invariably stopped at Dr Gonzi’s desk, but he would have achieved nothing, or very little, without the willing and sterling help of the Foreign Ministry staff who worked excruciatingly long hours at telephones and computers, the crews of Air Malta and Virtù Ferries, Civil Protection and health care personnel and countless others who shall remain, not for lack of gratitude, unnamed.

The Prime Minister probably took his decisions in his office with a roaring fireplace but it was the people out there who braved cold and inclement weather and the possibility of being shot at by some crazy Muammar Gaddafi supporters.

To his everlasting credit, at least he himself did the right thing and, right from the start of the crisis, consulted the opposition and acknowledged its four-square support.

Well done, Dr Gonzi and all those who helped. Shame on the others who could not resist what seemed like a bit of juicy political mileage.