Although Malta is supposed to be a democratic country, the reality is quite different. In fact, the country is today run by a clique of powerful people and their underlings while the rest of the Maltese population is excluded from any say in all the important decisions taken.

This undesirable situation is irritating many people to the extent that the Nationalist Government led by Dr Lawrence Gonzi has become very unstable due to serious dissensions within the Nationalist Party itself as the anger generated by the feeling of exclusion manifests itself in a growing rebellion against government by clique.

It is a fact that the country is today run by the Prime Minister, his Ministers and, to a lesser extent, his Parliamentary Secretaries. The Nationalist Parliamentary backbenchers are treated as non-entities and have next to no say in the restricted power circle that constitutes the oligarchy which decides on all important national issues. The will of the people counts for nothing and the Labour Opposition is even derided for simply carrying out its job of constructively criticizing the Government.

Furthermore, the ruling oligarchy has consolidated its power through a huge network of underlings, "lackeys" would be a more appropriate word, who have absolutely no sense of shame and who serve their masters through timely interventions in the media whenever the ruling oligarchy is under attack. These lackeys have been placed in top positions and they intervene on a regular basis to praise Nationalist Government initiatives and criticize those of the Labour Opposition.

Have you noticed how when the Nationalist Government wants to introduce some unpopular measure, certain lackeys always write in the papers and go on radio and television announcing that some drastic action is necessary because such and such a situation is no longer sustainable?

Have you noticed how when a decision that will negatively affect the standard of living of Maltese workers is about to be taken and implemented, certain supposedly "impartial" commentators start mentioning how competitiveness is being eroded, how more unemployment is being risked through certain social legislation and other measures which today have become "obsolete" in a globalized world? The lack of moral fibre of these lackeys has brought condemnation even from respectable Nationalists.

Even in the Nationalist Party there are people who will take a stand when necessary and it seems that Dr Gonzi and his clique are today in a desperate situation.

Many Nationalists are fed up with the present system of government by oligarchy and want a return to the democracy which reigned when more moderate leaders and statesmen were at the helm. Dissension within the Nationalist Party is increasing on a daily basis, exacerbated by the negative statistics being published regarding the PN Government's performance which cannot be negated by anybody.

Because, at the end of the day, the inescapable fact remains that this PN oligarchy has ruined the country. We have come to a situation which resembles that of certain Third World countries where a small, restricted number of people enjoy a comfortable life and absolute power while the majority of the population lives a wretched life, trying to eke out a living, and is also excluded from all decision-making.

Hopefully, the present PN government will not survive long because everything indicates that the days of the Lawrence Gonzi clique are numbered.