If Transport Minister Austin Gatt’s ministry were as gung ho in repairing our roads, as it is in making statements and cheap points about the opposition, our roads network would be in much better shape. But the ministry wastes its time in issuing releases to the media instead of seeing what needs to be done to give motorists a fair deal.

Dr Gatt has defended the Transport Authority’s 60kph speed limits in roads built to take faster traffic. Which makes me wonder – why on earth did he buy a Jaguar, and why do his ministerial colleagues drive BMWs, bought out of our tax money? To lord it over us? Those cars’ engines are likely to knock at 60kph, making them change gear, and waste more fuel. Had they settled, for instance, for the far more modest Hyundai Atos, they would have saved the country a considerable sum of money.

But I guess being a minister makes you see big, and everyone else a dirty fly. They seem to think we owe them because they work long hours. It is what they wanted, isn’t it? The perks of their office must be considerable, however – free meals, free travel, free transport, free fuel, free phones, and who knows what they get for Christmas and such other occasions. They can’t be short of free turkeys, free wines and free whisky at such times. All sent in gratitude for using the powers which we give them to do Joe Public a favour.

No wonder there are so many contesting the general elections. No qualifications are needed for that – being a windbag and having a smooth tongue and the ability to promise one thing and without compunction do another, will do fine. A new way of doing politics is needed indeed, and it is only Lawrence Gonzi and his ministers who can introduce it. They are the ones in power. They can start by giving us some decent roads. That’s one sector where Dr Gatt has more than met his match.