The title of a short story which featured prominently in a recent court case – Li tkisser sewwi – was seized upon by Nationalist MP Franco Debono when he commented on the present political situation in Monday’s parliamentary sitting.
Dr Debono also focused on criticism against him in his speaking slot in the adjournment debate. The topic of the day had been the Collective Proceedings Bill under discussion.
The MP said that the words “li tkisser sewwi” – fix what you break – were central to the present situation, as that was what needed to be done.
He said that Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi’s speech on Sunday, a day after he was reconfirmed as the PN’s leader, changed the situation as Dr Gonzi had recognised that not everything was going well and had shown sensitivity.
The MP later described the speech as different to the ones Dr Gonzi was usually advised to make, and said that it justified his position on the no-confidence motion in the government. The speech also reflected what he and other MPs had been saying, publicly and privately.
Dr Debono said he had been proven right, and “baseless” allegations that he was being egoistic, or an attention-seeker, were being made because they were an easy excuse to avoid dealing with issues that were uncomfortable. He welcomed Dr Gonzi’s assertion that problems in Greece would be of little relevance to people facing their own personal troubles.
He insisted that the problem was not, as fellow MP Robert Arrigo had said, that government was a car running with a flat tyre, stating that the tyre had been proven to be “heavy duty.” Stretching the metaphor further, he said that the problem was that the car was being driven straight into potholes.
The MP made it a point to refer to criticism made in his regard, stating that he expected apology from those who circulated a petition calling for him to resign from parliament. If anything, they should thank him, as hundreds of others had.
An article by sociology lecturer Mark-Anthony Falzon seems to have struck a raw nerve. The article, published on the 12 February edition of The Sunday Times, noted that “Debono’s waffle about oligarchies that have to go is absolutely meaningless,” a statement repeatedly referred to by the MP on Monday.
Dr Debono said that while he accepted criticism, it was worrying that a lecturer seemed unaware of people who wielded enormous power, of ministers who stayed in office regardless of their actions.
He later pointed out that Malta was a society which wrongly thought that political satire had been disallowed for 70 years. He said he welcomed political satire as an art form, and noted that the fact that the situation went on for 70 years showed how submissive Maltese society was.
Dr Debono criticised Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici for turning up at the airport to “say bye” every time a small handful of migrants left Malta when the situation at the law courts was embarrassing.
The MP also referred to his decision to show his Form II certificate to PBS journalists, stating that it was worrying that this issue was being given more importance than the lack of party financing.
He insisted that four parliamentary secretaries became ministers through his efforts, but insisted that many efforts were still needed in the justice system as the changes already made were mostly cosmetic.
Dr Debono also referred to the EU’s pressure over bird trapping, expressing his regret that his suggestion for a captive breeding programme, a centre on bird migration and a bird ringing programme – which would involve existing trappers – were ignored. The MP pointed out that he was a canary breeding enthusiast, describing the hobby as a great way to reduce stress.