A self-confessed Labour dissident wrote a full-page article in a local Sunday paper, saying that if the MLP “wants to win the next elections, he (Sant) has to go”. A week later, Richard Matrenza, in An open letter to Dr Anna Mallia, emphasised that Sant had been democratically elected in a free vote from among the delegates during the general conference.

The former High Commissioner for Malta in London, Richard Matrenza, who was appointed during the MLP administration of 1996-98, and who prides himself as “an active member, official and delegate of the Malta Labour Party for close to 50 years” (his words) repeatedly mentioned the democratic method within the MLP, since its inception in 1920, but missed Dr Mallia’s reasons as to why she thinks that the Socialist leader must be given early retirement.

The more so when Dr Mallia had made it clear that “with the party machines all under his control it was no wonder he (Dr Sant) got re-elected”. She added that Dr Sant’s promised changes and improvements when the leadership was contested never really materialised. Mr Matrenza was more interested to write about the Statute Book. One wonders why he missed the other more salient points.

S. Sciberras

Naxxar