There was one word which surprisingly was completely absent from speeches made by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and PN Secretary General Joe Saliba at yesterday's reception given by the party for the media industry: general election.

Both Dr Gonzi and Mr Saliba spoke of 2008 as just another year, just as they do at the same reception, year after year.

Dr Gonzi, speaking in the cavernous yet bare auditorium in the newly built part of the building, said the building was, like the government "work in progress".

The complete absence of any reference to the general election left many present somewhat bemused, since they were all eager to see whether they could get from any mention of the election an inkling whether the Prime Minister is going to keep his previously-chosen election date or move it because of Dr Sant's operation.

Despite the E word not being mentioned all by the leaders, there was nothing else the people invited spoke about, apart from speculation about what is happening in the Labour ranks after Dr Sant's operation.

The general feeling, however, of some of the people present, seems to be that the election is "too close to call" and that the date many are talking about is still the beginning of March.