The hysterical reaction of Dr Lawrence Gonzi to the revelation of the document in which was written, black on white, that the “cabinet has agreed in principle to this concept”, namely, that “fees imposed by regulations for the provision of healthcare or health support services for Maltese citizens will not be introduced for the moment due to their political underpinnings”, can never cancel those damning words contained in that cabinet document!

Can anyone believe that Dr Gonzi would ever admit that his cabinet has plans to introduce fees on healthcare services on the eve of the general election, when it was clearly written in that document, that such fees “will not be introduced for the moment due to their political underpinnings”?

Who would believe that a civil servant, even if he is a very high official, would write that “the cabinet has agreed in principle with fees being imposed on healthcare services”, unless he had been convinced of this by that same cabinet? And who will believe the hilarious explanation given by Dr Gonzi, namely, that the words “cabinet had agreed in principle” to charges on healthcare was “a misinterpretation” of the civil servant who drew up that report?!

Filing libel suits will serve no purpose since the final judgement will be given by voters on 8 March, on who is to be believed on the basis of whether to believe what is written in black on white, or what is simply denied by word of mouth.

Eddy Privitera

Mosta