Franco Farrugia (TMID, 28 November) is well known for his reddish views and I often encounter his name in this paper and elsewhere when he enlightens us with mature, objective and calculated arguments which are beyond reproach (he thinks).

Being such a broad minded and fair individual, may I suggest to him that he prints a hard copy of his letter and substitute my name with his and read it back to himself. It will make more sense and he may not appreciate the name calling especially, if aimed at himself.

It is fair for him to label me but not so nice of me to label him! He does not hide where his political preference lies and neither do I. So, what he throws at me I throw back at him.

I can afford a month long vacation but that is not Mr Farrugia’s business and I only mentioned it because the likes of him often hint that living so far away I could not possibly know what goes on in Malta! Let me assure Mr Farrugia that I do and almost instantly. My living so far away only delays news by the six-hour difference. With regard to affording a Malta vacation, may I ask him when he took his last vacation abroad? Was he one of the 230,000 Maltese who did just that in the first 10 months of this year? I am not so unique after all.

If Mr Farrugia and his friends want to comment, they should comment on the substance of the argument and not attack the writer. Funny how the same ilk react in exactly the same way. They ignore my arguments, since, presumably I am correct or they do not have an answer, and conveniently go on a tirade such as Mr Farrugia’s letter.

Mr. Farrugia was correct when he remarked that a tree planted in an unbreakable pot cannot grow... Just like the MLP, PL or whatever. They not only find themselves root bound, but by their ineptness, they are trying to fit the proverbial tree in an even smaller pot than it already has.

But, for the poor tree, it would be a new (but uncomfortable) beginning.

J. Martinelli

London, Ontario

Canada