I again must put my fingers to the keyboard and type in response to Daphne Caruana Galizia’s recent panic attack about bringing back the real Lawrence Gonzi (TMID 11 June). I will also maintain the safe haven of your newspaper as attempting to include or add commentary on her blog provided her with ammunition to do what she does best – personal vile and childish attacks.
This is the beginning of the blame game and Nationalists (starting with Daphne as reflected in this piece) are already starting to stab each other in the back because they can already see the writing on the wall at the next election. The only way the Nationalists can hope to maintain power is if Malta finds oil before then – and the chances of that happening are negligible.
Daphne is trying to instill into readers thoughts that the Lawrence Gonzi of late is not real – what is he a ghost? She also tries to blame the person in the TV studio who decided on a grey background – this accusation reflects the desperation and panic. I am sure there will be more to come.
“His self belief is faltering and self doubt has set in”, she tells us. This reflects the reality of a party in government for too long and a recognition of the cruel fact that people will vote for a change just for change’s sake – irrespective of how good or how bad the opposition is. That is the reality of politics ( and not only in southern Europe) and nothing can change that – not even Daphne’s arrogant attempts at trying to tell the electorate who swung to the left that they are “a ragtag ‘coalition of disaffection’ of people who are prepared to use their sacred vote like a bribe or a blackmail letter... above all, opinions are transitory, but some facts are permanent.”
The one thing that is transitory in a democracy, Daphne, is the House of Representatives. The MPs and their governments or oppositions come and go. The only real permanent item in this context is the electorate and its mood swings – that’s democracy. I guess the Nationalists have been there for so long that they have forgotten what it means not to be in power – hence the arrogance and the hubris.
People have used their vote as a threat or a bribe since the beginning of democracy – not only in southern Italian villages but also in the UK, USA, and most other democracies including Australia. No need for any anthropological evidence here – just historical fact – and so it should be and continue to be. No morality or guilt in any of this please – leave that to the Church.
Now I would like to set a cat among the pigeons to brighten things up a bit. It seems to me that nationalists are disaffected with Dr Gonzi and his government. It also seems that some Nationalist MPs are also disaffected with Dr Gonzi.
If there ever was a result which is shouting for change of direction (ie.) change of leader, last week’s result is certainly that. The last election strongly hinted at this but the excessive pride, arrogance and the euphoria of hanging on in government blinded the Nationalists. So who in the Nationalist party is game enough to challenge Dr Gonzi and thus hopefully avoid a lay down at the next election. Otherwise the status quo between now and the next election is going to be too boring and predictable.
Daphne will bite back by saying that this is a joke for me as I do not have to live there and suffer the consequences. Well I don’t. But my view is – they have been there for too long – time for a change – changing Gonzi and direction may not be enough to save them – but maintaining the current approach will certainly doom them for at least 5 possibly 10 years.
Raphael Dingli
St Watson
AUSTRALIA