In his letter of 6 February entitled “Proportions”, Michael Agius speculates on how many dignitaries of exalted rank would be needed to unveil a field of gigantic wind turbines if a prime minister, a minister and a parliamentary secretary are needed to inaugurate one single wind turbine capable of generating enough energy to boil a kettle of water for a cup of tea. This raises immensely profound questions that inevitably include the burning issue of “How many ministers are needed to change a light bulb?” The answer may come as a complete surprise to readers. In fact only one minister is needed!

But, things are never that simple where ministers are concerned. This is because any ministerial activity, which might be considered as constructive even in the remotest possible sense, involves a very sophisticated and complicated paradox. Thus, even though, relatively speaking, a minister can actually change a light bulb unaided, a minister is unable to contemplate doing this unless the performance of the act is assisted by regiments, phalanxes even, of civil servants, journalists and reporters from the national press and electronic media, marble sign and memorial makers, caterers, PR photographers and so on.

Thus, changing a bulb becomes a very serious and expensive matter if it is done by a minister.

G. Debono

SLIEMA