A university lecturer has described Nationalist MP Franco Debono’s definition of a thesis as “an insult to academics and undergraduate students who give their dissertation project their utmost commitment”.

Last week the disgruntled MP reacted to excerpts from his 1999 thesis having been quoted in the blogosphere, saying that a thesis is an academic exercise that cannot really be put into practice and it is the whole current political context that really matters.

In a letter to this newspaper, Ivan Grixti, a lecturer in financial accounting, wrote that he was taken aback by Dr Debono’s definition of what a thesis entails.

Dr Grixti said that when students start thinking about their dissertation, they should treat it as their own personal project as it can give them a certain degree of expertise that their counterparts do not have.

“In doing so they could utilise their dissertation as a golden opportunity not only to excel academically but also to add value to their successful post of employment.”

“Over the past nine years I have signed dissertation proposals in accountancy. Such dissertation projects not only give our students an initial inkling into the research continuum, that is qualitative versus quantitative, but they have also contributed in better understanding the impact of globalisation and accountancy on our home country, Malta, which is considered to be an island state economy.”

Dr Grixti said that while he might not manage to change Franco Debono’s attitude, he hopes that his (Dr Grixti’s) contribution will help current or prospective undergraduates look at the prospect of a dissertation project in a better light.

Close to three weeks ago Dr Debono withdrew his support to the government and said he no longer supports Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. A Cabinet reshuffle had been announced minutes earlier. A motion of no confidence that was filed by the Opposition on 13 January started to be debated in Parliament yesterday.

Given the present context, one of the most controversial quotes from the MP’s thesis – which is entitled ‘The Constitutional Implications of Party Organisation and Party Finance’ – reads: “Members of Parliament of the party in office should be extremely reluctant to vote against the government, or even to hold individual ministers to account, if that would embarrass it.”

When contacted by this newspaper last week, Dr Debono immediately stressed the word ‘reluctant’ and said his thesis is generic and focuses on a ‘normal’ situation. He denied that his behaviour is capricious and said that many, including the President and the Speaker, have been talking about the need for constitutional reform. The system is simply not working and there has been too much procrastination, he complained.

The government needs to multi-task. While it needs to focus on economic development, more important issues such as democracy cannot be put on the back burner, he had said.