Over the last months, we have been listening to repeated roaring by various Nationalist Party members. Franco Debono, Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Jesmond Mugliett have been the most vociferous. John Dalli’s roars had caused quite a stir too. Jean Pierre Farrugia, Robert Arrigo and Peter Darmanin also tried to send a message with their objections or disapprovals. They all felt free to share their thoughts. No one was threatened or insulted. Freedom of expression is sacrosanct in the Nationalist Party.

A good number of Malta Labour Party members have been trying to roar too. But this is not so easy in the Malta Labour Party. We all remember George Abela, Evarist Bartolo, Michael Falzon and Marie Louise Coleiro Preca protesting against the blatant favours Joseph Muscat enjoyed in the MLP leadership race in 2008. Carmelo Vella, Adrian Vassallo, Jose` Herrera and again Marie Louise Coleiro Preca all showed disagreement with some of Labour’s policies or strategies. They did try to roar but they were soon silenced and they found out that they could only just whimper faintly. Maybe they are afraid of being threatened or of being treated with gross insolence. After all, we all remember that when Dom Mintoff roared in 1998 he was insulted and considered to be a traitor. Some leading Labourites, with the present leader Joseph Muscat in the front row, went so far to suggest that Dom Mintoff should be expelled from the Malta Labour Party. Is one really free in the MLP?

Joseph Fenech

MOSTA