As Gonzi.PN keeps on fantasising, one quite legitimately asks what might be behind his procrastination?

1.     Hip, hip, hooray. On innumerable occasions, he has repeatedly showed his stubborn intention to milk the chair of power bone-dry till March 2013, irrespective of changing circumstances. His is a government that has lost the popular support that initially returned him to Castille. His is a vain hope, if he thinks that this time around he will wear out any opposition by so doing. By far the odds are against him. He now faces rock-solid resistance from the Partit Laburista.

2.     Hip, hip, hooray. He might also hope for a miracle of the first order to end his sleepless nights as he repeatedly encounters Franco DeBono and other phantoms.

3.     Hip, hip, hooray. For vain glory, to enable him to ceremoniously unveil a number of commemorative marble tablets to some projects, concluded rapidly for ‘the occasion’, he hopes that the news coverage thus generated will give him the turbo-charge he so chronically lacks

4.     Hip, hip, hooray. In his perverse thinking, even in the likely event that he loses the forthcoming election, it is a scorched earth that he intends leaving behind him

Points one, two and three are black marks for Gonzi.PN and will eventually rebound solely on him. However, this scorched earth policy is another matter altogether, as it has ramifications which will affect us all for years to come. It gives rise to grave and immediate concern for all citizens serious enough to realise that we are all struggling for a better future; and that future cannot be rosy, once the soil is denuded of all nutrients!

By what stretch of the imagination can we consider ourselves to be a democracy? Surely not, as long as parliament is, conveniently for Gonzi.PN, in its current suspended state of animation!

It seems that after a luxurious summer recess, Parliament seems to be heading for an even more comfortable period of inactivity, conveniently called the Holy Christmas recess!

By public outcry, we must bring the Prime Minister to his senses, to give the best ever Christmas present to the people by going to the President forthwith and ending the farce.

Alternatively, in all fairness, I maintain that Gonzi.PN should be held accountable for any irresponsible conduct against all of us who still hold Malta very close at heart and have a future to construct – youngsters and young parents please take heed!

Ramon Borg-Bartolo