The Laboured Fortress

Today's papers in Malta are all about Labour's newfound dominance. By the standards of the various statistical gurus who join Lorna Vassallo's orgy of numerical assessments Labour is the winner. Alfred's minions have captured various "strongholds" and toppled over a number "fortresses" which apparently had been flying the blue flag until now. As Arcibald/Antonio had pointed out at Ajjut , the slogan "Ic-Cittadin L-Ewwel" has long vanished from the manifestos of both parties and any occasion to slog out the bipartisan battle is good.

The 'local' nature of the council elections has all but vanished as first PN then MLP carried the banner of local council votes up high among the honourable company of "relevant national statistics". Every locality has its day of glory every election day then is left to the internecine rivalry within the four walls of the meetings between the various minions of the two big armies who are left to fend for themselves until the next big round. If they have been good enough Uncle Fred will come round and shoot percentages of achievement that only he can fathom to the general public. And once the hullaballoo is over it is back to bickering over parking places, street lights and urban unplanning of the saddest kind.

But what if there were really a message on a national level? What if the local council results could really tell us something? Well in that case I think Alfred Sant is right. "People want change in leadership". Too true. Couldn't be truer my old perruqued man. Only I think that you have read half the message. That people want a change of leadership (and of most of their minions) has long been an undisputable fact. What Freddie fails to note is that in the localities where a serious alteranative to the juggernauts was posed the people chose that alternative. Do you not read anything in that Fred?

Give the people a Mike Briguglio waving a sunny smile over Qui Si Sana or a Dr Josie raging about the big two's inability to care about Marsascala and they will quickly show you what kind of change they mean Fred. You can send all the Omar Caruana's that you want to the statistical battlefield... but they will not send any new message back. They will just show you that the country is still full of sheep (Arcibald's kind not Dolly's) and we have a long long way to go.

We do not really have a right to talk. Us emigrées de l'outre mér. To us now the local questions are the coommune de Luxembourg or Bereldange and no longer St Julian's and Marsalforn. IF the j'accuse's, xifer's and lanzarote's (to name but a controversial few) want to put their money where their mouth is they should have formed Il-Partit Progressiv Wankellettwali ages ago and be among those providing the valid alternatives. Otherwise we should just sit back and watch Freddie have a field day over this most Phyrric and tragic of victories ever to be proclaimed since the dead voted against European membership.

La Cucaracha

La cucaracha, la cucaracha,
Ya no puede caminar;
Porque no tiene,
porque le falta
Marijuana que fumar.

Ya murio la cucaracha,
Ya la llevan a enterrar,
Entre cuatro zopilotes
Y un raton de sacristan.

Con las barbas de Carranza,
Voy a hacer una toquilla,
Pa' ponersela al sombrero
De su padre Pancho Villa.

Un panadero fue a misa,
No encontrando que rezar,
Le pidio a la Virgen pura,
Marijuana pa' fumar.

Una cosa me da risa:
Pancho Villa sin camisa;
Ya se van los carrancistas
Porque vienen los villistas.

Para sarapes, Saltillo;
Chihuahua para soldados;
Para mujeres, Jalisco;
Para amar, toditos lados.