Sometimes it is good to be back, just to have a feel of what it is like to be at the centre of things. So in this business of news making, it is always important to be first with the news.
BBC like to say that they keep news first. Here at Mediatoday we say the same, even though it is a wee bit pretentious. And after the lacklustre appearance of Alfred Sant on Independence Day and the so-called admirable delivery of Lawrence Gonzi, it was time for another MaltaToday survey.
It so happens that it takes place every month, but at Mile End someone thought it was not appropriate. Surveys, like perceptions, are not cast in stone but they do give some kind of indication of the way people are thinking.
And sooner or later, news of our regular monthly survey did reach the parties – culminating in what I dread the most: an angry telephone call from a senior MLP party official.
He said: “I know you have a survey that shows a 2 per cent lead for the PN.”
“No, there isn’t a 2 per cent lead,” I said. “Just a neck to neck situation.”
“I know for sure, thanks to the leaks from your newsroom,” he insisted.
“My newsroom!” I retorted. “There are no leaks, I can assure you of that, so stop bluffing.”
“Well, I am sorry I cannot do anything to stop these stories about ‘you’...”
“What do you mean… stories? Are you threatening me?” I queried.
“We know there’s an agreement between Joe Saliba and your partner (Roger de Giorgio),” he barked.
“Go ahead and publish, but you are wrong.”
He asked: “Why a survey now, just after Alfred Sant’s speech at Birzebbugia?”
“We hold surveys at the end of every month. It’s not my fault if Sant fares badly in a speech. And why don’t you phone me up when the survey is bad news for the PN?”
“I cannot keep hold of these stories about you any longer,” he said threateningly.
I hung up. It’s one of those 10pm phone calls that nurtures in me a dislike for the accessibility of the mobile phone.
I have no wish to resort to court libel, which is the reign of politicians and their cronies. But I have one simple riposte for the man who called with his threat.
The suggestion that Roger de Giorgio has an agreement of sorts with Joe Saliba on how we are to serve as lackeys for the Nationalists is a big lie and anyone who repeats it is nothing but a big fat liar.
But at least it is rather amusing to think that we are in bed with Joe Saliba. And for once… I am certain Joe Saliba is also very, very amused.

The ambush on Alfred Sant is also very indicative of the state of our politics.
When Sant is compared to the triumvirate at the helm of the MLP he is by far the preferred candidate. Notary Charles Mangion is a nice guy but has too many conflicts of interest, while Michael Falzon is also an affable guy but simply does not have the political depth to captain a political party. Alfred Sant is by far the best candidate, but he comes with a baggage that is the envy of any spin doctor.
He was opposed to EU membership, VAT, and local councils, only to embrace everything he opposed some years after. He was very close to making everyone forget about all this, but his biggest shortcoming is not having someone who is perceptive.
The latest Machiavellian mudslinging exercise on the part of the PN is Sant’s refusal to kiss the crucifix when taking the stand during a court sitting. It’s a diabolical tactic.
Gonzi has intelligently said he respects the beliefs of individuals and says the news item by his party organ In-Nazzjon was wrong. But surely, his secretary-general Joe Saliba must know what was happening. Nobody will convince me that Gonzi’s half-baked apology is not part of the game.

I feel sorry for the Labour party. I really do.
I truly believe this country needs a change but one does not exchange a rusting second-hand car for another second-hand car that has no steering wheel.
All this talk of delivering a breath of fresh air by Lawrence Gonzi is definitely gobbledegook. Even the youngish new faces he’s presenting us are not inspiring. Far from it, they are an unhandsome group of moon-faced, overweight candidates straight-jacketed into blue shirts and dark suits with garish cufflinks, being paraded around like some travelling circus of Christian-democrats.
In reality, in much the same way as the Nationalists argue and insist that the problem with Labour is at the top, the same can be said for the PN. Whenever Gonzi is asked about problems of mini and macro corruption and unrepentant ministers, he talks but never takes action. All his ministers, with the exception of one, are still in place and nothing changes.
And if we wanted proof that all the governmental and political action happening now is linked with the approaching election, the following should be convincing evidence: the reduction of prices for medicines when price orders are supposedly non-existent; the sudden appearance of rebates from over tax payments after years of inaction; the imminent revocation of the Ramla l-Hamra permit; the imminent revocation of the golf course application; and the sudden decision to start discussions on party funding.

The news that the EU Ombudsman has decided in favour of MaltaToday’s complaint against the European Parliament for refusing to divulge how much it had paid MEPs in allowances, travel allowances and secretarial salaries went unnoticed in most of the Maltese press.
The Times, a newspaper which we now learn had made a similar request but was turned down, chose to attempt to minimise the story – focusing instead on the probability that the European Parliament may choose to ignore the Ombudsman’s recommendation.
All the Maltese MEPs reacted to the news item. Nationalist MEPs Simon Busuttil and David Casa replied at the last minute – they first told MaltaToday they were still reading the 15-page Ombudsman recommendation, although they gave The Times their comment for Saturday’s piece.
Busuttil and Casa claim they already disclose all required information in line with the EP rules. But this is not the point of the complaint. They do not disclose publicly their earnings, and as such MaltaToday asked the EP to disclose them, which said institution refused to. This led us to take action with the European Ombudsman, who found the EP’s behaviour to have constituted maladministration.
Busuttil and Casa may portray themselves as harbingers of truth and uprightness, but they don’t fancy much MaltaToday, because they feel comfortable with those journalists who treat them with kid gloves.
Their attempt at giving the impression they are transparent with their finances and budgets is not the issue at stake – if they don’t publish on their website every single earning they got from signing the attendance sheet in Brussels, how much money they claimed in distance allowances (an extra payment for the kilometres covered when travelling, apart from ticket reimbursement), and the salaries they pay their assistants – there is no transparency. With the Ombudsman’s decision to the European Parliament to disclose these amounts, it will be interesting to see whether the achievements of these MEPs matches up well to the money paid to them.
They have good reason not to like us.