Dr Natalino Fenech is TVM’s brand new newsroom head. So far, so good.
He is the intrepid journalist who chooses to ignore a shocking story about serious allegations that conjures up nightmares about police misconduct, a story which anyone with any sense of news would have gladly taken up and investigated.
But then, Natalin is not just your run of the mill journalist. Natalin’s newsroom ignored any reference to MaltaToday’s story on Sunday and then on Monday, Dr Fenech suddenly came up with a hastily put together reportage about Nicholas Azzopardi – informing TVM listeners that Azzopardi was being interrogated on suspicion of abusing his daughter.
TVM then goes on to report ‘confidential’ information that is supposedly only known to Magistrate Tonio Vella.
Needless to say, TVM did not add that Nicholas Azzopardi, who is now dead, had won custody of his child from his wife. And that it was his wife, with all her problems, who reported that Nicholas was abusing his daughter.
What happened after this is history.
What is not history is that TVM singularly attempted to discredit Nicholas Azzopardi. And why?
Well, because if anyone had to rewind back into history, one would realise where Natalino’s passion and interests really lie. Apart from being too close to the powers that be, Natalino has always been chummy with the police and always envious of other people or people’s stories. I recall when this newspaper did not repeat the spin coming out of the Office of the Prime Minister in the case of Richard Cachia Caruana versus Meinrad Calleja, that it was Natalino who suggested and prearranged a meeting for me with Zeppi l-Hafi, the crook and drug trafficker.
It was Natalino who indicated what an intelligent fellow Zeppi really was. Indeed, I had no doubt that Zeppi had taken everyone for a blinking ride. And I was not going to be on Zeppi’s bandwagon.
But Natalino’s enthusiasm for the police corps is remembered mostly when this newspaper also took Commissioner of Police George Grech and his sexual escapades to print. It was a story that in Malta of 2002 would have bypassed the networks that pervaded the journalistic world.
Then again, Natalino’s close association with Mr Grech was best illustrated with his very visible attempt not to get involved in this reportage.
But if Natalino’s actions need some explanation, it is to be found in the Shaolin Buddhist monks. These kung fu freaks who pretend they are pious men dressed in cloaks have at least shaken Natalino’s journalistic fervour. Not only has he decided to ignore good news stories, but more importantly, he found the time to personally interview the Shaolin monks themselves.
It is of course important to consider why the untimely death of a man in police custody is far less important than all the screaming and groaning and jumping of Chinese martial art specialists. Natalino, one should know, also did martial arts under the kind supervision of a well-known controversial personality.
But if we are shocked by the role of TVM, a publicly-funded TV station, then one cannot understand why NET TV refused to cover this story from the very beginning. I cannot imagine why not.
But I can imagine that the forma mentis at NET, which presently is working in a limbo, is based on the premise that any nasty allegation in the news always rebounds on government. It is a reflection of how sad things have become. How parochial and puerile can they get?
If there are alleged wrongdoings of some people in the police corps it does not mean that all the police corps is rotten or that Mr John Rizzo is a bad guy. Neither does it mean that the government is wrong or at fault.
What is wrong is the lethargy that prevails and continues to permeate the administration’s response mechanism. And worse still, the sloth-like response to allegations.
What happens next beats me. I for one cannot possibly have faith in many inquiries, neither do I think that we will ever know the whole truth about Nicholas Azzopardi. What we do know for sure is that a man of 38, who had been awarded the custody of his girl, is no longer alive. He died after being questioned by a team of policemen who reacted to a report – or an allegation of abuse.

While we hear of the indescribable chaos in the Labour party, we tend to forget what is happening on the other side of the border. As we focus all our guns on the Labour party, the anger and tension in the PN is not only palpable but visible.
The first is Robert Arrigo. He may not admit it but he has shown in more ways than one that he was not happy with the way he was ignored and not chosen as a minister.
Then there is Ninu Zammit, who is wondering what it takes to also be ignored and forgotten. Jesmond Mugliett’s gulag-like treatment is best described by the look on his face. The others that could be added to the list of lost lovers are Francis Zammit Dimech and Edwin Vassallo.
As a sign of recognition for the PM’s very exclusive form of politics, many parliamentarians and ministers literally stayed away from the a tea party organised at Girgenti for MPs.
Gonzi may not know it but really and truly, he has really irritated many, many PN stalwarts. This I guess is the problem when you take on a Richard Cachia Caruana kind of campaign, turn your leader into a demigod and dump all your generals into a septic tank. It is, I guess, a beautiful way of saying ‘thank you’ to everyone.
Now all of a sudden, we are faced with the very thoughtful consideration that all the ministers and parliamentary secretaries who did not make it should be compensated. But surely this must be a joke.
The decision not to appoint old and veteran ministers to their former posts was taken by the PM. If the PM has decided not to choose them and is more happy with his new team but wishes to find a way to say “I have not forgotten you”, surely it cannot be a free six-month salary!
If Gonzi really does not want me to pass any comments about this fiscal advance to his less preferred lot, then surely he should fork out the money himself from his own pocket – not from our taxes.
If former ministers are to be compensated, why should he not compensate all the Labourite hopefuls who had already made plans to become ministers?
This is an abuse of power. And it is only of our concern, because we are paying for it, just as in the same way we pay for the extravagance of our free health service (which by the way, should be really qualified).
And since we are on the subject of free health, I could return to the Azzopardi saga. On the day of his death, his family had to purchase injections against thrombosis. Yes, pay! They gave them to the medical staff. Nicholas died, according to the Shaolin-monk-interviewer, of a thrombosis attack. Whether the medical staff used the paid-for injections on Nicholas, only God knows.
But then again, I had just forgotten: God is always on the side of GonziPN.

Really, I have to congratulate George Abela for getting Dom Mintoff on board his new-look campaign. It is great to know that Dom is back. I guess he fits the mould perfectly.
With his grand, confused vision for Malta in the world, Dom will surely be an asset to Abela’s campaign. And what more: it is so nice to see friends back on board. What I was trying to say is that with Dominic Fenech (former secretary-general of the MLP when Dom was supreme leader) things must be really falling into place for the new look of Labour.
I feel in complete ecstasy – knowing all too well that with George Abela at the helm of the Labour party, or a new party, Maltese politics will be more exciting but with still little or no bloody change!