Joe Saliba has said that he stayed on with the PN so that the PN would win.
He continues talking and then reveals how he decided to leave the PN so that now, the country will win.
It sounds far better when uttered in Maltese.
Joe the stonemason, who grew up to make a name for himself and run Malta’s largest political party, is no idiot.
He may look like one, but he is a schemer and self-made Machiavelli.
Starting off as an illiterate chap he convinced himself that he could make it. And he did. He taught himself to write and then to study and pass exams.
But then his self-laudatory and rather comical statement that the country will win when he leaves the PN should really be interpreted as Forrest Gump would have interpreted it. That is: very literally.
Saliba’s departure is indeed good news for the country. That is of course not what Joe meant to say, but to hell with what he really meant.
And it is great that Saliba decided to depart at such a high point in his career. Very few people in politics have the vision to do such a thing.
But whether you like him or not you have to hand it to Joe. He was there when the PN won national elections. True and true, he had God on his side, and with the Labour party in such a mess, even my budgerigar would have been able to win the election.
I still recall that in 1996 when the PN lost to Labour, Joe Saliba – then a candidate – was so depressed that he vowed that he would not continue.
But politics has strange ways with people. And in this small country, people are hooked on politics.

Two weights and two measures
So the other day on TVM, a so-called journalist from Xarabank was invited on Mr Bondi’s TV programme.
The journalist somehow found a way of lecturing to the television audience about the validity of Dr George Abela.
Unknown to everyone, or anyone other than Mr Bondi that is, the journalist happened to be the son of Karmenu Vella, the former GWU rep who is one of George Abela’s closest aides.
Well, it is worrying to see people like Alfred Mifsud and former Labour minister Lino Spiteri cry foul when the newspaper Illum publishes letters or party minutes which could or might embarrass George Abela.
But not a word about the unbridled prejudice of the junior Vella, who stood in awe of Dr Abela.
Which brings me to the question of who is to become the next leader of the Labour party and this obsession that here at MediaToday we have an agenda for or against a particular person running the MLP.
Really Lino and Alfred should have realised that we cannot for a minute give a flying hoot who walks in the red building after June 5, if that is going to be the case.
Whoever is leader of the Labour party will have to spend the first months mending all the fences that have been torn apart.
And this newspaper will be there to ensure that all the stories that need to be relayed to the readers are in fact transmitted loud and clear.

Wasteserv board
Last Sunday, I was rudely alerted to the fact that the reference to the presence of an artist on the Wasteserv board was erroneous.
Apologies.
But, I was told that I had confused the person with someone else. I was told that the person I thought was an artist is in fact Commissioner Joe Borg’s wife.
Surely, it does not change anything, it just goes to prove that Gonzi’s magnanimous ways are surely and truly hot air.

Economic revival
Anyone who is feeling the feel good factor in the economy please raise your finger and shout Uppa.
And please blame the reason for this economic slow-down on Labour.
Can anyone imagine for a minute what the PN would be saying if the MLP were in government and no economic recovery in sight?