Kindly allow me to reply to the letter entitled ‘A contrast between two politicians’ by correspondent Charmaine Calleja (31 October, 2007), by pointing out that, contrary to what correspondent stated, during the Xarabank programme of Friday, 18 October, the Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech provided a clear, detailed, distinct and technical analysis of the 2007/2008 Budget, listing amongst other items mentioned, a deficit reduction of Lm20 million; a Lm12 million income tax relief; an increase in health and social funding by Lm26 million; an increase in education funding by Lm9 million; children’s allowance for all children; a housing subsidy for first-time buyers; and Lm85 million allowance for 20 Gozo initiatives.
The parliamentary secretary in question managed to do this in spite of the fact that 30 rowdy Labour youths booed and rudely interrupted every time Tonio Fenech was making a point or passing a comment. Correspondent would have been fairer had she condemned this and had she asked whether the audience present indulged in this disgusting behaviour because the MLP was afraid that Tonio Fenech’s political intervention/message would have been understood by viewers in the comfort of their homes. In spite of this orchestrated and premeditated socialist attempt at disrupting parts of the programme, to my mind, Parliamentary Secretary Tonio Fenech was as usual impeccable in his performance.
In conclusion, since correspondent Charmaine Calleja stated that Charles Mangion (of Pender Place fame which renown she has evidently forgotten), ‘accepted the fact that this budget included good social measures’, I would ask her whether this should be taken to mean that the Malta Labour Party is in favour of this budget.

Edward Torpiano
Floriana