Let's get it clear: the power-cut on Good Friday was flipping inconvenient and the whole thing is getting beyond a joke. There's a limit to how much the penny-pinching and scotch-taping of that Mintoff's era can be blamed and, somewhat to their credit, no one on the government side is blaming the old buffer too seriously, for all that he still bears responsibility for much that is wrong with the country.

Incidentally, if this week's piece is reading a bit disjointedly, it's because I'm watching Man U struggling to keep out Bayern. I hope they do because for all that I'm hoping that the Special One's mob make it (I like the guy), a final between Man U and Barca is mouthwatering and no mistake, so long as Messi and Rooney play.

But back to the power-cut: It was a pain in the derriere and no mistake, though the drive around Gozo I took in the company of the Blonde (everyone else was asleep) was evocative of the old days, when the joys of modern electricity were not as widespread as they are now. I'm venerable to remember those days, though maybe what I'm actually remembering is another power-cut, after all.

After the Minister of Finance threw something of a hissy fit, quite justifiably, at the latest contribution to energy-saving perpetrated by Enemalta, a report was produced in what felt like a shorter time than it took to get the lights back on.

Predictably, the Lil'Elves were out in force as soon as the report's contents were made public. To be honest, at first glance, I thought it might be one of those "pull the other one, it goes ding-dong" moments that creeps up on the more cynical among us at times like this. I mean, a power demand spike on Good Friday in the evening doesn't sound quite kosher does it?

But, then, on mature reflection, I had to come to the conclusion that this was not an untruth.

Follow my logic, if you will: You have to assume that the people who wrote the report don't think that either the minister or the rest of us are total idiots. I mean, I have as much of a healthy dose of lèse-majestè as the next man and I don't delude myself that just because someone is a minister he's the bee's knees, but Tonio Fenech, for all that he sides with Arsenal (and he must be smarting just a bit after the Barca match on Tuesday) is no one's idiot, by a long shot.

That having been stated, it follows that what was reported to him was not wool, for the pulling over of eyes, even though the Lil'Elves were all over it like a rash, poking all manner of fun at the technical details that were made public.

It's amusing, of course, how in their eagerness to roll on the floor laughing, said Elves were showing up Edward Scicluna who, even more quickly than Enemalta's engineers, had done all his technical sums and come to his erudite conclusion, overnight, that the power-cut had cost the country some €20 million. The Elves, on the other hand, were quick to point out that there couldn't have been a power demand spike because everyone was out at the Good Friday processions (not necessarily a given in 2010, but let's leave that aside) so if there couldn't have been said spike, how wrong was Prof. Scicluna to say the episode cost us so much?

Very wrong, I have to conclude (taking the Elves at their word, of course, which is not always a good idea) because the only businesses operating were the restaurants and bars, which carried on by romantic candlelight and self-generated power, from what I could see, so where the lost €20 million went, only Prof. Scicluna and his calculator know.

So there you have it: The Lil'Elves don't believe Enemalta's engineers that there was a power demand and Prof. Scicluna did his sums in the dark (or after the lights came back on, anyway) to come to the conclusion that on the least day in the year when anyone works, many euros were lost because power couldn't be consumed. If you really think that Enemalta's engineers think their minister is an idiot, you can come down on the Elves's side, if not, then Prof. Scicluna gets your nod.

Or does he? He didn't explain how he came up with the neatly rounded €20 million, so he'll forgive me if I wonder aloud whether he's falling victim to the sound-bite culture of which Labour is so enamoured.

Leaving aside the forces of darkness, and mourning Man U's imminent departure from Europe, I bring you tidings of joy: Ta' Karolina in Xlendi has reopened and over the weekend we had one of the best meals taken in Gozo, and there have been many, ever. I had a barracuda (which gives you a clue as to what day it was) which was cooked to perfection and served with such good grace that I want to go there again, soon.

On Monday, the missus and I, finally alone after a weekend of many (very welcome) visitors, were at the St Patrick's, also in Xlendi, and we were persuaded to try out a couple of skorfniet, which also bordered on the darn good and then some.

imbocca@gmail.com

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