Malta first and foremost

The general secretary of the Malta Labour Party, Jason Micallef is reported to have said (January 29) that I will not be able to contest the Valletta local council "under current circumstances".

The "current circumstances" is the "state of war" declared on Alexis Callus (former deputy mayor of Safi). I shall not enter into the merits of the MLP-Callus affair.

What I can say is that, through his declaration, the general secretary of the MLP usurped and undermined statutory independence. Worst still he has compromised, leaving no room for a remedy, the sacrosanct impartiality of the party's board of vigilance and discipline. By doing so, the newly set up MLP board of vigilance and discipline has, in my opinion, lost its independence and its impartiality. In my opinion its members should resign in protest of their usurped independence and of the fact that they can no longer be held credible on account of the above mentioned loss of impartiality. If they do not, they run the risk of being labelled "MLP Rubber Stamp Department".

I acknowledge that it is the time of scrutinising prospective candidates by the aforementioned board in view of the formal approval by the party's national executive. It would suffice if they submit a symbolic resignation en bloc and then "the show" can go on. It was done by a Prime Minister in office. But will it work with persons who are deemed untouchable by virtue of their impartiality? We shall see.

Alternatively, Mr Micallef should withdraw his declaration and leave the outcome in the hands of the "supposedly" independent and impartial board of vigilance and discipline, as it would be statutorily correct to do. In my opinion, this is the right approach and I shall accept, without any reservations, its verdict.

If, showing my support to the defenders of la patria (the mother land), the Armed Forces of Malta, is a crime and/or is considered to be a "fascist" act, then I plead "guilty"!

Malta comes first and foremost!

I shall refrain from making further comments until the board of administration reaches a final verdict on this case.

However, there are a number of points to be clarified with regard to the January 29 article.

At the time of my entry in the party the MLP's political slogan was Malta: Switzerland In The Mediterranean. The political slogan for the final phase of the referendum campaign was identical to the substance of my stance in the letter of resignation from the once glorious Partito Nazionale: Selling Malta's sovereignty to the European Union, a view I hold to this day.

The MLP was always aware of my political position and respected me for it. In fact, I was allowed to present my candidature for the Valletta local council elections, helped in various chores (of an administrative nature), served as party agent in all elections since March 2002, including at the voting stations, at the Ta' Qali counting hall and at the Electoral Office, contested the post of financial secretary in 2003 and also contested the elections for the St Paul's Bay committee last year.

Had my background been in anyway compromised, or had I been considered to be a racist or anything close to a criminal or something to that effect, surely I would not have been allowed to do such chores.

When somebody speaks of "under current circumstances" I take it to mean that I was chiamato in causa (brought into the picture) because of the MLP-Callus "state of war", with which I have absolutely nothing to do. Yet, I have to bear the "fallout effect" as normally happens in wars when on is "killed by friendly fire".

On being a Nationalist...

Being a Nationalist does not mean belonging or being a member and/or a former member of the once glorious Partito Nazionale but putting la patria (Malta) first and foremost!

In this sense, and in this sense only, the words "nationalist"/"fascist" are identical and are one and the same.

This is my credo and it is within the above affirmation of political faith that I identify with fascism. This was always my credo, from my days within the Nationalist Party's youth movement (MZPN), way back in 1973, and will continue to be till the end of my lifetime on this planet.

That is why I consider the MLP to be nationalist, because in the "hour of proof" it defended la patria's sovereignty, unlike the pseudo Nationalist once glorious Partito Nazionale .

Editorial note: This letter was sent to The Times as right of reply in terms of the Press Act.