Let’s revisit some recent events on this blighted isle.

Car driven by a certain Smith, of unknown origin, hits minister’s car mirror. Big Deal! Minister’s driver chases, threatens and shoots. DOI issues press release with more holes in it than the car driven by Smith. Smith is detained for questioning for 40 hours. Man who shoots and endangers Smith is left to do all he desires for a number of days before he is arraigned.

Cover-up and cover-up of cover-up bungled. A few red faces in Government circles. Resignations should have poured down. As is our wont no one resigns, and the buck stops with no one.

Prime Minister calls an inquiry. Leader of opposition pooh-poohs it as load of garbage. Most objective people call for resignation of Minister of Police. Inquiry over, Prime Minister asks Police Minister to resign. Latter figuratively gives the PM the middle finger. PM returns compliment and fires said minister from cabinet.

At the same time, to show the world he is the prime bully in Malta, he promises bungler and former minister further goodies down the line.

Now we have a new minister in charge of the police and interior stuff. This new fall guy, quiet, reserved and nondescript, certainly won’t ask the police to stand in as waiters and I’m quite sure his idea of plenty of cash at home is a hundred euro or so. This choice, together with that of the Police Commissioner, seems a godsend and definitely not fitting for some remote South American pariah country.

So for a while it seemed that Joseph Muscat, after the three wise former Judges issued their findings, had become reasonable and conciliatory. So I sighed a sigh of nice relief which, however, was hardly long-lived.

A few days ago, the prime minister decided to issue the findings of a board of inquiry, findings he had sat on for a year or so. If that isn’t cynical and daft what is?

But more followed: the Labour Party sent JPO to represent them in a programme about the shooting. Saying they were shooting themselves in both legs is being way too generous. I know the programme is a total waste of time and a sad circus but either send the right people or just stay at home.

The country needs some serious thinking and debate and what does the Prime Minister do—feed us more animosity, more useless childish duels.

Then he darts off in secretive mode to Azerbaijan to make us feel as if the old ways are really back.

It’s getting worse than panto—a tragic one where the baddies are really baddies and the horror is all turning dramatically real.