In this summer heat, with Parliament in recess until October and Cabinet ministers with nowhere to hide, one reflects on things that would otherwise go unnoticed (for the great majority).

What struck me was the miserable show put up by the Finance Minister on the multi-million-euro direct order.

First, he said he did not know anything about the direct order, when as Finance Minister, he is the one to sign direct orders.

As a Cabinet minister, who, I would like to think has access to The Malta Government Gazette (unlike the public), he would have been aware of the publication of the direct order notice.

After a week or so, a parliamentary secretary comes up with a defence of sorts saying the publication of the direct order notice in The Malta Government Gazette was a mistake. Fine but who made the mistake? Was “mistake” made after somebody issued an order? Will there be a reprimand?

Of course, not. As Edward Scicluna once remarked: “U ijja, come on.”

Of course, when Parliament resumes, the arrogance will return. But we have one consolation, that the Prime Minister keeps selling Maltese passports until such time as the big nobs wake up and do something about it. By that time, however, Joseph Muscat will have called it a day and take his well-deserved rest.