Anthems to abstentionism – Wayne Flask

There was something eerily familiar in Joe Debono Grech’s candid statement during a rally in Gozo held last Friday at the warm behest of Clint Camilleri, feudal lord of the “sister island”.

“People say that all [politicians] are corrupt. And they’re right. But we got nothing out of their corruption. At least we gained something out of ours. We are with the Good Thief.”

It’s a bootleg of Bettino Craxi’s implosion in front of the Italian parliament that, yes, the system is corrupt but we’ve all got our hands unclean. But Debono Grech wasn’t remotely trying to apologise; to him, that Labour is corrupt, maybe among a wider circle than the “enemy”, is the certainty of progress.

Of course, timing turns this phrase tragic. Debono Grech was possibly unaware that, on the same day, the Planning Authority gave its blessing to another of Joe Portelli’s monsters, right on the edge of the cliffs in Sannat. The ruse was indeed magnificent: the Planning Commission had said it will “seek guidance” from the Executive Council, a body which has no competence on such matters. The permit was obviously issued.

So, can we count Portelli as a Good Thief?

Later that night, Labour would unveil its...