‘Ahn’ ahna jew m’ahniex’

"I will do my best in speaking even if you interrupt me Mr Speaker... this parliament has been shamefully run by you and the man beside you, the Prime Minister."

This is unbelievable.

I remember when I was a child I used to love watching a programme called 'Ahn' Ahna jew m'ahniex'. My favourite song was a satirical commentary about the behaviour of our parliamentarians - it was called 'Parla Parla Parlament'. I was too young to understand what it was all about, but I remember my parents laughing and I used to laugh along with them.

Well, I am now old enough to understand that song and what the singer was trying to imply: the shameful state of affairs in parliament. So Debono's outburst brought the ditty back to mind. I decided to look it up on the internet and sure enough, I found a recording on Youtube.

Somebody needs to send Debono this link.

Or maybe I will.

Hey Franco - check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-N_6l-ECqk.

It might give you an interesting insight into how the man in the street views disrespectful and undisciplined behaviour in parliament.

I cannot understand how this situation is allowed to persist. Much as I can empathise with the Prime Minister, who does not want to be forced to the polls by someone who is supposed to be forming part of his own team, I truly do not believe that this is a tenable situation.

Here we have a backbencher insulting the Prime Minister publicly and embarrassing the entire administration. He is clearly a diva who enjoys the attention that his increasingly outrageous behaviour is getting him. Much as I hate to say it, I was right when I wrote that he is like a child who is rewarded instead of ignored when throwing a tantrum. He has realised that he can get away with behaving badly so his antics are escalating.

Franco Debono knows that all he has to do to get lots of media exposure and column inches is to have a little hissy fit and hey presto, his mug will end up plastered on the front pages of all newspapers. I am in fact guilty of it myself, writing about him instead of more interesting stuff like the problems engulfing the euro or the massive bailout package currently being rolled out for Greek banks.

Maybe we should all just boycott the guy and ignore him.

***

This week we read about two disturbing incidents. The first was the theft of 170 trees from the Xrobb l-Għaġin Park. We live on a desiccated island with hardly any greenery, so parks like the one maintained by Nature Trust are an important investment in the future. Those trees would have given future generations a pleasant and shady place to enjoy themselves with their families.

What a shame. The people who stole those trees are a disgrace.

Another story that caught my eye was that of Benny and Marisa Bondin, who invested all their savings in a restaurant on Dock 1 in Cospicua. The Bondins were forced to shut down when works commenced on the dock rehabilitation project 14 months ago. The plan had been for the project to be completed this month, but the Italian contractors who won the tender defaulted on the job. A new tender has now been issued and the deadline for the completion of the works has been extended to September 2013.

Now I can understand that the family stands to gain from the rehabilitation project - ultimately if the area is upgraded it will result in more passing trade and more business. However, I absolutely disagree that this absolves the government from having to assist this family.

When the Bondins found out that their agony was going to be extended by a further 16 months they sent an e-mail to the Prime Minister asking him for help. He replied as follows: "This is not the first and neither will it be the last such project and the government never paid compensation - and resisted similar claims - because it is obvious that these projects... will afterwards be enjoyed by people and businesses in the area."

Now I would have understood the Prime Minister's reply had the Bondins asked for compensation for the business they lost in the last 14 months, which was the anticipated duration of the project. However, that is not the case. The Bondins have been rendered prostrate by the fact that the 14-month project has now been extended to 30 months.

At this rate they are going to be bankrupt and their property confiscated by the bank by the time the embellishments are completed - so they will hardly be benefitting from the results of the project, will they?

I urge the Prime Minister to reconsider his position. The assistance need not be in the form of cash - an interesting idea would be for the government to offer the Bondins an alternative location to run their business over the next 16 months. I believe that such a scheme was organised for the shops that had to be relocated due to the City Gate project, so why not in this case too?