Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1474369
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 24 JULY 2022 OPINION 11 clip, he deflects Tony Barbaro Sant's questions with a sim- ple: 'I don't need to answer, because I know best'. A few [loosely translated] examples: Q. Where is all the money going to come from, to finance your electoral promises? A. "The money will come from somewhere. That's all you need to know. Just vote for me; and when I'm Prime Minister, I'll see to it that the money comes from somewhere. Don't you worry about that…'. Q. What is your solution to Malta's water problems? [Note: Funny, isn't it, how the issues themselves don't seem to have changed at all since 1996…] A. 'I have an answer but I'm not going to give it to you, be- cause… it's better that way. When I'm Prime Minister, you'll have the answer. But for now, I'm going to keep it to myself." Now: on one level, you cer- tainly have to hand it to Rich- ard Sultana. He might have 'floated like a butterfly', most of the time; but at a pinch, he was certainly capable of 'sting- ing like a bee'. (In fact, Tony Barbaro Sant himself looks vis- ibly pained, throughout that interview…) And besides: that is precisely the sort of 'chutzpah' that most people feel is lacking, from more recent generations of Maltese (and, dare I say it, even international) political leaders. There are almost moments when Richard Sultana seems to single-handedly capture all the 'swagger' (and intransi- gence) of Dom Mintoff; all the 'self-assurance' (and 'thriftless- ness') of Eddie Fenech Adami… and granted; he may well have lacked the gravitas of either, in the end… But nonetheless: those traits we all laughed at so much, coming from Richard Sultana Tal-Farfett, were actually IN- DISTINGUISHABLE from the ones we all admired – and even expected (not to mention, 'voted for') – from our more serious political leaders, at the time. And this, I suspect, is the reason why there is even such a thing as a 'Richard Sultana Appreciation Society' today. For let's face it: you can't not at least 'appreciate' that sort of ballsy, in-your-face, cock- iness… not to mention the sheer, barefaced 'honesty' of it all: whereby Tal-Farfett prac- tically informs us – directly to our faces – that he fully in- tends to simply 'buy' his way into government… by prom- ising… erm… 'all things, to all people'… Hmmm. See what I mean, that the joke might have been on us, all along? And how the spirit of Richard Sultana him- self may even now be having a last, hearty (and toothless) laugh, at our expense? Let's take a closer look at the Independent Democratic But- terfly Party's actual electoral programme for 1986, shall we? Now: if you close an eye at that single campaign promise about 'straightening the Marsa race- course' (and OK, maybe a cou- ple of other equally 'bat-shit crazy' ones: like, for instance, installing 'central-heating at the Ta' Qali stadium')… … well, it turns out that pret- ty much every other electoral pledge he made, in that cam- paign, has not only been emu- lated by both Labour and Na- tionalist Parties, ever since… but also, DELIVERED. Starting with… well, the mo- ment where it all suddenly gets interesting [Note: it's roughly 1:30 minutes into the video]: "And I tell you also: all the people of Valletta; Floriana; Marsa and Rahal Gdid… what- ever you need, come to me. No appointments, no secretaries: just come to Richard Sultana, and he will see to it that you get whatever you want: from top, to bottom…" Honestly though. How very 'different' is that, from the Office of the Prime Minister's official reply last week, to ques- tions about a private meeting between Robert Abela, and construction magnate Charles Polidano (literally a few days after the latter was interrogat- ed by the police, on suspicion of money-laundering)? "The Prime Minister is re- quested meetings with inves- tors on a regular basis, to dis- cuss their ideas and investment projects, and any potential challenges relative to their in- vestment." And how very different is it, from the same Robert Abela's private 'meeting' with a con- sortium of Gozitan developers – organised by Joseph Portel- li – on the very eve of the last election? (Or, for that matter, from when former Prime Min- ister Lawrence Gonzi invited 'aggrieved' Nationalists to pri- vate meetings at Villa Arrigo… to 'listen to their complaints', on the eve of the 2008 elec- tions?) Well, to be fair, there is one difference, I suppose. We laughed at Richard Sultana Tal-Farfett, when he mere- ly 'proposed' the same thing in 1987. But we didn't laugh, when Prime Ministers from both Malta's 'serious' parties actually went ahead and DID IT: over, and over again. Ah: but who's really laugh- ing now, I wonder? (If not that 'crazy butterfly', still 'shining on' in the sky…?) Let's face it: you can't not at least 'appreciate' that sort of ballsy, in-your- face, cockiness… not to mention the sheer, barefaced 'honesty' of it all: whereby Tal-Farfett practically informs us – directly to our faces – that he fully intends to simply 'buy' his way into government… by promising… erm… 'all things, to all people'… Richard Sultana, leader of the 'Independent Democratic Butterfly Party', contested the 1987, 1992 and 1996 elections