Mr Matrenza’s message to the hoi polloi

Richard Matrenza’s phoney propaganda article “Day of reckoning” (29 May) cannot be allowed to pass without comment.

The opening paragraphs of his article were infested with no fewer than two dozen first person singular pronouns (‘I’, ‘me’) which must surely set the record for self-indulgent published scribbling.

Having duly impressed us with copious introductory references to James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’ (a book which only clever people read), Mr Matrenza then lands readers with a thud in electioneering territory with a sermon about his ‘political principles’ and ’core of philosophy’, to which ‘he has stuck’ unwaveringly for sixty years.

He makes reference to the ‘pedigree’ of ‘the party’ which, surprise, surprise, ‘is very important’ and leaves readers (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) to guess which party this is. The ‘party’, he tells us portentously, is a ‘ship of state… steered by a captain… who has his sights on the best interests of the land’. This has helped the writer to ‘sleep peacefully’ at night. And so on, and so on; it would be tiresome to continue describing all of Mr Matrenza’s childish political circumambulations; they are certainly worth reading for their most amazing crassness.

Please, Mr Matrenza, give readers of The Malta Independent a break; they are more intelligent than you imagine and don’t take kindly to being treated like ignorant misguided hoi polloi who may not intend voting the way you wish them to. Your tired clichés might be impressive to the super-gullible who vote blindly for the same party year after year but, rest assured, readers of this newspaper know how to think for themselves and weigh up the odds and reaching the right decision in the coming election.

Also note, Mr Matrenza, the pivotal word “corruption” is missing from your futile patronising message.

G Debono Sliema