Editorial: A classic case of public bullying

Jason Micallef’s outburst and threats against podcaster Trudy Kerr is more than just another embarrassing episode. It is a textbook case of public bullying by a public official paid by public money.

In reality it was a storm in a teacup. Kerr simply filmed her disappointment over the state of a section of Ta’ Qali national park, which was recently covered in gravel. She did not mention Micallef by name and her criticism was simply aimed at the state of the ground.

Micallef, who heads the Ta’ Qali National Park management as well as the Valletta Cultural Agency, took issue with the post and publicly pledged to take Kerr to court.

“I will fight it with all my strength. People like the failed and false podcaster Trudy Kerr – their time is over. See you in court, Ms Kerr,” Micallef charged in a Facebook post, before repeating the term ‘fake news’ (in capital letters). It was a post straight out of Donald Trump’s playbook.

Whether Kerr’s criticism was justified or misinformed is completely besides the point. It’s called freedom of speech, everyone has a right to say what they want, provided it isn’t libellous or threatening.

Micallef might be right to argue that people rush to conclusions without verifying facts. Instead of checking the situation carefully, we continue seeing assumptions made and amplified. Once unleashed on social media, such claims spread faster than any official correction ever could.

But a public official’s duty is to rise above and deal with criticism in the most respectful manner, even when it is unjustified. The correct response is to calmly present the facts, explain why critics may be wrong, and maintain a tone that reflects the dignity of office.

What you never do is marshal your followers on social media, threaten lawsuits with no legal foundation, and hurl accusations that intimidate – basically what Micallef has done... again.

It is sad to see someone who has been in the political game for so long resort to such tactics. When someone with thousands of followers like Micallef directs hostile attention at an individual, the effect can be overwhelming, potentially dangerous. It merely serves to silence reasonable debate and discourage others from speaking up.

Micallef could have turned the criticism into a PR exercise for himself.

He could have invited Kerr to the park, alongside an expert, to explain why the gravel was laid and his future plans for the park. Facts, a genuine conversation – even shared publicly if he wanted – would have reassured citizens and strengthened trust.

Instead, he chose threats and bluster, feeding the very cycle of misinformation he claims to deplore.

Micallef’s behaviour is even more ironic when we know that teachers, for example, must obtain written permission before speaking to journalists. Yet here we have the chair of a publicly funded role, repeatedly speaking in the most partisan and aggressive terms without apparent consequence.

Micallef has a long history of using his platform to lash out at critics, whether over Christmas trees, street furniture, or artistic decisions.

We’ve said it before and we will keep saying it because it is the most basic requisite. Malta needs leadership that rises above this toxic cycle.

We need heads of entities that promote and defend their patch, not someone whose every outburst sparks embarrassment. And citizens, too, should bear responsibility, especially if they have a public platform. It is right to criticise, even publicly, but such criticism must be grounded in fact.

But ultimately, this was never about Jason vs Trudy. It was a test of whether we accept public bullying as normal.