So, one of the worst things that could have happened to our islands on an international level has finally happened. Despite our visibly desperate, last-minute scrambling to fix a system long broken (if it was ever working, to begin with), despite our platitudes and our lobbying, Malta has been greylisted.
Our land of milk, honey, dust and money has been told that the buck stops here. The financial crimes powers that be do not believe that we are not corrupt, they do not assume that we are transparent, and they certainly do not think we are the best in Europe. It would seem that that small link to Panama that the majority of the electorate chose to ignore has given us the opportunity to be seated right next to them in the grey list. Front row tickets to our demise.
And then, inexplicably, while the country burns both literally and metaphorically, the prime minister and finance minister get on stage for a press conference, and instead of telling us all how royally screwed we are, they decide to try to drive off into the sunset out of the bullets of responsibility and accountability, like some kind of modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. Only this is not just some flat-tyre issue.
We are a country with few to no natural resources. Two of our main sources of income are tourism and iGaming – both sectors where reputation is paramount. For us to be told that being greylisted is not a big deal and will have no negative impact on us by two of the most important people in the country is not just an erroneous, downplayed statement, it is a barefaced lie.
To be so very blind in a sea of blind people must be a gift indeed- Anna Marie Galea
Even more absurd and cringe-inducing were the comments made by the electorate. Everyone from Roberta Metsola to Nationalists in general was blamed; everyone of course, except for the former prime minister, his merry band of thieves who exploited our institutions at every corner, and the fact that a journalist’s horrific death has been continuously linked to some of the highest people in power. To be so very blind in a sea of blind people must be a gift indeed.
Addressing the Maltese of goodwill, whatever that may mean, the prime minister who really did receive the worst legacy of all our short history of self-governance, did his usual waltz of saying how great we are and how unjust the decision was. As usual, we did not deserve this sorry state of affairs, and we certainly hadn’t earned it. That the Panama Papers had not helped our cause was all that he would concede, as I watched on in my usual state of slack-jawed horror.
It is not the first time that I have compared the country to a teenager that wants to do whatever they want and gets mortally offended when they are asked to take responsibility, but I was certainly reminded of that image yesterday. By the end of the day, the Valletta Cultural Agency chairman had already told an equally infantile priest that he would be making a guest appearance at his 8am mass the following morning to challenge him over his greylisting comments. I am almost disappointed he did not ask him to a duel at dawn.
I do not know in which cloud cuckoo land everyone is living, but if this news does not make you come down, nothing will. It really is time we looked beyond whatever political mirror is hanging in front of us and saw things as they actually are. God knows, the rest of the world is watching. Intently.
