When Daphne Caruana Galizia was alive, most of the local media either attacked her relentlessly or disregarded her. We all know now, even if only a few of us admit, how wrong it was to treat Caruana Galizia in that way before she was brutally silenced.
Some media which today follow her leads (yes, her stories are still relevant after all these years) had, during her lifetime, tried hard to operate as if Caruana Galizia did not exist.
Her stories, even the ones which were uncovering scandals and criminality within the Joseph Muscat government, were deemed too hyped up. The argument was: everyone knew Daphne loved hyperbole, she hated the Labour Party and especially Muscat and his gang. And so, continued the argument, she would publish anything unfounded and unverified.
When Caruana Galizia dared uncover anything, few took her leads seriously, few chased stories the way they are being chased by some journalists today. Because, now, after she was killed and after a cascade of stories have been unravelled and shown that she was right, some people have been moved to investigate.
How tragic that disregard was. Nearly five years after her murder, many of us have learnt nothing. Malta as a country has not realised that we are still living through a tragedy, our own tragedy.
Take our commissioner of police and the attorney general. Very serious and disturbing facts have been unearthed by Robert Aquilina, the president of Repubblika. Instead of being investigated at the highest levels, there is near silence.
The mantra seems to be to not touch or prod into anything unearthed or claimed by Aquilina. He is, goes the argument, a rabble rouser, a gossip monger.
What Aquilina has shown and alleged deserves answers, denials and, if this were a normal country, resignations. But we are not normal, as the treatment of Daphne before and after she was killed attests.
The comparison between Caruana Galizia and Aquilina is not at all about their style, their methods, their journalism or the material they uncover. But the utter disregard of Aquilina is the same treatment accorded to Daphne.
When she uncovered anything, no one investigated. Consequently, many stories, many crimes, many clues, were covered up, traces and trails and phones were erased.
Robert Aquilina has said things about the commissioner of police that are frightening- Victor Calleja
The longer crimes and misdeeds are left to be discovered and investigated, the harder it becomes to get to the truth. The more time passes, the more evidence is lost, mislaid or hidden.
Aquilina has said things about the commissioner of police that are frightening. That he has friendships which, given his position, he should shun.
The police force as a whole needs our full support and confidence. If there is a shadow hanging over anyone of the force – and more so if it is to do with the head of the force – that shadow, that doubt, needs to be looked into and quashed or uncovered.
The same goes for the AG. Much has been said and uncovered these last months and years about strange decisions and actions. Confidence in this institution needs to be rebuilt, not further eroded.
When Lawrence Cutajar was police commissioner and Peter Grech was AG, Malta passed through some of its worst moments and the trust in these institutions was at its lowest ebb. We cannot let the country fall further down the slide of trust and belief in our top institutions.
If Aquilina is wrong, let him be shown he is wrong. But what if he is right and the police commissioner has ties to big business and politicians who would prefer having the top policeman on their side to be able to control him and his actions? What if the same thing is happening as what Caruana Galizia used to claim and no one listened?
Malta’s recent history and the way Caruana Galizia was blown up because she knew too much and uncovered too much should teach us a few good lessons. Otherwise, as, sadly, seems only too true, we are doomed.
vc@victorcalleja.com
Victor Calleja is a former publisher.