In the first of a two-part feature, here are some of the memorable comments and controversial statements with The Sunday Times of Malta in 2019.

"I already revealed more than any other politician in the recent history of our nation, and I don’t think I should give more details"

– Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia answering a question about his monthly income, January 6. 

"It would be unreasonable, and perhaps verging on madness, to say that we would close our doors to foreign workers"

– JobsPlus chairman Clyde Caruana arguing that Malta needs an influx of foreigners to sustain its economic growth, January 20. 

"Such verdicts are a normal part of life in Turkish journalism"

– Turkish journalist Pelin Unker, who was sentenced to 13 months in jail for revealing details about the former Turkish Prime Minister and his sons’ business activities in Malta, January 20. 

"We are slowly killing Valletta"

– Former Valletta mayor Alexei Dingli expressing his concern about the future of Malta’s capital city, January 27. 

"How can you expect the most obese nation in Europe to cycle in 35 degree weather?"

Transport Minister Ian Borg defending the lack of an infrastruture on our roads for cyclists, February 3. 

"Falling attendence is a symptom of a wider malaise that the Church needs to address urgently."

– Director of the Church research institure Discern Fr Joe Inguanez speaking about the downward trend of church attendence in Malta, February 17. 

"Future generations will surely look back at the materialism and short-sightedness of our age, devoid of historical sensitivity or good planning, with a sense of despair"

– Petra Caruana Dingli airs her frustration in a column entitled ‘Shining a light on the dark ages’, February 24.

"It is unfortunate that the Planning Authority seems to be more engaged in trying to meet developers’ demands than carrying out the role it was created for"

– Outgoing Din L-Art Ħelwa president Maria Grazia Cassar lamenting at the excessive level of development and construction projects, March 3. 

"I remember Malta as a virgin, which now implies that it is a whore"

– Renowned architect Richard England commenting on the destruction of Malta’s heritage and the unacceptable greed of the construction industry, March 10.

"A society of perpetual growth is a recipe for ecological disaster"

– Columnist Mark Anthony Falzon writing in this newspaper about the fallacy of increased population growth being necessary for economic growth, March 31. 

"Dear young people of Malta and Gozo, I urge you to be our islands’ activists, because our island has always been valued for its genuine effors, in favour of inclusion and resilience among our people"

– Former president Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca delivers a note of appreciation, March 31.

"I just want Libya to be a normal country which embarks on a transition to democracy where people can enjoy a normal and peaceful life. If Tunisia can do it, why not Libya?"

– President George Vella expressing his concern at the deteriorating situation in Libya, April 22. 

"Malta is in the worst constitutional mess that it has faced since independence"

– Dean of the University’s Faculty of law, Kevin Aquilina, reacting to judicial appointments and the lawsuit that challenged the selection system, April 28.       

"The Planning Authority has many design guidelines, but not a single one of them requires developments to be beautiful"

– Din l-Art Ħelwa president Alex Torpiano, April 28. 

"We should stop these people coming from abroad without a passport, with their children and with a different religion"

Guardian for Future Generations Maurice Mizzi expressing his concern about the large number of Muslim migrants coming to Malta, May 26.