On 1 July, The Malta independent on Sunday published my reminiscences on the Hotel Excelsior, its Controllership since 1974 (a full 33 years), and the inhuman treatment of the majority shareholder – 83-year-old Italian lawyer Michele Martone and family – by the Maltese authorities over all these years.

On 15 July, The Malta Independent on Sunday published a short but succinct letter from the Italian Ambassador to Malta, H. E. Paolo Andrea Trabalza, recalling his personal appeal to our Prime Minister, Dr Lawrence Gonzi, reminding him that the Italian government was also interested in seeing the matter brought to a conclusion according to the truth. The Prime Minister had then told the Ambassador that Dr Martone’s claim and rights were not contested and the matter would soon be closed.

Considering that this meeting between the Italian Ambassador and the Prime Minister took place over a year ago, your readers may well wonder why the Controller and Liquidator have not yet put pen to paper to provide a public account of their stewardship of the Grand Hotel Excelsior Limited from day one. So much for their sense of accountability. If they are insensitive to the shareholders’ rights, they should show more respect to our Prime Minister and his promise to the Italian Ambassador. We have reached the stage where the Excelsior Saga has become a hot potato in European diplomatic circles and is about to blow up in our face. Given the long-standing relationship between Italy and Malta, sustained by a series of financial protocols, which have contributed untold millions of euros of Italian aid to Malta’s coffers, are the Maltese authorities so naive as to believe that foreign direct and indirect investment will not suffer when this story erupts in the European courts? Or that the Italian authorities will turn their back on an 83-year-old Italian citizen who has been subjected to such inhuman, degrading victimisation all these long years, notwithstanding his repeated victories in the Maltese courts?

Perhaps there is still a slim chance that Malta can redeem itself. Parliament will shortly reconvene after the summer recess, and could well appoint a Parliamentary Commission to investigate and recommend remedial measures.

The Prime Minister, as Minister of Finance, could terminate the Controller’s appointment, which is utterly useless in view of the Liquidator’s responsibilities.

The Prime Minister could also reassure the Italian Ambassador that he can deliver on his promise given over a year ago.

The Prime Minister could also ask the Governor of the Central Bank to publish a detailed statement of the bank account, where the proceeds of the sale of the Grand Hotel Excelsior were held for many years, and which Prof. Ian Refalo as legal consultant to the Controller reportedly administered. Regrettably, Prof. Refalo failed to take up my earlier invitation to do so himself for the sake of transparency and accountability, or to explain why he cannot do so. And the Excelsior Saga continues.