The Prime Minister owes an explanation. To continue in the same thread as the leading article above, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi needs to tell us exactly what he was doing and what he was discussing with Muammar Gadaffi in Libya just shy of two weeks ago.

We are not going to go into the merits of whether the PM should condemn Gadaffi’s regime or not. As others jump on the bandwagon and preach that the PM should have condemned Gadaffi, this newspaper did that weeks ago. We did it in the case of Tunisia, we did it in the case of Egypt and we did it in the case of Libya.

We have also stated time and time again that Malta ought to be ashamed of itself (as should all other Western democracies) for putting up with various regimes around the world, simply because it is easier to do so than to deal with a democratic competitor on our doorstep.

We have already said that our behaviour, as a people and a sovereign nation, was shameful, hypocritical and heavily smacking of political convenience. Yes, Libya is a neighbour. Yes, she has threatened us before and yes, other nations also welcomed her back into the fold and out of the wilderness.

As the leader above states, we did not (yet) hear of any presents bestowed on Maltese members of government. But, as the Maghreb and Middle East regimes were crumbling into dust, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was in Libya to meet Colonel Gaddafi and was looking as chummy as ever.

One wonders what possessed the normally astute Gonzi to go to Libya. Malta deserves to know. Was it Air Malta? Was it oil? Was it the 5+5 meeting? Or, even worse – as many suspect – was it to try and secure backing from Malta in the event of protests in Libya? Was it to try and secure a possible place of exile if the proverbial hit the fan?

The Government of Malta owes it to us, the people, to explain why the Prime Minister was there. We have already branded as shameful our backing, and the other backing of these regimes by the so-called Western world.

One cannot begin to even imagine what the politics surrounding Gaddafi are like. One has to have experienced it, as did the author of this leading article. Back when Guido de Marco paid the first Presidential visit to Libya (February 2004) when it emerged from the wilderness, Malta decorated Col Gaddafi. The author, still only a novice at the time, asked why this had to be, given that Gadaffi had a horrendous human rights record. The only answer given was: “It’s protocol”.

That same author attended a rally where Gadaffi spoke and was cheered by his tribe – all in red berets, punching the air and chanting with unison. The author remembers smirking slightly. He was nudged by a Maltese embassy official and told to straighten his face if he wanted to get out of the country, because “they are looking at you”. That gives some idea of what this person’s regime is about. But not more than when Gaddafi took questions from this author.

This author remembers diplomatically asking him how he felt about being welcomed back into the fold given his record. Although Gaddafi speaks fluent English, he used an interpreter to allow himself time to think. If looks could have killed, this leading article would not be printed today.