The Prime Minister is satisfied to talk to his supporters and other company about surpassing the deficit and making historic achievements whilst throwing shade at the opposition and anyone who has raised awkward subjects such as the confusion over at Identity Malta, the political interference in the drugs case in Gozo or the cherry on the cake – the Panama accounts and those who own them.

All the while, ordinary citizens who are nowadays well informed on how they should be served by anyone in the service industry or as citizens having well established rights, primarily the right to information, remain astonished at the level of indifference and arrogance shown, whenever a journalist or a representative of the people in parliament, makes him uncomfortable by their questions and requests for action and answers.

We, as people expecting to be served by those elected to serve, have reached our limit on tolerance and remaining passive in front of this lack of accountability.

When a journalist is not allowed to do their job, to ask questions and to be shown respect for the job they are doing, which is informing the people who depend on them to get the story and write it fairly and objectively, then there is a case of passive aggression towards the individual.

To answer non-chalantly by diverting the responsibility onto the person making the question or onto the person, whether it is a member of the opposition or a journalist, who is investigating a story, is not only disrespectful but also unacceptable to a modern democratic country.

The evolution of the story of the disorder at Identity Malta is a typical case in point.  Information comes to light, accusations are levelled, questions are asked.  Instead of concern about a potentially serious disorder, the question is rebuffed onto the newspaper who came forward with the story and denials are the standard procedure.

The same pattern emerges on a number of occasions that we are all quite familiar with.  So much so, that it has developed into a strategy and probably the memo has been issued and a few pages added to manual on how to handle democracy and the right of the public to information.

Only recently, Minister Konrad Mizzi said that the subject of enquiry about his Panama accounts had been exhausted.  Perhaps he is mistaken in thinking that he is the media boss or that it was added to his portofolio. 

Unfortunately for anyone instructed on how to side-step questions from the media, the people want to be served.  Their decision to join the EU was evidence of the fact that they do not like being ruled by a mob mentality.  If the environment they live in is not democratic and open, then no matter how much you praise yourself for economic performance, it will not convince people that they are in a secure place and will in fact work very much against the party that uses this practice of side-stepping questions or only working with friendly media who are basically an extension of the same party.

If they struggle to understand this, there have been several occasions recently that tried to evidence the fact that they are falling very short of their responsibilities.  The comments made by Werner Langen of the PAMA Committee not just about the questions that need to be asked and the need for further interviews, with special reference to the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, but also by several MEPs and foreign publications, have been diplomatic but clear in their intention of making the point that this attitude is quite unacceptable in a member of the EU and especially so of one that holds the Presidency.

But indisputably the most clear and direct message comes from the award of the Pulitzer prize to the team of journalists of the ICIJ, including Matthew Caruana Galazia, on the investigative journalism they carried out on the what became known as the Panama Papers.  What was hidden became uncovered whilst all around us any journalist trying to do their job had their hands tied.

Make no mistake, it has reached a very dangerous level out there at this point.  And it does not stop at journalists and the main-stream media.   The state broadcasting is also not being allowed to do an honest job.  And this censorship extends also to ordinary human beings employed by the state.  The case of Mariella Falzon, the cleaner who spoke of her suffering on the job, through repeated transfers and perceived discrimination levelled against her for not having gone to the “Gvern li jisma” meeting whilst at work and the insensitive way she was spoken to on being informed of the latest transfer, indicates that this mentality of intimidation and hypocrisy is being institutionalised, at least in the public sector. 

The Commissioner of Police too, by being obedient to the labour party instead of to the public he is meant to serve, is not doing his job.  There is never any communication with the public on ongoing cases, no interviews where explanations may be given as to why serious allegations are not investigated properly amounting to an injustice by default.

Nobody in their right minds will choose material wealth over liberty and justice.  Ask the oligarchs of Russia if they are happy to live in their own country or if they choose to have a second home in Europe. 

This mentality of controlling the media has become the latest tool in the hands of the politicians who are overwhelmed by the disclosure of information such as the Panama Papers and Wiki leaks.  They feel they are entitled to defend themselves from attack and to keep an upper hand on journalists who ask difficult questions.  Luckily for us, there has been a backlash and journalists are becoming more direct, curious and insistent. This may mean that the methods employed by some politicians to control public opinion will become more brazen and desperate.  As things go up a gear, it will be a race to see who will survive. 

Anyone doing their job, doing it properly, honestly and purposefully deserves our support and admiration.  From the cleaner to the immigrant to the CEO.  We are a community in a democratic country, we have rights and expectations and a history of doing the right thing at the right time.  Now is that time to do the right thing, whether you are a politician feeling the pressure or an individual who seeks truth and information.