Our islands have often been called a little paradise or a jewel in the Mediterranean. On tourist brochures, postcards, documentaries, historical accounts and even amongst us, its own inhabitants.
Most recently, however, the connotation of paradise has been circumscribed to relate to the potential, wealth and opportunity that the political system in our country is affording the Mafia (in a wide sense), organised crime and criminals looking to make a hit. Many have left our shores not believing their luck. Something that abroad would require bribes, societies, corrupt systems and cunning to execute, here, is done without effort and the welcome mat put out.
Maybe it stems from a sense of inferiority. Some people are easily impressed and deceived. Others know and choose to avoid the implications, happy to be associating with the big fish and bringing in the cash.
The anti-mafia commission from Italy that visited Malta to make the connection and share their expertise, immediately picked up on the scene happening here and termed it a little paradise for the Mafia. The fact that the Commissioner of Police was too busy to meet them only must have confirmed to them what they already assessed - that the channels are flourishing, undisturbed.
Malta used to be called the Nurse of the Mediterranean. I think its new name would be the Laundry of the Mediterranean.
All of this comes with danger. Danger to persons, stability, security and prosperity.
Even paradise had its dangers lurking between the branches.
Once you associate with certain business, life can be sweet for a while but it can cost you your freedom and your life.
There is a growing unease and deep concern amongst people who are more prominent in speaking out. I would say, without wishing to alarm but to become conscious of it, that the ex-leader of the Opposition, Dr Simon Busuttil, should be given protection. Currently, he looks quite solitary in his determination to pursue the truth.
Busuttil has insisted in pursuing the leads that were uncovered by Daphne and by other journalists all the way to court. Sometimes, there is a point when the truth coming out is unavoidable and it is at that moment that action is taken to silence it.
There are others who may feel under threat.
There is also the Judge who is handling the same investigation. Is he at risk?
We just do not fathom the extent of what is going on around us.
From the ordinary point of view, as the Prime Minister himself has stated, business must go on and there has been, in his perception, no extraordinary event that entails a change of mentality or direction.
Many differ on their conclusion.
The protest we saw in Valletta last Sunday 22nd, although large and significant was also seen in the previous protests held before the election, against corruption.
The electorate ignored those protests, even if they may have participated in them, and went on to re-elect Dr Joseph Muscat with the same candidates around him.
The government of that time also ignored those protests and again, presently, ignore the renewed demonstrations against the threat to freedom of speech and the call for the removal of the Commissioner of Police and the Attorney General.
Is it from choice or from compromise that the PM can afford to look the other way? In reality where is line of decency, safety and protection drawn?
If there were organisations, persons, individuals, who felt threatened by what, at that time, was constantly derided as a blogger rather than a journalist, would they not spring into action if they felt their paradise was being lost, or if ever the higher-ups would choose justice?
The message from the Prime Minister is loud and clear and will certainly be picked up by interested parties, that nothing is changing, nothing will change and neither will the majority be going anywhere anytime soon. Justice has its own address, one that is far away across the ocean.
In this reality, the Opposition cannot revert to the same place it was in before the election and neither can it forge a new purpose, without having the proper strength.
Like Samson who lost his strength when his hair was cut off and his sight lost, the PN languishes in the dark, a captive of its own strength.
If that strength is to be found again, as it was for Samson, who then went on to drop the pillars of the Temple, then the leader, Adrian Delia, must restore legality so he can go forward or stand aside. If he cannot prove himself up to measure of worth expected of him, he should stand aside and make way for a more worthy candidate. As things stand the scales are still tipped. The people are in no mood to believe anyone other than Daphne and the facts she uncovered and the predictions she made about how these allegations would reflect on Dr Delia as a Leader of the opposition.
So Malta is at an impasse. Everything is changing around us but in a negative way, without the necessary force of real intention coming from either of the two main parties.
We know how the Government should change. To start we need to apply the Rule of Law, which of itself, would precipitate the natural consequences.
For the Opposition, it is not that they should stop going after corruption and to protest the failures of this government in transparency and good governance. But they cannot see a demonstration and think that it reflects the whole nation. It is a section of the people. Usually the same people. How then can they re-align their strength if they are on a weak foot?
It would help if every one of the parliamentary members found their voice and commitment to good values and not to a faction or an injured ego. That will start to create energy and momentum and should help lead to the real new way forward. They need to become conscious, curious, honest, brave, humble and professional. The impression of the amateur is too dominant right now. Better start to take one small thing at a time and work to make it better, than to take on big tasks that cannot be effectively changed as yet.
Changing the mentality, from losing to winning, does not cost money. It costs pride, commitment and to believe again. Whatever changes had taken place under the leadership of Simon Busuttil, they most definitely did not go to the root and cause. Protection, hiding, sitting on the fence, a distorted picture - all of these should end before it can begin again to breathe new life into the party.
As leader of the party, Adrian Delia is expected to breathe new life into it, not suck it out and load a burden of truth onto it.
The intransigence of the Labour party in avoiding its responsibility toward the people of this country is firm. This week the eyes of the free world were on Malta. The opprobrium of the EU was upon us. Anger, sorrow, shame struck into our heart. Also fear and a clear sense of danger. And yet, the Prime Minister was on the other side of town and country, deflecting all reasoning and emotion, creating a distance between himself and the strong criticism.
If violence, brutal violence, cannot change the mind and soul of the nation and its leaders, then we need to be cast out of paradise to understand what it means to be alive, living, justified and deserving to be in the free world.