The words ‘reconciliation’ and ‘unity’ have both been the subject of debate in recent weeks. There is, however, a big difference between reconciliation and unity. I myself have written about the need for the nation to heal and yet I have also been explicit and insistent about healing taking place under the context of truth and justice.

I certainly find the argument that people should stop fighting corruption just because it is Christmas to be laughable. It is not the protesters concerned for their democracy who are offending the Christmas spirit, it is the criminals who are ready to murder in order to cover up their crimes who have soiled the values and morals of our country. They have ruined Christmas for anybody with a conscience.

So, then – how is it possible for there to be healing or reconciliation? There will be different measures for different people. Everyone seems to have their own interpretation for the conditions of such a journey.

I suppose that the first pre-condition for such a process is that there needs to be empathy and a desire to actually fix things. Since the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia was political in nature, and directly linked to the outcome of the 2017 election, that empathy is foremost the responsibility of the Labour Party. Asking for forgiveness would be the minimum that one could do. It is unfortunate that, even now, there are those who try to blame Daphne’s son in some way for her death – a habit labelled contemptible even by the Labour leadership.

Asking for forgiveness, however, does not mean that one is entitled to receive it. For all the platitudes one may expect to minimise political fallout, Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family and friends lost someone they loved as a result of greed and cowardice. Words will not bring her back. Her assassination was enabled by self-interest and dishonesty and that is a stain which the Labour Party simply cannot wash away. However, it must at least try to make amends. Human decency demands nothing less, and there is a long way yet to fall if Labour is too proud to admit its mistakes.

The ball is, therefore, ultimately in the court of the Labour Party if there is to be reconciliation. Unity, however, is a different matter entirely. As a believer in third-party politics myself, never before have I seen such a justification for its existence against the status quo. Third party politics exists on principle in Malta without any self-interest or career ambition attached. It is what the country needs. So, no, reconciliation does not mean unity behind a one-party state. It simply means that those of goodwill admit their mistakes and agree to work together towards good governance.

On the part of the Opposition, responsibility for the public good demands politics of hope, rather than those of hatred or vengeance. We have an opportunity to work with some Labour politicians who have learned a terrible lesson. It is no use refusing to agree on crucial reforms and common ground simply for political or partisan advantage. If Labour implements the reforms for which we have been asking, then it will be all the better for everyone.

Many Labourites have voiced their disgust and one gets a sense that some Opposition figures insist on ridiculing them only because they are afraid of those individuals regaining popularity. Genuine remorse expressed by Labourites is the Opposition’s worst enemy, as the Opposition will be at its strongest the deeper in denial Labour remains. The Opposition’s greatest political opportunity lies in these sinister revelations coming from Castille. However, exploiting the situation is different from offering hope and a better vision for the country. Beating saddened Labourites while they are down does not win them over.

The assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia should, in my opinion, mean that people should not vote Labour or even Nationalist at the next election. They should start afresh with a different, clean Party. The way forward must come from the heart, offering solutions rather than pouring salt on the wounds, as is partisan tradition. Then those of us of goodwill can – together – oust what remains of the mafia in our country.

Let us come together, stop playing their games and work together to get rid of them. That we will stop dancing to their schizophrenic Red vs Blue tune is what they most fear, which is why their original response to this crisis was to try and call mass meetings. Now is the time for politics of hope, not hatred.