Honestly, one does not know where to begin and how to go about it so as not to leave anything out.
The amount of filth that is emerging – in the various, interlinking, court cases; in the revelations in some newspapers or online web pages; even in those cases which have managed to push Robert Abela to take steps, is amazing.
Midway through his first year in power he cannot point at any substantial improvement in the rule of law, though admittedly he faced the tremendous onslaught of the pandemic.
But according to Reno Bugeja and his always optimist newsroom, the only problem which merits a discussion on one of the handpicked discussion programmes on national television is the state of play in the comatose opposition.
This is also the subject which exercises the Labour media and Karl Stagno Navarro in particular while they run a money collection gig.
Coincidentally in one and the same week. Coincidentally in the week in which the Labour deputy leader was forced to resign. Coincidentally in the week in which more and more details emerged to provide a hypothetical background to the murder of Malta's best journalist.
But one by one, Daphne is dragging them down. Two down, many more to go.
The country is still without a head of the police after the previous incumbent had to go and even lost his nest egg for after his term of office.
It will take time for his successor to be appointed and for him to start being effective – and all at a time when the country direly needs an effective and fair police force.
Some steps have been taken, such as the splitting of the Attorney General's roles but I do not discern any real change.
There are people at large who in any other country where the rule of law rules would have been investigated and possibly arraigned. Not here.
The investigation into Daphne's murder has led us into the most diverse of scenarios, from big, big business to taxi drivers to car salesmen to common criminals. In a small country like Malta where distance does not exist, neither geographically nor socially, victim and perpetrator live next door to each other.
The cases trundle on and whatever Alfred Sant says, will keep us glued to the websites for a long time. Absorbing the details, cross-checking the details, drawing conclusions.
And it’s not just the Daphne-related stories. This week I happened to watch part of the Public Accounts committee and besides being upset by the unruly manner of proceedings, I was shocked by the bland defence by Gavin Gulia of his board, charged with blatant favouritism and choice of cronies for the government millions for events organised here.
The rot goes deeper. Once the top people started misbehaving, there’s no stopping the spirals downwards.
The scandal-fed atmosphere has poisoned the environment where it has always been rather dodgy. Small entrepreneurs and big developers share a lack of concern with values such as honesty and integrity. Take your pick.
Scratch but the surface and an ugly reality comes up.
From being Europe's poster-boy we have become pariahs with anything to do with us coming under automatic doubt.
We are now led by a man who promised continuity but who is showing us that when push comes to shove and after expending his capital in some defence or other, gives up rook, bishop and queen.
The more things keep emerging, the more anger becomes widespread. But, mark well, such anger will not upset the government's huge majority. That is as absolute as the Maltese rock.
[email protected]