People who know him say that he has a heart of gold, and that he is always willing to help out.

But when he wears his political suit, and especially when he is preaching to a crowd of Labour supporters, Joe Debono Grech comes across as abrasive, divisive and full of political hatred towards his adversaries. He seems to get carried away by the atmosphere and his short temper does not help.

We had forgotten all about him since his retirement from politics a few years ago, but Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri did not, and the former Labour Party deputy leader was invited to address an activity organised by the minister in Xewkija last week.

In his address, Debono Grech spoke of Labour being with the “good thief”, a reference to the Biblical account that Jesus Christ was crucified in between two men, one labelled the good thief, who was remorseful in his dying moments, and the other described as bad, as he did not want to repent.

But what was perhaps worse is the other statement made, with which Debono Grech directly condoned corruption. We got nothing from their corruption, he said in obvious reference to the time when the Nationalist Party was in government. At least we got something from ours, he said.

Corruption is never to be accepted, in whatever form or shape, but what Debono Grech said – and what he was applauded for saying – was tantamount to an admission that corruption is acceptable so long as the people also benefit from it.

This is the kind of mentality that has unfortunately become part of our culture in the last decade. Let them do what they like, is what many think about the government, because we are benefiting from it too. So there’s no harm if politicians are corrupt, they argue.

This is all so wrong. And this is what we have been writing about in the last years – that it is very unfortunate that the impunity shown in the face of corruption has led to many believing that they could also get away with it, in the same way that others far higher up in the food chain have done.

That people benefit from corruption does not make corruption right.

Asked about Debono Grech’s statements, Prime Minister Robert Abela distanced himself from them, saying that the Labour Party renewed itself because it wanted to eliminate such an approach as that shown by Debono Grech.

Whether the Labour Party has really renewed itself, as the PM said, is however debatable. Faces may have changed, but little else has as Malta struggles with a bad reputation which is by and large the government’s fault. The country is still on the grey list and, remember, it is the first European country to get such dishonour.

And it is the kind of mentality advocated by Debono Grech that got us there.

The real pity is that most people think like Debono Grech, and for them it is fine that there is corruption because they are getting some crumbs from it too.

How sad.