Norma Saliba, the former head of PBS news who resigned to take up a post as head of the Centre for the Maltese Language, has claimed that she is a “professional” who is not an opportunist, has never accepted bribes and sticks to her principles.
In a post on Facebook, Saliba defended herself against what she described as character assassination attempts by people who did not bother to check facts before attacking her.
Saliba resigned from PBS after disagreements with her superiors and was soon made head of the new centre, which is to serve as the “administrative, organisational and operational organ of the National Council of the Maltese Language,” according to a legal notice published just before the announcement of the appointment.
Saliba said that the council had awarded her at the IGM awards for best use of Maltese language and they had recently collaborated together to strengthen the use of Maltese in journalism. “Did the council give me a chance to see my worth with the aim of safeguarding the Maltese language,” she asked.
In what appears to be a direct affront against the council, which has opposed her appointment, Saliba asked it to explain what it has done to preserve the Maltese language. “When will we have an updated Maltese dictionary? Should we have a spellcheck (in Maltese)? Are we happy with the technological tools in the Maltese language? What vision does the council have for Maltese not to be lost in view of the latest social and economic developments?”
The right to express oneself is sacred, but no one has the right to demolish a person without checking the facts or at least work with this person.
She said that she has worked in the public sector under both Labour and Nationalist administrations, giving her all in any circumstance. But she felt that the character assassination campaign has increased in the recent times. She said she accepted criticism when she made mistakes in her line of work, but she will not accept insults.
She said that she is one of many who is suffering from injustice, and claimed other people were refusing appointments so as not to end up in her situation.