Owen Bonnici, our top man in culture and heritage, has called for transparency.

For a second, reading Owen's pointed observation, I actually believed he had had a damascene moment. I thought he was going on about something connected to the horrors of the government, of Robert Abela or anything worth reporting. But keep calm, Damascus or horses flinging riders off their saddle be damned, he was going on about the voting system at the Eurovision Song Festival.

Our minister, our cultured and erudite man tasked with safeguarding our heritage, did not say he was annoyed at the festival organisers. Or at Malta's placing. No, he keeps a level head about him, our man does. He feels that if the public requires further explanation, if the public is worried about the way the voting was conducted, then something should be done.

That's our boy.

Now no one expects him to demand transparency in anything but an inane vote for an inane festival. After all, his idea of culture is so limited that, even were that Damascene horse to hit him in the head, he could never utter anything intelligent or worth our while to listen to.

Let's agree on one thing in this most serious affair of how the voting is conducted at the Eurovision song festival: Owen is the man responsible for the festival. So, when he spoke, it was within his remit.

Owen and his colleagues disregard many obscenities. The scandals, the ever-increasing impunity with which Robert and his merry band operate, should be condemned by Owen. He should, if he had any decency left in him, ask for more transparency in a number of things.

There's one thing that should niggle at Owen's heart, soul and conscience, even if it's not in his remit. Right now, there is a horrid regular occurrence at the Daphne Caruana Galizia memorial in Valletta opposite the law courts.

Owen definitely remembers his actions when he was responsible for culture, justice and public cleansing. He used to clear the memorial every day and feed the masses idiotic reasons why this was happening. His beatific face would announce to anyone who dared question his actions that the Great Siege monument had to be kept intact and pristine.

He was dragged to court. The court found him in violation of freedom of expression. He was found guilty but wasn't even asked to resign, let alone to abandon politics.

Currently, it is not Owen's remit or obligation to stop the daily desecration of the memorial. A desecration which goes - as the courts had pronounced - against freedom of speech.

But since when has clearing a slain journalist's memorial formed part of a minister's remit?

It's not just Owen's conscience that should prick him into speaking up about this constant desecration of a memorial. This should also be dictated by honouring real culture: because, where does the idea of culture exist without freedom of expression?

If Owen has no remit, obligation and feels no guilt, then that is confirmation, if any was needed, that our country is not fit to be called a proper democracy.

As always, we show huge solidarity and interest in anything inane and base, like the voting method of a kitsch gathering of singers. But when it comes to real issues, our democratic credentials are lacking.

If Owen Bonnici and his colleagues in government cared about democracy, they would take the detail into consideration, not the things with populist appeal. The horrible insistence on clearing the memorial daily, with not a whimper of condemnation from government members, proves that Daphne Caruana Galizia, and her memory, still sends shivers down all Labourites' spines - if they have any.

Detail, as always, is what damns us or saves us.

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