Thank you for letting us know that politicians are the most vexatious litigants regarding criminal libel suits in Malta.

Politicians should enter their profession as advocates of their constituents and champion their right to free speech. They should be public servants and never masters of the State.

MPs are so far protected by parliamentary privilege which allows them to attack whom they choose – so long as it is in the chamber. No one else has that privilege.

So the sooner that right is abolished, the better.

Sixty per cent of these spurious and publicly funded cases were directed against journalists. So it seems the courts are being used by politicians to stifle press freedom. Each suit becomes in effect a “gagging order” which prevents further investigation being published while spurious claims are being dissected. Over months and maybe years.

If politicians cannot stand the heat they should leave the kitchen. There should of course be an automatic right of reply by anyone who believes they have been maligned in some way.

That should always be the first channel we all should take to redress a real or perceived wrong.

I am sure the press and broadcasting authorities would welcome such a channel as the first means of remedy.

So the courts should never entertain any criminal libel action until that right of response has been thoroughly aired.

Should any person of puffed up self-import still wish to clog up the courts with spurious suits, then I suggest this.

They deposit a sum of €50,000 to cover court costs as they meander through the over-stretched legal system in their search for glory. In the meantime, the press may do well to compile a “Nambie Pambi” list of such errant litigants – available for each constituent to view before the next election takes place.