I remember my late mother telling me about the day Daphne Caruana Galizia came with her husband and children to our house. Her husband came in with his children to see the sheep while she waited outside in the car.

The words expressed by those who denied the facts that she had exposed ring hollow.

The mention of the FBI brings to my mind the meddling of the Russians in the US election. If it was a mafia-style elimination, perhaps the Italians can be of bigger help, considering the porosity of our border with Sicily. Assassins are imported and then sent back very easily.

What took place is the result of a conspiracy: people who should have spoken out long ago chose comfort and money over truth. People on both sides of the political spectrum either sat on the fence while the rape of our natural environment is taking place or participated in it because big money is involved.

I hope this tragedy changes the political landscape forever. May each individual who seeks fairness start voting for small political parties and may the big political parties splinter. In this way, negotiation throughout a legislature would be the order of the day and there will be scrutiny on the institutions that should protect each one of us.

May checks and balances start working in this country. May we stop the gobbling up of our natural environment. Now, even the urban landscape is being gobbled up.

The death of a modern-day martyr should not be in vain.