It is with great regret that I heard Marie Louise Coleiro Preca’s statement that she will not be contesting the next general election with the Labour Party. It appears that the reasons behind this sad decision were the unnecessary gossip and threats addressed to her and her family by unscrupulous persons.

It seems that some people have not yet learned that in such cases it is the argument that should be attacked and not the person.

As a former Labour Party district secretary and election manager for Gozo and a member of the party executive from 1999 to 2003, I have known Ms Coleiro Preca personally for many years. She is a woman of sound principles. Her door is always open to anybody, even for those who are not her constituents.

I worked with her for many years and under three different party leaders: Dom Mintoff, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici and Alfred Sant. Nobody should have been surprised that she will stick hard to her principles.

After all, party leader Joseph Muscat, before the divorce referendum had publicly stated (and informed all party members in writing) that he was allowing everyone a free vote on divorce.

One expects the Labour Party to issue a statement condemning such attacks on Ms Coleiro Preca and to dissociate itself from all insults and threats directed at her. I hope this would have been done by the time this letter is published. In these difficult times for her, I would like to encourage Ms Coleiro Preca and tell her not to give up and urge her to reconsider her decision carefully.

This is not because she needs Parliament, or because she would be missing anything special, but for Malta’s sake. She has striven greatly to make this country kinder and more compassionate towards those who suffer, the marginalised and the working classes in general.

However, as Ms Coleiro Preca surely realises, her work is not finished yet. She still has many years ahead of her to work for the good of Malta and its people.