Nine months ago (the Times of Malta, February 10) carried an article of mine under the title ‘Down a slippery slope’.

May I be allowed to quote parts of this opinion piece that, by sheer coincidence, verge on the prophetic.

My opening paragraph read as follows: “I believe that unless Malta makes a dramatic change in course, we could well run the risk of our actions leading us into a situation with potentially catastrophic consequences.”

Later on I added: “We are becoming obsessed with material excesses” and “most of us hardly bat an eyelid when faced with cases of corruption, poor governance, tax evasion and unethical behaviour. Xejn m’hu xejn has become the mantra that is shaping our lives.”

I had again called on the Prime Minister to take action against minister Konrad Mizzi and his chief of staff Keith Schembri who had both been caught out in 2013 with secret companies in Panama. I made this plea on two counts. Firstly because what they did was illegal and secondly I felt that the Prime Minister’s lack of decisive action sent a very dangerous message to the country.  It was a slap in the face to all law-abiding citizens who have the moral fibre to differentiate between true and lasting progress across the whole spectrum of human advancement and the quick-buck mentality of many.

While on the subject of a quick-buck mentality, I cannot fail to mention the issue of the sale of our citizenship to any Tom, Dick or Harry who coughs up €600,000 for this ‘privilege’. I shudder to think that the government has placed a monetary value on my citizenship. What will we sell next?

I still see insatiable greed, unbridled excesses and the stench of corruption around me. Is this the legacy we wish to leave to future generations? I see no change to the state of affairs I described in February. If anything, I think we are worse off today than we were then. To quote but one example, we have since got to know about three reports by the FIAU on illicit practices that were totally disregarded by the powers that be. I have read these reports and even with my very elementary legal knowledge, it is more than evident that the police could and should have acted on these reports.

And we now come to the barbaric assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a terrible event that has shocked and saddened the nation. I must admit that over the years I have had differences with her. I sometimes did not agree with her style and she with mine. I would, however, never have imagined that her life would be taken away in such a heinous manner. What is our country coming to? Where is our moral compass? Where are we heading? Is everything ‘permissible’ in the name of economic growth?

I now await the result of the investigation that hopefully will identify the brutal killer/s and bring them to justice. In the meantime all I can do is offer my deepest condolences to her husband Peter and her three sons and the rest of her family. May she rest in peace.

I ended my February contribution by making reference to another article ‘Proud to be Maltese’ that I had penned 12 years earlier in response to a question raised by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi. Today I definitely don’t feel proud of my country. On the contrary, I have no qualms in saying the opposite – I feel ashamed to be Maltese.