The controversial aspect of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s brilliant journalism could have at times overshadowed her humanitarian qualities. Regardless of this nothing can eradicate her deep-rooted characteristics, as is evident in the words of Peter Agius, a PN MEP candidate, in his article ‘Time for national bereavement’ in the Times of Malta of October 15:

“Personally, I only met Daphne a few times. I did not like her style of denigrating Labour chavs or ħamalli. However, the moment she was killed, I could only see the nobility of her ultimate sacrifice. They killed the most popular and most influential Maltese journalist. They killed a sentinel of our democracy, a protector of freedom of speech.”

She paid the ultimate price for her determination to fight corruption and injustice as one of her quotes confirms: “I cannot bear the thought of injustice, still less the reality of it. It’s true that life is unfair and much of it can’t be helped, but where I can do anything to avoid unfairness or to set it straight, then I will.”

John Sweeney started his Memorial Lecture presenting Daphne as an extraordinary human being. If one needed proof of this one has to look at the dignity and tenacity of her family in this dark time – conducting themselves so honourably.

As the leading article – ‘The woman who lives on’ – in the Times of Malta of October 16 ends: “Ms Caruana Galizia is bigger than she was a year ago.”