I recently received an email from a Maltese friend of mine living in a Latin American country.

The following is its text:

“I went to see the doctor. Since I had just arrived I wanted to introduce myself. I told him that I am Maltese and started talking about Malta…. The usual stuff, an island in the Mediterranean etc. He immediately interrupted me saying: ‘I know about Malta. It is bankrupt and it is for sale.’

‘What are you saying?’ I instantly interjected hardly letting him finish his sentence.

‘I read all about it in the newspapers’, he answered me. ‘The papers clearly stated that Malta is bankrupt and is for sale.’

He was referring to the sale of passports scheme.

My friend concluded his email with this short but telling sentence:

“I really hang my head in shame.”

Another friend of mine who was on the recipients list answered immediately.

“I can understand how you felt. Something similar happened to me. I was attending an international conference. During lunch we happened to be sitting on the same table with one of the organisers. When we told him that we were Maltese he commented: ‘So are you selling your citizenship in Malta? I've read it in the paper.’ The nonverbal cues that accompanied his statement showed that it was not just a descriptive statement.

We have been made the laughing stock of the world. Who will take responsibility for this mess”