I was intrigued by the Home Affairs Minister’s reply in an interview with The Sunday Times when asked about the drugs situation in our prison: “It is a known fact that prisons are constantly battling the drug phenomenon.” This does not justify the fact that things are so out of control in minuscule Malta.

A young, former inmate spoke publicly of how it is easier to get drugs in prison than it is outside. I was told that during a radio programme hosted by Fr Colin Apap, this ex-convict recounted his experience of what he saw while serving a two-year prison sentence as a minor.

The informant talked of how prisoners are alerted before a drug search takes place and, thus, none are found. So, really, questions should be asked to those in the know, possibly occupying higher levels. Is it so difficult to find out who is responsible for the leaks and at what price is the information divulged? We are talking here about intelligence-gathering in a restricted area.

This former juvenile delinquent also told the story of how a prisoner had to give sexual favours to a person in charge in exchange for cigarettes. He went on to say it is more likely that one leaves prison a worse person and that “corrective facility” is a misnomer.

It was thus very good to hear the minister say the young offenders’ wing will finally – it was launched in 1999 not to be run as a prison but, in fact, is operated exactly on the same lines – be transferred out of the Corradino prison.

Another good decision was the setting up of a magisterial inquiry to investigate what was revealed on the aforementioned programme.

On the subject of strip searches, the minister simply replied there are circumstances that justify such action. But he avoided going into the matter of the Sliema Labour local councillor with no criminal record, no drug habit and of sane mind who was made to strip naked at the police depot. This, when the accusation was that of misuse of a council laptop. His colleague the Nationalist Party councillor, accused of the same crime, was, at least, allowed to keep his underwear on.

Without going into the case, that is not my business here, I did speak to Martin Debono (the Labour councillor) about his experience under arrest. He told me it was the most humiliating experience he has ever been through in his entire life.

To say the treatment Mr Debono got was out of proportion to the crime he has allegedly committed would be an understatement.

As was the action taken against the Romanian so-called lap dancer, whereby the court was opened urgently on a Sunday so the police could prosecute. The magistrate was asked not to grant the woman bail, which request she sensibly did not heed.

I think the questions to ask here are: Who are these so described – in this newspaper’s report – “skimpily dressed foreign women” really? Have they been trafficked? Were they promised jobs as waitresses, nannies, chambermaids or receptionists? Once here are they slaves kept by violence and threats and forced into sex? This is where the line between voluntary prostitutes and intimidated slaves becomes increasingly thin.

Traffickers frighten victims off going to the police warning them the latter are on their side. They lure young women with a better life and promises of work. Once here they are threatened and abused and made to do as their boss wants while they are paid minimally and offered uninhabitable living conditions. What can they do? In certain instances not even go back to the country they so wanted to get away from. So they accept to do whatever work they are asked to do including prostitution and other work in our various clubs where the main entertainment is provided by strippers, lap and pole dancers.

I have no truck with the idea that these sex-workers are all doing their own thing. But it seems we have given up and chosen to turn the collective blind eye to the realities of these people. Once in a while, then, we arraign someone and make a big scene.

On this small rock of a place, we are riddled by problems related to drugs, prostitution and white slavery. How difficult can it be to protect the victims? Should our only solution be a prison where there is a high probability they come out worse people in spite of all our “corrective” talk?

I think not. That is the place for traffickers, their collaborators and protectors but most of the time it is their victims who are caught and prosecuted. The foregoing cases show we are extremely strong with the small fry while the sharks rule the waves.

Dr Dalli is shadow minister for the public service and government investment.