How does one start to reconcile the experience of achieving economic success with the death of a human being? One needs time for reflection and, many a time, celebration of the life and achievements of the person concerned. Often one celebrates and one appreciates that this is indeed the circle of life.

However, the death in a most brutal fashion of a journalist must be the time for all of us to stop and reflect on the state of our country and our way of life.

Daphne Caruana Galizia was primarily a journalist. She was controversial and used the relatively new medium of blogging in the most dramatic of fashions and most pointedly and, if one was the subject of the blog, at times most hurtful too. She elicited heated exchanges over her blogs. But, above all, she was a human being.

Her cruel murder is a serious threat to our democracy and freedoms and will reverberate, as it has already done, across the world. Our standing in the world has been dealt a blow that will have economic repercussions, not that this is the major concern at this moment of time.

I am deeply shocked with what has happened. We must look at the causes leading to this situation. I believe the rule of law must be applied without fear or favour. But one cannot leave the laws on paper only. We need the institutions to work effectively to implement the spirit and the letter of the law.

We have innumerable examples of court cases that last many, many years and it is correct for the citizens to claim that justice delayed is justice denied. We have also many examples of police inaction where the citizen is concerned. Also, the protection the police should always provide for the safety and security of the people has been found to be lacking.

We must strengthen our institutions and this can happen when the people appointed to these institutions are ‘fit and proper’ for the positions entrusted to them.

Malta’s claim to be a safe destination is being challenged with this violence and the economic fallout from this will be felt but can hopefully be contained.

This murder is a big-wake up call for Malta and the Maltese.