Banners with the words “We want the truth; the whole truth” appeared across the island on December 16, two months after the car bomb assassination of journalist/blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia. Unfortunately, what has been happening in this country for almost five years now does not give much hope that the truth will prevail. And by truth we do not only mean that which is not a lie but also what is correct and just.
Governance has been corrupted to the extent that supposedly autonomous institutions cannot function as the law and the Constitution want them to, impunity is the order of the day and the rule of law is seriously threatened.
In her speech during the Republic Day investiture ceremony, the President said that, in her view, “the rule of law is as strong as the people acknowledge it to be, how much they believe in it, cherish it and continue to support it”.
The President must surely recall the candid way in which the Chief Justice spoke about the rule of law last October. The main message of his address at the opening of the forensic year was that the Attorney General and the police are not enforcing the law, as they are in duty bound to do.
Thus, one would be justified to wonder what exactly did the President have in mind when she seemed to put all the responsibility on just “the people”. Of course, the people have their role to play, as does the President – both as the guardian of the Constitution and materfamilias – the government, the institutions and the independent media.
The contribution of the independent media has now become more crucial than ever. Whether the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth emerges depends very much on journalists who, soon after Ms Caruana Galizia’s murder, publicly pledged to give hope to society. However, to be able to do that, journalists need to stick together, support each other and only put the search for the truth and freedom of expression as their ultimate aim. Regrettably, partisanship and agendas sometimes come in the way.
At a time when all expressions of support to the free press was not only welcome but imperative, the Sports Journalists Association had, strangely, described as a propaganda stunt a decision by the Malta Football Association to display a banner with the words “Football for life supports free press”.
More recently, The Shift website – which appeared after the Bidnija murder – felt it should take it out on “specific journalists” who, it said, were “fed” information on a given line in the investigation into the car bomb. “These same journalists are now being given leads on the new line of inquiry after the arrests,” it also noted.
Surely, The Shift appreciates that the more information is published, the more likely it is to arrive to the truth. This happens to be a complex investigation where, evidently, different leads are followed and it is every journalist’s duty to report on all information coming from reliable sources.
All journalists worth their salt have sources, which, when put together, hopefully, serve to paint a whole picture.
Sadly, the fear factor is back and only the bold and the brave are willing to come forward.
This is a Times of Malta print editorial