We haven’t forgotten

I remember being on the steps of the building behind you, surrounded by fellow journalists, with dozens of police officers separating us from hundreds of Joseph Muscat’s followers.

That day, we hadn’t managed to follow proceedings directly; we were late on planning, the hall was full, and another hall which was supposed to be used for public viewing was mentioned once and then never again.

Instead, we had to make do with brief comments which we managed to get while facing off with the crowds, the insults, the yelling, and the tension all around.

Between one filming session and the next, I remember reading live blogs and people’s commentary on social media. The atmosphere was surreal – nobody could believe how, after all the corruption that was uncovered over the past ten years, there are still people who are willing to defend Muscat and his corrupt friends.

Nobody could believe how, even though Daphne Caruana Galizia was killed by a group of conspirators who had secured the complicity of high-ranking government officials, we still had to watch helplessly as those same officials went about their lives as if it was nothing.

“Viva l-Labour,” the crowds chanted that day. Two and a half months later, we hardly ever hear this chant anymore.

Instead of hearing a lot of noise about how great Joseph is, we heard officials who were involved in the fraudulent hospitals concession say that they had no idea whether anyone ever checked where Vitals’ money was supposed to be coming from.

We heard the accused deny everything and swear they’ve done nothing wrong, even though we have loads of proof which shows exactly what happened:

Joseph Muscat and his friends promised us a revolution in the health sector, but instead, they conned us, they robbed us, and haven’t given us a cent back.

“Everyone’s innocent until a court finds them guilty,” their lawyers told us.

Sure – then why don’t you tell us why you turned your guns towards magistrates, prosecutors, and anyone who ever exposed what you did behind Malta’s back?

And while you’re at it, why don’t you also explain why you spent an entire electoral cycle talking about the establishment only to then never mention it again?

Why don’t you just admit that you are so worried about the implications of all of this that you’re doing everything in your power to obstruct justice?

Why don’t you go tell your lies to all the professionals and patients who have been begging for decent hospitals for years only to then be given one failure after another?

Why don’t you just admit that all of this happened with your complicity and that you did so by buying people’s trust and then betraying them?

We know why you can’t say any of this.

Right now, you’re busy sharpening your knives at Mile End, elbowing each other out in your attempts to determine your government’s future, that same government you thought you’d be in charge of forever.

Right now, internal battles are ongoing, the conflict that arises whenever corruption’s rot sets in an all that is left is nothing but posturing and empty talk.

You’ve grown so used to the money you shouldn’t even have that you’ve forgotten about the misery of dealing with your incompetence.

We haven’t forgotten, and we aren’t going to forgive you.

Julian Delia was speaking at the Vigil for Truth and Justice in Valletta on Friday, 16 August 2024.