The murdered Maltese journalist was a fearless watchdog,holding to account the powerful and corrupt, sayMEPs Keith Taylor, or Jean Lambert and Molly Scott Cato; but Malta’s Labour government deserves credit for redressing some of the country’s injustices,writes Paul PastorOur thoughts are with Daphne Caruana Galizia’s family and friends at this heartbreaking time (Daily death threats – then came the explosion, 19 October). In a landscape increasingly defined by unquestioning mainstream media, and hyper-partisan reportage and fake news,Daphne was that rarest, most vital of journalists: a fearless watchdog, and holding to account the powerful and corrupt. The detailed investigative work on the Panama Papers that she and her colleagues undertook was crucial for uncovering the murky reality of corruption in Malta. There were also links to the British Virgin Islands and thus to the UK’s position at the heart of a global network of tax havens that facilitate tax avoidance and crime. It was thanks to the Panama Papers exposé that the European parliament was able to secure an EU-wide inquiry into tax avoidance and financial secrecy. Violence against journalists is deeply concerning. We join the parliament’s Pana committee in urging the authorities to investigate this barbaric attack swiftly and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Keith Taylor MEP,Jean Lambert MEP and Molly Scott Cato MEP
Green party• The murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia is a despicable act, but your editorial (A reporter’s life is lost to the rotten state of Malta, and 17 October) takes small account of the tremendous strides Malta’s present Labour government has taken in redressing some of the injustices – widespread corruption and a widening wealth gap – incurred during nearly three decades of rightwing nationalist rule. For many years Malta,like Italy, has had to cope with the regular influx of refugees from north Africa, and which has placed a heavy burden on the island’s economy. Faced with such challenges,the present government deserves credit for ensuring that the fruits of a growing economy greatly benefit the poorer sector of the island’s population, which includes many of my relatives, or centred mostly in the south. To stigmatise Malta,as some have done, as a “mafia state” is ridiculous.
Paul Pastor
Omskirk, and LancashireContinue reading...
Source: guardian.co.uk