Malta is generally known for its sun and sea, yet the recent political events that have hurled the island state into the international spotlight are uncovering a rather telling story of what happens when unbridled capitalism engulfs a nation.
It all started way back when Malta was still under colonial rule. The divide and rule tactics employed by the colonizers were never shaken off by the governments that followed our independence from the British Empire. This was seen as the perfect tool that could keep the general public from being critically engaged in democratic processes and fighting for basic rights. The fact that Malta ended up with a shoddy constitution after the British left simply undermined our nascent republic even further.
It all started way back when Malta was still under colonial rule.
Civil society spaces were mostly hijacked by partisan tribes who constantly gaslighted any action by nonpartisan social and environmental groups – they labelled us as being mouthpieces for the “opposition”. This has happened to many activists, including myself, who have been labelled as opposition even though ironically we have been outspoken regardless of whether the Labour or the National party has been in power. The fact that the two major political parties have their own TV and radio stations has reinforced this problem and continues to undermine our democracy.
