THE Republic of Malta is a Southern European country located South of Italy. This island nation has a small population of 475,000 and is documented as the world’s 10th smallest country. This small society has big political lessons for the world. Regrettable, those lessons have been derived from the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, 53, once Malta’s leading anti-corruption journalist. She was described as the one woman ‘Wikileaks’ and wrote numerous articles and blog posts in ‘Running Commentary’ which exposed endemic and entrenched corruption in the Maltese society. She boasted an impressive activist resume, jailed at age 18 for her attempts to correct ills of the Maltese society and did not dither in her principles. In 2017, Daphne Caruana Galizia got into her grey rented Peugeot parked outside her home and loud explosive sounds shattered the peace of her neighborhood, taking the life of a human who personified integrity. She was killed by a remote controlled bomb, possibly assembled and set by the dark forces that were extremely uncomfortable with her work. Her death has sparked a chain of events that are worthy of note by the pen of any political commentator of consequence.

The Daphne Caruana Galizia Lesson 
The fearlessness of the likes of Jamaul Khasgoggi and Daphne Caruana Galizia is worthy of the highest recognition. Wherever politics exists, wherever there is a polity in a geographic space, wherever power converges, there will be the emergence of entrenched power. Entrenched power, maybe magnanimous or it may be premised on dishonorable intentions that rise to a level of evil. When the state, powerful business interests and powerful men pursue their dirty endeavors, the society invariably cowers. What keeps the flames of democracy and decency burning is the heroism of men and women with the ability to utilize the pen and elucidate developments for the citizenry. This is no easy task. It requires personal sacrifice and sadly, the spectre of death persistently haunts. Humans who possess the fire to take principled positons and suffer for the cause are exceptional characters whose efforts should be rhapsodized at every opportunity. For years, Daphne refused to give up her reporting despite death threats, 48 lawsuits and two arrests by the Malta police. The lesson here is clear: one fearless individual with a pen can make a change. The words of the novelist and playwright, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, made known, in 1839, remain relevant and timeless, ‘The pen is mightier than the sword’.

The social media lesson
Daphne Caruana Galizia created her blog, ‘Running Commentary’ which attracted a wide viewership. Despite writing for ‘The Sunday Times of Malta’ and ‘The Malta Independent’, this anti-corruption heroine maintained a pronounced social media presence. She recognized the power of this medium which did not subject her to the whims and fancies of editors. At the time of her death, her blog attracted a wide and diverse audience and kept viewers aware of some of the most intricate financial and political machinations in the Republic of Malta. This lesson is pellucid: governments ignore the power of social media at their peril. Conversely, the use of social media by those fighting for justice for Daphne, including her children, has enabled the people from Malta to move from discussing political developments in their homes to openly calling for reform in the streets. Protests ensued after the news on the assassination of Daphne broke on October 16th, 2017, and are still continuing in 2019; thanks to the efforts of numerous persons on social media. This is a medium that continues to be a scared tool for the public to utilize for effective advocacy.

Lesson for Governments
The biggest data leak in history of human existence occurred when the ‘Panama Papers’ scandal broke in 2016. The ‘Panama Papers’ are 11.5 million files from the database of the world fourth biggest law firm, Mossack Fonseca. They were obtained by the German newspaper, ‘Suddeutsche Zeitung’ and were shared with the ‘International Consortium of Journalists (ICIJ). This data revealed intricate financial labyrinthine schemes that ensnared numerous governments. Malta was not excluded and the leak gave Daphne solid materials that bolstered her anti-corruption crusade. She revealed information which linked top government officials to foreign registered trusts which were used as conduit to hide dirty money. This irked the upper echelons of Maltese society and, in smoke filled rooms, a plot was hatched to execute her. There are some key lessons for governments globally. First, there is no hiding place for corruption in the age of information. Second, ordering the assassination of your harshest critic is the surest way to lose power. Since the death of this courageous journalist, civil society and the people of Malta have united for the common cause of justice for Daphne. Three Cabinet members have resigned and the Prime Minister has announced his imminent resignation. Cabinet members are running scared because the businessman who has been arrested for this dastardly act is threatening to reveal everything. Third, when the integrity of a government is compromised, it is the beginning of the inevitable descent into hell and there is no turning back. Little Malta indeed has some big governmental lessons that are not novel but are significant in their peculiar regard.