Rather than write a guest post in my own words, I would much rather quote and bring to the public’s attention the words of Giovanni Bonello from the preface to “Misunderstanding the Constitution”.
“The very last bulwarks that protect democracy, that assert the rule of law, that foster the ethics of the Constitution, when these values are threatened or denied, cohorts of the Maltese judiciary hide safe beloe the parapet.
Many conditioned themselves to believe that their function was to rubberstamp any abuse by the powerful, and they anesthetized their conscience to survive living with that. My God how well the excesses of the powerful and the somnolent consciences of the watchdogs function when they work as a team!
Nothing becomes a greater enabler of despotism, corruption and abuse than certificates of legitimacy awarded by those the state entrusts with promoting judicial morality, but who prefer a quiet life to calling the power-wielders to account. What? And rub the institutions the wrong, and sometimes dangerous, way? Never, but never, stand in the way of scandal; always close an eye, always look the other way, derail the law, misunderstand the Constitution. The unfailing excuse for this is prudence, and a promotion could be in sight.
The harmony of a democratic state is meant to be based on robust and effective checks and balances, foremost among them a vigorous, independent and impartial judiciary.”