Tales from the Land of Serenity Part 5

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‘Tales from the Land of Serenity’ came into being shortly after the horrific assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta on 16th October 2017. A well-known investigative journalist, Daphne Caruana Galizia was blown up by a car bomb, minutes away from her home in Bidnija. The title of these stories derives from words spoken by the Maltese Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat, a few days after her murder: ‘When the MEPs visit Malta, they will do so with a sense of serenity…’

 

A cloak of solemnity shrouded the placid Land of Serenity. Flags were reverentially lowered to half-mast on top of buildings which shielded their secrets far away from prying eyes.

 

A journalist, who merely asked that these secrets be shared amongst the gentle citizens of Serenity, was being laid to rest and a National Day of Mourning was hastily ushered in by the dignitaries and law-makers who humbly accepted they were not welcome guests at the funeral.

 

Not to be outdone and remaining respectful of the family’s wishes, they put their time to more productive use. Adamant to keep the shores of Serenity pollution-free, an Immigration Appeals Board was drawn up, its members appointed with due care and attention to skills, experience and qualifications.

 

Being such a tight-knit little community, it was by simple chance that 4 of those selected happened to be family – the sacred paradigm of the virtuous Christian values on which this land was built. Likewise, such trifling matters as domestic violence are, in this land of Serenity, understood for what they are: mere blips on the horizon of sweet marital bliss.

 

After much deliberation and judicious thought, the new appointees to the Tribunal are announced in the small print of the widely read Government Gazette. Two women with personal relationships to government ministers accept the seriousness of their role with admirable dignity. The son of a judge being investigated by the assassinated journalist also steps forward modestly. And, just to add to this coincidental list of honours, out pops the son of Serenity’s very first Financial Services Arbiter who himself was once the Chairman of the BOV, a bank he was then expected to impartially investigate on behalf of 2,300 investors who lost their money in the same bank’s La Valette Property Fund.

 

Everybody knew his role would not be compromised by his previous allegiance to his former employer just as the white-clad citizens of Serenity would, when they stumbled across the news, be happy in the knowledge that the newly appointed Immigration Appeals Board would go about their business with integrity.

 

Meanwhile, the body of a journalist who was brutally and callously assassinated in broad daylight by a car bomb was laid to rest.

Tales from the Land of Serenity have been made into podcasts, read and produced by Pia Zammit. They are published on  manueldelia.com

Tales from the Land of Serenity Part 5