I have never seen Prime Ministers or Ministers in Ħal Far. I have never seen political leaders go to the people living in the Open Centres and listen to what they have to say.
Pope Francis at the Peace Lab in Ħal Far is what strong political leadership looks like. In Malta we do not have strong political leadership. We have red and blue politicians, low on heart, low on intellect, and keen on the black money.
Pope Francis spoke strong words about “the complicity of competent authorities” in breaching the fundamental rights of peoples traveling from Libya across the Mediterranean to Malta and Europe. “I want to say it in this manner”, he insisted, and repeated again precisely this: “the complicity of competent authorities.” If the church in Malta follows in his footsteps and keeps showing up for the people at Ħal Far and what they represent, I see new light, new relevance and new meaning for it.
