By Dr Mark F. Montebello

I would have thought that Ms. Caruana Galizia (The Malta Independent 4/2/99) would be more utilitarian, trying to make the best out of any situation. Instead, her sense of retribution is rather sad and poor. I guess I should not expect better from irate characters trying hard to enhance their own self-esteem while inadvertently contradicting themselves at every juncture. Especially when they try to simulate a contorted sense of justice with an indigent show of theology.

Not being a retributionist myself I shall not fall to the temptation of answering impertinence with impertinence, or insolence with insolence. I hate it when people bring the worse out of others. Unfortunately Ms. Caruana Galizia is good at this. Here lamentable distortion of Biblical retribution does not help her to prove her point either. For every iota of the holy page is intended to bring the best out of us. Indeed, I suspect that Ms. Caruana Galizia does not delve into her Bible too very often.

If not so how could have she missed divine words such as: ‘“Your have heard how it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth’. But I say this to you: offer no resistance to the wicked. On the contrary, if anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well; if someone wishes to go to law with you to get your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone requires you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks you, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away’” (Mt.5:38-42).

Again Jesus says: ‘“You have heard how it is said, ‘You will love your neighbour’ and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the bad as well as the good, and sends down rain to fall on the upright and the wicked alike. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even the tax collectors do as much? And if you save your greetings for your brother, are you doing anything exceptional? Do not even the gentiles do as much? You must therefore set no bounds to your love, just as your heavenly Father set none to his’” (Mt 5:43-48).

Now, I do not expect to fathom completely any of these words, though I do recognise in them a thoroughly profound sense of justice. Indeed, they do hit me with an imposing kind of provocation, if that is the right word, especially this last injunction: ‘You must therefore set no bounds to your love, just as your heavenly Father set none to his’.

Can Ms. Caruana Galizia really read such a word and continue to say outrageous things such as: ‘There is a certain point at which even God can no longer forgive and forget, or find Himself overcome by compassion’? I do not want to sound more Dominican than I am, for, indeed, I would venture to say that what Ms. Caruana Galizia says here is sheer heresy.

But I do not want to rumble on and on. I think I made my point here. Now, as to victims of crime, allow me to say that Ms. Caruana Galizia has been very unjust when portraying me as some kind of imperceptibly heartless mooncalf relishing unchecked aberrations of villains and wretches. God! does she take me to be an oaf? Why be so cruel when cruelty is so unsuitable and inappropriate, especially amongst friends?

Being a serious journalist who knows her onions, Ms. Caruana Galizia must surely be aware that I have been trying to establish Victim Support Malta for crime victims for more than two whole years. Ministers Dr Lawrence Gonzi and Dr Tonio Borg both have in hand my proposals, and are assured of my undivided cooperation in the eventuality of giving Victim Support Malta a chance to prove itself.

The functions of Victim Support Malta shall be to develop victim services and ensure equal access to these services; advocate adequate protection of victims against intimidation and retaliation; identify and monitor the needs of persons who directly and indirectly become victims of crime; recognize the need of victims for timely investigation and prosecution of offences; advise victims of their rights and responsibilities; guide such victims in their dealings with the judicial system and guide them to obtain therapeutic services; and provide information on the structure and operation of the justice system.

It shall also be the function of Victim Support Malta to assist victims to retrieve from the police property obtained by offenders in the commission of a criminal offence if the retention of such property is not necessary for investigation or prosecution purposes; study the degree of effectiveness and efficiency of the judicial system and therapeutic services; establish and maintain permanent links with agencies involved in the judicial system and therapeutic services; collect and manage such information related to criminal justice as may be necessary; ensure that Victim Support Malta personnel are properly trained to respond to victims as may be appropriate or necessary; and encourage and aid individuals and organisations to undertake professional studies of the criminal justice system and of crime-related issues.

To put it succinctly, Victim Support Malta, in contributing to the fight against crime, makes economical use of the judicial and penal resources of the country, and offers independent, confidential and impartial services by establishing an information network. Victim Support Malta advocates the improvement of the judicial, penal and therapeutic services and orientates actual and potential victims of crime within the criminal justice system.

I am sure that, have said this, Ms. Caruana Galizia and her readers will appreciate better what my intentions are in this field. Furthermore, if the editor of The Malta Independent should see it proper, I shall be pleased to develop more on the subject of Victim Support Malta, or even of how prisoners incidentally entered my life.