After the Labour MPs voted against holding a public inquiry over Sofia’s death, the prime minister hosted a big party with the national orchestra inside his Girgenti Palace.

Yesterday, July 12, 2023, the vote was taken in Parliament, which turned down the request for a public inquiry into the death of Jean Paul Sofia. Rosianne Cutajar chose to walk out of Parliament and not participate in taking this vote which ended up in a farce. She made her position very clear that she was uncomfortable. I can understand that the Opposition uses all this for political kudos, and on this point, this blog has often spoken. We also witnessed the commotion from Parliament's Strangers Gallery.

What is clear is that the political strategy of this Government continues to show total insensitivity and lacks any empathy. Whether one agrees or not, we are faced with the story of a woman and mother who has lost her son. I will not question whether he was a Labourite or a Nationalist because this point should be irrelevant. I am here referring to the death of a young man. I understand that Government has its programme and the show must go on. However, this cannot happen at the cost of solidarity. When this happens, the Government will show the Maltese nation that it lacks empathy. There is no empathy in having the prime minister rushed to Girgenti after this vote was taken to celebrate with the participants of Love Island to the tune of the local Philharmonic Orchestra. This was a vote that created furore and controversy. This left a bitter taste in the Maltese nation.

This not only jars but hurts the public's feelings. The message transmitted is that the individual's life is not worth a cent and that this Government is entirely aloof from the population's sentiments of compassion.