The Hospital scam: collusion from day one

Around seven months ago, the Court of Appeal, presided by Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti, had concluded that the hospitals’ deal appeared fraudulent. While the original court decision had blamed Vitals/Stewards for this fraudulent deal, the Court of Appeal went one step further. Confirming the cancellation of the contracts, the Court of Appeal stated that it believed there was collusion between Vitals/Stewards and senior government officials or its agencies.

Collusion signifies secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy to deceive others. This is the certification the Court of Appeal delivered after examining the government’s handling of the hospital privatisation process.

Faced with such a certification any democratic government would have immediately shouldered political responsibility and we would have had resignations on a large scale, in government and in the wider civil service. Not in Malta. Except for the government’s taking over the direct control of the hospitals, it was as if practically nothing had ever happened.

This is the background to last week’s conclusion of the magisterial inquiry into the hospitals’ privatisation deal. While the Court of Appeal had concluded that senior government officials were complicit in the privatisation fraud, the magisterial inquiry is expected to identify who did which part of the dirty job. This is presumably the reason for the long list of persons who have been identified by the magisterial inquiry to answer for their actions.

Some readers will undoubtedly remember that, way back in October 2014, the Labour government had secretly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with potential investors who were interested in “investing” in the Maltese health system. This had been revealed in one of the Auditor General’s reports investigating the hospital scam. The information that these same investors had in hand as a result of this MoU was subsequently utilised when six months later a public call for expression of interest was issued for the privatisation of the hospitals. It gave them an unfair advantage over all others who were interested.

What followed were various manoeuvres as a result of which the Maltese government representatives were “convinced” that they had a good deal in selecting Vitals Global Health Care to take over the running of the hospitals.

As a result, we have had detailed investigations by the National Audit Office and the magisterial inquiry which was triggered by NGO Repubblika.

Subsequent to the conclusion of the magisterial inquiry the first names of those to be accused of wrongdoing have been published. We have holders of political office, senior government officials, professionals in private practice, and persons in positions of trust all of whom are being accused of having a finger in the pie through fraudulent action, corruption and money laundering. At the time of writing, the details are not yet known as the legal jargon in which the criminal charges are framed is too general and wide-embracing.

Should matters have arrived at this point?

It has taken almost ten years for this fraudulent exercise to be uncovered and brought under control. Yet, had the institutions functioned properly it should have been nipped in the bud and never even happened. What was the role of the civil service in the creation of this mess? The presence of three Permanent Secretaries (and other civil servants) among those facing criminal charges indicates that the inquiring magistrate may have possibly identified an answer to this question.

Prime Minister Robert Abela has, in the past days, shed many crocodile tears in expressing support for a number of those facing criminal charges. He has also single-handedly contributed to the creation of an atmosphere of distrust in our judiciary. He should know better than that. Robert Abela should immediately desist from further undermining confidence in the courts and, from endangering the rule of law in our country.

The judiciary should be able to carry out its work without pressure and intimidation so that justice can run its course. Having already been at the receiving end of the impacts of grey-listing, Malta cannot risk further reputational damage as a result of Robert Abela’s hysterical outbursts.

published on the Malta Independent on Sunday : 12 May 2024

Dawk it-78 boxfile

Robert Abela qiegħed jipprova jkeskes lin-nies kontra l-Qrati. Spiċċa issa dak li kien jgħid biex “inħallu lill-istituzzjonijiet jaħdmu.”

L-inkjesti dejjem idumu. Dawk ta’ importanza u serjetà kbira jdumu iktar. Li kien ikun ħażin kien kieku l-inkjesta tagħmel żmien wieqfa. Sakemm iż-żmien intuża biex tinġabar l-informazzjoni neċessarja biex tkun ippreservata ix-xhieda dwar dak kollu li ġara in konnessjoni mat-trasferiment tat-tlett sptarijiet lil Vitals, ikun hemm spjegazzzjoni raġjonevoli għad-dewmien.

L-ispjegazzjoni ikun possibli li nkunu nafuha meta dak li ikkonkludiet l-inkjesta jkun magħruf. S’issa, kif jiġri dejjem, xejn għadu mhu magħruf. Tal-inqas jiena u (probabbilment) inti li qed taqra ma nafu xejn!

Inutli nispekulaw, għax fiċ-ċirkustanzi l-ispekulazzjoni ħażin tagħmel. Ħażin lil kulħadd, peró l-ikbar ħsara issir lill-pajjiż. Dan Robert Abela jafu: imma minkejja dan jibqa’ jkeskes.

Ma tistax tkun kredibbli meta b’nifs wieħed tappella biex ħadd ma jirreaġixxi għall-provokazzjoni, imma immedjatament wara issaħħan l-irjus.

Robert Abela għamel tajjeb li talab biex l-Avukat Ġenerali (l-AG) tippubblika r-rapport tal-inkjesta. Kull miżura li tista’ tnaqqas l-ispekukazzjoni hi miżura tajba. Id-deċiżjoni, imma, tiddependi mill-AG biss, li nifhem li tiddeċiedi skond kif inhu l-aħjar biex issir ġustizzja, imma, anke b’mod li ma tippreġudikax l-istess ġustizzja.

Għalhekk xejn ma neħodha bi kbira jekk ir-riżultat tal-inkjesta jdum ma jkun ippubblikat.

Bħalissa, avukati fl-uffiċċju tal-AG ikunu qed jeżaminaw il-konklużjonijiet li waslet għalihom il-Maġistrat Gabriella Vella fir-rapport tal-inkjesta, u dan flimkien max-xhieda u l-provi li ġabret u li qegħdin merfugħha f’dawk it-78 boxfile.

Jekk l-inkjesta, biex ġiet konkluża, ħadet 4 snin u nofs, ħadd m’għandu jistenna li l-AG u l-Pulizija jieħdu deċiżjonijiet ta’ malajr.

L-unika ħaġa li nafu s’issa hu li l-AG talbet lill-Qorti biex ikunu iffrizati l-assi ta’ numru ta’ persuni u kumpaniji: hemm 84 (erbgħa u tmenin) isem. Il-Qorti ippreseduta mill-Imħallef Edwina Grima laqgħet it-talba. Dan ifisser li l-AG pass pass bdiet taġixxi.

Il-bieraħ waqt konferenza stampa l-ex Prim Ministru Joseph Muscat qalilna li hu dejjem mexa tajjeb. Jaf, qal, x’għamel u x’ magħmilx! Ovvjament jiena ma nafx x’għamel u x’magħmilx Joseph Muscat. Biex il-maġistrat saret taf x’għamel hu u x’għamlu l-oħrajn li ser jissemmew damet 4 snin u nofs tfittex u issaqsi.

Kulħadd jieħu pjaċir kieku t-tmexxija tal-pajjiż hi nadifa tazza. Biex ikun ivverifikat jekk dan hux minnu hemm il-Pulizija u l-Qrati. Għalhekk l-inkjesta, għalhekk it-78 boxfile.

Imma naħseb li lkoll saqajna mal-art u nafu li mhux kollox hu sewwa. Hemm min donnu diġa nesa’li diġa’ hemm sentenza tal-Qorti, ikkonfermata fl-appell, li fil-kaz tal-isptarijiet hemm ħafna x’ixxomm.

Min hu responsabbli għal dak li ġara? Joseph jgħid li mhux hu. It-83 l-oħra huma siekta s’issa.

Issa naraw jekk hux il-ħajbu.

The climate risks we face

The first ever European climate risk assessment carried out by the European Environment Agency (EEA) has concluded that Europe is unprepared for what lies in store.

The year 2023 was the warmest year ever. The global average temperature during 2023 has surpassed the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius set in the Paris agreement at the 2015 Climate Summit.

Europe is the fastest warming continent. The situation in Southern Europe is even worse. It will face considerably reduced rainfall and more severe droughts.

At this point, none of this is however news. It is already the present. The future may, however, be even worse than that.

In a 425-page report we are told that climate change is a multiplier of risks: existing risks will be aggravated. Climate risks are growing much faster than our preparedness. We are being extremely slow in developing and implementing climate change adaptation strategies.

36 major climate risks for Europe have been identified. They are grouped in five clusters, namely, ecosystems, food, health, infrastructure, and the economy/finance.  

The key findings of this first European climate risk assessment, which I quote verbatim from the EEA report, are:

“Ecosystems: climate change is one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation in Europe. Among climate risks related to ecosystems, risks to coastal and marine ecosystems have the highest severity in the current period as well as the greatest urgency to act.

Food: Europe faces multiple challenges to food production and food security, including reducing its environmental impact. Crop production is already facing substantial climate risks in Europe as a whole, and critical risk levels in Southern Europe.

Health: climate change poses major risks to human health systems. Risks related to heat are already at critical levels in southern Europe.

Infrastructure: extreme weather events are posing increasing risks to the built environment and infrastructure in Europe, and the services they provide. Such events can disrupt essential services, including energy supply, water supply and transport networks.

Economy and finance: the European financial system faces critical risks from the impacts of climate change, both within Europe and abroad. Serious sector- and region-specific risks to Europe could catalyse a systemic financial shock.” (page 264: para 18.6 of the report)

This is a wakeup call of the highest order. The European continent is unprepared for the growing extremes of climate. Yet senior politicians at an EU level are more interested in sabotaging specific initiatives which seek to bridge the gap in climate change preparedness. The recent debate (and voting patterns) on the regulatory framework for the restoration of nature is a case in point.

The recent Dutch farmers’ revolt which has shaken the Netherlands’ body politic has its origin in the difficulties encountered in implementing the Nitrates Directive. It has however spread to other regions, motivated by the industrial agricultural lobby’s determination to sabotage the EU Green Deal.

In Germany the centre-right CDU-CSU have just launched their joint EU Parliament electoral manifesto with a pledge to reverse the controversial phase-out of the internal combustion engine. A definite commitment to water-down the EU Green Deal. The CDU-CSU leading candidate is the same person piloting the EU Green Deal, Ursula von der Leyen.

With these attitudes it is inevitable that our preparedness for the climate risks we face will get even worse. This is the future we face. It keeps getting worse until those that matter come to their senses.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday : 17 March 2024

Climate change governance and political incompetence

It has been announced that an Authority on Climate Change will be set up by government. This  has apparently been approved by Cabinet, earlier this week. No further details have so far been released.

It is not at all clear whether this authority will be expected to take charge of the action required on a national level in order to mitigate the impacts of climate change, or else, whether it will take the lead in the initiatives required to adapt to climate change.

Currently available on the website of the Ministry responsible for Climate Change one can peruse a draft document dated September 2023 and entitled Draft Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030. As far as I am aware this document is still a draft. A definite version has apparently not been published yet notwithstanding that it should have been in effect 3 years ago! This draft document lays down national objectives relative to energy policy within the context of the climate change debate.

There is no Climate Change Adaptation Strategy available on the Ministry’s website. Some years ago (May 2012) a National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy was adopted and published, but apparently this has not been updated. It could, most probably, have been discarded; however, no information is available on the matter. Perusing my copy of the said strategy, I recollect that it was a reasonable first effort and was supplemented by an extensive 164-page report drawn up by the then Climate Change Committee for Adaptation. These documents were drawn up after extensive public consultation.

While energy issues are foremost in any Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, we need to go in considerable detail on other equally important aspects, such as the impacts of climate change on agriculture, water resources, health, civil protection, land use planning, tourism, coastal settlements, protection of the coastal infrastructure as well as biodiversity and the marine environment.

The debate on water resources has been ongoing and various policy initiatives have addressed the matter over the years. I am not sure as to what has been done by the Agriculture Ministry or the Health Ministry, but at the end of the day it is those same Ministries which need to initiate, implement and monitor the required action in their areas of responsibility.

Similarly, the Tourism Ministry seems clueless on climate change impacts on the industry. I have yet to come across a serious assessment of climate change on tourism in the Maltese islands and in particular on the potential havoc which tourism infrastructure will have to face as a result of an inevitable sea level rise.

What about inbuilding climate change considerations in land use planning policy and design guidelines? The 15-minute city initiative in Paris and elsewhere specifically addresses climate change in an urban policy context. Yet the Planning Authority in Malta is not bothered at all.

On the other hand, we need to realise that there have been various valid proposals over the years which have been discarded by government. One specific example which comes to mind is the proposal in the National Transport Master Plan which has pointed out the need to embark on private vehicle restraint.

The fact that to date we have an out-of-date Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and no effective coordination at Ministerial level on climate change impacts across all areas, signifies a failure of the Climate Change Ministry to implement its basic political brief over the years.

This is where the proposed Climate Change Authority comes in. It will most probably be considered essential to fill the coordination gap created by incompetence at the political level over the years.

The Ministry responsible for Climate Change specifically exists to coordinate, across government, issues of climate change through the various Ministries. This coordination has, unfortunately, over the years been inexistent. Hence the proposed solution to setup an authority to fill in the gap.

Climate change governance, over the years, has been characterised by political incompetence. The creation of an authority will just serve to shift the blame.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday: 14 January 2024

Personalising the welfare state

The Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation (MCCF) “………. is vital for us as oncologists in Malta. Without its assistance, many treatments would be off limits and the help we would be able to offer in some instances would therefore be seriously restricted.” This is a comment found on the last available MCCF annual report for the year 2020. It is attributed to Prof Nick Refalo, a consultant oncologist.

Generous help in cancer treatment has for a long time been at the forefront of the sterling work done by the MCCF. This help, generally, supplements the Health Ministry’s work. Over the years charity and voluntary work has been plugging in the gaps left wide open by the welfare state as a direct result of its one-size-fits-all approach.

The welfare state, as most other state initiatives, is generally a one-size-fits-all exercise, supplemented in specific circumstances. It is designed for the average person, for whom it may be just enough. But it is not sufficient, as practically no one fits the average person!  

On television, on the morrow of Christmas, we are shown one case after the other which had to rely on the funds collected in previous years in order to supplement the help from the health authorities or worse to fill in the gaps in the national health service. “Kif tista’ ma ċċempilx?”

The objective is laudable. The way to go about it, however, leaves much to be desired. At times, unethically parading on prime-time television the pain of those who, having suffered the failures of the welfare state had to revert to MCCF, is not on. Their pain is being unethically used to cash the generated pity through the collection of more funds. The methods used to generate funds should not undermine the basic objective of restoring human dignity through personalized care and attention. Even when consent is forthcoming, the methods used by l-Istrina are downright debasing.

Later, during the year, various other worthy initiatives will be spot-lighted. Millions of euro will be collected to support these other initiatives. They are no less deserving.

Perusal of the audited accounts of the MCCF for the year 2021, at the time of writing the latest data available on the MCCF website, reveals, that for the 2021 financial year, Government contributed an additional €13 million directly towards financing the commitments made. A substantial input without which the operations of the foundation would not be possible.

The politics of social solidarity is clearly an area where the state cannot do it alone. Beyond the indispensable financial contributions collected throughout the year, however, at the end of the day it is the personalization of welfare which makes the substantial difference.

The MCCF, throughout the year also distributes food vouchers to the tune of €20,000 monthly. Food banks and the Franciscan soup kitchen in Valletta tackle the same social issue most probably reaching out to areas which the formal social service network fails to link with.

The politics of social solidarity aims to restore human dignity by reaching out individually to each and every one of the downtrodden. This is done through supplementing the one-size-fits-all social services provided by the state though the personalized attention which the various NGO initiatives in hand make possible.

The need for social solidarity is not a seasonal one. It can be much helped through a judicious use of public resources. Adequately addressing the squandering of public resources throughout the rest of the year as pointed out by the Auditor General, could help considerably.

It is right to supplement the welfare state in the short term. However, in the longer term, the welfare state should be tweaked in order that its reach is extended to the neglected corners which are identified from time to time. The personalization of welfare, where this is possible, can also be taken up directly by the state in the services it provides. It will make a difference and is more effective than distributing cheques on the eve of elections or the so-called tax refunds.

The Christmas spirit of solidarity should not be limited to the day after Christmas. It should reign 365 days a year. 366 days in a leap year!

published in The Independent on Sunday : 31 December 2023

There are crooks everywhere you look

The decision of the Court of Appeal delivered last Monday has vindicated Daphne’s last words: “there are crooks everywhere you look”. The Court of Appeal decision on the hospitals’ case is shocking: it drives home the point that the institutions and authorities which exist to protect us were in fact in collusion with Vitals/Stewards in order to enter into simulated contracts “intended not to provide medical care but for other reasons”.

This is the worst possible certificate confirming that this country is led by crooks.  The Court of Appeal has now confirmed that the government led by Joseph Muscat has acted in collusion with Vitals/Stewards as a result defrauding the public purse.

The Court decision is a 99-page document replete with legal jargon which, however, at the end of the day boils down to one single word collusion. Government acted in collusion with those seeking to defraud us. Heads should roll!

The list of those found guilty of collusion includes the then Prime Minister, the Attorney General, and the office holders in charge at INDIS Limited (formerly Industrial Parks) and the Lands Authority.

Faced with such a decision how can anyone ever have faith in authorities and institutions?

Having the authorities in collusion with crooks is a negation of all that we have been taught to expect from the state and those running it.

A number of those responsible are no longer in public office. Others are however still around. One of them, Professor Edward Scicluna, who, as former Finance Minister had the responsibility for managing the public purse, is currently Governor of the Central Bank of Malta. He should have resigned from the post of Governor on Monday morning, minutes after the Court of Appeal decision was delivered. I fail to understand why the Opposition has not yet moved a motion in Parliament requesting his immediate removal.

Edward Scicluna is a complete disgrace. He will not resign as he hasn’t the flimsiest idea of what political responsibility is all about. Hence, he should be removed by Parliament.

Three years ago, when giving evidence at the public inquiry into Daphne Caruana Galizia’s assassination, Edward Scicluna had, through his own testimony, depicted himself as a spineless Minister of Finance, weak, soft and cowardly, incapable of acting decisively when faced with abuse.

Then he had stated “why should I resign if someone else did wrong?” He had further informed us that to enter local politics he had left his Brussels comfort zone.

By not acting appropriately and using his authority as Finance Minister Edward Scicluna is, after Joseph Muscat, the ultimate politically responsible for this daylight robbery. Instead of paying the political price he was however rewarded with being appointed Governor of the Central Bank. As Finance Minister he even managed to revise upwards the salary and perks of the Governor of the Central Bank, in anticipation of his appointment to the post!

Can we have confidence in a Central Bank Governor who has amply proved that he has no balls? He has time and time again proved that he is incapable of shouldering responsibility.

Scicluna is not alone. There are others which facilitated this daylight robbery. They too should shoulder the blame and resign or be removed. These include the Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg, the Permanent Secretary in Konrad Mizzi’s Ministry (Ronald Mizzi), and the ever-absent Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà. All of them have contributed to this mess which has resulted in Malta being ruled by crooks. There are crooks everywhere you look. They made it possible.

published in the Malta Independent on Sunday: 29 October 2023

Planning for climate change

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission has recently published a study entitled “Regional Impact of Climate Change on European tourism demand”. It aims to provide evidence-based scientific support to the EU policymaking process.

This JRC technical study examines the potential impact of climate change on tourism demand within the context of the debate shaping the 2030 EU Agenda for Tourism. The development of touristic destinations must essentially consider the impact of climate change.

This is a debate which is unfortunately absent locally. In Malta, both the tourism industry as well as the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) are only interested in numbers, more than anything else.  This is evidenced by the Deloitte report on the industry’s capacity, published some months ago. It is pertinent to remember that the Deloitte report points out that a projected supply of touristic accommodation, close to 5 million tourists annually would be required to ensure the sector’s long-term profitability (at an average 80 per cent occupancy throughout the year).  Tourism planning at its worst possible. Pure madness!

Land use planning concessions, left right and centre, have been dished out to attain this massive over-development. The tourism industry with government’s complicity has planned for this massive over-capacity, in the process ignoring the reality on the ground.

The JRC study emphasises that “the last three decades of research have failed to prepare the (tourism) sector for the net-zero transition and the climate disruption that will transform tourism in the 2050-time horizon.”

The study finds a clear north-south pattern in tourism demand changes: “northern regions benefitting from climate change and southern regions facing significant reductions in tourism demand.”

Southern coastal regions are projected to lose a significant amount of summer tourists, around 10 per cent, in the warmer climate scenarios considered by the study. This compares to a projected significant increase of approximately 5 per cent in the Northern European coastal regions.

The projected shift in tourism is not only regional: it would also be seasonal.

Such studies are indicative. However, they should be taken note of and have a bearing on the essential planning which is required if we are to be as prepared as can be for the climate changes which are on our doorstep. Matters may possibly even turn out to be far worse than what is being projected! Hence the need for more focused studies on what lies in store.

Both the industry and the Tourism Ministry are oblivious to all this. They are still euphoric on the “post-Covid record number of tourists”, ignoring the changes on the horizon.

Climate change is impacting everything, not just tourism. It is already impacting water resources, the infrastructure, coastal protection, energy, biodiversity, agriculture as well as health.

Only recently we read in the media that at a recent informal meeting of EU Health Ministers held at the Canary Islands, Health Minister Chris Fearne raised the impact of climate change on health. He was reported as having emphasised the need to consider, in depth, the impacts which climate change is having on our health systems. Fearne is obviously planning ahead, not just on the impacts of the climate on health planning. His radar is most obviously focused on the composition of the EU Commission which this time next year will be in the process of being screened by the EU Parliament and its various committees.

Whatever the motivation on the importance of climate change, it is imperative that we plan ahead, definitely beyond the immediate future.

Unfortunately, the Ministry responsible for climate change hasn’t got an inkling of all this. It should be leading the way in discussing and planning how best to adapt to climate change and to mitigate its impacts. Instead, it is focused on the unofficial electoral campaign for the EU Parliament.

Adapting to climate change will require substantial behavioural change which successive governments have been reluctant to encourage through adequate policy initiatives. Climate change will not go away. We can only adapt to the change and seek to implement the required mitigation measures. Without behavioural change we are doomed.

It is about time that we act, before it is too late.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday: 3 September 2023

The abortion debate: just the beginning

The approval of Bill 28 is not the end of the abortion debate. It is just the beginning. Maybe, the end of the beginning! The original proposals of Bill 28 were promising, even if they were no big deal. As originally proposed, Bill 28 was a reasonable starting point to an abortion debate which has been stifled for years on end.

It is neither normal nor acceptable for the Head of State to take part in such a controversial political debate in whatever form he opts to participate.

“Everyone knows my position”, President Vella said, when queried by the press last December. His active lobbying of holders of political office against the introduction of any form of abortion in the Maltese Islands was substantial. To add insult to injury he also went public on his intention to resign office and ignite a political crisis, if Parliament approved an abortion bill. In so doing he was giving full and open support to the conservative elements within the Labour Party and beyond, as a result bringing Robert Abela and Chris Fearne on their political knees and forcing them to change the content of Bill 28.

The Labour Party has buckled under the intense lobbying to which it was subjected. As a result, Labour ended up adopting the conservative political position of the Opposition. It has thus once more illustrated that, in such matters, when push comes to shove, Parliament is led by a unified PLPN. George Orwell’s Animal Farm description is apt: they looked from pig to man and from man to pig again, and could not tell which was which!

As PN MP Claudette Buttigieg emphasised in the Parliamentary Committee for the Consideration of Bills, last Monday, the PN Opposition was consistently conservative throughout the debate. Labour, on the other hand, unfortunately, ditched a draft which was a reasonable start for a serious debate and at the end adopted the conservative PN position.

Where do we go from here? The conservative forces, represented by PLPN have presented a united front in Parliament through the unanimous approval of the amended Bill 28. There are however rumblings that the fundamentalist right is considering the possibility of collecting signatures to call an abrogative referendum as the abortion amendments to the Criminal Code, in their view, go too far!

Notwithstanding what the fundamentalists do, the abrogative referendum procedure, is a unique opportunity, to take the conservative PLPN establishment to task. It is also an opportunity to contest the artificial consensus leading to the approval of Bill 28 as well as an appropriate instrument to denounce the interference in the democratic political process by George Vella, President of the Republic.

On Monday, in their different ways, in Parliament, Professor Isabel Stabile, Integra Foundation leader Maria Pisani and ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci, exposed clearly that in view of the fact that Bill 28 as amended is a huge step backwards, it is worse than the status quo, as Rosianne Cutajar quipped after the parliamentary vote. The changes made will not save lives. It will only protect medical practioners, as ably explained by Professor Isabel Stabile.

The way forward is to scrap the approved amendments to the Criminal Code and to alternatively legislate in favour of decriminalisation of abortion. Any woman who opts for an abortion needs empathy and not persecution from the state. A limited legal access to abortion is essential, not only when the pregnancy is a potential threat to the life or health of the pregnant woman. It is also necessary to legislate in favour of abortion in cases of rape and incest as well as in those cases where a non-viable pregnancy arises. These issues have to date been avoided in the public debate. They must be addressed the soonest.

We need to clearly identify this as the moderate way forward. Far away from the emotional appeals of the fundamentalist lobby. Also, considerably distant from the extreme position of those who insist on total individual liberty without any limits.

The 2011 divorce referendum entrenched ethical pluralism in Malta’s political agenda. This was an irreversible step which affirmed that different ethical views not only exist: they need the protection of the state.

The PLPN approved abortion amendments entrench a 19^th century-Malta in our statute books. They need to be ditched and replaced with decent legislation fit for the 21^st century. This is the only reasonable way forward.

published in The Malta Independent on Sunday: 2 July 2023

Il-lejla: Sandra fil-Parlament

Il-lejla l-kumitat dwar l-abbozzi ta’ liġijiet tal-Parlament beda d-diskussjoni dwar emendi għall-Kodiċi Kriminali dwar l-abort.

Sandra spjegat is-sitwazzjoni kif narawha aħna ta’ ADPD.

L-abbozz hu pass żgħir il-quddiem. Imma fih bosta nuqqasijiet.

ADPD kemm permezz ta’ riżoluzzjoni approvata mill-partit f’Mejju 2021 kif ukoll permezz tal-Manifest Elettorali ta’ l-aħħar elezzjoni tkellimna favur id-dikriminalizzazzjoni tal-abort. Mara li għal xi raġuni tirrikorri għall-abort m’għandiex titqies bħala kriminali. Hemm ħtieġa ta’ empatija mhux ta’ persekuzzjoni.

L-abort hu meħtieġ f’ċirkustanzi straordinarji. Mhux biss meta l-ħajja tal-omm tkun fil-periklu imma ukoll fil-kaz ta’ tqala riżultat ta’ vjolenza (stupru/incest) jew fil-każ ta’ tqala mhux vijabbli.

Sandra spjegat dan kollu anke fil-kuntest tal-ħtieġa ta’ edukazzjoni dwar is-saħħa sesswali u reproduttiva.

Kif anke emfasizzat Sandra, fil-pajjiż hawn pluraliżmu etiku. Jeżistu valuri li jikkuntrastaw. Bejn l-estremiżmu ta’ dawk li jappellaw għall-emozzjonijiet flok għar-raġuni fuq naħa u dawk li jemmnu li l-liberta individwali m’għandiex ikollha limiti fuq in-naħa l-oħra.

F’dan il-kuntest il-proposta ta’ ADPD hi korretta, moderata, u tirrifletti l-valuri reali tal-pajjiż.

Prosit lil Sandra li wasslet il-messaġġ b’mod ċar u prosit ikbar lil dawk kollha fil-partit li bil-kalma, wara diskussjoni wasalna għal dawn il-konklużjonijiet.

Din hi t-triq il-quddiem.

“int taf xi ġralha Daphne u ma naħsibx li trid tispiċċa bħala”

L-istorja dwar il-korruzzjoni konnessa mal-konċessjoni tal-isptarijiet issa qed tiżviluppa b’pass mgħaġġel.

L-artikli ippubblikati mit-Times huma tat-biża’.

Dak li hu rappurtat li qal Ram Tumuluri minn Vitals Global Healthcare l-bieraħ hu mill-iktar gravi: “int taf xi ġralha Daphne u ma naħsibx li trid tispiċċa bħala” (You know what happened with Daphne and you don’t want to end up in that position.) Kliem attribwit lil Keith Schembri, li naturalment jiċħad li qalu.

Ix-xhieda dettaljata fuq 500 paġna li tirreferi għaliha t-Times għad irridu nisimgħu iktar dwarhom kemm-il darba Tumuluri jingħata l-protezzjoni li talab fl-Istati Uniti bħala whistleblower.

Hi interessanti li propju issa tfaċċa xi ħadd li qed joffri li jixhed.

Dan kollu qed jiġri waqt li l-Pulizija hi siekta. Qiesa ma teżistix!

Pajjiżna ma jixraqlux dan kollu. Nittama li dan jwassal biex il-kobba tinħall u kulħadd jerfa r-responsabbiltà tiegħu. Jidher imma li fl-aħħar ser tagħqad. Il-biża’ tinħass!