NEWS | Sunday, 15 July 2007

Proposal for ex-prison inmates home opposed by Labour MP

By Sarah Attard Gialanze
Labour backbencher Chris Agius, known as il-Wafi, said he opposes a proposal for a home for former prison inmates in Bormla. Contacted by MaltaToday Agius, who resides in Bormla, said ‘the problem is evident’ and that the citizens of Bormla do not want the facility in their locality. He said it is a well-known fact that in practically every street in Bormla resides a former prisoner and all ex-prisoners are reintegrating in society without ever having lived in a home such as the one suggested by Montebello.
The controversial Dominican friar who heads the organisation Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl is lobbying for a home for ex-prisoners.
Labour MP Chris Agius said that he has spoken to numerous residents, especially pensioners and elderly locals who claim that they do not want this house in their locality because it might bring social disturbances. Agius added that the house would increase the locality’s troubles, especially if ex-prisoners who do not hail from Bormla enter using false identity cards.
He said that after consulting with others, ex-prisoners might decide to falsify their ID card address so as to pass for Bormla residents.
Fr Mark Montebello refused to be drawn directly into the issue, telling MaltaToday to ‘talk to Chris Agius since he knows it all’ bluntly adding that Agius is ‘not even a shadow Minister’.
Montebello went on to say that MP Chris Agius was not well informed about the home for ex-prisoners and that MaltaToday ought to talk to the Minister Dolores Cristina, adding that the press should not disturb him with their questions.