Mosta’s Labour mayor Paul Chetcuti Caruana has declared he will not permit any civil marriages to take place in the local council, claiming he cannot allow it as a Catholic.
His comments, expressed earlier this month during a pro-life ceremony in Mosta, reveal the stark contradiction between the Labour mayor’s religious stand in his role as a State’s delegate, as well as the fact that it was a Labour government to have introduced civil marriages in the first place.
Even more ironic, is the fact that Chetcuti Caruana was a Labour MP elected in 1976, a year after the introduction of civil marriage.
While the law allowing mayors to officiate civil marriages is still awaiting the ministerial go-ahead, Chetcuti Caruana has adamantly confirmed his intention of ignoring the bill, come what may.
“I have a right to stick to my principles,” Chetcuti Caruana said.
“Couples should first undergo a Cana movement course, and then get married. If they want to get married civilly they can go to other local councils, not this one.”
Asked to explain the reasoning behind his stand, the mayor stated: “If some people are not Catholic then they should follow rituals of their own religion. I am a Catholic, and I refuse to wed couples in a non-Catholic way. Otherwise, I may just as well turn to Evangelism or become Protestant.”
Civil marriages were introduced by Dom Mintoff’s Labour government in 1975, part of the sweeping secular reforms of the day, which allowed couples to opt for a state-recognised marriage procedure.
When asked about his stand going against core Labour party beliefs, Chetcuti Caruana stated: “First of all we’re New Labour. Secondly, the Labour Party believes in democracy. My opinions, whether or not the party agrees with them, are respected.”
“Paul Chetcuti Caruana is a man of profound beliefs,” Labour secretary-general Jason Micallef told Maltatoday. “His decision seems to be personal, on spiritual grounds, and this needs to be respected,” he added. “I personally think that this legal notice will give more status to our mayors, and I find no issue with it. If Paul Chetcuti Caruana decides not to officiate civil weddings, it is entirely up to him. I don’t think this is in any way discriminatory or controversial since couples may choose to get married in any other local council.”
The former Mosta mayor, Nationalist councillor Joseph Demartino, however stated he finds no objection. “Once a couple wishes to get married civilly, a prima facie, I don’t think there should be any problems with it.”
But the Nationalist councillor Nicola Fenech Adami gave a non-committal reply on the impending legislation to wed couples civilly. “It’s useless telling you what I think since even if we take a vote, we’re at six votes to five in the council. Otherwise I don’t yet have a stand on the issue. I still don’t know what people want, where the (Nationalist) party morally stands or what the church has to say about this.”
On her part, Labour deputy mayor Josette Agius Decelis refused to comment on the issue. She will be the council’s delegate to an informative meeting on the forthcoming legal notice.
Mayor Paul Chetcuti Caruana famously declared his return to politics in February last year to sister paper Illum as returning “from the reserves squad”.
“I am now reporting back to active duty. I am in the SAS, the special forces of the Labour Party and am responding to the party’s call.”
He described himself as being part of Labour’s “Special Forces, always ready for any circumstance.”

ddarmanin@mediatoday.com.mt