The photo of a horse tied up on the truck was one of the most disgraceful photos I have seen in many years. I cannot think of another country that this could happen in. Whoever is responsible must be charged. But this is Malta and it was an animal, so they wont. Pullicino, who is in charge (I say that loosely) of our enviroment and animals has again and again let down both. He has destroyed too much of our enviroment for the benefit of a few people and let down animals, birds, fish... to a great extent letting abuse rule and costing the lives of many.
We have one of the worst types of people as Prime Minister: conservative and religious... two of the most divisive, intolerant, ignorant and self-important ways to be. Gonzi and Pullicino, two people who would never make it into a modern, progressive country’s government. We were already a country living and thinking many years behind the rest. Somehow we have been dragged even further back.
What have we got under this government? A useless and rude police force who try not to help when you call; an army that can’t even find anyone who are lost; we still have bad roads; they can’t control the dangerous way most people drive; no help for small buisiness. In a bad year like this the Prime Minister is not even trying to stimulate the economy so people can spend in the high street. Property is too highly priced but nothing is done; they let building contractors get out of control. They won’t do what EU laws tell them to for the protection of the environment until it is too late. No total freedom of speech in the press; no real democracy; no fireworks control... The situation is worse for women: no morning after pill; the pill way too expensive here... condoms should be free at clinics; no abortion under any circumstances, even if the woman will die... the list is endless.
Unfortunately the majority lets all parties get away with things. People have more power then governments. Look at the strike we just had. The way the strikers behaved was disgusting but how did this government stop it? By giving them our money. The pm had no control. Over many years governments here have turned the majority into non-thinking conservative dressing clones. We have a huge lack of individuality in Malta. Most dress the same. A complete sense of individuality in dress and thought is the most important thing you can have, but Gonzi and the church hate that. It makes people think for themselves. Dogma and scare tactics are what they both prefer.
Wake up. Don’t let any government tell you how to think, live, dress. No conservative religious person ever invented anything or created any scientific advances... it takes a person who thinks out of the box. Following religious fairytales and dogma will stop this. Alternative has always been the way forward.
I pay my tax but I get no service. I do not want to be under religious rules. I do not want to or have to be like you. Civil society has nothing. The list would take up the whole paper: no divorce; co-habitation; cremation; protection of alternative lifestyles; a decent police force; you get arrested if you pop a pill but not if you hang dogs or chop down trees; no animal protection... animals must be protected and controlled now. In sweiqi we’ve lived the last three years with two dogs running around the streets killing cats and scaring kids. Police say it has nothing to do with them.
You can tell a lot about someone by how they treat animals. You cannot trust anyone who has no loving thought or feelings toward animals.
A word of advice: Pullicino, watch Animal Planet and learn. Gonzi, watch History Channel and see why most people don’t want laws coming from religion. As adults we have the right to think for ourselves and live any lifestyle while a government protects us. Alternative free thinkers  are  what we need. We need a John Lydon or Joe Strummer to change things. As Lydon said: “I didn’t write God save the queen because I hate my country. It’s because I love my country and want it to be better."
That’s what we should want: the best possible country to live in and to make it happen, I can dream. All together: “God save Gonzi...”

Adrian A. St John
Swieqi