Discerning Astrid
Whilst forming part of the panel of last Tuesday's Reporter, aired on TVM, Astrid Vella (FAA's spokesperson), claimed that the alliance between the environmentalist NGOs has grown stronger in these last 12 months. Being a member of an environmentalist NGO myself, I can confirm that this isn't factual at all. It is nice to project one's unity as standing firm in front of the media, but on the other hand, one still has to call a spade a spade.
Can Astrid Vella illuminate the general public how a movement that has worked hard for environmental sustainability for more than 10 years is being left out of the green coalition? This same movement was more than active in environmental issues such as the Portomaso, the Verdala Golf Course and the Kalkara Valley projects in times when Ms Vella wasn't even part of the green scene.
Christopher Cutajar
Santa Lucija
Divine histrionics
The letter written by a Dr Alfred Galea in Wednesday's MaltaToday (Europe endangers God's plan, 25 July) reeks of the same old boring sentiments spewed out every year for the past 2,000 years.
First, God did not create the universe in six days; second, Lucifer or the Devil was the invention of the Founding Fathers to get brain dead, unwashed, uneducated peons to do "their" bidding and the church has been doing the same ever since. The Devil, Hell, Purgatory, and now the defunct Limbo, were inventions of the church and vast sums of money were collected over the years by telling the flock that the souls of their dear departed were suffering in Limbo, or purgatory, or burning in hell.
Martin Luther, (1483-1546) pinned 95 premises on the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral pointing out faults of the church at that time. The fathers thought of executing him but decided to place him under house arrest for 20 years.
To err is human, to forgive is divine; but the most extensive research has never revealed the church forgiving anyone at any time.
F. A. Cornelius
St Paul's Bay
Gay teachers in Church schools - love thy neighbour
I read with interest James Debono's article 'MUT stops Church from firing gay teachers' (18 July, 2007). Once again such cases seem to remind us of the misconception that the Catholic Church and gay people have nothing to do with each other, that one excludes the other automatically.
When reading this article one may fall into the trap of thinking, 'they are the gay teachers'; 'they are the ones in the wrong'; and 'they are the ones who should not be there'. Such reasoning, which might be the reasoning of the complaining parents, seems to unveil the prejudice, fear and judgmental attitudes that a number of Catholic and/or Christian people harbour towards LGBT persons.
I would like to focus on another part of the story. In Debono's article it is mentioned that children have actually insulted these teachers by writing insults on blackboards. My question is: who needs to be punished here?
The 'Catholic ethos' was mentioned along the way, however what kind of ethos are we talking about?
I trust that our Church authorities deal with this case the Catholic way and use it as an opportunity to teach people that the Catholic Church is not out there to get gay people, and that the two can live together no matter how difficult it sometimes may be.
However, exclusion and discrimination are never the solution. I am sure the Catholic Church in Malta will not allow gay teachers to be used as scapegoats by parents and/or children in the name of 'Christianity' because the fundamental Christian rule 'love thy neighbour' also applies to teachers who happen to be gay.
Mario Gerada
Sliema
Presidential pardons
Reference is made to the article '254 presidential pardons requested in three years' written by Mr Raphael Vassallo and carried on the front page of MaltaToday, Wednesday 25 July 2007.
I would like to correct two inaccuracies in the said article. I do not know from where Mr Vassallo got the impression that 'the overwhelming majority (132) of granted presidential pardons concerned pardons or reductions in prison sentences from VAT related offences'. What the Ministry replied to his question was that 'Öof these the vast majority (132) concerned the pardon or reduction of penalties (as distinct from fines) related to VAT. These penalties are incurred if a person does not do something which is ordered, provided that the fiscal authorities then certify that such person has fulfilled his obligation.'
Mr Vassallo also wrote that one of the requests concerned the reduction of a Lm250,000 fine incurred by Joseph Fenech, aka as Zeppi il-Hafi, for his part in an alcohol smuggling operation. Mr Fenech's request was not for the reduction of the fine but for the fine to be paid in instalments. Eventually the request was turned down.
Joe Azzopardi
Communications Coordinator
Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs
MEPA matters
Kindly allow me to refer to MEPA audit officer Joe Falzon's interview (18 July, 2007) in which he accused MEPA chairman Andrew Calleja of opening the door to 'political interference'.
I ask Joe Falzon whether there had been any political interference in the Villa Difesa, Bahar ic-Caghaq case, which he chaired in 1997.
Edward Torpiano
Floriana
They do not do practice what they preach
'All works shall be carried out STRICTLY in accordance with the approved plans and the conditions of this permission. Where a matter is not specified on the plans then the condition of this permission and of Development Control Policy and Design Guidance shall take precedence and modify the plans accordingly.'
This quote is taken from a copy, sent to me by the Development Control Commission, and is condition (d) of the permission granted by MEPA for the development of a number of garages, maisonettes, apartments and penthouses.
This development is more than halfway shell-form ready, and I am not surprised that some has already been sold. However, good luck to whoever is concerned.
What I am worried about is that the contractor/developer decided to do things his way and ignore the conditions, or part of them, to my detriment by opening two windows overlooking my home. The plans of this development at MEPA, when this development was granted permission to proceed, showed that the shaft which holds these two windows should be walled up for all of its height. When I approached the contractor, however, he said that building a wall is only 'Bona Gratia Tieghi', apart from shouting, swearing and even threatening me to keep my mouth shut 'ghax jaqbillek'.
I am not surprised about this, as many of these contractors are the bullying, cowboy type. But I am astonished that the government knew about this, but is doing nothing or very little indeed. All this is detrimental to residents, who only wish to remain peacefully in their homes. They even expect that the government of the day would just lift a finger to stop all this, and not return to the years gone by.
I wrote about these problems which usurped my privacy to the Enforcement Officer at MEPA, to the Development Control Commission at MEPA, to the MEPA chairman, and even to the Minister in charge of MEPA, George Pullicino.
Wonder of all wonders, both the enforcement officer and a member of the private secretariat of Minister Pullicino told me over the telephone, that those windows are within the law. Two architects came to my house, and another saw these windows in a photograph, and all of them said that these are against the law; but perhaps MEPA has its own laws. After all, MEPA had grown into a monster which is capable of eating its own creator.
Joseph Muscat
Mosta
