Mixed messages

It was disappointing, and of concern to many who have at heart the best interests of our children, to read the report of the Armed Forces' Open Day (October 2). The reporter set out to describe adults and children having a "whale of a time... at the assault course, abseiling and firing blank rifle rounds". The report was accompanied by a photograph showing two very young boys handling rifles.

It showed, to all who did not attend, the attraction offered to young children, albeit under supervision, of handling weapons of war.

As Commissioner for Children I have often pointed out that Malta definitely fulfils its obligation to Article 38 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in not sending children to war. The situation captured in the photograph, however, shows that we are whetting our young boys' love for battle, while giving them the first feel of handling weapons of destruction. Is this truly in their best interests? Is it in the interests of society that we are encouraging young people to handle guns?

Do we want to head for situations of violence, as reported recently in the US, that we will later regret? Is it not enough that so many of our children spend hours in front of violent PlayStation games or accessing violent sites on the internet?

Do we realise that we are providing them with the stepping stone from the virtual world to the real one, as far as weapons are concerned?

I sincerely hope that the authorities responsible for the Open Day will eliminate this activity from any similar events in the future.