Of breast screening and apologies

I refer to the letter by Janice Chetcuti (Breast Screening, December 14). The Labour Party and the head of the oncology and radiation department owe nobody an apology; on the contrary, Ms Chetcuti should ask her Prime Minister for one. In his budget speech, Lawrence Gonzi announced a national breast screening programme by next year. The head of the oncology and radiation department said that he did not know about preparations for such a programme to be implemented. I quoted that on a television programme, a few days before the budget announcement was made, the minister for health had declared that the government could not implement a national screening programme in the near future. Perhaps Ms Chetcuti wants me to apologise for quoting the minister?

The Nationalist government has been dragging its feet on the implementation of a breast-screening programme for women at high risk for the past nine years. It is the government who owes Maltese women an apology for suddenly waking up from a long sleep and trying to appear as though it cares about this problem on the eve of an election. A Labour government will implement its pledge to start a breast screening programme for women at high risk. Maybe the Labour Party should apologise to Ms Chetcuti for being much more organised than the Nationalist government in matters related to women's health?

On a positive note, I think that Ms Chetcuti has started on the right foot as a PN candidate. She has already adopted the Nationalists' obsession of calling for an apology from all and sundry each time they breathe - as is typical of the arrogant and patronising attitude of PN ideologists, especially those like Ms Chetcuti who are specialised in democratic practice.

Maybe the Labour party should apologise to Ms Chetcuti for existing, hoping that she be satisfied.