Caring for our best friends

I had the pleasure of visiting the site, together with representatives from various NGOs, where the Animal After Care Centre is being built at Ta' Qali. This centre, which will be built according to high environmental standards, will accommodate injured strays and pets that would be convalescing after an operation. The strays which will be treated will also be neutered.

I was pleased to notice the satisfaction among NGOs that are seeing their dream being realised thanks to the government's financial commitment. I did not miss the opportunity to reiterate my words of thanks and appreciation, on behalf of the government, to these generous people who give their time and energy to safeguard and promote animal welfare. However, we need more synergy between the various NGOs - December 3.

Am I showing support?

Today is World AIDS Day, which aims to bring to the fore the worldwide challenges and consequences of the AIDS pandemic. I came across some statistics about the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS. I admit I was stunned when I saw them. There are about 33 million people living with HIV worldwide. Out of these, just under 31 million are adults, 15.5 million of them are women. About two million are children under 15 years of age. During 2007, some 2.7 million people became infected with HIV - 400,000 are children. Last year alone saw two million deaths from AIDS.

The American basketball star Magic Johnson is a perfect example of an HIV-infected person who managed to rebuild his life. After announcing he was infected, Magic Johnson dedicated a lot of his time and energy to improving education about the risks associated with HIV and about learning how to live with HIV. He also set up a foundation to fund research to combat HIV. Not many of us have his financial means or public standing but we too can make a difference in the fight to stop the spread of HIV - December 1.

Walk the walk

Yesterday morning, I went on site to view the finalisation of works in Tower Road, Sliema prior to today's final laying of tarmac, eight days ahead of schedule.

What struck me most while I was touring the works under way was how many passers-by commented that the road had taken on a totally different air, partly because of the newly-laid pavements but mostly because the street had been closed to traffic. It was free of noise and fumes; people could move about freely. "Why can't it remain like this," one of the elderly onlookers remarked.

At one point, I bumped into the editor of The Times, Ray Bugeja, and he, too, was met with similar reactions. Unfortunately, most of these people never get around to putting pen to paper to express their opinion. Surely, not to convince me, because in my case they would be preaching to the converted, but to try to win over those who are sceptical of the need for a pedestrian zone in Sliema's commercial centre.

Unfortunately, time and again, a small group of people take advantage of the media to voice their viewpoint vociferously, sometimes succeeding in stifling the say of the silent majority. I am convinced that Sliema residents and the public deserve a traffic-free commercial centre and I will keep on striving to reach this aim. I am aware that there will always be individuals who will resist the introduction of a pedestrian zone in Sliema but we must persevere in our efforts to ensure that the common good prevails - November 30.

In denial?

The perpetual debate about the secularisation of our society is always a powerful one. From time to time, certain events unfold in such a way that they stir up a hornet's nest. This week, a magistrate in Valladolid (Spain) decreed that crucifixes hung in classrooms and public spaces of a state school should be removed because their presence could give the impression that the state is closer to Catholicism than other denominations.

Closer to home, this issue regularly crops up in Italy too. During the previous legislature, an Italian magistrate had acceded to a request and had ruled that crucifixes hung in public places were to be removed.

The Italian government, at the time, was composed of both practising Christians and atheists and, yet, it had decided not to implement that decision.

Thankfully, this controversy has not yet reached our shores. We are a nation steeped in Christianity. I can only restate what Pope John Paul II had affirmed on September 15, 2002 when he had stated that "in a world which is becoming more secular and materialistic, the presence of a symbol of faith like the crucifix assumes even greater importance in public areas".

To be honest, I am in total agreement with Mgr Rodrigues Plaza, the Archbishop of Valladolid, who declared, after being informed of the magistrates' controversial decision, that "the crucifix in a culture like ours should not offend anyone because the crucifix is purely a symbol of love and peace" - November 27.

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Mr Pullicino is Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs.