Kurt Sansone
Prime Minister non-committal on proposed constitutional amendment
The Prime Minister remained non-committal on Gift of Life's proposal to amend the Constitution to protect the right to life from the moment of conception, during a meeting with the organisation yesterday.
Lawrence Gonzi summarised the different arguments being made the organisation's proposal at a meeting in Castille, where techno music from carnival celebrations below blared in the background.
He stopped short of saying whether he agreed with the constitutional amendment, insisting he did not know what the position of the MPs was. The amendment proposed by Gift of Life would require a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
Dr Gonzi said the criminal code was clear enough in making abortion illegal and that the Constitution already protected the right to life.
He added that there was a debate in the country on the proposal and the path on the subject was still open.
However, the Prime Minister said the issue of when life started had to be addressed during the debate on legislation to regulate in vitro fertilisation, which will be presented during this legislature.
The press was invited for the initial part of the meeting, which continued behind closed doors.
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Gerry Cowie
Feb 27th 2009, 11:05
Come, now, Mr Magro!
Do not fall into that very wide open trap which beckons you in!
The fact that women are able to go abroad to get an abortion does not mean that abortion is ok!
Imagine you lived in a high rise block and you had a door which you could leave open to let in the air. But you decided not to have a balcony put up and railings to stop people from falling. After all, people are going to fall anyway, so what is the point of putting up some protection to stop it?
This is by no means a non-starter unless of course your ultimate intention is to make it so! Or maybe you genuinely feel that it is too late to close the stable door now that the horse has bolted? Whatever the reason for your comment, it has no real substance.
Why do people fear a constitution which preserves human life from both conception to natural death and therefore protects all citizens, in particular those with no voice, whom those without respect for human life would like to be kept silent? There should be no room for any doubt provided by wishy-washy wording!
Jimmy Magro
Feb 21st 2009, 18:57
This is a non starter. I wonder there is so much waste of energy. What is the purpose of changing the Constitution when pregnant persons can go to abort abroad. An abortion made in Malta or abraod is still a wrong thing to do.
What +9 should fight for if they really mean business is that anyone who performs or undergo an abortion in Malta or abroad will be criminally prosecuted.
The Constitution will not solve the issue when no body has called for the right of abortion. The only justification why +9 want to change the Constitution is because the EU or Council of Europe are pressing/or will be pressing for universal right of abortion. They should come clean and state this fact.
EU has its neg and pos
John Zammit
Feb 21st 2009, 15:31
www.freewebs.com/maltaabortionrights
L..Galea
Feb 21st 2009, 11:25
Ray Mangion
Giving a free vote to his own MPs
Ray Mangion
Feb 21st 2009, 10:48
It seems that the Prime Minister is non-commital on most things! Illegal immigration is an example. Just about every contentious issue will be debated at a later date. What is he afraid of?