First there were two and then there was four, next there will be eight and so forth. Already the government’s coffers have increased in value by €600, but at what a cost?

I am the proud owner of a Kart­anzjan which I have held for a few years, but how I wish I could go back to the days of my youth. Skinny dipping is not new, not even to Malta. I recall my early days serving in the British Army in the early 1960s, stationed at St Patrick’s Barracks, with fond memories, one of which was on the night of 31-1 January 1963/1964. Walking back to barracks from Valletta, slightly merry from celebrating “seeing in the New Year”, my college and I were walking past St George’s Bay (it looked completely different to what it looks like today). The water looked so tempting in our bemused minds that we both stripped naked and jumped in. Yes we were both shocked as the water was freezing, but we had a great time, even if the journey back to barracks was miserable and cold. It’s now a memory cast in stone.

With the students there will be no difference; Malta has created a memory for them that they will never forget, not the memory that Malta would like to project of beautiful landscapes, culture, religion, lovely people etc. but of intolerance, third world attitudes and mainly the €100 fine and three-month suspended sentence for getting caught skinny dipping.

It’s time for Malta to grow up. I recall in the 1960s, when the għonnella was still being worn by everyday people, you could be prosecuted by the police if you were caught kissing in public, unmarried girls had to be in by nine in the evening, two piece swimsuits where frowned upon and you could only wear them on the beach. Gay and lesbian relationships were unheard of although homosexuality was around but not spoken of and newspapers from abroad were heavily censored. That was only 50 years ago. Since then Malta has come a long way in leaps and bounds, with the gaining of Independence and becoming a member of the European Union. It’s time to change the mentality and laws of Malta to conform to its new identity.

As I said, “skinny dipping is not new to Malta”. It’s being carried out on a daily basis by both Maltese and foreigners. It’s natural and there is no harm in this kind of amusement. If one abhors it, one does not have to participate or watch, it’s a choice. At the same time, it should not be used as another government revenue earner.

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