Government covering up porn?
Police investigations into cases raised by Labour MP Adrian Vassallo in June about the broadcasting of porn films in hotels and on cable television are still ongoing, Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici said in parliament.
"The issue involves the gathering of evidence to establish the facts on the basis of various laws which may be potentially applied, including the Criminal Code, the European Convention Act, the Broadcasting Act, and related regulations," Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.
In his parliamentary question, Dr Vassallo said that even though he had revealed the broadcasting of porn on cable television and in hotels, such abuses were continuing. He therefore asked what had been established in police investigations.
"Has anything been done so that the people will not be led to suspect that the authorities are covering up, rather than stopping, this abuse?"
"If nothing has been done, can the minister explain what government policy is with regard to the broadcasting of porn in hotels, on cable TV and, in future, through rental shops?"
Dr Vassallo also asked why current law, which had been applied to a book and a magazine, had not been applied to the cable TV provider and the hotels.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici said police investigations were following their normal course.
"This is not a simple issue, as the honourable Member is making it out to be. There is no reason for anybody in the know about such matters to think that the authorities are covering up abuse. The issue involves the gathering of evidence to establish the facts on the basis of various laws which may be potentially applied, including the Criminal Code, the European Convention Act, the Broadcasting Act, and related regulations," Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.
The minister said that government policy was against the distribution of pornographic material, but there was a complex legal issue on the definition of porn and the balance which had to be struck between restricting porn and respecting freedom of expression.
He said that the issues involving the book and the magazine were legally not related to the type of broadcasting mentioned by Dr Vassallo.
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Raymond Farrugia
Oct 14th 2010, 19:22
It's amazing how many people like to to interfere with other people's freedom. Porn!, divorce! sex in marriage! tattoos! Just name it and there is bound to be someone who will object.
M. Fenech
Oct 14th 2010, 15:45
onlyinmalta.com - LIVE AND LET LIVE!!!!
George Poitier
Oct 13th 2010, 20:03
Yes, and Malta should not allow porn, nor should it allow divorce, and why on earth should they. Well for one Malta is a Catholic country, very patriotic, devoted to loving each other and honest. Malta should shut its doors to any foreign interference, should not allow anyone to tell it what is best for the country. I live in the USA and the devil works there, and the UK too, do not let the devil win.
yaz tabone
Oct 14th 2010, 07:50
Yes, and Malta should not allow porn, nor should it allow divorce, and why on earth should they. Well for one Malta is a Catholic country, very patriotic, devoted to loving each other and honest. Malta should shut its doors to any foreign interference, should not allow anyone to tell it what is best for the country. I live in the USA and the devil works there, and the UK too, do not let the devil win.
"foreign interference"?? by that do you mean human rights? LOL @ maltese love each other, we are quite a selfish country - example divorce. why can't i have the right to divorce? - u know why? cos the religious people are being selfish. its quite simple, if they don't want a divorce, they don't ahve to get one.. but why does everyone else have to suffer?? bring on the porn :p
C Galea
Oct 14th 2010, 08:17
Dear Mr.George Poitier, in reading your comment and having recognised the fact that the devil works in the U. S. A. and the U. K. but not as yet in Malta, and you seem to prefer to live in a country without the devil abiding in it, what the DEVIL are you waiting for, why not pack up your bags and head straight for Malta and fight for you cause and to be able to live in harmony?
Christian Sciberras
Oct 14th 2010, 15:20
Mr Poltier, are you telling us past history such as the vandalism of the Times offices or Mizbla burials are the work of Saints?
Although I'm a Catholic, I find it difficult to believe all those adjectives about Malta.
Rene Debono
Oct 14th 2010, 22:12
@Christian Scibberas
Why doesn't anyone understand sarcasm on this island!? Don't you get it?
ray sacco
Oct 13th 2010, 18:53
are the police really wasting our money and their precious time investigating porn from cable tv? is the minister serious? i mean, dr. vassallo has every right to ask any parliamentary question he wants, but for the minister and the police force to follow up and investigate such a ridiculous case is preposterous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe E Galea
Oct 13th 2010, 08:18
Oh my God!! Is this Malta or some Islamic oppressed country?
joe borg
Oct 13th 2010, 07:46
why don't we go back to live in the caves?
M Psaila
Oct 14th 2010, 12:21
Because they are not cabled - yet
Ronnie Gauci
Oct 12th 2010, 23:40
Dottor Vassallo, jien votant Laburist. Din hi l-issue principali tieghek? Li tittekilja l-porn se tkun il-missjoni tieghek fil-Gvern? Ovvjament l-oghli tal-hajja, l-kontijiet, sahha etc jiehdu s-second place hux? Nappella lil votanti Laburisti biex jahsbu qabel ma jivvotaw u jwaddbuna fil-Medju Evu jergghu.
Bernard Cachia
Oct 12th 2010, 22:27
is this guy serious? ban porn??? i sure hope this news doesnt leave Malta - if it does its back to being the laughing stock of europe...well this is typical PL behavior.. narrow mindedness at its peak - whats next??? who's with me on banning playboy magz from stationeries ??? jesus - why dont you do us all a favor and use this precious time to address serious issues - your getting paid from our taxes and all you can come up with is this??? If you feel this is a serious issue they should be banning YOU from speaking up!
B. Cachia
Oct 12th 2010, 22:03
I seriously think that some of our politicians are living on another planet.
J Micallef
Oct 12th 2010, 19:54
Artiklu iehor li jirrifletti l-livell patetiku tal-politikanti f'pajjizna (taz-zewg nahat).
J Abela
Oct 12th 2010, 17:29
Pssst, pssst.... Onorevoli...
Il-programm "Wild Sex" fuq National Geographic m'huwiex dak li qed tahseb int. Pjuttost huwa edukattiv u juri d-dinja ta' l-annimali fis-sbuhjja taghha.
PS: Skuzani talli qajjimtek!
Jonathan McBee
Oct 12th 2010, 16:29
"In his parliamentary question, Dr Vassallo said that even though he had revealed the broadcasting of porn on cable television and in hotels (...) "
That word "revealed" tickles me pink. How can you reveal what many people already knew? I hardly think he exposed some state secret. Besides, I stick to the same opinion I held last June: what adults watch is their business. They are making an informed choice, as is their right. Had Dr Vassallo claimed that minors were being exposed to this, that would have been a different matter.
J oatmon
Oct 12th 2010, 20:36
I agree completely with adults sex is part of life, everyone should be free to choose what they wish to watch regarding porn - take it or leave it.
After all none of us would be here if it was not for sex, so why be hypocritical or 'holier than thou' - sex is normal for adults (and very enjoyable) end of story. The police time is better spent on important matters like corruption and violent crime.
Dan Jensen
Oct 12th 2010, 16:28
omg people naked! I cannot handle that at all! What they are having sex? Outrageous!
LOL, seriously, the system here really needs to start developing more, that porn is banned in the 21st century is outrageous!
What about focusing that energy on something actually useful instead for the people. Like making sure that emissions are drastically cut and help improve the life of quality of people in Malta?
Or how about looking at the min. wage which is right now 3.75 an hour!
Do something USEFUL for the people instead, direct that energy and money elsewhere!
What about traffic offenders? What about the hundreds of people who every weekend drive drunk to and from Paceville which the police does not seem to care to try and do anything about?
This is ridiculous to say the least.
Gerry Cowie
Oct 12th 2010, 22:32
The fact that this is the 21st Century does not make everything right! That is a poor excuse and quite frankly a smokescreen!
People do indeed need to take a view according to their conscience and therefore those who do not want to watch such things - who should not be accused of prudishness - need not do so. By the same token those who favour them should not rub them in people's noses using the 21st Century as their excuse for everything which exists being fine!
Kevin Cassar
Oct 13th 2010, 18:00
@ Gerry Cowie Please come back from the middle ages and learn something. You see there is a small rectangular shaped thingy with numbered buttons on it. If you press it, the channel will change as if by magic! Ah the wonders of technology! If you don't want to watch, change the channel or switch it off. Now was that so hard?
victor pulis
Oct 12th 2010, 15:09
The Hon. vassallo shpuld have asked how many PCs there are in Malta for obvious reasons.
One more question, What's the difference between a private room in a hotel and a private room in a...private house?
Alfred Bugeja
Oct 12th 2010, 14:46
Anyone commenting below should start off by reading what the law has to say about the matter.
As Article 208 of the Criminal Code reads at present, watching porn on any medium is not a crime in this country. Distributing porn or showing porn for a profit is.
So all the talk about barring satellite feeds and the internet to stop people in Malta from watching porn is futile as long as you don't have satellite transmissions or porn websites being hosted in Malta.
Piero Timpano
Oct 13th 2010, 22:25
i do hope you and all the other readers did realise that my post was meant to be a very "tongue in cheek" view... I will leave the really extreme thinking to the politicians.. they have MUCH more experience :)
D.Galea
Oct 12th 2010, 14:05
Irrespective of Dr Vassallo's opinion, he also asked why current law, which had been applied to a book and a magazine, had not been applied to the cable TV provider and the hotels. This question is pure wisdom! Legislating laws which are impossible to uphold to the full goes against the very principle of equality in society.
jannicke attard
Oct 12th 2010, 13:50
oh come on everyone watches porn and most of the people actually do it at home stop being so closed minded
Kevin Borg
Oct 12th 2010, 12:47
How many licences Lap dances clubs are there in Malta?
How many licenced dancers are there in Malta for these clubs?
How much VAT has been paid for Lap dancing services in Malta?
If someone can answer these questions he should be awarded the 'Medalja tar-republika'
On another note it is to be observed that the Romanian Mafia has taken over the 'crem de la crem' of the Clubs in Malta. Apart from Lap dances so called 'Xtras' and 'Happy Endings' are being offered at an extra cost.
2 Weights 2 Measures?
Looks like it!
Joseph Calleja
Oct 12th 2010, 14:18
Lap Dances in Malta? And where does the church stand on all this? The church is so busy condemning divorce that lap dances are a dime a dozen so to speak. One MP is to busy trying to pry into our bedrooms and private hotel rooms that he does not see all this underground porn going on live. But that is OK because the elite clubs pay their dues (taxes). What kind of hypocrisy is this? It is illegal to watch porn in your own bedroom or your private hotel room but then it's OK for clubs to offer lap dances, discreetly of course. And the MP is worried about porn being shown on private cable? Get out of my bedroom room Mr MP.
joe saliba
Oct 12th 2010, 11:54
Another scaremongering crusade. Thriving on the misinformed regarded as pontential voters. First inseminate doubt. Then point fingers. If the arena gets hot 'crucify him'. Some build cities with stones others throw them at their neighbours/enemies.
A Chircop
Oct 12th 2010, 14:28
Maybe the use of the word 'inseminate' is dangerous, in this case :)
C Galea
Oct 12th 2010, 11:53
Yes, Europe is going downwards. Even in Spain, several Spanish policemen from various districts are preparing to produce rather pornographic calenders of themselves nearly naked or posing in a provocative way. A rather harsh way to do fundraising for charity.
S. Calleja
Oct 12th 2010, 13:12
And the problem is, exactly? I think the only people who like to hide their bodies are the ones who have an ugly one in the first place.
S. Calleja
Oct 12th 2010, 10:55
What is illegal will always be appealing. I agree with Geoffrey Mifsud Farrugia, and add that many Maltese men act like chimps on heat when around a young attractive lady, calling her vulgar names, whistling, etc, as if she's going to be impressed by any of that. I've been to various places abroad, and very rarely have a witnessed such behaviour that's only a remnant from the cave days. Deprived, that's what I think they are.
David Galea
Oct 12th 2010, 13:55
Offensive generalisation. And the word is "depraved": but I wonder whether you feel "deprived".
S. Calleja
Oct 12th 2010, 15:28
@ David Galea... struck you a nerve didn't I? I meant deprived, not depraved. They have different meanings.
Kenneth Cassar
Oct 12th 2010, 10:41
Welcome to China.
A.J. Fenech
Oct 12th 2010, 10:40
Come to think of it, we don't really need porn on our tv sets or in our cinemas. The majority of teenage Maltese girls dress pornographically anyway (just go to Paceville on any night), so I really can't fathom out what all the fuss is about. One German lady acquaintance recently asked me "why do most young Maltese girls dress like prostitutes?"
In passing, well said Mr. Timpano. Please ignore the person who suggested you should go back to Italy. After 2,000 years of European civilisation and five years of EU membership, there are still those amongst us who appear to be living in caves in Comino!
victor rodenas
Oct 12th 2010, 16:35
Fourty yrs.ago one could identify a prostitute by the way she dresses.To-day it is impossible to identify which is which.
S. Calleja
Oct 12th 2010, 17:07
"why do most young Maltese girls dress like prostitutes?"
Because some of them are as easy :-P
J Farrugia
Oct 12th 2010, 10:36
Poor poor minister.. he doesn't know what pornographic material consists of. even a six month old child will tell you. Only the minister and his police corps do not know what porn is. Tell it to the marines.
Albert farrugia
Oct 12th 2010, 10:24
Everyone seems to be missing the point here. Irrespective of Dr Vassallo's personal position on the subject, he is simply pointing out to Malta's laws as they stand NOW. One cannot simply ignore laws because they are outdated. Where that to be the case, the citizen would be in a state of legal uncertainty as he would not be sure which laws are being enforced and which not. Dr Vassallo is simply calling the government's bluff and making it declare itself on the matter. Is it VI, or is it VA? Is it allowed or is it not? Full stop. Ejja, Dr Karm....qum mir-raqda u ghidlina x'inhi l-pożizzjoni......
Joseph Calleja
Oct 12th 2010, 12:09
If Malta's laws are outdated then they should be updated. Most of these laws where made when no television existed. The internet, mobile phones, cable and satellites weren't even thought off. Yes the laws are very old made by old people and definitely need to be updated. The MP needs to move up to 2010. Right to privacy act is in effect. They don't have that one in Iran.
Piero Timpano
Oct 12th 2010, 09:47
I have an idea.. Why don't we sever the internet connection to mainland Europe, or restrict it severely like they do in China, only allowing "government approved websites" We can then build a huge Faraday cage over the entire island, making sure it reaches to the limits of International waters to stop those pesky satellite receptions from reaching us.
Once that is done, we can stop all internet on mobile phones, and employ a few thousand people to open each and every mail item that arrives just "to be sure" that no "offensive material" is getting on the island.
While we are at it, we can strip search each and every tourist coming onto the island as well, just to be on the safe side. We can also force everyone to wear rather large (and unattractive) bin bags over their entire bodies as well, just so we don't get impure thoughts. That should solve it.
JCauchi
Oct 12th 2010, 09:58
You can always go back to Italy if it's not like China :)
Peter Korsten
Oct 12th 2010, 10:41
For some people, wearing a bin bag would actually be an improvement, fashion-wise.
Joseph Azzopardi
Oct 12th 2010, 09:46
Pornography is readily available on the Internet and therefore readily accessible to around 85% of Maltese households. It is not broadcast to you as would be the case on TV but it is easily accessible on thousands of sites that include pornographic material. The biggest issue in this sense is that while the pay-TV industry is regulated and therefore content of a pornographic nature is controlled, pornographic content over the Internet is not and is readily available. It is time therefore for the two media to be treated equally and ultimately it is time for the authorities to let individuals decide what they want to watch. As long as TV systems come with parental control features then the regulations governing pay-TV systems should be opened up. It should also be said that since 33% of Maltese households are watching TV over a Dreambox system, which in turn is not regulated by authorities, these households have access to limitless porn channels. So wake up and treat all systems equally and don't try stopping the unstoppable. However it seem ridiculous that our Minister is so out of touch with the realities of today's media landscape.
Geoffrey Mifsud Farrugia
Oct 12th 2010, 09:40
i can't understand this fixation with certain politicians and also religious people to keep the population in some sort of big bubble isolated from what is happening in the real world.
what is all this fuss about porn!!? Do you realise that there is more harm done by keeping it away. Each time i am abroad i notice that the only people going through the porn magazines at the airport prior to coming back home are Maltese. Hardly any foreigners bother looking at them. This is exactly like the chocolate saga of the 80's.
How many of us used to dream of mars bars back then..today we hardly look at them and they are everywhere. Its the same thing with porn. We are not talking of drugs or illegal substances. Today you can watch all the porn you want on internet.
Ray Buhagiar
Oct 12th 2010, 09:56
'Each time i am abroad i notice that the only people going through the porn magazines at the airport prior to coming back home are Maltese.' - mid-dehra int wiehed minn dawk li thobb tilhaq salib haddiehor.
Miguel Micallef
Oct 12th 2010, 10:02
Actually it works with illegal drugs too. Legalize and use will decrease. Statistics confirm this wherever it has been tried. The reason behind this is simple. There's 3 kinds of people. People who will do drugs, irrespective of whether it's legal or not, they just don't care and will take the risk. Then there's people who will not take drugs, even if they are legal, because it's their choice not to. And legality doesn't mean it's forced unto you (like divorce, for example). Then there's the substantial group who likes to do anything illegal for the buzz of it. Let's kill animals. Let's do drugs. Let's steal. Let's assault people. These are the ignorants of our society, and if you legalize something it will no longer appeal to them.
AVassallo
Oct 12th 2010, 11:01
@ Mr. Mifsud Farrugia:
Quote: "Each time i am abroad i notice that the only people going through the porn magazines at the airport prior to coming back home are Maltese."
Airports in Malta are huge. How come you happen to be steering close to these shops? Are you a bookworm yourself?
S. Calleja
Oct 12th 2010, 11:25
@ AVassallo. Not sure if you've ever been abroad. Usually porn magazines are sold in the same shop as news, cars and cookery magazines, but on separate shelves. You don't need to be "steering close to these shops" as you put it, to observe who is actually rummaging through the material.
Geoffrey Mifsud Farrugia
Oct 12th 2010, 12:45
Mine was just an observation of facts. Whether i am a bookworm myself or not, as Mr Vassallo sarcastically pointed out, is totally irrelevant to the point made.
Pornography has been around us for centuries in one form or another. It is easily accessible today but curiosity to what is prohibited is even worse. In Malta we have a huge surge or teenage pregnancies. it comes from lack of sex education, precautions and also from keeping the youth in a bubble. at least its what we think we are doing. the truth is another.
J Busuttil
Oct 12th 2010, 09:32
Pornography can be dangerous but it is all around us and freely accessible 24X7. We need to educate and not legislate.
Wake up people.
victor rodenas
Oct 12th 2010, 09:31
I agree that porn films can harm some people ,but also films that have got violence or thieves in operation(stealing)can harm people.They can give wrong ideas to vunerable people also.So shall we stop these films too.The `Passion of The Christ`.film was very violent and also war films are. These days with the Internet it is almost impossible to eredict pornography....I think it is a lost `battle`.
G.Pisani
Oct 12th 2010, 09:27
What is this guy still doing in Malta? Shouldn't he be living in Iran or 1930?
Adrian Vassallo this is Malta an EU country and in 2010 coming to 2011.
S Vella
Oct 12th 2010, 09:27
I know of no cable TV provider that is showing porn except for one particular channel that is NOT porn but PURELY EDUCATIONAL. However do you Dr. Vassallo know that we are living in the year 2010 and in a part of progressive europe and NOT in some extreme islamic country?. Let people do and see what they want and you keep your prayer book in your hands Dr Vassallo. We are in free Malta.
steve bajada
Oct 12th 2010, 09:22
ARA FDAN IL PAJJIZ VERA TAL MIKEY MOUSE . MELA HAFNA MINKHOM FAVUR IL GAYS LI TIGI KONTRA L ETIKA TAL BIBJA , HAFNA MINKHOM FAVUR ID DIVORZJU LI UKOLL KONTRA L ETIKA KRISTJANA , HAFNA MINKHOM KONTRA ID DROGA LI TMUR KONTRA ID DRITT TA LINDIVIDWU U HAFNA MINNHA FAVUR IL PORNOGRAFIJA LI GHANDA IT TAJJEB U IL HAZIN BHALL KULL HAGA OHRA .
M. Azzopardi
Oct 12th 2010, 09:21
Does Dr. Vassallo think we are still under the Mintoff regime? Everybody should be left free to watch what he wants in the privacy of his home or hotel room...this attitude reflects the outdated mentality of the Malta Labour Party.
Gatt Noel
Oct 13th 2010, 11:14
X ghandu x jaqsam il PL li wara 20 sens ta gvern immexxi mil PN li il pornografija Malta ghada kontra l ligi ?? Nispera li ma tissaportjax lil Gvern int, li ghandu r responsabilta li jibdel il ligi!!
Doris Borg
Oct 12th 2010, 09:10
Mela he's not in Iran yet? What's keeping him here?
A.J.Fenech
Oct 12th 2010, 09:08
Interesting indeed. Of course the $100,000 question will be, which cable tv provider is allowijng the screening of porn!!!!!? Why is it that there are still so many restrictions on adult material? As was rightly stated, there has first to be a legal definition of porn; the second burning question is who is entitled to judge what is fit and just for others to see and by which empowerment? There should of course be legal safeguards for the protection of children and minors, such as the prohibition of the open exhibit of adult material, porn traffic involving minors and children and porn material that glamourises sexual violence such as forced rape etc ... but otherwise - why should there be a judgement stick and, who is empowered to wield it?
a.dalli
Oct 12th 2010, 09:08
@Dr. Vassallo and Hon Minister CMB
How about satelite transmissions, can it be stopped? How about Internet, can this be barred?
b cAMILLERI
Oct 12th 2010, 09:05
First....
Here we go again!!
B Mamo
Oct 12th 2010, 10:03
First epic fail you mean?
GiovDeMartino
Oct 12th 2010, 08:58
X'sar minnu l-kaz ta' dak it-teatru li wara xi 20 sena skoprew li ma kien juri xejn hlief pornografija?
Jimmy Magro
Oct 12th 2010, 09:42
The case is being scrutinised by high level group of experts as there are many laws covering the aspects of pronography. This is not a simple matter. The experts say it is more simple to go to Mars than decide on such a complex and delicate matter. But in the meantime, the show must go on.
Steve Farrugia
Oct 12th 2010, 09:56
E ija dak it teatru li kull min imur il belt ma shabu kien jaf bih.... niftakarna noqodu bilqeda quddiemu biex naraw l irgiel johorgu min emm u jaharbu!! hahaha
victor pulis
Oct 12th 2010, 17:03
L-esperti ghadhom jiflu l-evidenza!
O. Falzon
Oct 13th 2010, 09:32
@GiovDeMartino... GET A LIFE !!! you keep posting the same comments over and over again.... and mind your own business :)