Some resisting divorce to avoid responsibility - JPO

There were people who were married but currently in a relationship with someone else who said they were against divorce.

This was because they felt comfortable telling their partner that they could not get married. They did not want divorce because they did not want to shoulder responsibility, Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said this morning.

He was speaking at the final press conference given by the Yes for Divorce Movement, prior to next Saturday's referendum.

The conference was characterised by a sense of camaraderie between politicians from the different political camps in Malta.

Dr Pullicino Orlando, Michael Falzon and Cyrus Engerer were from the Nationalist camp, Evaist Bartolo from Labour and Michael Briguglio and Yvonne Arqueros Ebejer from Alternattiva Demokratika.

They pointed out that it was an experience for them to work together in spite of being political rivals

The campaign to fight the sense of egoism that existed in the country had united them, they said.

Referring to a claim by TV presenter Jean-Claude Micallef who is considering legal action against Dr Pullicino Orlando who, he said, got personal and "lied" about his private life, during a debate on divorce between for and against youth groups yesterday evening, Dr Pullicino Orlando said he had no problem with being taken to court as he was sure that he would win the case.

He justified his reaction during the debate, which he admitted could have been very emotive, to Mr Micallef attributing ulterior motives to his position in favour of divorce.

Mr Bartolo said it was important that people went out to vote on Saturday and he was worried that there could be a high level of abstention among young people.

He said it was unfair to describe the divorce bill as one "without reason" since it was proposing a responsible divorce and its intention was to give people a chance to rebuild their lives in a responsible way.

Dr Briguglio said that a yes vote will still give those who wanted to say no to divorce in their private life the possibility of doing so. However, a no vote would not give this possibility to those who wanted to say yes.

Voting yes, he said, was an altruistic gesture.

The movement will cease to exist after Saturday