Always against divorce

I am not one who usually writes to correct matters where I am wrongly quoted but two incidents need to be put on the record.

Firstly, a small matter. I am told MP Owen Bonnici has asked if I will keep my word and resign from Parliament now that divorce has been approved by the referendum. May I remind Dr Bonnici and others that what I said – I actually wrote it and can be found published in The Times – before the meeting of the party executive committee was that I would resign from the party (not Parliament) if the party took a position in favour of divorce. Since this did not happen there was never any need for me to resign.

Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando has taken to stating – the latest time on Dissett – I am not “against divorce” but that I only do not think now is the right time to introduce it. I had thought that my various speeches and some seven articles in The Times were more than enough to make clear that I am against divorce as a matter of conscience first and foremost, as a matter of principle secondly and, thirdly, because I believe the evidence around me all points to the inevitable conclusion that society has not gained anything by its introduction. So to make it abundantly clear, I am against divorce, have voted No and will vote No in Parliament because for me it’s a matter of conscience and conscience is not an elastic band that changes with vote levels. I have full respect for any other opposite and contradictory position but I cannot see how you can say that in conscience you are against divorce and then vote Yes in Parliament!

I have also stated that although my position is and will remain that divorce is bad for society and wrong for this country, I recognise that the way Maltese society is evolving it is inevitable that at some stage divorce will become a reality in Malta as well. Recognising the inevitable – and I clearly tried to ensure it did not happen now and I lost – does not mean you accept the principle!

Saying I recognise it is inevitable that at some time in the future the Labour Party will manage to win a general election does not make me a Labourite or stop me from working hard to ensure it does not happen at the next election, which I will wholeheartedly do!