One of my favourite authors is A.J. Cronin. In Keys of the Kingdom, an atheist doctor works alongside a priest helping the poor and the sick and, when the doctor died, the priest says: “I know of one atheist who is in heaven.”

Let us all work for common goals we all believe in. I think many believe how essential it is to preserve the natural environment. We all wish that all children have an opportunity to live a full life. So let us attack that which is undermining the natural environment. I feel that Birdlife, for example, only defend their own patch – the birds –  without realising that if the natural environment in Malta is destroyed no birds will come. They seem to be happy administering their bird sanctuaries without trying to protect the natural habitat.

Let us remove hurdles to children who come from unstable backgrounds and who are crying out for help. I do not think the schools have the resources to help these poor, underprivileged children. Or the resources are channelled in the wrong way.

Why invest in loads of learning support assistants when we need specialised teachers to tackle dyslexia, etc? Why not have teachers to help those students who fall a bit behind?

Why not introduce a kind of help after school in coordination with the class teacher? Why the need for all the private lessons and crazy binging and running around for private lessons?

I also think the local Church can do more. I mean, not building more orphanages but the workers in the Father’s vineyard should be more sensitive and make a conscious choice of helping the young ones without humiliation, administering justice and out of charity.