Government backbencher Beppe Fenech Adami told Parliament yesterday that the opposition’s motion about the consultative referendum on the introduction of divorce was deceitful because it did not reflect what was stipulated in the Private Member’s Bill. It was conveniently designed to deceive people to obtain their vote, and he challenged the opposition to contradict his argument.

While the opposition argued that such divorce was responsible because it guaranteed maintenance, Dr Fenech Adami asked whether a person would be able to maintain two families if divorce were introduced. Children would only be guaranteed to live in a family that would not necessarily comprise their mother and father.

In time, the people would realise that the proposed question was deceitful.

The Bill did not refer to the fact that divorce might be obtained without the consent of the other party. Rather than encouraging couples to reconcile, the Divorce Bill pushed couples to separate for four years and then obtain divorce.

The opposition was irresponsible when calling for the referendum not to be financed through public funds. It would be a mistake to deprive the electorate of relevant information. The government should use the necessary funds to explain the two sides of the coin.

Earlier, Dr Fenech Adami said both parties had agreed that none of them had been given the mandate to introduce divorce. With divorce, the Maltese family’s situation would change. But would this be for better or for worse?

The opposition was trying to convince people that divorce was one of the solutions to family problems. The introduction of divorce would mean a step backwards. Divorce would have adverse effects on Maltese families and society, because it would increase the suffering of the most vulnerable.

Pro-divorce exponents had argued that divorce would eliminate suffering; he argued that statistics showed that with the introduction of divorce, marital breakdown, births out of wedlock, cohabitation and suffering had not decreased. Nobody was taking heed that children were suffering and they should be allowed to express their opinion. No one was listening to them.

Dr Fenech Adami encouraged MPs to find a just referendum question that would reflect the truth.